I gave Gaston’s gang a bit of a kicking in my post GLOCK Gen 5 is Here! Have Guns Become Boring? Trust me: it came from a place of love. I’ve owned, carried and occasionally cleaned a number of GLOCKs, including a GLOCK 30SF and the ubiquitous GLOCK 19. OK, sure, I modified them with Ghost triggers and Trijicon night sights. But I get the GLOCK thing. The question is, should you buy the new GLOCK 17 or 19 Gen 5? Here are three reason to do so . . .

1. The finger grooves are gone! 

GLOCK’s marketing mavens are bound to make a big deal about Gen 5’s new Marksman Barrel, now with traditional rifling and a match crown! They’ll trumpet the fact claim that Gen 5 shooters will shoot more accurately with GLOCK’s new, more accurate barrel than they would with ye olde GLOCK’s polygonal rifled barrel (which sounds vaguely Mormon). Yes well . . .

For an average shooter, trigger press and grip are the critical factors for accuracy. While I don’t know if Gen 5’s trigger changes have created a better GLOCK gas pedal — they could hardly fashion a worse one — eliminating the grip’s finger grooves makes it easier for the average Joe to get a firm, comfortable, efficient, consistent hold on their GLOCK (which sounds vaguely onanistic) — both with and without gloves.

GLOCK’s grooveless grip will help shooters improve their accuracy, although I’m still thinking that GLOCK should make their grip stippling more aggressive. A deficiency that’s easily rectified with any number of aftermarket mods.

2. The magwell’s flared! 

I admit it: I’m bolding, italicizing and exclamation marking the section headings ironically. None of the changes from GLOCK Gen 4 to GLOCK Gen 5 are matters of life-or-death. In fact, I’d rather see GLOCK owners practice more with their Gen 1,2,3 or 4 than worry about upgrading to Gen 5.

But TTAG readers appreciate the finer things in firearms, no matter how subtle. Like slightly better ergonomics. And slightly easier reloads. Not because you’re likely to need to reload during a defensive gun use. Because you’re going to practice doing it anyway. ‘Cause it’s cool. Tacticool!

While the GLOCK Gen 5’s new flared magwell isn’t as obvious or practical as, say, a competition STI, even a slightly flared magwell makes a big difference when it comes to slamming in a fresh mag. It’s faster. And somehow more satisfying.

And unlike flared blue jeans (don’t ask), the Gen 5 flared magwell adds some — I repeat some — truth to Huey Lewis’ assertion that it’s hip to be square. Hipper, anyway.

3. You don’t own a gun!

Yeah, it’s true: I’m out of ideas. So this last one is for your buddies who don’t own a handgun and want one and don’t want to make a mistake buying the “wrong gun” (a deep-rooted psychological desire explored in my original article). The ultimate reason to buy Gen 5: it’s a GLOCK!

That should mean rock solid reliability and an aftermarket-a-palooza, but there’s some troubling history here (cough Gen 4 recoil springs cough) and the new gun isn’t entirely backwards compatible with previous parts.

But what the heck. If you’re buying a new car you don’t buy the previous generation model. Unless it’s heavily discounted, that is. Which is not something I’d expect to see from GLOCK dealers, but you never know.

And if Gen 4 pistols are cheaper, what have you got to lose? Not much. But something.

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67 COMMENTS

  1. hmm amazing that they keep making changes to “perfection” i guess they don’t own a lot of dictionaries over there.

      • Does that mean the guy who sells you a Gen 5 for significantly more money than a Gen 4 is a Confidence man?

    • I don’t understand why everyone makes a big deal about Glock improving their guns. “Glock Perfection” is just a marketing slogan. If they never improved upon the Gen 1, people would complain that they aren’t keeping up with the competition. If they make any small changes or improvements, people complain that they weren’t perfect to begin with and needed to be updated. The Gen 1 was “perfect” when it came out (relative to the other handguns on the market at the time). Now that the competition has gotten better Glock has to improve their “perfection” to stay competitive. It’s just good marketing. Obviously Glocks aren’t truly perfect for everyone, and they know it, hence the multiple models and generations.

      -Current G26 Gen4 owner, Future G19 Gen5 owner

      • They haven’t kept up with the competition though. The H&K VP9 is the gun that a modern Glock should be, and there are other polymer striker fired pistols on the market that are better than Glocks on at least some features. Glock’s entry in the MHS competition was cynical and spoke to their overconfidence.

        Don’t misunderstand me: I respect Glock. They make an ultra reliable and functional pistol. It’s just that they keep making the same basic pistol with little internal tweaks, a new frame size, or a new chambering. Competitors have surpassed them because they are standing still. I want them to get back in the race.

  2. You buy a Glock for the same reason people buy a Harley. That is simply because you want one and you don’t want anyone to make fun of you because you bought something different. There are other products that are as good or better at a better price but you want to be accepted. I have had 16 motorcycles but no Harleys and I have 16 firearms but no Glocks. I ride a Suzuki (after my last 4 BMWs) and I carry a S&W SD9VE or Taurus PT111, both of which are very similar to a Glock 19. I’ve gotten to the age of nearly 70 and I don’t care what other people think (never did).

    • Harley’s appear to be geriatric fantasy machines to me. Why coffin dodgers like to dress up like one percenters and drive around what they think is a one percenter bike is beyond me. While Glocks, I suspect are often (even though many knowledgeably choose them for the right reasons) just following the crowd purchases. I understand that Glocks very good guns but doubt that they are as good as their market share might lead one to believe. People are very susceptible to good marketing and Glock has the best marketing.

    • HAH! I THOUGHT that looked different.

      Yeah that’s pretty sad when you’re copying a company that’s making a knock off of your original product. And let’s be honest, that’s a better design anyway.

    • Yes. As I recall, Mormons are very sensitive about their polygons…fractals, too! I would offer to debate the issue, but there are just too many sides.

      • Holy crap. That was brilliant. I am jealous.

        Oh right, the Glock…the harder slide treatment is actually significant.

        • They redid the slide finish and it is darker, but after owning a Glock or three, and even though I live in Georgia which isn’t exactly famous for being a dry climate, I have never had one show any rust. If there is any advantage other than the darker color, if you want that, I haven’t seen it.

  5. Glock has officially become the iPhone of firearms. They’re the same reliable product they always have been. But they’re at the point where they’re having to resort to ever slowing upgrades while having to spend more and more money on marketing to keep their sales up.

    And let’s also not forget the little hissy fit that Glock had over the MHS. They didn’t even bring anything new to the contract, they wedged in an external safety and called it good enough then tried to sue when they didn’t get the contract.

    Personally I think we’ve finally seen the high water market on Glock’s popularity. Not unless they start rethinking some of what they’re doing. Government contacts will only carry you so far.

  6. Top 3 Reasons To Buy The New Glock

    1. You always have the newest and best of everything. You buy each new version of the iPhone as soon as it comes out. You’re the same way with pistols.

    2. They improved on perfection! I mean, the last four versions were perfect, so Gen 5 must be Perfect++++.

    3. You’re a milk toast aficionado. You like your guns like you like your Toyota Corolla: bland, simple, utterly reliable, and devoid of innovations. There’s no need for fancy technology to make the trigger pull better or make grasping the slide easier (especially from anywhere but the back). Gaston basically got it right in the 80’s, and though he went a little crazy with that flared magwell this time around, you still love his creation.

    • While it may have been intended as sarcasm “utterly reliable” is a prime reason to carry a Glock. One of the loudest noises in the world is click when you expected to hear bang, especially if you really needed it to go bang. Carry the weapon that in your judgment fits the level of the threat and risk you are willing to assume.

      • My SIG has never gone click when I pulled the trigger, and it has over 5,000 round through it. Plenty of other guns can match Glock’s reliability. I wasn’t being sarcastic when I said Glocks are utterly reliable, because they are. The reason that I and a lot of other people don’t carry them is because we don’t like the ergonomics. I shoot tighter groups with other guns that fit me better, and it’s that simple for me. Newer striker fired guns have better triggers than Glock, and I would buy one of those before I bought a Glock. As I said above, I respect Glock. I just want them to stop resting on their laurels. If they came out with something truly new, or made real improvement to their triggers, I would give them an honest look.

