What do curtain rods and polymer pistols have in common? Oddly enough, they’re both related to the guns you see above: the Glock 17

Before he designed the original Glock 17 in his garage in Vienna, Gaston Glock was in the business of manufacturing curtain rods and later went on to make knives for the Austrian military. His experience with polymers set him on the path that eventually led to the beloved Glock 17. 

This gun is trusted by law enforcement and militaries around the world. In the civilian world, it’s also a favorite for home defense, concealed carry, and plain old fun on the range. So let’s take a second to review the top 17 reasons we – and a whole lot of other people – love the Glock 17. 

Here they are in no particular order:

17. Ammo Monster

glock 17 magazines
The Glock 17 uses a standard 17-round magazine, but more options with higher capacities are readily available. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Glock 17s devour ammo like a teen going through a major growth spurt. This pistol is well known to function flawlessly with anything from cheap steel-case ammo and reloads to high-end self-defense rounds. When you pull the trigger, Glock 17s just go bang again and again.
 

16. Affordability

If you’re looking for a gun that will break your bank account, this one just isn’t for you. These guns are known to be fit for a working man’s pocketbook, whether it’s the latest Glock 17 Gen 5 or one of the many used G17s out there. You can also find used guns with aftermarket sights if you’re trying to save money on upgrades.
 

15. Reliability

We don’t really need to go into Glock reliability, right? It’s legendary. In fact, the Glock 17 has a particularly impressive reliability legacy. Not only did the very first gun pass the Austrian military tests in 1982, but the futuristic polymer-framed pistol swept the army trials and beat out eight other respected gun manufacturers.
 

14. Capacity

How many rounds do you get with a Glock 17 magazine? Well, of course, you get 17 (But really, no relation). However, you’re not limited to that. Have fun with it and pick up a “fun stick” with 33 rounds or add a magazine extension. You get lots of choices because there are tons of magazine options for Glocks.
 

13. Easy to Maintain

No tools needed here. It doesn’t get much simpler than a Glock: barrel, slide, recoil spring assembly. Just take down the pistol and start cleaning. It’s quick and easy. Plus, the gun is more than capable of running even when it’s a bit dirty from a long day of shooting.
 

12. Accuracy & Controllability

Are there more accurate pistols? Absolutely. Do some people hate the Glock grip? Sure. Every shooter has a preference. But the Glock 17 is plenty accurate for normal shooters right out of the box with its generous 6.5-inch sight radius.
 

11. Controllability

shooting  a glock 17 handgun
The Glock 17 offers an ample grip and provides lots of control even when wearing gloves. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

The Glock 17 is relatively large and tips the scales at 25 ounces with an unloaded magazine. Coupled with the size of the grip, there is plenty of hand space and weight to control this pistol on the range, during competitions, or for self-defense situations. It’s also a nice option for people with larger hands.

10. Trend Setter

Are you thankful for the polymer pistol revolution? Well, we are. Lightweight polymer handguns represent one of the great developments in firearms technology over the last century. The Glock 17 deserves some well-earned credit for that. At first, people thumbed their noses at the idea of polymer guns. Glock made them think twice.
 

9. 9mm Baby

The Glock 17 is chambered for the effective and easily available – normally – 9mm ammunition. That means you have access to tons of different types of ammo for training and self-defense. Since 9mm is an incredibly common chambering for handguns, you can easily build a collection of firearms that share the same ammunition.
 

8. Hobby Gun

If you like to tinker with your gun, the Glock 17 is a great option. There are loads of accessories and customized parts you can choose from – triggers, pistol lights, night sights, back plates, optics options, etc. Heck, you can even get conversion kits that turn your Glock into a pistol carbine.
 

7. Simplicity

Glock kept their guns simple. This makes the Glock 17 a great option for experienced and new shooters alike. The simple trigger safety even removes the additional training step needed to master manual safeties, such as those on 1911s. 
 

6. Home Defense

This is a battle-tested pistol, but it’s also a beloved home defense gun. The 17-round magazine gives you plenty of stopping power in the gun before you have to reload. Its simplicity and reliability make it a perfect gun to grab in a crisis to defend your home. The size also makes it easy to add a light or other tools as needed.
 

5. Concealed Carry

It’s fair to say the Glock 17 is a full-sized pistol and might be too large for most people’s tastes. Still, it’s only .59 inches longer and .43 inches taller than the smaller Glock 19. Small differences can make or break a concealed carry gun for individual users. It’s really a personal choice. But there are quite a few concealed carriers who strap on a G17 every single day. 
 

4. Cool Factor

She may not be the newest star in Hollywood, but the Glock 17 has still taken its fair share of walks down the red carpet. It’s popped up in blockbusters such as “The Bourne Ultimatum” and, notoriously, “Die Hard” – where the screenwriters referred to it as the “Glock 7,” a fictitious “porcelain gun” that doesn’t show up on metal detectors.
 

3. Glock Family

4 glock pistols side by side
There are no shortages of Glocks out there for you to choose from. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Glock 17s are one of the most common guns in the world, but they’re just part of a long line of pistols. That means there are tons of options for different pistols that function similarly to the Glock 17 if you ever want to grow your collection of reliable and familiar handguns.
 

2. Safety

The Glock “Safe Action” system boasts a simple but effective series of safeties – trigger safety, firing pin safety, and sear safety. There is no external hand-operated safety. While this might seem unusual to some shooters, the gun has proven to be extremely safe. 
 

1. Availability & Popularity

Popularity has its privileges. There are tons of used and brand-new Glock 17s for you to choose from these days. That popularity also means nearly every major holster, sight, magazine, or parts manufacturer has plenty of options for you to choose from. 
 

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