Inflated pistol economy.

Exspiravit

Exspiravit

Mell-Known Wember
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
Benefactor
Life Member
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
6,054
Location
Surry County
Rating - 100%
89   0   0
How does Glock do it? How do they produce a pistol that seems to keep it's value?
Every one else is pumping out $350-$400 pistols that do the exact same thing and sometimes do it better.
There are a bajillion Glock brand plastic bricks floating around. PD's dump them used, Glock keeps pumping them out, people buy them and then realize they are boring and sell them. PSA and several other companies are making cheaper priced copies.

It seems unsustainable and yet people will still pay $500 for a used one like a schmuck.
 
Marketing, it's all marketing. They have enough brand recognition, and people sipping on the kool-aid to keep pumping them out. It's like Apple, Rolex, and Jeep, there are better products than the brands I mentioned, but because of brand recognition they stay at the top. And every new shooter has heard about Glock. In fact if you ask someone who knows absolutely nothing about guns, they probably have still heard of Glock, or S&W.
 
It’s hard to argue with the $500-600 price point as well. I think it’s positioned very well in the market.

If you ask yourself what’s a reasonable amount to spend on a duty pistol, $500 sounds like a good number. If it can be done cheaper great, but I don’t see PD’s ever going to the $300 Dagger. My $.02
 
Glock 19 is the Honda Accord of guns. Or the Tacoma if you are a truck guy.
It's everything it is supposed to be and nothing more. They hold value because they are worth every penny of the retail price.

Not my favorite gun by any means, but I feel 100% justified in recommending it to anyone interested in becoming a gun owner and shooter. It's never a bad choice.
 
There's also that intangible thing we like to discuss here: Trust. I trust Glock enough to go buy one brand new and be assured it will go bang when I pull the trigger. I trust that enough to put money on it. My Dagger hasn't failed me yet but it hasn't earned that Trust either.
 
Last edited:
NKD said:
Glock 19 is the Honda Accord of guns. Or the Tacoma if you are a truck guy.
It's everything it is supposed to be and nothing more. They hold value because they are worth every penny of the retail price.

Not my favorite gun by any means, but I feel 100% justified in recommending it to anyone interested in becoming a gun owner and shooter. It's never a bad choice.
Click to expand...
Yep. And just like accords (and tacomas) thier used prices are inflated beyond thier true value.
 
powwowell said:
Ain't no illiusion!!
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong, I like Glocks. I've owned and shot many and never had an issue with any of them. Are they perfection? For some, yes, I'm sure. I love the simplicity and aftermarket support, as mentioned. The ergos I'm not a fan of and I shoot other pistols, such as M&P's and CZ's much better and have had 100% reliability out of those, as well.
 
Damn_Yankee said:
Don't get me wrong, I like Glocks. I've owned and shot many and never had an issue with any of them. Are they perfection? For some, yes, I'm sure. I love the simplicity and aftermarket support, as mentioned. The ergos I'm not a fan of and I shoot other pistols, such as M&P's and CZ's much better and have had 100% reliability out of those, as well.
Click to expand...
Completely agree. I trust a Glock to be reliable but I hate the feel of them, ergos simply don’t work for me. M&P’s do and I haven’t had an issue with them.
However, the aftermarket support for Glocks has me jumping into the world of Glock clones (P80, Dagger, Shadow Systems).
 
Werent glocks around $500 in the 1990’s as well? If so the inflation argument would require glocks to be $1000 by now. I’d say Glock has kept their prices extremely competitive and fair when one considers the amazing consistency and reliability of Glock handguns. there are no pistols I trust as much. Not even close.
 
1. Austria & Smyrna factories are nearly 100% identical
2. Glock's in-house production is nearly 100%.
3. Glock's willingness to simply rehab guns at no charge*
4. Every new pistol being a Glock-killer only boosts the brand
5. Hella awesome trade-in packages for cash-strapped LEO departments
6. They have their own cargo plane to deliver pistol orders around the world like Domino's.
7. A chimp with a 3.5mm pin punch can detail strip one
8. GSSF to pimp the brand and offer discounts to Joe & Jane Sixpack on an already competitively priced handgun.
9. You can find parts/mags at Billy Bob's Bait in the most remote backwater town.
10. Atlanta Metro strippers, cocaine, and police chiefs needing new pistols........ is just a rumor. 🤞
11. They price them above what they are worth, but still very competitive to the market competition and rabid about MAP.

Basically Glock is able to maintain their logistics, QC, and prices to very acceptable levels to always makes it a "safe" buy.

*Glock used to be even more based until boomers started bragging about buying used Glocks, stripping them, sending them in to Smyrna for Glock to completely refurb them and selling the used parts.
 
I am not a Glock fanboi, but I have several that I carry and shoot. When I need a reliable gun that takes sweat, dirt, and rain well, chances are I am carrying a Glock. I’ve carried other guns in extreme circumstances, but I’ve never carried a gun more rust/extreme service resistant than a Glock.

With all that said, there are plenty of great guns out there and I won’t argue with you about your choices. Glocks don’t have the soul of a lot of the other choices, and that is okay, too. They are the Estwing hammer of the gun world - nothing more and nothing less.
 
