Note to GLOCK fanboys: I’ve done my bit for the brand. I’ve shared my Three Reasons to Buy a GLOCK Gen5. But, as this website’s called The Truth About Guns, I feel obliged to forward the alternative view: three reasons not to buy a GLOCK Gen5.
As before, please understand that this comes from a place of love. I own, shoot, carry and coddle GLOCKs. Respect! And here’s why you might want to give Gen5 a pass . . .
1. You already own a GLOCK
Provided you’ve loaded your current GLOCK, it will go bang when you squeeze the trigger. And when it does, your GLOCK-brand GLOCK will send a bullet — any bullet of the correct caliber — down the barrel with more-than-merely-adequate accuracy. What more do you want from a GLOCK?
Faster reloads? A more accurate barrel? A more durable finish? An end to those pesky finger grooves? I seriously doubt you cursed Gaston’s gang for not building your GLOCK Gen 1,2,3 or 4 with a flared magwell, Marksman Barrel, nDLC finish or grooveless grip.
Face it: your current GLOCK is just fine. It’s not broken, in danger of being broken or worn out. It does what it’s supposed to do. And will continue doing it for the foreseeable future. If it ain’t broke, don’t upgrade it? Like that.
2. There are better ways to spend your money
If you already have a GLOCK and haven’t upgraded to night sights or a better trigger, grippier grip, more efficient holster, more expensive range/carry ammo, match grade barrel or maybe a red dot, that might be a better “investment” than buying a new, bone-stock Gen5.
If you have upgraded these bits and pieces on your current gun, buying Gen5 puts you right back at GO. You might like that. (Thomas Edison was delighted when his Menlo Park lab burned down.) You might not. But you sure ain’t gonna get your modification money back at trade-in.
If you don’t have a GLOCK-brand GLOCK, you’d be forgiven for wanting to jump on the GLOCK train at Gen5 to own the best handgun for custom modification — given the ginormous number of aftermarket parts providers. Well, eventually; not all Gen5 parts are backwards compatible with Gen4 and previous.
Yes there is that, for now. Meanwhile, practical handgun owners — people who view their firearm as nothing more than a defensive tool — are well advised to divert their eyes from the Gen5 magic feather. Consider spending money on professional training with your current gun, whatever that may be. What’s between your ears is miles more important than what’s in your hand. (Keep it clean fellas.)
3. There are alternatives
I haven’t shot the new GLOCK Gen5’s. So I can’t say whether or not the latest GLOCK is better than, say, the latest Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0. But I can say that the low bore axis, grippier grip M&P M2.0 is one hell of a pistol. And at the risk of alienating Beach Boys fans, she’s real fine, my [FN] 509. Not to mention the Walther PPQ with its fresh-lettuce-crisp PDQ trigger.
Here’s a piercing glimpse into the obvious: these other handguns are not GLOCKs. They don’t look like GLOCKs, they don’t shoot like GLOCKs and they don’t carry like GLOCKs. Guess what? That’s a good thing! The world’s a better place with a wide selection of non-GLOCK GLOCK (i.e. striker-fired, polymer pistols) options. Guns that are, for all practical purposes, just as reliable as a GLOCK Gen5.
Heresy! OK, how about this: non-GLOCK GLOCKs may be more reliable than a GLOCK Gen5. At least until GLOCK gets some experience building GLOCK Gen5’s. Ask Ralph (or SIG SAUER): new guns are prone to “glitches.”
Just so you know, FN fired a million rounds through the 509 before releasing it to the public back in April. Not a million rounds through one gun, but still. Anyway, if these and other non-GLOCK GLOCKs are nearasdammit reliable as a GLOCK, why not consider the alternatives?
As Dyspeptic Gunsmith asserts, when it comes to choosing a handgun, comfort is key. The GLOCK’s grip angle isn’t everyone’s cup of cartridges. To compare a non-GLOCK GLOCK’s ergonomics to a GLOCK brand GLOCK’s ergos, simply handle the competing pistols at your local gun store.
Bottom line: if you want a GLOCK Gen5, buy a GLOCK Gen5. But don’t feel like you have to. Gaston’s mob will get on just fine without you. And the chances that you’ll suffer non-GLOCK buyer’s remorse are smaller than than the chances that the GLOCK Gen6 will look or function significantly differently from a GLOCK Gen5. Or 4 or 3 or 2 or 1.
But what will people think of me if I don’t have the latest iGun
If I want to buy a G5 Glock it’s my (insert preferred deity here) given right to do so.
If it took a million rounds to get the FN right, then I don’t want one. Glocks were proven with much less fuss.
