I’ve always disliked Glocks. My Glock aversion started the moment I first shot Gaston’s pistol. The gun left this small-handed shooter feeling like he’d shaken hands with a Genoa salami. My groups were wider than Julia Robert’s smile when Richard Gere tries to snap off her fingers with a jewelry case in Pretty Woman. Somewhere along the way this dislike grew into hatred. I’m sure it has something to do with marketing. What kind of firearms company sells a series of handguns that don’t fit a large percentage of the shooting population as “Perfection”? And then spends thirty years doing nothing about it? I became so incensed with the “Gaston knows best” snake oil, and the large number of shooters who swore by it, that I eventually grew disenchanted with all polymer pistols . . .

After discounting any and all Glocks for a carry gun, I opted for a Springfield XD. BUT—after training, my Sheriff’s department colleagues held a little shooting competition. I constantly placed second to a certain someone shooting a 1911. I convinced myself I was losing to the pistol, not the shooter. Although I knew polymer guns are inherently more reliable than JMB’s design, accuracy was the thing.

I cut my teeth on the 1911 as a youngster; I know how to run the gun. I find the grip angle extremely comfortable. In terms of stationary, non-threatening paper targets, I can put several bullets through the same hole at combat distances all day long. And the 1911 shoots the almighty .45 ACP. Those factors outweighed the cons: more parts that can go wrong, 44 ounces (unloaded), and seven round magazines.

So I bought and happily carried a 1911. I practiced regularly, shooting inch-wide groups at 15 yards, with a gun whose classic styling let you know she could kick ass like a prohibition era G-Man. I reckoned I’d made the best choice for defending me and my family. Then the day came that would shake the very foundations of everything I’d come to consider “law” in the world of firearms and self-defense.

Back it up . . .

If you read my preview and first impressions, you’ll know that Gen4 Glocks were undermining my enmity even before the first trip to the range. Thanks to the interchangeable back strap system, a Glock had suddenly become a pistol to have and to hold from this day forth—without wondering how I’d wandered down the deli aisle. Equally important, the Gen4’s rough texture frame provided crampon-level purchase for my strong hand.

The Gen4’s ergonomics were, dare I say it, perfect. In fact, the Gen4 G19 had somehow become the most comfortable gun I’d ever held, including the new Recaro-seat-like Springfield XD(m)s.

Unwilling to pass around the Gen4 Kool-Aid without a factual foundation, I hit the ‘net. The results were inconclusive. Every supportive comment about the latest iteration of the Austrian firearm was followed by ferocious firearms flaming. And shameless boosterism. XDs are better looking. M&Ps are more reliable. 1911s more accurate. Whether true or not, they gave voice to the Jiminy Cricket in my head reminding me why I’d refused to assimilate into the Glock Borg.

The Road to Damascus

When I packed up for the range last Friday, I thought I’d be returning home to write that the Gen4 Glock 19 had pleased me with its form-fitted finesse, but didn’t quite win me over with its grace under fire or accuracy.

When I reached the range, I began my session by running my 1911 through my standard 50-round qualifier. I experienced not one but two malfunctions, both of which required a tap rack bang. I achieved a score too embarrassing to post on TTAG; only 36 rounds had even touched paper.

My confidence had been shaken, to say the least. The gun to which I compared all others had failed me.

Thoroughly unnerved, I pulled the virgin Glock G19 out of its case and loaded some magazines. I sent the target out to 15 feet and racked the slide. I brought the pistol up to target. I immediately noticed the weight difference. Jiminy had his final say “No way a pistol this light can control recoil effectively.” Only one way to find out . . .

Even before the bullet hit the paper, I was deeply impressed. Dry firing the Gen4 G19 had foreshadowed the experience. As good as it was, and boy was it good, dry-firing the G19 was like getting caught stealing home. Close, but no Cohiba. Releasing 115 grains of nine mil down the tube was like hitting a grand slam over the Green Monster.

I’ve chosen the metaphor carefully. You know that feeling you get when your bat connects with a fast ball, when you swing with perfect timing and make contact right in the middle of the club’s sweet spot? The G19’s 5.5 lbs. trigger pull provides the same crisp contact, followed by the same seemingly effortless rush of power. This gun says home run even before the bullet leaves the barrel.

Some of that has to do with the Gen4 G19’s beefed-up spring assembly. If you concentrate your mind on felt recoil and felt recoil alone, there’s not much to separate the old Glock from the new gun. But if you compare the overall experience of shooting, including the vastly improved ergonomics, Gen3 and Gen4 are miles apart. The Gen4 pistol feels all of a piece; every aspect of the firearm working in endlessly repeatable harmony to make the gun controllable. Yes, perfectly.

When I released the G19’s trigger, I was amazed by how little real estate I had to surrender to reengage the sear. Credit where credit’s due; despite early negligent discharges by clumsy cops moving from revolvers to combat pistols, Glock stuck by their original trigger design. Right answer. Once you get used to the Glock’s quick reset, anything else feels like you’re waiting for a fuse to light.

When I pulled the G19’s trigger for the second time, the next hole appeared directly on top of the first. Damn that’s good. But could I do it again?

The third shot made a nice little clover. So I decided to empty the Glock’s mag and see what happened. What happened was this: I created one large ragged hole.

I was floored by the gun’s accuracy and lack of recoil. But that was slow fire. Eight rounds and four strings of committed pairs later found four sets of holes ringing the slow fire hole, all in the black on an NRA slow fire pistol target.

Even so, I was not yet a born-again polymer pistolero. I needed to see how the G19 fared through the qualification. I sent the target out to 25 yards. Fifty rounds later I pulled the target in from the three yard line.

I was floored. Forty-seven rounds on paper with 40 in the scoring area for a final tally of 200. Keep in mind I had never shot this pistol before. Statistically and reliability-wise my 1911 had been utterly destroyed.

I stood in shock and looked down at the Tupperware gun in my hand wondering, “What the hell just happened?” In one hour, my attitude about Glocks had turned 180 degrees. For the first time I saw my 1911 for what it is: an iconic pistol that has been surpassed and outclassed by superior technology. I was holding an ergonomic, compact, accurate, lightweight, high-capacity pistol with the reliability of a Swiss watch. I had seen the light.

In My Waistband

Due to a sticky fingered someone, I didn’t have the pleasure of trying the Remora holster RF sent my way. So, I tested the carry-ability of the G19 using one of my “universal” IWB holsters and a BlackHawk Check Six OWB.

Wearing normal clothing, the compact G19 concealed easily. (Mrs. Finn commented that it disappeared under my shirts much more readily then my usual carry guns.) I wore it for several days and put it through your typical suburban dad routine. The G19 was comfortable through every trip to the playground, remained easily accessible and stayed put throughout every activity. And why not? At 21 ounces unladen, the Glock’s a featherweight compared to my 1911.

Psychologically, there’s a lot to be said for carrying 15 rounds of nine millimeter, plus another 15 rounds (or more if you like) in a spare magazine. While I prefer nice big holes in my bad guys, my LEO work has convinced me that multiple threats are multiplying, requiring multiple rounds. As Bud drinkers might say, the G19 is less weight, more killing. Win win for me; lose lose for the perp.

 

Conclusion

I sent my 1911 back to the minors and called up a reliever with a 1300 fps fastball. It wasn’t an easy decision. But when confronted with the facts, I feel more comfortable protecting me and my progeny with the G19. It’s easier to carry, easier to shoot and instills me with confidence no other pistol has [yet] achieved. Despite Patrick Carrube’s assertion about the primacy of a different pistol, and keeping an open mind, I now believe that the Gen4 Glock 19 is the best easily-concealable self-defense handgun money can buy.

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SPECIFICATIONS:

Caliber: 9×19
Barrel Length: 4.02”
Overall Length: 6.85”
Weight: 20.99 oz
Finish: Parkerized Tenifer
Capacity: 15+1
Price: $649 MSRP

RATINGS (out of five)

Style * * * *
It’s not the prettiest pistol in the land, but it’s no nonsense styling and finish get the job done.

Ergonomics * * * * *
The Glock fits so I must acquit. From ballistic brick to the most comfortable handgun I’ve ever held.

Reliability * * * * *
It’s a Glock. ‘Nuff said. (No hiccups of any kind.)

Customizable * * * * *
After the 1911 it’s one of the most customizable pistols money can buy: lights, lasers, sights, .22 conversion; you name it, they got it.

Carry * * * * *
Its compact size and heftlessness make the G19 more easily concealed than a guilty conscience. With plenty of holster options, you can easily bring it to any social engagement short of a White House dinner.

Overall Rating * * * * *
Accuracy, reliability, capacity. You can trust your life to this gun.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

121 COMMENTS

  1. I cut my teeth on a Gen 2 G19 many years ago. Still have it. Thousands of rounds through it. Still love it. I bought two more Gen 3 Glocks (a 23 and a 27). I shoot them equally well. I haven’t tried a Gen 4 model, yet.

    I recently tried the Remora holster. It’s impressive given the simplicity of its design. But, my go-to holster is the Crossbreed Supertuck.

    Nice review. I get the feeling you liked it! 😉

  2. Nice review. I’ve got the small hands thing going too. Maybe the Gen4 and it’s fancy back strap will be the wave of the future for the next 30 years?

  3. I have a beef with the Gen 4s: both Milady and I hate the pointed pyramids on the grips. They may help some people grip the pistol, but both she and I think they just hurt.

    This cost Glock a sale. Milady was sold by the point and shoot of our neighbor’s Gen 3, but the grips on the gen 3 weren’t exactly right for her. The changable backstraps would have made the Gen 4 perfect for her, except that she hates that grip.

    Taking a rasp and sanding your gun grips immediately after purchase didn’t sound appealing to me.

    (We ended up finding her a used S&W 915 that fit her to a T, and was under $250 to boot.)

    • That’s too bad KP. I’m actually the kind of guy that will put grip tape on a gun for a better purchase, so the Gen4 stippling works great for me.

      Did you try any of the stick on or slip on smooth rubber grips that are out there? That’s a cheap and easy way to work around the aggressive grip if you’re not a fan of it.

    • I find those grips to be annoying as well, Packrat. I found them downright distracting the first five or six times I used them. I opted for the XD. The grips are aggressive without being abrasive.

    • I can do grip/frame improvements that will make a Glock have the ergonomics it should have, just fyi incase you want to revisit a Glock.

      I hate the grip texture and feel also, that’s why I modify them.
      I am an FFL, so I can legally receive frames.

  4. Great review. I too had always been a bit anti-Glock. My feelings changed a bit when I put my XD up with my brother’s G17. I’m tired of how conspicuous the XD’s full size frame is under a T-shirt. A G19 is on the shopping list. Again, great review.

    • “Aaron Jossie says:

      April 25, 2011 at 10:27 AM

      Great review. I too had always been a bit anti-Glock. My feelings changed a bit when I put my XD up with my brother’s G17. I’m tired of how conspicuous the XD’s full size frame is under a T-shirt. A G19 is on the shopping list. Again, great review”

      The XDm 3.8″ compact is nice. I can fit it in my pocket and it barely stands out. If you stick the extension mag in it it is a full size. I like it.

  5. eh, glocks are nice, but for the same price you can get a beretta px4 which is much higher quality.

    • i ‘ve heard good things about the px4 but as an infantryman i have seen the m9 fail time and time again. i’ll never trust my life to anything beretta makes.

        • I would also like to know the answer to that question. I have carried Beretta 92’s for around 20 years, both on the street as a LEO in the U.S., and as a contractor working for DoS and DoD in various middle east locations. While it is not my favorite pistol and never will be, it has always been absolutely reliable.

  6. Wow, I must have been channeling some of my thoughts through your keyboard when you wrote this. I wouldn’t say that I was anti-Glock but they just didn’t point naturally for me. I had pretty much narrowed the field down to a new Xdm 3.8 compact or a Ruger SR9c for my new carry gun when I looked at a new gen 4 G-19 at my local gun shop. I couldn’t believe how different it felt from the other Glocks that I had handled previously. Besides the price was going was going to be much less than the Springfield. So far I have only put 100 rounds through it but I was definitely impressed with how it felt and the accuracy. Now I just need more time to get used to shooting a striker-fire instead of my SA/DA CZ-75 clone. Also, +1 on Remora holsters.

  7. When Glocks first came out I was still using the traditional Weaver, I tried a Glock 17 and a 19 and both had the same issue of pointing high when I brought them up. Leap forward a few decades and I tried a G21 using the grip Todd Jarrett teaches. The G21 came up on target and shot quite well. With me I also had a 1911, a 1911 CCO, and a S&W 469. All shot just as accurately as the G21, but the 469 was in need of a new recoil spring. I went home and considered the financial layout of switching to a Glock rather than staying with what I had.

    For now the Glock will have to wait.

  8. Hi Ryan- nice review and just might be my next purchase. Running the smallest backstrap, about how many ‘percent off’ would you estimate from Glock 19 Gen 3 to Gen 4? Us guys with the pequena manos have to stick together

    • My google-fu is weak tonight Brett, I cannot find an actual measurement of the grip circumference and get a percentage. I can tell you that without a grip insert it’s 2mm smaller than a “normal” Glock grip, it honestly feels like a lot more.

  9. Good review. I too picked up a Gen 4 G19 recently. It is my first Glock. After putting about 400 rounds through it now, I’m wondering why I didn’t start out with one in the first place. I’ve only been shooting for about a year, and I was adamant about getting an all-metal gun for my first 9mm. I got a CZ-75B. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an excellent piece, but for whatever reason, that Glock is so much easier to shoot (and shoot accurately). I think it’s the trigger. I never would have thought that I’d like a Glock trigger so much.

  10. The trigger is everything. Unfortunately, no new Glocks can be sold in Massachusetts. Why? Because the Austrian company won’t compromise its product by employing the absolutely unshootable Massachusetts trigger, which must have a pull weight of at least ten pounds. I recently installed an Apex Duty/Carry trigger kit on my M&P .40c carry gun. Pull weight went from unreadable (the gauge maxed out at 12 pounds) to 5.25 lb. with just enough take-up to keep the gun very safe for carrying. Accuracy went from minute of barn door to chewing out the bullseye like an angry ferret. Best $89 I ever spent on my sport. I’ll review it at some time in the future.

    • Yep I thought the same thing -“Oh, here’s a cool gun I can’t buy because it isn’t 17 years old”

  11. I’ve been hearing/reading that there have been ejection/stovepiping issues with Gen 4 Glocks because of the new recoil system. Did you experience any of that? What grain were you using the in the Speer +P?

    • I have yet to experience any FTE or stovepiping issues. My research led me to believe that those were early issues and Glock addressed the problem with later guns.

      The Gold Dots are 124 gr.

    • The way I understand it is that the first of the gen 4’s had a stronger recoil spring and folks were having problems when shooting lighter rounds (i.e., 115 gr.). Glock now is producing them with a slightly lighter spring (0-4). I don’t know of any problems when shooting heavier bullets. I had one FTF in the 1st 100 rounds that I put through my new G-19 shooting 115 gr. Federal Premium. I’m guessing it was a light load plus the gun was brand new.

      • you tube glock 19 light loads theres an older guy that posted some nice videos of different brands and loads with his new gen 4 and the problem seemed to be just breaking the spring in.

  12. Excellent review. Great pics. Bravo on celebrating what could be the most “perfect” handgun known to man.

  13. You mentioned a Springfield XD. How would you say the two compared in terms of accuracy and feel of shooting in comparison?

    • Accuracy is a little subjective since my XD was a .40 S&W, however I’m confident I could outshoot the XD with the Glock.

      As far as feel, I think that the XD points more naturally, but the SF grip on the Glock was much more comfortable for me and definitely feels less bulky than an XD grip.

      The biggest difference and definitely the biggest game changer is the trigger. I dry fired the Glock and an XD one after another and I was shocked how horrible the XD trigger felt in comparison, especially since I used to own one and quite liked it. The XD trigger had more take up and was mushy feeling. It also had a much longer release to re-engage the sear compared to the Glock.

  14. I’ve had a S&W 1911 9mm for years. Sadly, it was stolen. I really loved the gun, but I’ve been “Glock-Curious” for ages. I shot a Glock 9mm once and thought it was OK. but it just didn’t have that “easy feelin” my 1911 9mm had. I know that sounds little crazy, but I think it was my familiarity with the 1911 pistol that made it seem comfortable and easy.

    I finally took the opportunity grab a G19 G4 at a gun show recently and was like “whoa, this feels nice”. Your review has kicked me off the fence. I had been torn between another 1911 9mm or a G19. I’ll likely have a G19 by month’s end.

    ..and sorry for commenting on an old post. Good review.

  15. Hello, Ryan (sorry, if it sounds with familiarity).
    First, thank you for the article. Unlike many other articles on Glock gen 4 theme, your article covered almost any aspect, including those left unnoticed or uncovered by many other reviewers. Except one.:) No offence meant – I can explain, but it seems nutnfancy-style “long play” not very popular “in these parts”, so I’ll try to be brief and cut my “prologue” completely. I can write it later, if you wish.:)
    Now to that one aspect I’ve mentioned: would you like to participate in small sizing procedure, involving ruler/measure tape and your Glock gen 4? As you probably already guessed, I’d like to ask you to measure “gun wrap-around”, since everybody claims that it is really smaller, but nobody gives any figures. From left edge on front surface of trigger (in its middle, right where trigger safety axis is located) to front edge of mag release gen3 Glock 17 measurement showed 158 mm, or, approximately 6.22 inches. If my description is unclear, I can provide some 3D impression (sort of:)), since I have no camera or gun around to show what I mean.
    Thanks in advance.

  16. Well, I just got mine today and I took it out to the range for some trigger time. I already have a couple of gen 3 glocks in .40 cal, so I’m very familiar and happy with the overall performance that Glock has to offer.

    Wow! I was really suprised at just how accurate the Glock 19 really was, and especially the low recoil. I had been brainwashed in my prevoius life that the only respectible handgun caliber was either .40 cal or .45 acp, but how wrong I have been. This handgun is dead on accurate from 25 yards…heck even 30 yards!! I spent most of my time backing up to see how far I could get away from the target and still hit center. Plus, I had night sights added for next to nothing ( they were running a special) so I think this is now my official go to carry weapon, especially with Hornady rounds in my 15 round magazine!

  17. Hey Ryan, just purchased my first gun today and was wondering if you could confirm for me did I buy the same one you are reviewing here ? Still on 11 day waiting period and could always ask the dealer when I go to pick it up but thought you could tell me before. My main question is what I’m buying the gen 3 or gen 4 ? all the info on the dealer’s record of sale is Make-Glock, Model 19, Caliber 9, serial # RCX335 Color-Black,Barrel Length 4.02 in, Handgun Origin AU New, Semiautomatic Pistol-Bill of sale just has Manufacturer Glock, Model 19, Cal/Gauge 9M, Action Semi, Barrel 4, same serial #, 10 round clip. Cost me “On Sale” a little more than what it says here $699. Asked him for a gun with stopping power ( home Protection) quality, accuracy, easy to use/maintain and this is what he suggested for me, I like it cause it’s not to big, he ran through how to use it with me and I think he picked out the right one for me, just can’t tell from the info if it’s the Gen 3 or Gen 4, also recommended Hollow Point Ammo. So, anything you could tell me re if it’s Gen 3 or Gen 4 would be appreciated. Thank you.

  18. I got my 4th Gen G23, and it was a delight to shoot. Simple, tough, light, and reliable. Old Gaston, doing the job ‘Muricans won’t do.

  19. I love my Glock 22, but even with my XL-plus hands, the grip feels very bulky. My CZ 75 has a much more comfortable grip and over-all feel. However, I picked up a G19 Gen 4 today at my local gun shop and noticed a difference immediately. I found the pistol felt great in my hand without any of the extra back straps, and I liked the little pyramids on the grips. (I’ve had to put a Hogue sleeve on my G22 Gen 3 to keep it from slipping, especially on hot days.) Yes, I think I need another black, plastic gun.

    P.S. I’ve never taken to a 1911; the grip feels skinny and flat, and I don’t like the grip safety. Seven or eight rounds? Forget about it. I’ll take 15 rounds of 9mm modern hollow points (Gold Dots or Ranger T’s) over seven rounds of .45 any day.)

  20. Ryan,

    Great article on the Gen 4 G19. My first Glock was a 36, which I liked, except for the capacity. Sold it recently for a G20SF which I love, however it’s not very practical for CC. I finally decided on the Gen 4 G19 after literally looking at dozens of 9’s for months. BTW, what holster is shown in the last photo? That is a great looking piece of leather!

  21. Nice review. I just went to see one and compare with the XD, XDM, and S&W M&P. I was just knocked out by the gen 4 19. I will definitely get one. The only quibble is the grip angle which does not make me point as naturally as my 1911 or S&W 5904. I imagine I can adjust fine.
    My only problem is getting the funds lined up but I will find a way.

  22. Well, this was exactly the review I was looking for! I knew the polymer pistols were the future but my ’94 Gen 2 wasn’t it. All it did was make me wonder why these things were selling so well. I traded it in for a Sig P229 (which I love!) exactly two years ago, it was just taking up space in the safe. Now I’m looking for something small like the Ruger SR9c, LC9, S&W M&P 9c, stuff along that line, and this review shows me I might have to take another look at these things. Maybe I was right but early adoption in electronics and cars can be devastating and maybe that’s what I experienced with the Glock.

    BTW, the baseball analogies really bring it home to me! Thanks!

  23. Somebody please correct me if I’m wrong, I would love if this were NOT TRUE but, I do not believe that there are any .22 conversion kits available for the generation 4’s.

    Other than that, terrific write up, rarely do I get to see writers who are competent enough to push out informative material and make it entertaining as well.

    • Thanks Jerry, I do what I can 🙂

      As to .22 conversions, I believe that conversion kits for normal G19s would fit the Gen 4 as the changes are in the frame as opposed to the slide. But my advice would be to contact the manufacturer of the conversion and ask them if it works on a Gen 4.

    • The Gen 3 .22 conversion kit that I have does NOT fit my Gen 4 19. As far as I know, none of them do. I know that just recently they started making .22 conversion kits specifically for the Gen 4 guns, but only in the full size offering (17,22, etc).

  24. Having been a longtime glock advocate, I nearly passed on Mr. Finn’s review. I pushed on, having just recently purchased a gen4 G-19 of my own, I was sure by the tone of his opening remarks that this was going to be pure poppycock, as I have had a G-30 strapped to my side for MANY years, and had just recently found the joy that is the gen4 G-19. So I pushed on, thinking to myself that this guy surely must be of the “1911 or nothing” crowd. But as I read on, I found out that he has truly; “hit the bulls-eye” as it pertains to this perfect pistol!

    • Thanks Vince for an informed and experienced review of Mr. Finns article. Its reviews like yours and several others on this site that were influential on my decision to buy the Glock-19, and in Gen-4. I looked pretty hard at the G-30, and maybe next time. Its also the iconic reliability that Glocks are known for. About a year back, I read an article where one of the gun writers/self defense instructors had some 270,000 rounds through a first generation G-17 having bought it back in ’83, I hope I haven’t miss quoted, its a great read. TT

  25. Both the slide and frame are different . I’m not going to go into all of them but one substantial difference is where the guid rod is in the slide . Yes you can get an adapter to fill the larger hole and use a gen 3 type spring , however the slide in that area has different dimentions. The frame in the gen 3 and gen 4 are different in that area too . You can not put a gen 3 slide on a gen 4 frame. They are not interchangeable .

    • My Gen 3 slide actually fits my Gen 4 frame…and fires fine. My Gen 4 slide however doesn’t work on my Gen 3 frame. No clue why, obviously I would never count on its reliability, I was just curious and tried it out on the range one day, 100 rounds, no malfunctions.

  26. Nice review. I’ve never been a pistol guy but over the last year or so I found myself thinking about getting one more and more. I have a brother-in-law in law enforcement and another that just got his concealed weapons permit. Both own Glock 19’s so I was able to learn alot about Glocks from them. After discussing pistols with a few other friends I just kept finding myself coming back to the Glock 19. I bought my first pistol yesterday and couldn’t be happier with my 19 gen 4. Not being a pistol guy I appreciate how easily this gun breaks down. Other than the reliability I heard so much about the other thing that sold me on this gun was how it just felt right in my hand. It’s like it was custom made to fit my hand. I’m getting my concealed weapons permit next month and am looking forward to carrying this gun for many years to come. Thanks for the great review.

  27. I recently purchased the Glock 19 Gen4 for off-duty use. I have put approximately 350 rounds through it so far (slow fire, double-taps, and rapid fire) and have had no problems. I used a Glock 17 in the academy in put approximately 5,000 rounds through it without even one malfunction/jam/misfeed. I also have a Glock 30 that has never given me any problems. I own several other brands of handguns (Beretta, S&W, Springfield XD) all of which I also like, but I believe that Glock is one of the most reliable handguns out there, especially for battle-type situations.

    The M19 Gen 4 is no different. Whatever problems it had when it first came out with the original recoil spring seems to have been fixed and has not been any issue with my handgun. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.

  28. I put about 100 rounds through my Glock using 115 grain practice rounds with absolutely no problems. After this me and a buddy of mine shot it a few times one handed, limp-wristing it and letting the recoil push our hand back some on purpose. We were able to make it jam by doing this. We shot several rounds normally after this with absolutely no problems again.

    My guess is that anyone still having trouble with jams is shooting poor quality reloads or shooting limp-wristed. This gun shoots great!!

  29. Looking at the picture of the target, even with a new gun, shows you are about an average shooter. Both Glocks and 1911s can be very accurate. Seems you are not concentrating on the true problem. This appears to be a software problem(you) not a hardware problem. (Gun) One thing you for got to mention was that a Glock Gen 4 9mm has considerably less recoil than a .45acp.

    • And your credentials are?

      I found Ryan Finn’s marksmanship “on the white black and red target” for first time firing to be exceptional. His writing style to be entertaining and most importantly informative and honest. I came upon this article researching my quandary between a S&W M&P 9 and a Glock 19 Gen4. After handling, reading and shooting both pistols I found myself more comfortable with the Glock 19 Gen4. The overriding factor is the Conceal Carry. The Glock is more comfortable and less obvious here.I hope Ryan gets to try the Remora holster and write about that as well.

      PS. My first time marksmanship was not as good as Ryan’s. I doubt many are.

      Thank you Ryan Flynn

  30. Love the review and the gun. I am buying one tomorrow. I shot several guns tonight at the range. I had been thinking about a small S&W 442 or a Ruger (forget the #) revolver. I shot the S&W 442 and was amazed at the kick. Not a gun to shoot many rounds through. I shot a small Beretta-it was just to small for my hands. I shot several Glocks ranging in price from 2,600.00 to 600.00. There was a difference but not a 2,000.00 dollar difference. I feel in love with the G19. It was bulls eye 8 out of 10 shots at 10 yrds and the other 2 where only an inch off. Not bad for the first time shooting this gun. Sold sold sold on the ergonomics of the G19. The grip is perfect, the trigger is so smooth and just right for my arthritic hands. Sighting was pretty much standard., jumping was minimal and I was able to reacquire my target easily.

  31. I was considering buying a beretta px4 storm. I couldnt find many reviews that were good. The g19 however, looks amazing. Any thoughts on the beretta vs the glock? thanks….

  32. Hi,

    I’m willing to buy a Glock 19 (I think only the Gen 4 will be available), and I read online that some customers had issues when ejecting the cases.
    They showed on several videos how the cases hit the face of the shooter.

    Are theses problems still showing on the newer Glock 19?

    Thanks for your help.

    Regards,

    Jordi

  33. just got my Gen 4 19 today, ive had a 17 for awhile now gen 3 that is, but i love my 19, its great, and i have nothing more to say besides i trust glock with my life and my family’s lives.

  34. I’ve had 3 misfires (bullet stuck going into the chamber) in the first 250 rounds on my new G19 Gen 4. I’m not an experienced shooter. That statement actually implies I have some experience. This is the first gun I’ve ever owned. I thought maybe this is part of the break-in period for a new gun. I don’t think it’s the loose wristed issue described above. I’ve been able to hold a 7 inch pattern at 40 feet. (I did mention first gun, first 5 boxes of ammo so cut me some slack on my pattern.). Any suggestions on the misfiring?

    • Brett it sounds like you’re describing a failure to feed and my first inclination is that your grip might be causing this. It’s common for people to “limp wrist” a pistol at times which can cause feeding and ejecting issues. Try to strengthen up your grip and see if that helps.

  35. I just ordered a G-19 Gen 4 today. I enjoyed the review and the way it was written as well, and you can tell there is some pistolero in Mr. Finn. I too love the 1911, have several of them, way to go John Browning, but 1 to 2% FTF is unacceptable for ass covering. I have found no 1911 immune. My favorite in 9mm’s changes pretty frequently, today its the HK p-30 whoa what a pistol. Earlier it was the P7-M13, also Whoa… what a pistol. I love to shoot the 92FS, its smooth with three o’s. But, they all ride the safe. the 9 that covers my back is a PPS, its got pocket rash, drop dings, nicks bumps and scratches, and every time I go shooting it sends a string down range. I pull it out of my pocket or rig, pull the trigger and “bang”, every time. I am an old bulls-eye shooter, and at 7 yards they all go in the ten ring if I don’t push one or two out. It gets cleaned religiously and back in my pocket/carry rig. I load on an XL650, am working on 5,000 rounds down range of home grown 9s without a FTF and am looking forward to shooting the new G-19. By the way, my USP-45 has eaten everything I have fed it. To me the new designs being born of new technology are more ergonomic, and incredibly reliable and it makes all the difference. TT

  36. Ryan,

    I am now on my second G19 Gen 4; both with the new recoil spring/guide rod assembly. I have been shooting Glocks for 15 years and had normally carried the G19 Gen3, even though my hands are small, and the fit was not good. The only jam I had ever experienced with a Glock was the first shot I had ever taken with one, and my brother (police officer) explained the “limp wrist” issue. That was 15 years ago. No hiccups since and I have gone through a number of different Glocks.

    The G19 Gen 4 was perfect for my hands, so a few months ago, I bought one. It would stovepipe one out of every 12 rounds. I traded it back in for a Gen 3 then came across something said in Marshall & Sanow’s “Stopping Power” published in 2001 regarding the evolution of the 40 S&W. They said that federal designed their personal protection ammunition around the G26. I found that interesting because it was not chambered in 40 S&W, but tucked it away.

    It then occurred to me that the mini Glocks had always used the dual spring/guide rod assembly, so I tried something. I purchased G23 Gen 4 chambered in 40 S&W. I have fired any number of different ammunition types through it, and have had zero problems.

    However, I really like the 9mm for controlability reasons, and decided to try another one; maybe it was just a fluke. I purchased it this morning, took it to the range, and after shooting 100 rounds through it, began to have stovepiping issues again. (For those of you not familiar with this, it means the casing is not able to clear the ejection port before the slide comes forward and captures it). I am not limp-wristing the handgun, and am not happy about this, so will talk the the Glock technical reps about it tomorrow.

    I also have a G26 Gen 4 and have never had a problem with it. I personally think the G19 spring is too tight and threr is not enough recoil energy in many rounds to throw the slide all the way back and it is short cycling, but I will see what their tech reps can tell me.

    FYI . . Jim Hunter . . Ocala, FL

  37. Glock 19 Gen 4: I had 6 failures to feed on one clip with Federal loads. The Glock customer service guy verified I have the latest spring revision already in my gun. His only suggestion was to try different ammo. At this point the gun was between 400 and 450 rounds total (I’m also running some rounds through an older Beretta so my box count’s a little off).

    I went back to the range today with my Flip video camera ready to capture this. 150 rounds of Remington, 150 rounds of Federal – no problems. In fact, my limited experience self just clustered 2 clips inside 8″ at 25 yards. Nothing for you experienced guys but I’m surprised (those 750 rounds in total now are all I’ve ever shot). I love shooting this gun – definitely hooked! I’ll keep posting as more unfolds. Right now I don’t feel I can trust the gun I purchased for self defense.

  38. Glock has issues with the ejectors on late model Gen. 3 and some Gen. 4 9mm’s and .40’s. The recoil spring assemblies on calibers of Gen. 4 weapons have been changed one to three times that I know of depending upon the caliber. The whole reason those of us who love Glocks is because you know you can pull a new one out of a box with not so much as a cursory wipe down and depend upon it to protect you and/or your family.

    I have no doubt as to the longevity and durability of the Glock platform but they must get this situation under control or it will seriously hurt their market position.

    I am in the market for a new handgun and have decided not to buy the Generation 4 Glock until I see long term data on durability from a variety of agencies and/or military forces.

    • Are you speaking for Glock, or yourself? You did not cite a reference to your hypotheses. I acquired my Gen 4 G19 after the call-back on the recoil spring assembly and was told by Glock that my serial number weapon was retro-fitted before leaving the factory and the upgrade was not necessary. Have’nt heard a thing otherwise about any ejector problems.

      • I spoke to Glock’s service rep about my G19 Gen 4. It also had already been fitted with the revised recoil spring at the factory (I purchased it on 1/25/12). After establishing I had the new spring, the rep suggested I take it to a repair center for a revised ejector pin. At that point I clarified my issues was an ammo feeding jam not a spent shell ejection issue. He suggested trying a different ammo manufacturer. So indirectly Glock indicated to me there is also a revision to the ejector mechanism.

      • Glock has officially confirmed that they made a bad batch of ejectors. In fact they completely replaced and redid their design…for the 5th or 6th time. The new guns theyre pumping out are stamped with part number 30274, the old ones are 336. There is a big difference between the two.

  39. Purchased G19 Gen4 in December with latest Recoil Spring and Latest Ejector.
    Getting brass to the face, shoulder and everywhere. Experienced shooter having previously owned an early Gen3 G17, M&P’s, HK’s.

    So far have about 1000 rounds of 124 and 147 grain. I really like the way this G19 shoots but if it doesn’t stopping erratically spewing brass all over the place its not going to be mine much longer.

    I now sport a brass “Hot Branding” on my temple.

    Horrendous!

  41. Excellent (!) review (and a very fine site, read several well written ‘and’ entertaining reviews!) and I think this is the pistol I will suggest to my rifle shooting BILaw for his first handgun. I’ve owned Glocks since ’91 (.40 2nd Gen, the 4th Gen not available in Kalifornia) and, coming from the wheel, I liked it immediately. Armorer for them but in reality that came much later. My first G is still in operation (sans the original parts, well, aside from the frame) with some 75K and very minor mods have friends saying “what’ya do to the trigger” and so forth. Simplicity, great reliability (only one failure ever in any shooting circumstance was due the cruciform cracking in half at 55K – it was the original trigger and bar) and ease of maintenance, along with accuracy and concealability make for almost as good a gun as your review! Thank you…

  42. Just purchased this gun for my daughter. It is her first Glock and she loves it, she too was shooting a 1911 S & W, and was pretty die in the world Smith Girl..But she is sold on this Glock. 1200 rounds through this gun so far and absolutely no problems at all and the ease of field stripping is incredible she says, she had the gun broke down cleaned, lubed and reassembled in less then five minutes..I just ordered her the Advantage Arms 22LR Conversion kit from a local dealer, curious how it will perform. Glock even recommended it so, we shall see how it shoots. Oh, by the way, she is only 21 yrs old…and the gun fit her hand perfectly out of the case with not changes to the grip at all. She is the envy of the shooting club, she “Blows the Hell” out of the center of those targets at 50 to 75 ft…just using the sights, no trace or nothing…she loves the new sights on the Gen 4, she can adjust the gun angle to , in her words…Mere Perfection!

  43. Perhaps the Glock marketing finally did it’s job? Have you tried putting the G19 up against a CZ-75B? 2 Malfunctions in 50 rounds with your 1911, not a typical 1911 range session. Any gun that has that many malfunctions needs some gunsmithing.

  44. I also own three 1911’s, and have never really cared for Glocks, until the Gen4 finally arrived. After months of deliberation on which Glock model to purchase, I decided on the Gen4 G19.
    Never thought I’d says this ….. but it’s a beautiful pistol (from a gun owners standpoint). It does what it was intended for, and more.
    One of my current carry pistols …. 🙂

  45. Own a 1st gen and 3rd gen G19, carried both for quite some time. I have had no feed or fire failures that I can recollect with a variety of ammunition, from 115g lacquered ball Wolf, to Speer Gold Dot 124g +P HP duty ammunition.

  46. I have been working on Glocks after going to their armorer’s school, and while not a big fan, they are certainly a good product. But once again, we are missing the pistols biggest flaw here–I am talking about those stupid idiotic finger grooves.
    Finger grooves were a fad started back around 1977 from many gun makers. They worked fine “if” they fit your hand, but with about 100 basic size differences, only about 20% will get a perfect fit, and about half get a lousy fit, the others adjusting. That is why every gun maker dumped the idea after a few years. Nobody does this anymore for the most part. If you shoot an early generation Glock without the groves, you see the difference, and it’s far better. (the worst is the .45 compact, a real hand killer. The grooves combined with recoil tear your hand apart after about 50 rounds.) What really gets me is Glock keeps creating new surfaces on the frame, telling us how it gives us a better grip/traction. And they are correct. So why do we still “need” (in their eyes) the finger groves??
    A dumb idea then and a dumber idea on these latest versions. But I have learned that these folks do not take suggestions about product changes very well, so this will not go away any time soon. In the meantime, I will still be on the lookout for early generation police trade-ins without the grooves.

  47. Not a fan of the Gen 3 or Gen 4 grip texture. Purchased the 23 Gen 4 because of the smaller size of the grip, compared to the Gen 3 I had shot.

    I added the Talon rubber grip tape (not the sandpaper type). I find it perfect for me. It’s removable and inexpensive if you find you don’t like it. Perfect size and perfect purchase on the gun.

    Also have the Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel to save some on ammo when I make more frequent trips to the range.

  48. I love Glocks. I have a Gen 3 22 with RTF and I love it. If the RTF hurts your hands, stop using hand lotion. Man up. I love the RTF, even after putting 300 rounds down range as quick as I could, no problems. The RTF makes the gun feel like it’s velcroed to my hand. If I ever have to use it in self defense, I want a gun that ain’t goin’ nowhere. Small hands? Is that a real thing for men? I’m 6′ tall Texan, and I don’t know nuthin’ about no small hands. I thought that was a lady thing.

  49. Much like the reviewer, I’ve long been “married” to my old standby, a Browning HiPower 9mm. Always commented on how I could shoot the heck out of that gun.And I mean it.

    Then this past week I took my Forida ccw, and had to shot my “qualifying” with a house rental gun. They handed me a Gock 19, and off Imwent to shoot 5 rounds
    Now, I’ve NEVER fired any Glock before, no warm up etc. yeah I know the course is designed to just make sure you can handle a gun safely, BUT imagine my (happy) surprise when my 5 shots grouped at 1.5 in, with four of the five in a nickel sized grouping–IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 10 ring!!
    Maybe time to retire the HiPower!

  50. why does Glock not add a manual safety to this pistol. Wouldn’t that make it safe pistol for first time gun shooters?
    also has glock resolved all problems in this glock 19 4th generation pistol that surfaced?

    • Glock feels the three built in safeties are adequate. I feel everybody should shoot at thier own comfort level. There are at least 2 aftermarket safeties you can add on, one the usual lever on the side type, the other a pin tht slides to lock or unlock the trigger. Used the trigger lock until I got comfortable and removed it.

      Not all Gen 4s have the brass to face problem. Glock has been great at fixing most, replacing the rest, all for free.

  52. Just put my first box of 150 grain .40’s thru my g23 gen 4, and I love this gun! Shoots as smooth as my Ruger P944, but weighs 10 oz less and has more rounds in the mag. This is my first Glock because I’m a lefty, and with the gen 4 I was able to reverse the mag release–finally they made a left-handed gun! I like the stippled grip (I chose the medium boattail backplate–easy to install); the gun doesn’t move around even if my hands are sweaty in hot humid southeast Texas. The quality is impressive, it feels like only a 9 mm but hits “targets of opportunity” like my 357 magnums (I have several of those–that’s what I shot for over 30 years before getting the Ruger 10-12 years ago). I’m putting mepro night sights on the 23–supposed to be the brightest. I think I now have one of the best guns in the history of the world. I recommend getting the 23 instead of the 19; you lose 2 rounds capacity (13 vs. 15) but you get significantly more stopping power–almost magnum energy from a smooth gun.

  53. I’m about to buy my first handgun, and have settled on the Glock 19. I’m going to be buying it from Cabela’s and I have a question for you guys: am I correct in assuming that the M19 is a 3rd Gen, and a G19 refers to a 4th Gen? I know the difference and features, I’m just trying to figure out why on Cabela’s website they list the “Gen4 Compact Pistol” 9mm as the G19, and under “Compact Fixed-Site Pistol” the 9mm is listed as the M19. I’m guessing that the M19 is a 3rd Gen, which is what I want, but I was under the impression that all Glock 19’s were G19’s. I thought that I had it figured out, but when researching Glock 17’s, I discovered that both the Gen 3 and Gen 4 are listed as M17 (I can see myself picking up a Glock 17 as well in the near future). Needless to say, I’m completely confused. Basically, when I go there next week to buy my first Glock (and 2nd), I don’t want to sound like an idiot (which I’m sure I’ve already failed at on here). I would greatly appreciate any help…

  54. A G19 3rd gen is my every day carry. 10k plus rounds through it, and never had a FTF, FTE, etc. I have small hands and I do fine with it. This is a must have weapon.

  55. Great review, I had a good laugh at some of the comments you made on this review! I love you website and writing style, so you guys are now on my home screen. Great reading when you are forced to pass time for whatever reason! My love affair with Gen 4 Glocks has kinda gotten out of hand with the purchase of at least 10 in my embarrassing collection! They are almost as customizible as a 1911 and cheaper/easier to modify. My changes range from Night sights, 3.5 Lb connector, 33 round Mags, Chrome pins/parts, Extended slide release, drop-in aftermarket barrels, +2 Mag Ext, 17 round mags, Mini laser, Lights, Beavertails, Caliber changes, Extended dissasembly realease, Full polish on all components, and you have a pretty reliable gun just the way you want for half the price, half the time to clean, repair replace, remove/install so whats not to like, especially with the new gen 4 features? I show my upgraded 1911’s to my friends and my Glocks to my enemy. Its that simple.

  56. Great review, I had a good laugh at some of the comments you made on this review! I love you website and writing style, so you guys are now on my home screen. Great reading when you are forced to pass time for whatever reason! My love affair with Gen 4 Glocks has kinda gotten out of hand with the purchase of at least 10 in my embarrassing collection! They are almost as customizible as a 1911 and cheaper/easier to modify. My changes range from Night sights, 3.5 Lb connector, 33 round Mags, Chrome pins/parts, Extended slide release, drop-in aftermarket barrels, +2 Mag Ext, 17 round mags, Mini laser, Lights, Beavertails, Caliber changes, Extended dissasembly realease, Full polish on all components, and you have a pretty reliable gun just the way you want for half the price, half the time to clean, repair replace, remove/install so whats not to like, especially with the new gen 4 features?

  57. Absolutely spot on review. I run the range for our local police force and I’m fast becoming a Glock fan. Last week I shot a 493 on our 50 round timed course with my new Gen 4 Glock 23. Still haven’t been able to shoot the perfect 500 but not bad for the Chaplain.

  58. Just bought my first hand gun….. my brother n law is a rabid shooter. Took his suggestion – Glock 19 Gen4….. looking forward to the new experience – thanks for the review….. several years later – many great comments!!

  59. 20 years and 3000 plus rounds with my stock gen 1 G-19. No failures after my first week when I learned not to limp-wrist. Consistent ragged holes on the bull at 25 feet. I simply don’t get the hate. The only gun I prefer for defense is 12 gauge.

  60. Why i carry a glock 19…trigger safety. I like it doesn’t go bang if if gets dropped, and that it does when i pull the trigger. Here is why I don’t carry a gun with manual safeties, or beaver tail safeties. About 10 years ago (I wasn’t there but some other friends were) my friend got in a fist fight with a guy. My friend took a good punch to the jaw. It broke the other guys hand.
    The other guy pulled a springfield XD. Luckily… and very luckily he couldn’t shoot it. Why? Because of the hand injuries he sustained he couldn’t get the right grip to disengage the beavertail and thumb safeties quickly. My friend was able to get the gun away and he took off…he still has it.

    That was pure luck for him, that could have been really bad if it was the other way around and that guy got his gun. I won’t carry any gun that require more dexterity then a trigger pull for that reason. You never know what shape or condition you are going to be in when you need a gun, and getting a perfect grip to disengage safeties isn’t always going to be an option.

    It is a very real possibility there will be a physical altercation before you decide to pull your SD gun. You never know what injuries you may get. Any gun that requires you to use more dexterity then a trigger pull or have a perfect grip can be worse then useless in that situation.

    Break a few fingers or a thumb and tell me you can grip and disengage a safety quickly if you need to…

  61. Ryan,

    Tossed up between a G19 gen 4 or a G23 gen 4 with the option of having the Lone Wolf 9 mm and Lone Wolf 357 Sig barrels! Therefore getting three calibers in one gun! Would much appreciate you doing a review of a G23 gen 4 and the Lone Wolf barrels too! I heard that Storm Lake makes a 9 mm barrel as well!

  63. Great review. I was slow to warm to the Glock as well. I liked my autos made of steel. Glock products got better with each Gen though. I now carry a Gen 3 30s. Fits my hand perfectly and recoil is very manageable. The accuracy is fantastic. Especially with Trijicon Night Sights. I almost bought the 19 but my love of the 45 round won out. The guns are similar in size. The 19 just a hair longer. I’m still thinking of getting a 19 though. The Gen 4 model 19 is just about the perfect CCW. You can’t have just one Glock 😉

    • You said it best.If someone wants two Glocks a 19 and 30s make a great pair. If you have never shot a g4 17 ,watch out ,its still the best all around glock ,imo to shoot and only weighs 1 oz more than a 19

  64. First and foremost, AWESOME review! Was on the market for a diff CCW, went to the range and shot both the Springfield XD 9mm and Gen 4 G19. At 15yds the shot group between the two guns are day and night. It was like i was shooting left handed with the XD (I’m right handed) I was impressed with the G19 as my shot group for about 1 inch apart as when compared to XD it wasn’t as accurate. I wasn’t a big fan of Glocks until the Gen 4s came out. I ended up buying a BRAND NEW Glock w/ 3 mags from a local shop for $424 (Military discount). Absolutely LOVE this gun, light, accurate, reliable, and fairly priced.

  65. I dropped the cash on my gen 4 G19 6 months ago. No problems at all out of the box. I like the agressive grip and the accuracy. JMHO

  66. The bottom line is… you shoot the gun you feel most comfortable and confident with. All the debate is nothing but juvenile bloviating.

  67. I really wish S&W would make a G19 sized M&P because, IMO, M&P is superior to Glock in every way there is a difference between the two that matters. I have an XD and I think it’s ok, but I’ll never love it the way I do my M&P. That said, I will probably end up with a G19 so long as S&W doesn’t remedy their mistake but I think I’ll stick with a Gen3 as I hear of lots of issues with the Gen4s reliability wise (I believe due to the newer spring).

  68. I tried the Gen 4s but doublestacks are still too wide for an ergonomic grip for me and probably millions of others.

    Grip is important because I agree with Bill Jordan and all the other old masters that you’re most likely going to be point shooting for a at least 1 to 3 or more rounds. Don’t properly line up the gun with your arm….and, good luck.

    I sold my Glocks and went with a j-frame and a 1911. Only 200 rounds but my Springfield RO has functioned flawlessly so far. I will probably add a Smith Shield for summer.

  69. I like the 30 generation 4 for the recoil spring but l don’t like where the clip release is located(to close to the thumb).Like where the clip release is located on the gen. 3 but don’t like the recoil spring as good as the gen 4.So in other words I’d like to have the gen 3 with the gen.4 recoil spring.

  70. I have been carrying for 45 years, everyday even at home. Yes I did have a home invasion some 20 years ago, and had 5 guys with shotguns and pistols in my house while I was there with my girlfriend at the time, leaving for work.
    Her brother was a Fed, I carried a revolver back then.
    I found out about these strange Foreign guns when they were mandated to the MYPD.
    I have tried every handgun made since then, and always come back to Glock. The reason is Reliability.
    Of all of the models and calibers I have owned, Now just a 26 and 30S, in Glock, I can’t find anything better, period.
    I thought there was something wrong with me, because everyone I knew kept telling me about Sigs, H&K’s, Sigs,PPQ’s etc, tried them all, and kept coming back to glock, because they always work, I never had one fail to function, even with broken guide rods.
    I only shoot 9mm and 45 now. There is no reason to shoot any other caliber unless you hunt large animals. Man is the biggest thing I would ever face. So one caliber, makes a larger hole, and one holds more bullets, that’s about the only difference. I am going to buy another gun, it’s just that time. I pocket carry or if I am leaving the property I take a holstered 26 or 30 S with me in addition to 2 magazines. I have been looking at 1911’s again, but know that every time I buy one, it just sits in the safe. I have sold off most of my collection and am down to half a dozen guns that I actually carry, perhaps a 19 is in order again, I had a 23, but hate 40 caliber even after a dozen different tries at liking it over the years. 9mm is just better in every way, as is 45.
    A Kahr PM9 or XDS is a great pocket gun, “in a pocket holster”, no one ever pinned me for carrying.

  71. I’ve always been a revolver type. Cock and ready, or the complete action…revolvers felt right for me. I’m purchasing a couple of G 19 gen 4 this week. I may consider the 17, but I’m fairly certain the 19’s will leave GT Distributor’s with me. I’m trying to get my wife “comfortable” with handguns. Other than a shotgun (impossible to really get to in time, vs. grabbing the Glock on the nightstand and emptying the clip) she has an aversion to guns…period. I’ve explained this is “a different World now” and she’s got to be ready.to kill (not wound) the intruder. My biggest fear, among some others, is that she’ll hesitate, and the intruder could end up with the weapon because we all know, milliseconds count. Dallas/Ft. Worth Police kind of dismiss the handgun in the woman’s glovebox anyway, but CHL’s are for real, and she’ll have hers in a matter of weeks. A friend told me about a handgun his wife carries in her purse (He’s very well known in the Antique Gun area, buys and sells antique handguns) so I’m leaning to his advice. What would be the best model for a woman 5 foot 6, with small hands? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Kenny Pirkle
    [email protected]

    • My wife’s first gun was a S&W 642 Airweight (J frame) revolver (38 special, 5 rounds). I have strong hands and can shoot it straight. But she does not, and her first 10-15 range rounds would not hit paper at 5 yards. She finally tried a 9mm at the range and liked the S&W M&P 9c. I came home with a Ruger LC9 pro for the days I only wore a t-shirt, and she held it and smiled, and she now carries the Ruger. I suppose that means I will get the M&P for my t-shirt days 🙂 The LC9 pro has a concealed hammer, and no safety, and I really like it. Down side – only 7 rounds or so. Upside, she will carry it, and hit a target at 10 yards on her first shot at the range. World of difference over the revolver. I tried to get her in a Glock, but they are just too big for her hands.