My $0.02. I am not a "fanboy" so to speak however. I choose to carry Glock for the simple reason that the platform is the same no matter which model I choose. A double stack 9 mag will fit not only a G19 but many other makes and models.
Reasons for Carrying a G is I will not be hurt if I have to give it up in the event I have to use it, I don't care about scratching it, I call them the Tupperware of handguns, no "grip zone".... I don't think I have ever had a failure. I think I have a trigger in one of them, the rest are bone stock with added night sights and extended slide releases.

Not my choice at the range but I do shoot them well. (Ergonomics)

Why they hold their value used, I have no idea.
 
Last edited:
They just work for me. Dead simple to work on if you are so inclined. Clean it. Don’t clean it. The Glock doesn’t care.

I think I’ve had one stove pipe in my G43 edc that I’ve carried since there were introduced. It was time to change mag springs. No further issue.
 
One question/exercise I think is fun to ask yourself, if you knew you had to walk into a Bad situation with a brand new pistol off a rack and trust it to function, what are you grabbing?

I think there's a really strong argument for Glock. They are THE standard of reliability with the largest sample size out there. M&P gets a nod for a close second here, but they're still second in my book.
 
Marketing.

Glock started out selling their guns to police departments dirt cheap, knowing that eventually their gun sell to the public because so many police were using it. "Good enough for the cops, good enough for me" kinda deal.

You've got lots of people hawking how its the only "good" or only "reliable" gun for self defense. Truth is, they don't know their backside from a hole in the ground, but they parrot the line, and people dumber than them believe it.

I regard Glocks the same way I regard 1911's and Harley motorcycles. You're paying for a name, not for something unique or better than anything else.
 
Slimer said:
1. Austria & Smyrna factories are nearly 100% identical
2. Glock's in-house production is nearly 100%.
3. Glock's willingness to simply rehab guns at no charge*
4. Every new pistol being a Glock-killer only boosts the brand
5. Hella awesome trade-in packages for cash-strapped LEO departments
6. They have their own cargo plane to deliver pistol orders around the world like Domino's.
7. A chimp with a 3.5mm pin punch can detail strip one
8. GSSF to pimp the brand and offer discounts to Joe & Jane Sixpack on an already competitively priced handgun.
9. You can find parts/mags at Billy Bob's Bait in the most remote backwater town.
10. Atlanta Metro strippers, cocaine, and police chiefs needing new pistols........ is just a rumor. 🤞
11. They price them above what they are worth, but still very competitive to the market competition and rabid about MAP.

Basically Glock is able to maintain their logistics, QC, and prices to very acceptable levels to always makes it a "safe" buy.

*Glock used to be even more based until boomers started bragging about buying used Glocks, stripping them, sending them in to Smyrna for Glock to completely refurb them and selling the used parts.
Click to expand...
Well said and all valid arguments. Especially the every new pistol is going to be the Glock killer. I don’t think the haters, nay sayers, etc realize that they perpetuate the Glock brand almost as much as Glock themselves. Despite what you think of their slogan about perfection. Every time someone jokes about the slogan or brags about the new Glock killer. It only keeps the Glock name in people’s mouth.
 
I am certainly Not a Glock Fanboi..but anybody that wonders about their reliability should research Chuck Taylor's 300,000 round count test.
He bought a 17 off the shelf to prove to the world what a POS they were....years and 300,000+ rounds later he had changed his mind.
 
Glock is an amazing marketing company that also happens to make an excellent gun. This makes for a rock solid sales foundation for the company. The are incredibly savvy in the way they go after LEO and smaller Govt contracts. They have built in economy of scale with their product line. The cost of making a Glock is nothing compared to making a Colt 1911 or a Sig P226. They are making a killing selling them at LEO pricing then buying them back replacing them. and selling the trade ins to people like AIM and GT Distributors etc... They have a consistent flow of LEO trade ins hitting the market all the time in the US. The name Glock has become synonymous with the word pistol in the US cultural mindset even if you are not into guns.

They dominate the pistol market here in the US and the rest of the world. When some of us here took the class with LAV and Ken Hackathorn both of them stated it is a Glock world. They were doing more training in and outside the US on Glocks than any other pistol. The rest of the world uses Glock 19s and 17s because legal concealed carry is not a thing so you are either an LEO/Paramilitary or armed security of some sort so you carry a "duty sized" gun".

I am a lot like others in this thread. I am not a Glock fan but I own them and shoot them well enough. I respect them for what they are. They are a solid gun that on whole is more reliable and dependable in almost any environmental conditions. For me they have no character and no soul so they do not move me but I don't bad mouth them. Every single one I have ever owned has done what it was supposed to do.

Also I would challenge the statement that Glocks hold their value better than other brands. You can get a stock Glock for $500 and they are really $350-$400 used guns in normal markets. Once you have filled out a 4473 on one to make it yours you are losing 20% to 30% which is about the same as most mass produced firearms.
 
