.45 Acp Glock - Of all the .45 Auto semi-automatic pistol options, the Glock certainly has a respected position. Glock is known for its reliable and simple design - important factors for many shooters. Glock has managed to bridge the gap between those who want a larger caliber of ammunition in their pistol and those who are tired of only carrying 6 or 7 rounds in the magazine. This brings us to the gun we are looking at for this review, the Glock 21.
Glock introduced the G21 SF (Short Frame) in 2007 to compete for the DOD contract. The deal ultimately didn't go through, but the gun gained traction with law enforcement agencies and civilians because of its unique features. Based on the Generation 3 Glock 21, the company has made only a few changes to this variant. We fired and operated the Glock 21 SF for this Glock 21 review.
.45 Acp Glock
Of the changes seen in the Glock 21 SF, the most prominent (as the name suggests) is a smaller frame circumference. Not to be confused with frame width, the short frame provides a shallower frame depth than the Glock 21 Gen 3 version. This shallower frame depth allows those with smaller hands to have the right grip and access to features. In newer generations (Gen 4), the grip length of the Glock 21 is almost identical to the G21 SF.
How Many Rounds Does A Glock Hold?
As mentioned earlier, the Glock 21 SF is chambered in one of the "big boys" calibers - .45 ACP. Most shooters know the 45 ACP as a classic caliber, and many self-defense shooters still rely on the cartridge today.
Glock combines tradition with capacity in the Glock 21 SF. A 13+1 capacity is offered in the Glock 21 SF – a seemingly reasonable number given the size of the frame.
Another unique aspect of the Glock 21 SF is the inclusion of an ambidextrous magazine release. While this feature is easy to use, I felt it lacked functionality. I will discuss this in more detail later in the review. A few select Glock 21 SF frames are made with a Picatinny style accessory mount rail – still not many and holster compatibility is a concern.
Many of the Glock 21 SF variants available today come from police departments that have rotated them out of service. These replacements can be found for as little as $350-$400 in some places - very good, no doubt.
Discount Gun Mart
When I first got my hands on the G21, I quickly felt comfortable in my hands. I know not everyone likes or even enjoys the Glock "experience", but as someone who has owned and fired a Glock, I was comfortable. Some might even argue that the Glock is an “acquired” taste – whether you like Glock ergonomics or not, the 21 SF feels right.
Even though it's made for use by those with different hand sizes, the frame still has a fairly sturdy feel. I shoot the Glock 17 a lot and this frame provides a better grip than the 17. While I'm not against the feel or size of the frame, I did have some issues accessing the magazine release. I'll get more into this later when I get into the functional side of things.
My expectations of how this gun would handle recoil and running were generally wrong. Based on the caliber, I expected a little more difficulty with those follow-up shots. However, I was surprised. In my experience, this gun performed well. The gun ran all types of ammo I fed it with no problem. I was really impressed with the shrinkage management.
While the frame is comfortable, I wish it had more textured surfaces. Especially after shooting or sweating for a while, the G21 SF started to slip. The 21 SF felt slider does not have any forward serrations and seems difficult to hold consistently. Some frame breaks and knurled sliders would be a nice aftermarket addition.
Glock 21 Stainless Steel Barrel Gen 1 4 .45 Acp (sale)
Shooting the G21 SF gave me a lot of confidence in my hands – a confidence that increased when I realized that fast and accurate follow-up shots were very much possible. I ran some drills with the C-zone steel plate from about 15 yards while moving forward and sideways. The consistent hits and maneuverability I experienced with the Glock 21 made it a lot of fun to shoot.
Glocks aren't exactly known for amazing factory sights or triggers. The work they do is usually nothing short of amazing. My experience with the G21 SF has been consistent with every other Glock I've shot for that matter.
Found here on the G21 SF is a basic white "U" shaped rear with a stock front post. I got enough of these sights to feel confident, but then again, I've used these sights before. If you buy one of these G21 SFs (usually a police replacement), be prepared to trade the sights for low light usage. I know it all comes down to preference, but the fiber optic front with tinted rear options for sale seem to work well for me.
My trigger testing of the G21 SF showed an average weight of 5.5 pounds using the Lyman trigger scale - pretty typical for a Glock trigger. I know a lot of people are really against these drivers. I've shot enough Glock pistols at this point that they don't bother me too much.
Glock Modello 41 Cal. 45 Acp • Armeria Degradi
This trigger in particular is smoother than a normal Glock trigger. This may be due to age and "break-in" years. Regardless, I appreciate the smooth pickup and sharp cutoff. No real complaints from me here.
In most cases, the gun is simple and straightforward. it is a glock after all. I still noticed a few things about the functionality that proved a little annoying - the ambidextrous magazine release being the first. I feel like Glock has compromised functionality here to fit DOD contract requirements.
The magazine release design provided a smaller footprint than your typical Glock magazine release. I had to actually break the grip and rotate the bezel to access this release. My hands are on the average side of size. I'm a little surprised that I had as much trouble as I did to find the right angle for the magazine changes.
Posting the slide seems confusing to me too. Although the design seems equivalent to a normal slide release from a Glock, it doesn't seem to work like one. It took intense and precise pressure to move the slider. I ended up moving the slider manually for most of the shoots.
Semi Automatic Pistol
This may not be a problem (and I know there are aftermarket slide release options), but I thought it was worth mentioning.
As part of my range testing on the Glock 21 SF, I used the Labrador Doppler radar to obtain ballistic data. Using Speer Gold Dot 230 gr. ammo, I fired 5 shots while the Labrador was racing.
The average muzzle velocity from this test was 832 feet per second from the G21 SF. Speer advertises a muzzle velocity of 890 feet per second. Here is a closer look at the performance of the ammo I shot with the Glock 21.
The Glock 21 SF is clearly a proven and tested gun that has gone through years of use. With Glock and aftermarket support readily available, it's hard to go wrong with a gun like this. Considering the price and the potential to find many used variants in good condition, the value seems high.
Glock 30s Gen 3 Spartan Bronze Pistol 10 Rd 45 Acp Burnt Bronze Slide
My experience with the G21SF exceeded my performance expectations and I honestly love it now. It's not a perfect gun, but in my opinion it has strong potential to be called after some simple changes in the market. If you are looking for a smooth and reliable .45 Auto, the Glock 21 SF may be for you. These include the Glock Model 20 10mm and the Glock Model 21 .45 ACP pistol. Introduced in 1990, the Model 21 in .45 ACP competes with other large caliber pistols in police service. Americans tend to demand more destruction in their defensive pistols, and my take on that is American four squared.
The gun was well received. Great reliability and accuracy are great selling points. Another strong point is that the magazine holds 13 rounds of the .45 ACP cartridge, giving the gun a total capacity of 14.
The downside of the gun is its size. Female shooters with small hands and long fingers usually do well with the Glock 21, although practice and a good familiarity with the type are important. Although the gun is bulky due to the polymer frame, it is light enough.
When you consider the whole picture, the Glock offers considerable firepower in a lightweight package. For example, the original government model Colt 1911 in the same caliber weighed 39 ounces. The current service pistol, the 9mm Beretta 92, weighs 35 ounces and offers 15 rounds of the less effective 9mm cartridge.
Used Glock 21 Gen 3 45 Acp Very Good
Another advantage of the Glock is simplicity. The design offers safe action
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