The Glock is a polymer-framed, short recoil-operated, locked-breech semiautomatic pistol. It is a wildly popular handgun, with many law enforcement agencies using it as a standard issue.
Bullet Weight
A well-trained shooter can get good accuracy out of a Glock 9mm. However, this requires careful training, practice, and a lot of experimentation with ammunition. Each gun and barrel combination is unique, so finding a load that works for your weapon is essential. As a rule, lighter bullets travel faster than heavier ones. They may also feel “snappier,” though that depends on the shooter and the individual pistol. Some competition shooters prefer a heavier bullet, while others favor a lighter, more maneuverable round. Heavier bullets can also be less stable on impact and cause a ricochet that could lead to a miss. The best solution is to try different loads until you find one that produces the results you are looking for.
Velocity
Most hollow point ammunition sold in stores is made to enlarge the bullet’s frontal diameter when it strikes soft tissue. This expansion deforms the bullet and reduces its penetration while delivering sufficient energy to stop most threats. However, this expansion also means that the bullet may retain enough velocity to exit the far side of a target and harm non-threats on the other side. In addition to the impact of barrel length on accuracy, the velocity of a bullet is heavily impacted by the type of powder used and its consistency. The shortest barrel tested produced the lowest average muzzle velocity reading. Glock pistols have a reputation for handling a steady diet of +P or +P+ (higher pressure) ammunition better than most other handguns, even those designed for duty use. Of course, the increased recoil from +P ammunition can be an issue with some shooters, especially if they’re trying to defend themselves in a stressful situation at close range.
Penetration
A pistol’s penetration is the ability to perforate an object. Often, this is measured in terms of the distance the bullet travels through the target.
A common standard is 12 inches, but this number is a relatively easy and fast rule. Different situations can call for different amounts of penetration. For example, in a home-defense scenario, a shooter might want to use a lower-powered round that is more likely to stop a threat on the other side of a wall without damaging a non-threat on the way.
In 2010, Glock introduced the fourth generation of their pistols, dubbed “Gen 4.” The Gen 4 featured a few upgrades, such as pyramidal texturing molded into the grip frame for enhanced traction and a modular backstrap system that lets users swap between three or four different sizes to find a comfortable fit. It also ditched the cyanide process.
Barrel Length
Depending on the particular gun and cartridge you use, barrel length can significantly impact both external ballistics (like bullet velocity) and terminal ballistics (the effect of a bullet on organic tissue). Generally speaking, longer barrels provide greater accuracy than shorter ones. A longer barrel can reduce harmonics, which cause vibrations that degrade your shooting accuracy. In some cases, however, a longer barrel can decrease your shot-to-shot consistency by increasing the pressure of your ammunition. It can result in shots ranging in size and direction.
A good general rule of thumb is to stick with the standard 16″ barrel unless you are using subsonic ammo, in which case anything over that won’t help much. Also, remember that a longer barrel will increase the overall weight of your gun, making it more challenging to maneuver and shoot. Shorter barrels, on the other hand, are lighter and easier to wield in close combat situations.