Glocks are not iPhones. It’s perfectly fine to own more than one and to keep old ones lying around and to covet the latest and greatest all at the same time.
Wow dude. If a company doesn’t test with 1 million rounds its gets bashed for not testing enough. If it does get tested with a million rounds it gets bashed for needing to be tested. Just can’t win with people like you.
My thought is exactly the same!!!!
Just like iPhones. LMAO
Oh come on kids, the FN was dialed in at a hundred thousand rounds. The rest is marketing.
But I agree that if the million round is true, then give me a breakdown of what changed along the way. Or did FN just pop off a million rounds in a thousand guns and call it good?
If I want a Glock I’ll put together a polyner80 kit.
Yes it’s more expensive. But it’s also a learning experience; I already know how to buy a plastic striker fired gun.
Just built a Poly80. Ordered Swenson slide parts from Midway USA $159. eBay barrel $88. Frame was $59 on sale at Midway USA
You should probably spell it right. It makes things easier.
I will stay with my decision 5 years ago to DUMP all my Glocks and go with Springfield XD’s in .45 ACP (Mod 2 3.3 subcompact/4″ Service Compact/5″ Tactical). Proper Grip Angle/Grip Safety/Loaded Indicator/13+1/Accurate/Reliable…what else do you need??
A company that’s not a steaming dumpster fire?
Truth.
I love my XDm in 45ACP. I carry it. Though I will admit to rotating it with my Kimber Custom Shop CDPII. I am aware of Springfield’s problems and mistakes. In my opinion they still make some of the finest firearms around.
I didn’t know that SAI “makes” the XDM, I thought they imported them.
True enough, but it is also true that they are extremely reliable and have a better grip angle for most shooters than the Block. So all those SAI haters are basically dissing a non-SAI gun made in Croatia because of what SAI (or its paid lobbyist) did in Illinois on a bill that ultimately failed when SAI withdrew its tacit support. Is there some reason a Croatian gun manufacturer should suffer because of what its importer did?
Full disclosure: my first handgun purchase was an XD9. I’d still have it if I hadn’t given it to my son and moved on to something more concealable.
They make squat. They import the entire XD series from Croatia.
I Love my Gen 4 Glock. I have small/Medium hands and the finger grooves feel great. I have the sights on that I want and the trigger is at that sweet worn in spot. I am not a fan of the weirdness that is the front beveled slide/square frame mismatch that is on the Gen 5.
I just can’t justify getting a Gen 5 when I shoot and handle my Gen 4 expertly. If I didn’t already have one I would definitely be interested in the new Gen 5.
FYI, Glock re-released the gen-5 eliminating the hideous mismatch between the nose of the slide and frame, they also did away with the u-shaped cut out in the front of the magazine well. Too many people were complaining that if you didn’t get your magazine lined up perfectly you would end up jamming it in that cut out.
Here’s a link the new version, note the difference in the part number.
https://www.tombstonetactical.com/catalog/glock/pa195s203-19-gen-5-pistol-9mm-4in-15rd-black-with-front-slide-serrations/
My wife and I shot the gen-5 today, honestly I’m not sold. I have a gen 3, the finger grooves lineup with our fingers just fine, I figure it actually gives you more stability in your grip. The Mag well flare isn’t anything to write home about, and to be honest I felt that the trigger all though it has a smooth take up, seems to be a bit mushy. Reset isn’t much different than my gen 3. I’m actually considering going with a Gen 4, it’s identical to the Gen 3 except for the backstrap ability and a double recoil spring. I did find that the double recall spring does give you a slight reduction in perceived recoil.
Reason #4…I can’t afford one. I’m still looking for a GLOCK perfection gen3 CHEAP😋
The 9mm Glocks in particular hold their value exceptionally well, and in my experience its been very rare to find a G19 or G17 under $400, and of course most of the people selling them second hand on Armslist want full retail! Even the trade in G22’s that flooded the market are drying up and prices are going up on them too. Ive been lucky with my LGS, they have very good used prices because they dont want used stuff sitting on their shelves, and I was able to get a gen 4 g17 and g19 from them for <400, but that's definitely an exception from my experience!
Agreed. Perfection was achieved with the gen3. Specifically if you got one with the original tenifier finish.
Agreed.
My EDC will remain a G34 Gen 3 or G40 Gen 4. (Depending on if I need to worry about concealment on that particular day.) The Gen 5 just looks to me like another “gen -1 except with shit nobody asked for” exercise like Gen 4.
4. Because its a Glock.
But “all the kids …….”
But Glock brand Glock mags are so much cheaper than M&P, XD or p320 mags and I already have so many.
The use of the word GLOCK was not harmed in the writing of this article. All though it was severely overused(42 times), I laughed.
The way I see it my gen 2 actually got an implied upgrade this week.
Ding ding ding! We have a winner here. That’s the way I see it also. Big Gen2 fan here and they brought back the things that I missed. The most. I got my hands on a Gen5 19 and 17 yesterday. My reaction was basically “Cool, an updated Gen2”. Just what I wanted. I’ll take one of each….when they have the OD and or grey frame out.
1) It isn’t a 1911.
All that needs to be said.
Amateurs with no saddle time need not comment.
You are right, it is not a 1911. A Glock actually runs reliably.
Point #1 is my big reason. I bought my first Glock, a 19 Gen4 a couple years ago and it has been awesome. The finger grooves and grip angle have never bothered me. I’m blessed to be to a point in life where I have all of the guns that I “need” for any particular use. This means that my purchases now tend to be for guns I simply find cool or interesting. And while I love my Glock, they aren’t very interesting. I kinda view Glock the same as my PPE at work: reliable, safe and properly maintained by me.
IMHO the number one reason is Glocks are just plain ugly.
Reason #1 is good enough for me. Owning a dozen or so GLOCKs is sort of like collecting nothing but Timex watches or having a show garage filled with Honda Accords; sure, they do the job, but if you only need one or two I don’t see the point of wanting any more than that.
Glock Glockety Glock Glock
Glock’s biggest upgrades were ambi controls, accuracy, and reliability. They’re doing what they need to do in order to not make the glock platform go the way of the ar15, which technically the gen3 is already at: 100% aftermarket. I’m only holding out for the mos version…
Another good reason not to: G4s will drop in price. Might spring for a Glock 19 G4 if they do.
Not pertaining to this chat. Can anyone suggest a really good & easy to rack SMALL 380 for daily carry. I like the SCCY CPX-3 & the RM380. My coffee buddy said their are OLD school technology. Look as long as it is accurate at 75 feet, light to carry, easy to rack the slide as for my Wife, I don’t care
Browning Black Label.
Glock 42 doesn’t work?
J frame or LCR
You mentioned two of the cheapest pistols on the market. That doesn’t make them bad, but certainly you aren’t going to get the finest in materials or components, and I doubt you will win any accuracy contests at 25 yards. Maybe others can do it, but that’s asking a lot of a cheap .380. How about fairly accurate at ten to seven yards?
my wife loves her ruger LC380 which has a very easy slide to rack. she couldn’t rack the s and w bodyguard, the kahr cw380 and didn’t like the bersa 380. arthritic hands and all.
Just throw a rock.
They still look like bricks, so no, I won’t buy one and that’s a fourth reason.
I know what you mean. I once carried a real brick all day because it looked so much like my Glock 22. Except for the weight, the fact that one is red and the other black, and that bullets come out of the end of a Glock, there is no discernible difference.
When you grow up, and your balls drop, the mass won’t bother you.
how about 30 reasons..or 70?
at least at my LGS the Gen 5s are at $569.99 vs $539.99 for the gen 4s and $499.99 for the gen 3s..
Just like DSLRs. When the new model is presented, the old one doesn’t work any more…
Considered many GLOCKs. After extended GLOCK browsing, exposure to GLOCK propaganda, GLOCK test-drives, and intense GLOCK cost-benefit analysis….. I’m still buying a Steyr.
Steyr don’t care, and neither do I. GLOCK & Sig can suck fat hairy donkey sack
And, the umpteenth article about the Gen5.
In latest Gen5 news, vast youtubers are pounding them with hammers and so far none have gone off.
Too bad the arrogant assholes who run Glock still refuse to offer a model 19 with a manual safety. I sent mine in a had a Cominolli safety put on it. Still My HK p30s has a far stronger ignition system unlike the anemic Glock ignition system does.
I like the idea of the HK having a manual safety that you can leave in the on position when you are either carrying it or loading or unloading it making it light years safer to handle and carry. The hammer lets you know instantly weather the gun is cocked or not and the decocker is something not found on the inferior Glock design either.
My Walther P99 has a decocker as well but it has a very weak ignition system like the Glock does. At least the P99 is both double and single action something again lacking in the Glock because the Glock has no second strike capability like the P99 or the P30s.
In the conclusion the P30s fills my needs as being far safer to carry and load and unload, has a stronger ignition system, a second strike capability, and unlike the butt ugly Glock is far more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. For a modern plasticky piece of trash it does at least look good if you can stomach looking at junk plastic. On the other hand if you want a “real gun” you could buy a 1950’s post war High Power in 9mm but modern day Jethro would not know what it is if you would happen to show it too him.