    • It’s Milquetoast, not “milk toast.” Named after the character, “Caspar Milquetoast.” Stop using phrases you don’t understand; you make yourself sound foolish.

      • Actually, the character was named for the dish “milk toast,” which had become a byword for bland and unoriginal, hence the character’s name. But keep thinking I’m the foolish one who doesn’t know what he is talking about.

    • Its 2017. Innovation of polymer framed striker fired guns has reached its ceiling……..theres not a whole lot other newer striker pistols bring to market over glock…

      • Go shoot an H&K VP9 or one of the new Walthers and see if you still believe that. Admittedly the improvements are small, so they may fit under your statement “not much new compared to Glock.” However, they are still better in my opinion. It wouldn’t kill Glock to try a little innovation. Introduce a new model or variant with some of the features people are asking for and see if it takes off. If not, they can always fall back on what they have always been doing. If they don’t keep up, sooner or later somebody is going to start taking their sales. They already lost the MHS competition.

  7. GLOCK? As much as people get down on their knees, bow and pray to the almighty GLOCK god, I will continue to be the hater and anti-GLOCK god atheist. I’m not really sure where my revulsion with these weapons started, but I put them in the same classification….well, almost, as Corvettes. I hate those cars. I hated working on them, I hated the people that drove them. With GLOCKS, I think they are ugly and real early I got tired at the over the top enthusiasm for them. Someone would say they have a GLOCK with the same pride as if they were claiming they own Craftsman tools instead of a toolbox full of loose JA PAN brand garbage. Those folks show you their tools and their socket set is one of those $13.99 sets from a parts store that has everything, but is missing the 1/2″ and 13 and 12mm sockets or they show you their jumper cables and they are 8ga aluminum cables.
    Excuse me…well no don’t excuse me but I’m not impressed.
    I look at GLOCKS like I look at a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord. Popular as hell and a very reliable and functional vehicle, but boring beyond belief.

  8. They’ve addressed my main issues with the pistols. Now offer one in two-tone stainless and I wouldn’t hesitate.

  9. No thanks, you keep getting fed the same crap, gen2 ok now we’re perfect, gen3 well wait now we’re really perfect, gen4 ok ok now we’re really really perfect, gen5 wait now we’re really really the most perfect, is even any more reliable than any other gen Glock, or is it the same crap with some lipstick

  10. If they changed the grip angle and the surface, changed out the frame for a metal one and added a hammer, I’d think about it.

    Just goes to show you. GLOCK doesn’t make a gun for everybody (likely no mfr does – not even Sig Sauer, although the military fighting man/woman will be the judge), and I’m not giving up a thing to GLOCK with what I choose to shoot, especially accuracy, and reliability.

  11. I think once I get past the annoyance of any brand/object fanboy-ism, my dislike for Glock is they can’t or don’t want to create anything new. It seems like just about every improvement they come out with could have been done by a skilled DIYer. At this point in time you would have thought they would have 2-3 distinctly different lines of pistols, and at least a carbine and shotgun as well.

  12. I own a Glock and carry one at work, but I am not a “fanboy.” I carry other firearms as well, including M&Ps, an LCP, and the occasional wheelgun.

    Glock has gone with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality and to an extent it works. I like Glocks, but I recognize them for what they are-reliable duty guns. The only change I would really like to see is an improved trigger, as the stock trigger is mediocre. Or they could introduce a different style of Glock, with a different grip angle but still manufacture their original line. At a certain point innovation for the sake of innovation can start screwing things up.

    When Smith overhauled the M&P line they did it right, but I don’t think Glocks need that level of an overhaul. If you don’t like them that’s the beauty of consumer choice.

    • M&P is what I think of when I want a Glock with a “better” grip angle. The Ruger SR series get a lot of flak for having a safety, but they’re great as well. IMO there there too many Glock derivatives. I was so happy to see the Reminton R51 design (until it failed). There hasn’t been much innovation in handguns since Glock started the polymer trend. These days, you either get a 1911 clone or a Glock clone. With a few DA/SA sprinkled in the middle.

  13. Sooooo…no polygonal rifling. Cheaper to manufacture. And probably charge more. I’ll pass…unless TTAG sends me one to test😋😋😋😋

  14. Glock’s motto is perhaps not as unfortunate as Desert Tech’s “Tomorrow’s Weapons.”

  15. So no finger grooves, an ambidextrous slide lock lever, and metal sights.This sounds like my M&P 9 , which had those features, plus interchangeable backstraps and a convertible magazine release in 2005, plus I paid $399 for it in July and will eventually get 2 free magazines some ammo and a mag loader.
    To me Glocks are like Honda or Toyota cars, competent, but bland and overpriced. I drive a Mazda because it’s more fun and less expensive, and I see the M&P as similar.

    • +1 for the Mazda shout out! Still offer manual transmissions on family sedans and do a great job dialing in suspensions. Off lease Mazda 6 are one of the best values out there and under appreciated by many!

  17. Used to own a G10 and G17L. Both took some serious work to get up and running reliably, sold them of in the end – too much trouble. If I ever buy a striker fired gun again it will be a CZ P-10C, At least I’ll get my money’s worth w/ that one.

    • I have the P10c….Great gun….that being said, I’ve owned the G22, G23, G17(Gen 3) and G19(Gen3 and 4) The Gen 5 is a definite upgrade to the Gen 4. I’ll be picking mine up next week.

  18. I for one will not be getting a Gen 5 Glock. That’s mostly because I live in CA though…stupid microstamping law…

    • That’s my convenient excuse. The other is that it is the first semi-auto I ever shot, and I didn’t like it, so I ended up buying something else. Doubt I’ll change my mind any time soon….So many guns, so little money.

  19. Makes me laugh to read the “hate Glock” comments. Its not like its that piece of crap 1911 thing that requires big bucks to make work. Sheesh!

  20. What parts aren’t compatible with previous generations?

    Any word on if there’s going to be a threaded barrel option from the factory?

  21. How about we wait a year and let the YouTube Army beta test the Gen 5. Also speaking of YouTube, check out small arms solutions for the real technical breakdown of the Gen 5.

  22. The G3/4 Finger grooves fit me like a glove on the compact frames.

    Can get a mag well flared by a smith.

    Though I did lose all my guns in a tragic boating accident.

  23. There are newer and better designs out there that are just as reliable. I carry a Glock 23 Gen 3, which has had five jams since I bought it new a year ago on sale. My Glock 26 Gen 4, three jams by the second year. But I find the Smith M&P series much more ‘shootable’ with far better ergonomics. CZ, Walther, Sig Sauer and others produce guns that beat the Glocks on many levels. I’ll keep my Glocks but my next new gun won’t be a Glock.

    My new Taurus PT-111 G2 (9mm Luger) is my pocket carry backup, four hundred rounds through it including Fiocchi hollow-points and not a single issue. Not bad for a $200 gun.

  24. I am not much for polymer framed striker fired pistols but I may even consider a Gen 5 G19 when it becomes available with the MOS setup. Of course, I’ll wait until next year after everyone else has completed Glock’s beta testing phase.

    Does Glock offer a model with the G19 slide on a G17 frame?

  26. We received our 17s and 19s today. I’m betting not one sells until October. Really, people, are these worth the hype?

  27. I was at Royal Range in Nashville a couple of weeks ago for a “Glock Day” where the company rep provided a sampling of their inventory to shoot. It was my first experience shooting a Glock and I was pleased, but not awed, by the product. I overheard another customer ask the rep, “Does Glock make a 1911?” The rep was a bit flustered and replied, “No, that’s like a different operating system.”

