For the vast majority of the population no matter how good our eyesight is there will come a point in our lives when it will begin to decline. Usually this occurs around the time we enter our fifties. This was the case with me I didn’t have perfect vision but it was good. As I entered my fifties my eyesight began to decline to the point where rather quickly I needed to wear glasses fulltime. For many years my go to carry pistol has been a Glock 19 or one of their subcompact models (26 or more recently the 43). I still shoot the 19 good but accuracy with the subcompacts has become a challenge. Through personal testing I have found that in order to get the full potential of available accuracy I need the little extra sight radius provided by my Glock 22.  The combination of being able to get fuller grip and extra barrel length allow me to get every bit of accuracy potential ability out of my shooting.
I can carry my Glock 22 comfortably (more so in the Fall/Winter seasons than the heat of summer) using the same type of Comp Tac paddle holster and magazine pouch combination (http://www.comp-tac.com/) described in my previous article. The other thing my Glock 22 does is allows me affordable training options. I have an Advantage Arms .22 conversion kit (http://www.advantagearms.com/) for it and a Lone Wolf Distributors 9 MM conversion barrel (http://www.lonewolfdist.com/) for it.
Both allow me to train at a reduced cost. The Advantage Arms kit allows for cheap and frequent training and has been 100% reliable. The Lone Wolf Distributors conversion barrel and a Glock 17 magazines can be used when attending pistol courses at a reduced ammunition cost again this setup has been completely reliable. Both items are a plus when working on a budget. It should also be noted that Glock .40 S. & W. caliber models can be converted to .357 Sig with a barrel change. So the Glock 22 provides me with a fuller grip, improved accuracy with my eyesight, and cost effective training options so it’s a win for me.
Author – Art Dorst served in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserves and eventually retired as an NCO from The Army National Guard. He is also a retired municipal Police Officer, a Certified EMT, NRA Instructor, and is currently a security provider/trainer.