  72. My wife’s first gun was a S&W 642 Airweight (J frame) revolver (38 special, 5 rounds). I have strong hands and can shoot it straight. But she does not, and her first 10-15 range rounds would not hit paper at 5 yards. She finally tried a 9mm at the range and liked the S&W M&P 9c. I came home with a Ruger LC9 pro for the days I only wore a t-shirt, and she held it and smiled, and she now carries the Ruger. I suppose that means I will get the M&P for my t-shirt days 🙂 The LC9 pro has a concealed hammer, and no safety, and I really like it. Down side – only 7 rounds or so. Upside, she will carry it, and hit a target at 10 yards on her first shot at the range. World of difference over the revolver. I tried to get her in a Glock, but they are just too big for her hands.

  73. One point I didn’t see mentioned is the difference in trigger geometry between the G19 Gen3 and Gen4 variants. My G19 Gen3 was my first semi-auto pistol, and it’s put many thousands of rounds downrange. A couple of years or so after buying it I decided to improve the trigger. I installed a Glockworx Race Connector, Glockworx Skeletonized Striker and Glockworx Competition Spring set. After firing a bit, my G19 had the smoothest, sweetest trigger I’ve felt on any striker-fired pistol.

    Naturally when I bought my wife a G19 Gen4 (small hands), I gave it the same treatment. DItto for the G17 Gen4 I bought for myself at the same time. To my great surprise, both Gen4 triggers felt about the same as they did before installing the mods. I discussed this with a Glock Armorer at a gun show and was told that changes in Gen4 trigger geometry prevented the Glockworx parts from imparting the same qualities, and that no Gen4-compatible replacements were yet available.

    I removed the Glockworx parts from the G17 and sold it.

  74. G19 Gen4, or Springfield XD Mod 2 Service Model that’s my dilemma. While both are great firearms, I must admit the XD just feels so right in the hand, the G19 not so much, although though much better than the previous generations of “Perfection.” The Glock well is a Glock, with an after market akin to a Small Block Chevy so you can truly create your “perfect” Glock. What to do what to do….one of each I suppose

  75. Over the last few years when I have shopped for a new handgun I would think this is the time I will finally buy a Glock. So far though I have not found a Glock that feels as good in my hand as whatever else I was considering at the time. To this point Glock has lost out to a couple of Sigs and an M&P since I first considered a Glock I have not regretted any of those purchases. I am feeling the itch for a new gun, and once again I will consider a Glock. I really don’t consider the availabilities of aftermarket upgrades, since I really prefer to buy something that does not need to be upgraded to make it what I want.

  76. As a retired LEO (1980-2005) and firearms instructor (E2C), I have always preferred H&K and Sig weapons. My first Glock was a G22 (Gen-2) in 1989, G38 (Gen-3) in 2010, and am now considering the G19.

    I have become quite the fan of their products. Absolute reliability, simplicity and functionality. Basically the closest an automatic can get to a revolver in simplicity of operation with a higher capacity. While some are put-off by a composite frame and appearances (butt-ugly), a conceal-carry weapon must first and foremost be functionally reliable, simple to operate and accurately control (recoil). It really doesn’t get any better than the Glock line at a price point that is incredibly affordable.

    Ryan’s article is factually very well written, albeit dripping with adjectives and strained metaphors. I prefer “just the facts” in brief form (classic ‘Joe Friday’ approach).

  77. 45 years of carrying every gun from 357 magnum revolvers and Detective specials, “back when that is what you carried”. To 380’s and even 32 Secamps that ran 1000 bucks and a wait. I think I am pretty much an authority on what works and what works poorly. I even carried a couple of jetfires for backup at 1 foot away, 10 rounds of 22 or 25, will kill anyone.
    The Glock series of 9mm and 45 caliber pistols are the best for reliability and all around use. They just work as wel as a revolver for reliability, and carry enough so thet even if statistically you will miss with 40-50% of your fired rounds. You will still hit with 7 or 8 rounds, and wiys, “bad guys usually come in 2 or 3 at once”, you are going to need those extra rounds. It takes on the average of 3-5 rounds to put a bad guy down, I have seen guys shot a dozen times still able to shoot at police. Get a gun in 9mm or 45 that holds 12-19 rounds, and at least 1 spare nag. The last thing you want to hear is click, I’m out of ammo and still taking fire. If you live you will never make that mistake again.
    when asked, people who have been in gunfights all agree they should carry more ammo.

  78. when we settled in the east coast after some years overseas,(go navy) I decided to start shooting again after a 10 year hiatus and at that time not owing my own gun, rental was the answer for fun. Tried the Glock 17,19 and 23, and after a couple of years started thinking that , there’s more out there than Glock.. having skinny small hands shooting the Glocks was tortuous and painful, no fun at all. Today when to the range and decided to try the Glock 19 gen4, only to get a blister and a bruised hand, put it down the Glock and switched to my S&W SD9VE with apex trigger and my Sig Sauer P320, what a difference in feeling, Glocks gets Zero in my rating for ergonomics, shame on the Austrian manufacturer who thinks that all men and women have the same hand( One size fits all, doesn’t make the cut) so much for “perfection”?

  79. The Glock 19 is still my favorite Glock. For me the grip works well. Sure the grip feels better on the Walther PPQ M2 and the Smith & Wesson M&P 9c, but the crisp break on a polished Glock trigger allows me to fire pretty accurately. I still go back to the Glock as my favorite pistol.

  80. I was talked into buying a Glock 42 .380 ACP for an EDC gun. After taking it to the range and putting only 150 rounds thru it, I was less than happy. In just three different brands of ammo I had several FT feed, FT eject and FT fire. I took it to my gunsmith and he did some magic to it and it fires everything now – crappy to premium. I still didnt like the fact that the Slide Release tab was impossible to operate with my right thumb and I had to get an aftermarket part.

    Now that I’ve put my backstabbing Springfield XDS on consignment sale at my gunshop, AND I just bought a Keltec 9mm Sub2000, I am totally onboard with getting a 9mm Glock to replace the XDS AND have magazine interchangeability, I began looking at the Glock 17 (too damn bulky for IWB carry), the Glock 43 (mags arent interchangeable with the Keltec S2K), the Glock 26 (I can use a GLock 17 mag in it but the damn grip is too short, much like the muzzle-flippy XDS) and the Glock 19 (I can use the 17 mags in it AND my big paws can grip it comfortably). So it looks like the Glock 19 is the Goldilocks Gun for me.

    I’ll slap an aftermarket mag release on it, tritium night sights and maybe a Hogue grip sleeve. I just have to flip a coin between the Gen 4 and the less expensive Gen 3…..

  81. Enjoyed your commentary on the coming of age. I began with Colt (only) 1911 pistols. It changed upon my first Glock G36 purchase. I did a comparison test of my own with my Colt Gold Cup, Colt Commander, & a Colt Officers model shooting 240 gr Ball ammo. The G36 ergonomics brought it close to the comfort of shooting the full size Gold Cup. The accuracy was similar as well. This didn’t seem possible for a duty pistol. The Colts are gone & replaced with Glocks. I found in benching all calibers of Glocks, groups at 25 yds measure 2″ to 2 1/2″. This still doesn’t seem possible to me for a duty pistol. I have competed with my Smith revolvers in Speed Steel so the Glock triggers are not an issue. The only operational change that I have made to the Glocks is changing the connector out to the 3.5 factory item. This is to have all the trigger pulls the same in my Glocks.

  82. Get tired of Glock vs 1911, Glock vs Whiz-bang, Glock vs (fill in the blank).
    A Glock is a Glock. Man up. Face it. Don’t need no safety. Don’t need no pussy hole.
    Don’t ike Glock? Get yourself a Highpoint or Taurus or maybe a stick.
    When SHTF and I’m going out the door, I’ll pick up that Glock for sure. And won’t be no puny 9mm.

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