If you need a manual safety, you probably wear adult diapers too. That was a very long post to detail your lack of skillsets. Probably talk less, and shoot more.
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. I actually like the finger grooves and the stock trigger once broken in and lubricated properly. Good to go.
“…when it comes to choosing a handgun, comfort is key.” I own several semi-auto pistols (10 to be exact and 3 of those are non-Gen 5 Glocks). When a lady friend of mine said she wanted a pistol for self defense, we took several to a range and she fired .22 LR, .380, 9 mm and 40 cal pistols. She’s a small woman with small hands and not a great deal of upper body strength. Turned out she had problems controlling the two 9 mm we tried and was definitely out of her league with the 40 cal. So we agreed that a .380 was probably what she needed to be able to get two shots in a row to hit the same wall in a room. The KelTec P3-AT she’d fired was DAO and the tended to pull all shots WAY off point of aim even with it. So we experimented with several other .380’s available at the gun shop and it turned out that the Sig P238 was almost perfect for her: she could control it while firing it, she could rack the slide if needed to clear any potential FTF or chamber the first round, and she can even refill a magazine without having to resort to the use of a reloading tool. For her, it is a ‘comfortable’ pistol in every aspect, plus she even liked the looks of the (no longer available?) ‘Rainbow’ model. Heck, I liked it so much I bought one for myself to replace the KelTec as my pocket carry and backup to my Glock 27.
Those 5 & 1/2 pound stock triggers pull my aim off. Why with the heavy pulls all the time?
-signed: Miffed in Altoona
Just my opinion or ‘best guess’ – it’s a matter of safety. When you hit around a 4 pound trigger you get an increased risk of accidental discharge in a stressful situation. So at 5 pounds or a bit more, there’s an increased level of safety involved. More time on the range may help to bring you to a higher comfort level with the trigger. Then again, there are trigger mods available that you could invest in.
When you get into real-world stress conditions such as confronting a home invader, threatening bad guy, etc. you definitely really do not want a light trigger – not unless you’ve spent many, many, MANY hours on the range with it on a regular basis.
This article would have held credibility had you shot the Gen 5. It’s curently speculative opinion.
iPhones are junk,,,,Glocks are the best of the best.
I’m not a Glock fanboy. In fact, when my Dept went from S&W 66’s to European plastic guns, my head exploded. But damn, those things are reliable workhorses. Regrettably, I just traded away my gen 3 G22 for a Colt 1911 that I had to have. The Glock was my nightstand gun, which is saying a lot… I KNOW it will go bang when I need it to.
So, gen 3, 4, 5 whatever. How good can you make a gun before you run yourself out of business because everyone has the perfect gun? So you market an improvement on it. Can’t blame them.
I’ve got a gen 3 G22 rtf2 coming from one pawn store to the one here. ($399). I’ll be comforted knowing I’ve got a reliable workhorse next to me if there’s a bump in the night. My 1911 is cool and pretty, but limited rounds and no tac rail for a light or laser.
It’s ugly but reliable, just like me. I can live with that. Uninvited guests at 2am?…not so much.
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!!
S&W M&P has 8lb or so trigger pull compared to Glock 5.5 lb trigger pull. There are a lot of good handguns choose what feels best to you. My first concerns are reliability and accuracy, anything else are a plus.
The only reason I purchased the glock 17 Gen 5 is because I am left handed and finally have a glock with a slide hold/ release for the left hand. I own a glock 22 gen 4 and a glock 43 love both pistols, but wish they had the slide hold / release for lefties. So far I am very happy with my Gen 5 glock 17 and it’s lefty upgrade . 😀
My first and only Glock is a 17 Gen 1, made in December 1986. I still shoot it regularly without issues. It’s my go to “range gun”. Never saw the need for another, until now. Considering a Gen 5 26. I am a lefty too and like the ambidextrous feature. My neighbor has 4 Glocks all Gen 4, I just shoot his when we go to the range. I still like my Gen 1 the best and he’s more accurate with my Gen 1 than any of his Gen 4’s, which I find interesting.
I fired my sons Glock 19 Gen 5 the other day. It was the made in Austria version ( They do make a USA version with a 4.0 inch barrel as opposed to the normal 4.02 inch version ) . Not only was the grip and barrel better. His had a real factory reset trigger ! I have seen NO documentation from Glock regarding this, unless i have been living under a rock. Anyway, good gun.
Comments are closed.