Glock 17 or 22??

[PH_Armory]

i just would like some opinions regarding my next decision for purchasing a handgun...

ok i own a Beretta 92fs im looking to buy a standard size glock and a m1911

however im not sure whether to go with the g17 or g22

-the 17 will use same 9mm ammo my beretta uses and will help keep my ammo expense down

--the 22 is something "new" to me slightly better firepower but will increase my ammo expense..

so main question.... is the 22 worth it over the 17 or just keep costs down and stick w/ 9mm for 2 of my handguns?

[Steve_NEPhila]

Let me explain how bullets work when they hit people. The only way a bullet will incapacitate a person (or animal) is by either causing enough bleeding to drop the blood pressure enough that they target loses consciousness, or by physically damaging the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). That is all there is to it.

Today with modern bullet designs there is no real appreciable defensive difference between 9mm, .40 S&W or the venerable .45 ACP. Furthermore, I posit that you are already getting something "different" by purchasing a Glock because the pistol is vastly different from the Beretta.

If you do buy a Glock why not look at the long slide versions. Trying to hide one of these will not be a big issue for you since you live in the Garden State. Better yet, buy a really good .22 LR auto like a Ruger or Browning. They are great values and really help to develop the basics of handgun marksmanship.

[PH_Armory]

im sorry for not being clear, i didnt mean for hitting people what i meant is which i will enjoy shooting at the range...

i like the idea of the glock 34, i have no plans of carrying unless i get a job in law enforcement. even though i am not gonna be at the garden state for long....

[PH_Armory]

as for the 22lr, i wouldnt mind a sig mosquito..

[FLICK]

Personally, get a G19. You can use the G17 mags for more rounds (if you wish) and share ammo with the Beretta. Then, if/when, you move out of communist china, err, NJ, you can conceal it without much problem and still have a comfy range toy. If your even thinking about a G34 and not worried about CCing, by all means, grab one. More $$ then a 17 or 19, at least around here, but a great range Glock. 33rd mags (Glock factory, please) and your set. YMMV, of course....

[rwb1500]

im sorry for not being clear, i didnt mean for hitting people what i meant is which i will enjoy shooting at the range...

i like the idea of the glock 34, i have no plans of carrying unless i get a job in law enforcement. even though i am not gonna be at the garden state for long....

If you like recoil go with something that isn't 9mm. .40S&W is fun, but the bigger the gun the more it tames the recoil. Now a Glock 27, that'll get you some fun.

I dunno, I find recoil fun. Usually in range guns. In a carry gun we're talking about another thing entirely.

[SCBaldr]

I would say the idea that the .40 is a more powerful round than the 9mm is not really true. (At least for range loads) Most .40 FMJ loads have around 360-380 ft/lbs of energy (the 180 grain winchester FMJs typically have a muzzle veloity of 950 fps)

9mm Para range loads run anywhere from the Sellier & Bellot 124 gr. FMJs at 340 ft/lbs to the much hotter Winchester 124 gr. loads which sit around 410 ft/lbs of energy.

The snappier feel of the .40 S&W is due to the acceleration dynamics of a heavier bullet under high chamber pressures as opposed to the more gradual acceleration of a lighter round. (Think the difference between a punch and a shove with the same amount of force behind them.)

Both rounds run similar chamber pressures. So the question is really the cost of ammo and what you feel like spending.

[mrnyman]

When you ask questions like this , it is important to state what the gun will be used for.

Very few handguns can equal the Glock 17, the original Glock auto pistol.

Really what can a 22 do that a 17 cannot?

[39flathead]

If you are looking for another range gun, I would stay with the 9mm and the G17. You can continue to buy the slightly cheaper 9mm ammo and usually G17 mags are a dollar or two less than G22 mags so when you move to a free state, you can pick up some standard mags at a small price advantage.
If you ever do think you may use one for a carry gun, then the G19 is good advice and is plenty powerful enough with defense loads.

I agree with Steve that there is pretty much no difference in modern ammo when it comes right down to the ability to stop a threat, spending the money on a full blown custom compact .45 over a G19 or G27 is not going to make a bit of difference to an attacker, it's the bullet choice, not so much the caliber anymore.
However, I do have to wonder where SCBaldr got his stats, standard range ammo in .40S&W (180gr) is usually about 400/425 ME while most 9mm is in at about 315/325ME with the .40 running at on avg 100FPS slower than the 9mm.

But anyway, having owned or fired every one of the guns mentioned in the thread, I never thought the G22 was any harder as far as recoil than a G17, and I actually would prefer the Beretta. I do now use a HK USP for my main carry, and love the dual recoil system it has and would have to think hard about going back to another Glock except for maybe one of the subcompacts for pocket carry.

[orionz06]

I would go with the G17... Why would you go to the more expensive and heavier recoiling caliber?