Last edited:
I bought my first Glock in 1995 when I turned 21. A new 2nd gen Glock 17. I drove out to Ed's in Vass along with 2 of my roommates and we all purchased 17's. I think he knocked $10 off each since we were buying 3 guns. Paid $380 each at the time and that was $40-75 less than anywhere in the area. Ended up buying one from one of the roommates when he needed money to pay rent. Still have both of them and I'm not really sure how many others.

I like most guns in general and do not consider myself a Glock fan boi. I've shot Glocks more than any other gun and have not had any issues other than something that I did(Improvements?) or didn't do (Maintenance). I don't see myself moving away from a Glock for my daily carry.



Untitled 5.png
 
Glocks have an enviable reputation for reliability ... if the company can maintain it.

A Glock armorer pointed out a couple of interesting things about Glock's reputation for reliability: it was built when there were not many models and the guns had very few unique parts, and; Glock used to routinely replace wear parts at Glock events and GSSF matches, which meant fewer guns had an opportunity to wear out parts.

Since Glock has quit routinely replacing wear parts and there are now a boatload of models with many unique parts, it will be more challenging (i.e. Gen4 rollout) for Glock to maintain its historic level of reliability.
 
gc70 said:
Glocks have an enviable reputation for reliability ... if the company can maintain it.

A Glock armorer pointed out a couple of interesting things about Glock's reputation for reliability: it was built when there were not many models and the guns had very few unique parts, and; Glock used to routinely replace wear parts at Glock events and GSSF matches, which meant fewer guns had an opportunity to wear out parts.

Since Glock has quit routinely replacing wear parts and there are now a boatload of models with many unique parts, it will be more challenging (i.e. Gen4 rollout) for Glock to maintain its historic level of reliability.
Click to expand...

True but the reality is vey few Glocks ever get shot to the point of parts failure. I would guess less than 5% sold ever see 5,000 rounds. Most people who buy them simply don't shoot that often. Add to that the number that ride in LEOs holsters. Many of those guns only get shot a few times a year for training and qualifying.
 
wvsig said:
True but the reality is vey few Glocks ever get shot to the point of parts failure. I would guess less than 5% sold ever see 5,000 rounds. Most people who buy them simply don't shoot that often. Add to that the number that ride in LEOs holsters. Many of those guns only get shot a few times a year for training and qualifying.
Click to expand...

Absolutely true. It was a brilliant plan to provide free replacement parts to the small number of high volume shooters at matches and Glock was probably foolish to not continue that program.
 
Me. said:
Wait 'til you see the cost of 1911's. ;)
Click to expand...
I love my 1911s and I will keep buying them. They feel right in my hand. Never bought a Glock because I don't like the geometry or how they fit my hand. I have shot several different versions and to me they are awkward. Claims of how reliable they are mean nothing if I won't shoot it.
ETA. It's not a polymer thing, I have several Springfield Armory pistols that are a joy to shoot.
 
Last edited:
71Ragtop said:
I love my 1911s and I will keep buying them. They feel right in my hand. Never bought a Glock because I don't like the geometry or how they fit my hand. I have shot several different versions and to me they are awkward. Claims of how reliable they are mean nothing if I won't shoot it.
ETA. It's not a polymer thing, I have several Springfield Armory pistols that are a joy to shoot.
Click to expand...

Polymer Springfield Armory and "joy to shoot" in the same sentence!?! :eek:

(;) my main carry gun is SA)
 
Last edited:
If you haven't noticed, Glocks aren't the only one keeping or exceeding their value.
In the 21 years I've been an avid handgunner, I've seen a Glock fail all of ONCE, so don't give me that BS about other names doing it better, some do it just as well, but equal is not better.
I own multiples of Smith & Wesson, and Sig. You know how many Glocks I own? A whopping ONE, and only because I carried it as a duty weapon, and I know it works.
This economy has as much to do with gun prices as it does with used cars keeping their value.
Spare us the sanctimonious "WHY DIS BE"
 
Last edited:
USMC6094 said:
If you haven't noticed, Flocks aren't the one keeping or exceeding their value.
In the 21 years I've been an avid handgunner, I've seen a Glock fail all of ONCE, so don't give me that BS about other names doing it better, some do it just as well, but equal is not better.
I own multiples of Smith & Wesson, and Sig. You know how many Glocks I own? A whopping ONE, and only because I carried it as a duty weapon, and I know it works.
This economy has as much to do with gun prices as it does with used cars keeping their value.
Spare us the sanctimonious "WHY DIS BE"
Click to expand...

I agree that the entire premise of the OP is flawed. In the current market Glocks do not hold their value better than other guns. As crazy as it seems Colt still holds value better than most and certainly better than Glocks. For example what is Gen 2 Glock 17 worth these days LNIB? Compare that to what a Colt O1970A1CS with a 71-72 serial number.
 
Last edited:
wvsig said:
I agree that the entire premise of the OP is flawed. In the current market Glocks do not hold their value better than other guns. As crazy as it seems Colt still holds value better than most and certainly better than Glocks. For example what is Gen 2 Glock 17 worth these days LNIB? Compare that to what a Colt O1970A1CS with a 71-72 serial number.
Click to expand...

Well said, but in my area of the state, every used firearms price is inflated. That being said, some name brands have a history of keeping their value, despite the economy, some are always in demand.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom