I recently acquired a full-size Gen 4 Glock 21 chambered in .45 ACP. It was in like-new condition with XS Big Dot night sights installed. Several gun reviewers mentioned that the Glock 21 is one of the best home defense handguns, so I decided to check it out for myself.
Although the Glock 21 is a full-size pistol, it is actually Glock’s mid-size model in .45 ACP. The competition-size Glock 41 is a “long-slide” model that has a 5.3-inch barrel while the smaller Glock 30 has a 3.8-inch barrel. The Glock 21 sports a 4.6-inch barrel while hosting 13 rounds in the magazine.
Many people consider the Glock 21 the best home defense handgun. It is extremely accurate, has plenty of magazine capacity, an accessory rail for a light or laser, and offers the Glock reliability that has been tried and tested throughout the years. When considering what is most advantageous for a home defense handgun, the Glock 21 has it all.
I took the Glock 21 to the range with high expectations. The G21 performed excellently as it fed, fired, and ejected every round with ease. Being a full-size model, it shot incredibly smooth as well. The XS Big Dot night sights offer a sleek single vertical line in the rear sight and a large tritium dot as the front sight. It took a couple of magazines to understand where the shots were hitting with this sight system. I learned that raising the front dot just a little higher than I was used to helped me dial in more precisely and remain on target with confidence.
After settling into this sight system, I backed up 18 yards away to see how accurate I was with the XS Big Dot sight picture. I was happy with the accuracy results, but even more excited with the Glock 21. It truly performed outstanding and confirmed to me that this handgun really is an excellent home defense pistol.
Check out the videos attached and let us know your thoughts and experiences with the Glock 21. Which model do you feel would make a great home defense pistol?
Dan is an outspoken supporter of the 2nd Amendment. He uses his YouTube channel, “TheFireArmGuy” to spread his 2A message along with reviewing and shooting all types of firearms.
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