Let me preface this all by saying that...
1) ... I own more 9mm handguns than any other caliber, carry them more, shoot them more, and shoot them better
*...
and
2) ... I have two G17s and a G19 (my primary CCW weapon) that I've owned for years & have put God-knows-how-many rounds through with zero problems.
That being said, I was in one of my favorite shops last week & stumbled across a deal I just couldn't pass up - a used, excellent-condition older G21 with new (replacement) night sights, original "Tupperware" box, loader, papers, and 2 13-round magazines for $400 out the door.
Years ago when I was shopping for my very first Glock, the first one I considered was the G21. I owned a few .45s & had carried a compact .45 before as a concealment gun, so it was the first one I gravitated towards - until I held it! Now I'm a pretty big guy (6'3", 225# back then - I'm a bit heavier now
), but I've always had freakishly small hands for a guy my size. The G21 just felt way too big in my hands, much like the Desert Eagle pistols do. I didn't know if I'd be able to control it well, so I tried the smaller-framed Glocks and fell in love with the way they felt in my hands. I bought a G17, added the other 2 9mm Glocks shortly thereafter, and never looked back. When I held this G21 in the shop the other day, much to my surprise the grip didn't feel nearly as "oversized" as I remembered it. I don't believe my hands/fingers have gotten any bigger but I have shot a much wider variety of firearms over the years, including some larger-framed double-stack 9s/40s (Berettas, SIGs, etc.) which have bigger grips IMHO than the Glock 9/40 frame. For whatever reason, the look, feel, and price conspired to separate my wallet from four bills and the G21 came home with me.
I had a chance yesterday to clean & inspect it cursorily, put a hundred rounds through it, then clean & oil it well, and I must say I like it very much. It is still too big for CCW for my purposes IMO and won't replace my G19 in that capacity, but it will probably take up residence in my truck.
I'm glad I gave the G21 a second chance...
* Before you beat me up over my 9mm preference stated above, please understand that I own and shoot a WIDE variety of firearms, calibers, etc. I find 9mms to be the best
balance of size/power for me (i.e., more comfortable to carry & conceal, easier to shoot well, cheaper to shoot a lot [I shoot a LOT
], etc.) and, as a result, I carry & shoot them much more (and better) than I do my .45s. YMMV, of course. I am
NOT, however, one of those who have a disdain (or whatever) for the .45 just because I like my 9mms. To that end, here is my new (to me) G21 with my other .45s: