Glock 19

Question
QUESTION: Hi Rick,

I plan on buying a Glock 19 in 9mm. What would be the best brand or type of sight to put on it where I could see the point I want to hit at night and day also? Would it be a laser sight and might I benefit also from a differnet sight for daytime shooting...and, if so, could I put both type of sites on that small of a gun? I plan on just keeping it in my apartment for home defense and carry as a handun along with my .308 Saiga in a possible extreme survival situation. I might carry it concealed presently but only rarely as I don't frequent any bad or dangerous places but very rarely.

Thank you very much.

Mark E.

ANSWER: Glock is a good gun, but the 9mm is a crap round, it is not designed for stopping power it is designed to wound, which is why it is a nato round since a wounded person requires help and when you hit a soldier his buddies will help him and you take out three fighters instead of one, if you just kill him.

I would say get a .45, glock makes a good one, I like the 1911 models, many out there.  The .45 round is much better and much more stopping power.

As for sights, any night sights will work, for close range laser is good, many types of lasers to pick from.  The problem night sights is once you fire your first round, the flash of the gun takes out your night vision the sights are hard to see if you can see them at all, so some clear bright white sights that glow in the dark are just as good as the expensive radioactive ones.

Read some of my other answers on ammo and guns and you will see why I like the .45 better.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again Rick,

Thank you greatly for your recent reply on the gun & the sights! After reading some of your answers on the .45 cal., I agree. Were you referring to the Glock 37 in .45 (GAP) cal. or does Glock carry another .45 that may be more in line with the 1911?

I'm also thinking of getting a Saiga (AK platform) .308 semi auto rifle for a SHTF weapon. I think they come in only 16 & 22 inch barrels. I've read on a forum where a poster said a .308 to be most accurate or efficient should come out of at least a 20 inch barrel. My thoughts are getting the 22 inch barrel & cut it down to a 20 or maybe even a 19 or 18 inch barrel. I also read where muzzle erosion would eventually require cutting some off of a 16 inch barrel & it would cost more to extend a barrel than cutting it down. What is your opinion on that? Do you think this is a good idea & if so, should I have a gunsmith do it or just search classifieds or the web in hopes of finding one already altered?

Thank you again,

Mark E.

Answer
The .45 GAP is a like a .45 short, much like a .380 is a 9mm short or a .38 is 357 short.  The GAP round is not as good as the standard .45, plus ammo will cost more since less people have them and supply is down.  .45 has been around since 1911 so lots of parts, lots of ammo, lots of info on them.  The Glock .45 will be lighter and is a great gun, old timers like the 1911 model since it is easy to modify, easy to fix, easy to find parts, lots of different accessories so you can trick it out and make it personal.

A .308 round is the same as the Military M60 round, good round, good knock down, normally longer barrel gives more velocity and more accuracy so I would go with longer barrel and try it out for a year or so before you decided to cut.