Glock G22 .40 Auto

Glock 22 .40 Auto

Because of its popularity and wide acceptance, the .40 S&W is destined to become one of the great cartridges. For the most part, anything a 9mm can do, a .40 S&W can do better. If a manufacturer has a 9mm handgun in its product line, it is very likely that there is a .40 S&W counterpart. Many police departments, who switched from the .38/.357 double-action revolver to the 9mm pistol, are now rearming with the .40 pistol.

Glock G22 Gen 3 Review

Our shooters liked the way the pistol sat in the hand. The shape of the frame allowed the pistol to sit down low in the shooting hand, which put the hand in close proximity to the axis of the bore. Consequently, controlling muzzle climb was not a problem. The kick generated during recoil was average for a .40 S&W pistol. The grip was reasonably comfortable, and its serrations afforded a secure grasp.

The second pistol chambered for the .40 S&W cartridge was the Glock 22. This $616 pistol utilizes an internal striker firing system and a Safe Action trigger, which provides one type of trigger pull and doesn’t have a second-strike capability. Other features include a 4-1/2-inch barrel, a 10-round magazine and a polymer frame with an integral grip. Accessory mounting rails on the front of the frame are now standard equipment.

Glock G22 rail

The Glock 22 now comes with an accessory mounting system, which is integral with the front of the pistol's polymer frame.

We considered the Glock 22’s appearance to be plain but businesslike, and its workmanship was satisfactory. The steel slide was finished with a dull black surface treatment called Tenifer, which made it very hard and corrosion resistant. The barrel was made of steel with a matte blue/black finish. The black polymer frame, which had a squared and undercut trigger guard, was cleanly molded. When locked into battery, there was quite a lot of movement between the slide and the frame. However, there was no movement in the barrel-to-slide fit.

The synthetic frame’s integral grip had three finger grooves on the front, serrations on the front and back, and shallow texturing on the sides. There was also an indentation on either side of the grip that served as a thumb/finger rest. Both of the double-column magazines provided with this pistol had black polymer bodies with steel reinforcement inserts and removable floorplates. No cosmetic or structural short-comings were found.

During firing, the Glock 22’s functioning proved to be absolutely reliable with the three kinds of commercial ammunition used. Slide movement was positive, and retracting it required only a moderate amount of effort.

Handling was this Glock’s strong suit. Our shooters liked the way the pistol sat in the hand. The shape of the frame allowed the pistol to sit down low in the shooting hand, which put the hand in close proximity to the axis of the bore. Consequently, controlling muzzle climb was not a problem. The kick generated during recoil was average for a .40 S&W pistol. The grip was reasonably comfortable, and its serrations afforded a secure grasp.

Right-handed shooters could readily operate the Glock 22’s controls with the thumb of their firing hand, but only the manual safety was ambidextrous. This safety was a small lever in the middle of the trigger that blocked the trigger’s rearward movement unless the lever was depressed by the shooter’s trigger finger. The slide catch was a relatively small lever on the left side of the frame. The magazine release was a polymer button at the left rear of the trigger guard. All of the controls worked as they should.

Glock G22 disassembly

Field stripping this Glock is quick and easy. Start by ejecting the magazine and ensuring the chamber is empty. Pointing the gun in a safe direction, pull the trigger to uncock the internal striker. Retract the slide about 1/8 inch, then pull down on both sides of the slide lock lever, located on the frame above and in front of the trigger, with the thumb and index finger of the same hand. Push the slide assembly forward and off the frame. Remove the captive recoil assembly from the slide, then withdraw the barrel. Reverse these steps to reassemble.

Unlike the other pistols in this test, the Glock’s Safe Action trigger had only one pull. We considered it to be satisfactory. After a lot of takeup, the trigger released cleanly at 6-1/2 pounds. There was no noticeable overtravel.

In our opinion, the Glock 22’s fixed sights were the most visible and easiest to acquire of the test. The rear was a dovetailed blade with a white-outlined square notch, which could be drifted for windage changes. The front was a triangular blade with a white dot on its slightly angled face. Both sights were made of black plastic. This system’s point of aim was well regulated to the point of impact.

Although Glocks aren’t known for being especially accurate, this one was the second-most accurate pistol of the test. Its smallest five-shot average groups, 2.65 inches at 25 yards, were obtained using Winchester 155-grain Silvertips. Remington 180-grain JHPs came in a close second with 2.75-inch groups. Speer Lawman 180-grain TMJs managed 3.38-inch groups.

 

gun tests

Originally Published in December 1998.


Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published