Safety is the first preference for anyone, and for that purpose, nothing can outcompete a handgun. Simply having a handgun on you can get you out of a lot of situations.
However, when the time comes, if it comes to that, your handgun also needs to be able to shoot reliably. Here, I will compare two of the popular handgun series, The Ruger American vs. The Glock.
Ruger American Pistols
Sturm Ruger and Co. is one of the leading companies in America in the market of gun and ammunition. Ruger is renowned in the community for the quality products that they make. They produce different types of pistols, revolvers, rifles, and more.
Ruger introduced their American pistol series in December 2015. What all the models in this line have in common is their rigid yet modular structure. The initial purpose of this pistol was to compete for the US army’s gun of choice.
The Power of the Ruger
The Ruger American Duty 9mm weighs about 30 oz with a barrel size of 4.2 inches. The length and height of the model are 7.5-inches and 5.6-inches, respectively.
The handguns are compatible with 9mm Luger ammunition with a magazine size of 10/17, as well as 0.45 ACP bullets with ten shots plus the extra one in the chamber loaded in each case.
Ruger American pistols are solid and can withstand a wide range of environments from humidity to high temperatures, exposure to sand, dust, salt fog, and even submerging underwater, A Ruger pistol can take it all and still perform just as fine as a champ.
The Glock Perfection
The Glock is a popular pistol series produced and sold by the Austrian firearm manufacturing company Glock Ges.m.b.H. The Handgun series is remarkable because this series of handguns is the pioneer of the polymer-framed pistols, also known as the “plastic guns.”
Yes, they were not appreciated at the beginning. Many straight off rejected these guns, fearing they will not be durable or reliable and can bypass security because of the plastic frame. But are they loved now? Sure, they are.
Glock handguns are the go-to option for countless agencies, people in the security sector, as well as the military forces of at least 48 countries.
They Don’t Name It Perfection For No Reason
The Glock has been the standard for handguns for a long time. The Glock was a solid stepstone to step to after world war two standard firearms. The Glock has all the features a handgun needs to have. Durability, reliability, larger magazine size, lightweight, accuracy, and safety.
One of the greatest features it had at the time of its invention is that it was lighter than the majority of the guns while being modular and thus customizable. The OG Glock, the Glock 17 Gen 1, contained 36 parts that were easily replaceable with a similar.
The Glock G19 weighs about 23 oz with a barrel size of 4 inches. The length and height of the model are 7.36-inches and 5.04-inches, respectively. Other models vary slightly, but they are around the same range.
The ammunition capacity of the Glock varies between 10 rounds of 9mm Luger, up to 33. It can also work with 0.45 ACP.
In terms of durability, the Glock has been tested in really harsh situations. It can not only withstand but also thrive in extreme environments. It can reliably shoot over 15000 shots without any sort of wearing; it can handle over 5000 bars (73,000 psi), which is double the standard.
Most of the environmental elements you can possibly find yourself in, a Glock can handle. Rain, humidity, extreme heat and cold, sandstorm, underwater, wherever you are, you can rely on a Glock. The only place where a Glock will fail is if you find yourself inside a volcano. But then again, there won’t be a “you” left to shoot, I guess.
Which One Is The Best?
Compare the Ruger American and the Glock side by side is going to be a fun experiment. I know some people like the Glock while some others really love Ruger. You could be in either category.
Regardless, one thing I do want to make absolutely sure of is that this comparison is my personal opinion. You may or may not agree. Regardless, let’s proceed.
- Appearance
The Glock is a nice gun to look at, but in my opinion, the winner is clearly the Ruger. In all honesty, the Ruger is a smart-looking gun, and it has a nice appeal when you look at it.
Don’t get me wrong; The Glock is also pretty in its own way; It’s just I prefer the Ruger over the Glock. There are simply more details and more elements to look at.
- Value
When you compare the value, it’s not just the cost; you need to also consider performance. To me, value is “what you get for what you pay.” And in my opinion, Ruger American clocks in slightly higher over the Glock in terms of the outcome for the value I paid.
Both of the guns are fantastic, durable, and reliable. Both of them manufacture compact and subcompact pistols that are great for conceal carry. However, as I said, the Ruger scores slightly higher than the Glock as it costs slightly less while delivering the same performance, if not better.
- Reliability
When you consider reliability, The Glock is the safest option for you. These handguns have been on the field for much longer and have been tested in actual situations outside the lab for years.
Don’t get me wrong, The Ruger American is also a highly reliable option for you, but as I mentioned, compared to the Glock, it is not as experienced or tested. The Glock is battle forged, and it has proven its value.
- Accessories
The Glock, being in the market for significantly longer, knows much more about the user’s demands and thus able to provide a wide variety of accessories to use with the gun. Many parts of the gun itself are replaceable. Thus, I will give a point to the Glock.
- Experience
Experience after using the gun for a while varies from person to person. It vastly depends on the hand size of the person using the gun. In this category, I’ll call it a tie. Both of the guns have a decent grip size out of the box, but if you are not particularly happy, you have customization options for both.
The trigger of both of the guns is, again, decent. None of the two is too hard-squeeze or too loose to risk a misfire. Safety is another feature you need to consider. Again, It’s a tie, in my opinion. The safety mechanism of the Ruger American is great, but the Glock is not slacking either.
Taking down the Ruger American pistols is slightly more convenient than the Glock. It does not need a dry fire before taking it down. However, the Glock is not particularly harder either. I mean, it has all the elements of being an ideal modular gun in it.
Overall, I’ll call it a tie between the two.
Conclusion
There you have it. That is my opinion on the two guns. Of course, they have their pros and cons. But I think both of the two guns are a great option for concealed carry or daily use for safety. I cannot pinpoint a devastating flaw in either of the two to call out the other one supreme.
But for the first gun, I’d go with a Glock. It’s not the fault of the Ruger American that I am choosing the Glock, It’s more so because of the “battle forged” tag of the Glock. Because of the longer exposure to the market, it is certainly safer, and you are less likely to go wrong with it.
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