  28. Let me see if I am following this correctly: people are hating on Glock because they are making only miniscule changes to a proven design that is decades old…

    And those same people are likely singing the praises of the 1911, which has seen miniscule changes to a design that is over a century old…

  29. Glock was summed up best by a TTAG article awhile back which stated “Carry a glock, drive a Toyota, eat at Burger King. Does life get ANY better than this!?”

  31. Rented a gen 5 19 yesterday. as a lefty, its nice to be able to manipulate the slide stop with my thumb instead of my index finger. The finger grooves seem to fit my fingers perfectly so they were never an issue.

    sadly, the one model i’d actually consider upgrading (the Glock 26) doesn’t appear to be getting the Gen 5 treatment yet.

  32. Still throws brass in face, check. Still has a creaky trigger takeup depressing plunger, check. Still has cheezy plastic sights, check. Reverted to the Gen2 grip from 1989, whoa, “progress.”

    Maybe by Gen10 they will perfect their perfection. As of now this is one big FU to Glockophiles who wanted more frame/slide offerings and different finishes, AND those niggling flaws corrected without ordering a bunch of APEX parts.

    And all the people who bought Gen4s must feel great hearing Glock replaced their crummy scratchola Tenifer with a new finish. Kinda like Dominos a few years ago saying their pizzas sucked and with new ingredients are finally what they should taste like.

    Wont get fooled again.

  33. I love it when someone buys another pistol besides a Glock .That means those of us carrying a Glock have a superior weapons .There was no reason to upgrade Glock from the beginning .Other competitive companies produce nothing more than enhanced Glocks which was never necessary. Perfect from the start .

  34. I go over all my Glocks at purchase own 9 at present soon to be 12 they have from 500 to thousands of rounds through them .never aftf or fte just go over it first .These are blue collar guns will not work for people seeking pretty guns

  35. 10 days ago I bought a new gen 4 Glock 19 with Ameiglo U notch night sights installed for $525. That’s a reason to buy a new Glock, but not necessarily a gen 5 Glock.

  36. I buy Glock because of reliability and the fact that there is no competition when it comes to price point with the Blue Label program (Military). I own 17 Glocks and love every single one.

  37. I own an M&P and a Glock. M&Ps do have issues. I asked a cop in San Antonio how he liked the new M&Ps they switched to. He said everyone hates them, sighting reliability issues and horrible triggers. They are having a hard time scoring well during qualifications. I agree. I hate my trigger on the M&P 9C. Austin PD was getting ready to switch from Glock to M&P and pulled the plug. Again, reliability issues. M&P ambi slide locks are extremely hard to use on the right side for left handers. Glock’s ambies actually work. Yes there are other guns but they all have their issues and quirks. I can tell you from my experience, my Glock 43 shoots way better than my M&P. Glock does not have the best trigger but I do shoot well with it. My Ed Brown 1911 is a dream but that is a whole different gun which I would never use it for self defense. If I’m going to get my weapon confiscated, scratched, scraped and a case number engraved in it, I would much rather have it done to a $600 gun than a $3,000 gun. Glock also has all the aftermarket products you could hope for. No other gun comes close in that realm. No one can deny the simplicity and reliability. Plus I think in the compact size and smaller, they look nice. I can’t stand the busy look of the new guns like Walthers. All the curves and banners and crap milled in the slide. Yuck!!!

  38. Here’s why I switched my Glock 26 Gen 4 to the 5.. and maybe you should too.
    1. Who wouldn’t want the latest and the greatest of anything. Even if its minimal and debatable.. its still upgraded than the previous. Same reason why 1 upgrades cars every 2 or 3 years. They want the best of the best.. if you can afford it.
    2. You can still sell your Gen 4 to help fund the Gen 5, as I did. Which means your new Gen 5 should only cost you under $200.
    3. This is why you work. To have nice things and get what you want. Its your money. Spend it however you want it and $200 shouldn’t make or break you.
    4. And probably the biggest reason.. the Gen 6 is many many many years away. Lets see, 7 years from 4 to 5.. 12 years from 3 to 4!! And 10 years from 2 to 3. Who wants to wait for the next one?
    5. And finally.. You only live once!!

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