[Dane Burns]

Chris/ David,

How about a story from one of your buddies on the hard use a Glock can take. I saw the comment about Black T not solving the problems of a gun finish for a jungle. Tell us more of what you know and have heard?

 

[Chris Oslin]

I spent about 5 years in a jungle environment, and EVERY Sig Sauer pistol turned orange within the first two weeks, most sooner. They are good guns, but they have horrible finishes. The K-Kote didn't work, factory re-bluing was useless, etc. The same stood true with the other guns, including stainless steel Rugers, S&W's, etc. I also saw some Black-T chip/peel while I was there. The only after market finish that worked was NP-3 from Robar.

However - the tenifer in the Glocks seemed to hold up to whatever came down the
pike. The stamped pieces that were not tenifer, like the slide stop, the locking block pin, etc., would eventually corrode, but they were easily cleaned up with steel wool and some cold-blue. We had one person in our office, who went through water survival and aircraft dunker training wearing his duty belt, with his Glock 22 in it, year after year. I did see the extractor plunger get a spot of orange on it during a yearly inspection once, but it cleaned up without a problem. I am talking SEA-SALT - total immersion.

Also, I can attest, that when we would land on the beaches and egress from a helicopter, dust and sand got EVERYWHERE. This included into every crevice of our guns. Every time, the Glocks worked without fail, when many other guns jammed up. Frequently, when we got back to the airfield, the guys would dump the mags, clear the chamber, and rinse the guns with fresh water from a Camelback to get the sand and salt out, wipe them off, then load up and get back on the aircraft after refueling.

Pretty tough critters, those Glocks. They just kept working, year after year. They impressed me there, and I have stuck with them ever since.

Like I have said before, they are not as elegant as a 1911, but they have always worked when I needed them to. That makes up for aesthetics, in my book.

________________
Chris/Oz - IDPA# AO9766 "You can't miss fast enough to win the gunfight." - Ross Seyfried

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Chris Oslin on 2001-04-25 01:20 ]</font>

 

[Weiser 878]

Well, I don't think this post was directed at me, although my name is David too :smile: but I figure I'll chime in with my $.02 (BTW, why did I have to reregister? anyway)

I go to a local creek in middle Alabama with my friends almost every weekend. We swim, sunbathe (or watch the girls do it, whatever) tube down the rapids and whatever else strikes our fancy.
Every time I'm there, I have a GLOCK on my person. I do everything as i would otherwise, and jsut take about 10 minutes a week to detail strip the gun and get all the sand out. I've never had a hiccup with the GLOCKs, not even firing the 9mms underwater (doesn't cause all the shokwave damage that urban legends will tell you). BTW the pistol worked fine without the amphibious spring cups.
I have no signs of corrosion of any kind on any GLOCK, and I do not oil them except at the point where the trigger bar and connector meet. Of course, the sand wears the phosphate finish on all the non tenifered parts to a shiny silver and the slide and exposed part of the BBL to a dull sheen in a nylon holster, but since i switched to Kydex, no more wear problems.

Don't think I mistreat all firearms like this, in fact I care for them very much, its just that with the GLOCKs, i don't have to worry about them at all, and can go about my normal routine.

_________________
--Weis
[GIF file in sig deleted - private message sent]

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Desert Dog on 2001-04-25 06:31 ]</font>

 

[Guest]

Well it is not one of my better moments but on a trip to Brazil some years back to provide security services for a client I came well prepared with my Glock M21 and all of the usual travel necessities.
Things went well and we did some hiking, and made a trip to the Amazon Basin, the Glock was remarkably unrusted despite several days of intense humidity, mud, and nearly constant submersion.
I did notice that the magazine springs had turned orange/red but they were still fully functional.
On th last day of the trip we were enjoying some free time and I took the oppurtunity the explore some of the local trails outside of Manaus by motorcycle.
Adrenaline and ego got the better of me and I came into a rough section with to much speed and not enough common sense, I promptly found the largest rocks dismounted the bike by means of the handlebars and vaulted over the edge of a 70 foot enbankment. I would like to claim that I had my helmet on or even long pants and protective gear, I had neither. I suffered substantial injuries to my right thigh, hip, shoulder, face and arm.
It was upon my return to the states and after healing, I examined my equipment.
The M21 had a large gash through the belt holster into the frame and along the right and top side of the slide, the Trijicon rear sight was broken off and shiny metal was visible with a large dent where the sight was. I showed the holster to my physician and he believes that the holster/Glock combo saved me from more serious injury from what must of been some very sharp rock(s), I still have the pins in my hip and I purchase a new Model 21 every year. For anyone that is curious it did have a round in the chamber and it did not go off.

 

[Chris Oslin]

David: WOW! Tell me - what holster were you using? I heard of a similar story with a Mad Dog kydex rig.

Also - did the gun still work after the incident? (As if absorbing the impact and staying together isn't impressive enough!)

 

[Guest]

Chris,
I just noticed your reply/question, the holster was in fact an Eagle industies IWB with thumbbreak and shirt guard, Kevin was not making holsters yet at that time or it would probably have been a Taylor Thunderbolt.

The model 21 did and does in fact still work, I sold it to a coworker/friend in 96'.
He had Robar refinish the pistol, and peform a grip reduction.

_________________
Thanks,
David

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: David DiFabio on 2001-04-29 21:03 ]</font>