Popularity contests are, in my opinion, wastes of time (unless you’re running for office). They often come down to people’s personal biases without actually being based on any kind of logical, rational thinking.
And that’s perfectly fine if what you’re talking about is an aesthetic choice. For example, if you prefer for your firearms to be painted in a pink paizley pattern, I’m perfectly fine with that. I don’t have any criticism for someone who wants to do that.
I also won’t be painting a gun that color or with that type of pattern (because I prefer mine in basic colors). I’m just not influenced by whether my choice of color for a gun is popular or not.
There are times, though, when popularity can actually be worth paying attention to because, sometimes, it can indicate that there is something of value with the popular choice.
Which brings us to the question of whether you should carry the most popular pistol as your daily carry firearm? Does popularity in this case actually mean that there is a good reason for that gun to be the most popular?
At least one writer over at gunpros.com seems to think that the most popular pistol is that way for reasons other than marketing. They write,
It might seem like we’re just being lazy listing Glock as our first choice for the best 9mm pistols, but there’s a reason this is the most relied upon manufacturer among worldwide police forces, including up to 60-70% of American police officers.
The writer, after noting Glock’s “relative affordability” and “reliability and durability,” continues:
If you’ve decided on a Glock pistol after reading our Glock pros and cons, but you’re not sure which to choose, the Glock G19 is probably the best choice. While not necessarily perfect for all uses, this compact pistol is small enough that it could be used for concealed carry, while still being large enough to fit comfortably in the hands of most shooters when having fun at the range.
Gen 5 Glocks, including the Gen 5 G19, removed the finger grooves of earlier models. They also improved the grip texture. Combined, this makes the Gen 5 G19 a more comfortable fit for a wider range of shooters, when compared to the Gen 4.
So, should you choose the Glock 19 as your personal daily carry? Obviously, that is a personal choice depending on your needs and preferences.
One thing that is clear, though, is that if you’re shopping for a daily carry pistol, Glocks can be a good choice to consider.
Don’t like them, won’t buy one and won’t ever own one! The have achieved their popularity as a result of their simplicity and reliability, but they are still plastic pistols that have way too much muzzle snap and I hate the way they feel in my hand. I understand their popularity and I understand that I am in the minority of folks that like having and using firearm’s, but I way prefer having a steel gun that weighs enough that I am comfortable with it and can shoot it with some chance that I will hit what I am shooting at, (paper mostly, with an occasional tin can that I police after perforating it!). My favorite is a CZ 75, yes I know that they are now making plastic pistols too in order to compete, but I will not give up my steel pistol and if I have to, I will migrate to one of the many fine 1911 style pistols that are still made of steel!
“Hating the way they feel in my hand” is mostly because of the grip angle, I believe, and is why I don’t like them either. It creates a very unnatural feel in the hand.
Also like you, I’m a huge fan of the CZ platform.
I was at a gun show a while back when one of the vendors tried to sell me a purple gun because it matched the shirt I happened to be wearing that day 😉 I didn’t buy it mainly because it wasn’t a good ‘fit’ for me.
I do wonder why so many folks say the grip angle on a typical Glock is ‘wrong’ – my suspicion is that they were trained on particular other makes/models and that is why they gripe about Glocks. Who knows? If someone doesn’t like a particular platform, don’t buy it. But it is not appropriate to bash something just you don’t like it.
FWIW I have large square palms and relatively short fingers so I am picky about what I prefer and unless it is an issue gun I get to decide.