It was on April 11, 1986, when the streets of Miami turned into the OK Corral. A pair of ex-soldiers turned psychopath decided to rob a bank armed with semi-automatic assault rifles. The result was two dead criminals, two dead FBI agents, three wounded permanently, and three seriously injured.
Shortly thereafter, Lt. Rutherford of the Jacksonville Police Department was assigned the task of upgrading their firepower in hopes of preventing another incident like the one in Miami.
The word got out about the retrofitting of police departments, and faster than a frog's tongue, there were over a dozen manufacturers presenting their handguns for consideration.
Initially, they laughed at the "polymer" handgun, and the rest is history.
Glock
Placing both the Glock and SIG on a table, it is immediately apparent that the Glock is plain in comparison to the SIG. Except for a few hard parts, the Glock is made of polymer, much like polymer rifle stocks. They have proven to be next to indestructible.
The Glock has 38 hard parts, compared to the SIG, which has over 100. Glocks all look much the same. It is a hammerless design with no apparent safety. It has a built-in safety in the form of a small lever at the base of the trigger. It will only fire when depressing both simultaneously.
The gun is always ready to fire without playing with the safety. This allows a much faster reaction time in a perilous situation. It can carry up to 19 rounds in 9mm. The trigger pull is a major plus at 5.5 pounds. It allows you to "touch off a round" without undue muscle flexing, improving accuracy.
You will find that the Glock is extremely light. The smaller 26/27 and even 19 models are perfect for concealment and carrying for long periods. In most Gen 4 models, the grip is adjustable to any hand size. A major plus is its dependability and availability in a multitude of calibers. Many models are available with night sights and accessory rails.
SIG-Sauer
The SIG has a lightweight hard-coated anodized frame. The slide is made of stainless steel and finished in Nitron. The grips are made of polymer. This is a very well-built handgun available in a multitude of calibers and models.
It is much more aesthetically pleasing in design. A gun that is all metal and blued appears much more substantial. The SIG uses a hammer and is a combination of double action for the first shot followed by single action thereafter. Once the first shot is fired, the trigger pull lessens as it reverts to single action.
A feature unique to the SIG (and many other firearms, just not Glocks) is the hammer decocker. Without this feature, you need to apply pressure to the top of the hammer, pull it rearward slightly while pulling the trigger, then lower the hammer slowly to rest on the pin.
The breech also cocks upward in the rear to signify that the weapon is out of ammo or there is no round in the chamber. This is useful unless you are holding the gun on someone familiar with SIG, and they realize you are out of ammo.
The SIG, being a double-action for the first round, has a hefty 10 to 12-pound trigger pull. After the first shot, the trigger pull drops to a more manageable 4.5 to 5 pounds. In either case, the trigger pull is lengthy.
Quick Tip
Remember, practicing doesn't always improve your accuracy if you are making mistakes; it just reinforces mistakes. It's difficult to learn to play a piano without a basic knowledge of the art.
Ask a Marine, if one is available. They are some of the best trained in the art of firing handguns. Learn to make the first shot count.