Once I became a Glock armorer, I decided I should probably own a Glock at some point.
After having spent many years shooting different Glocks, I decided the only Glock that really interested me ... considering I was only interested in getting one for occasional off-duty usage ... was the G26. I decided if I was only going to own one, it was going to be a G26.
I bought a G26 and was very pleased with it.
As things would go, I later came across an excellent deal on a slightly used G27, and since I owned a 4013TSW & SW99 chambered in .40 S&W, and was issued a .40 S&W pistol, I thought I'd go ahead and pick it up.
I've fired at least 5,000 rounds through both my G26 & G27.
If I had to make the same choice again ... only planning to own ONE Glock ... I'd still pick the G26. Other folks might easily choose a larger Glock, but I only wanted a smaller one for my working off-duty collection, and the smaller one suited my personal needs better.
My G27 has been a fine little pistol, and I do own 3 other pistols chambered in .40 S&W, as well as carry an issued compact chambered in .40 S&W (not a Glock) ... but if I had to again choose between the G26 & G27, I wouldn't hesitate to choose the G26 all over again.
My G27 has experienced a small number of functioning issues ... I'd estimate less than a dozen over the course of the 5,000-odd rounds I've fired through it. While a couple can be directly related to ammunition problems, and perhaps a couple to my failing to provide sufficient grip/wrist support during some different shooting drills and situations, I have experienced some other feeding failures using both standard 9-rd magazines, and a couple of factory +2 LE magazines. I've observed a couple of other guys experience repeated feeding issues when using G23 magazines in their G27's, and I personally won't use extended magazines intended for other models in my G27, since I carry it as an off-duty weapon.
I do still carry my G27 occasionally. Like I said, it's a fine little pistol ... accurate, compact for the caliber, and while it's a subjective opinion, reasonably controllable from the perspective of being a small, lightweight .40 S&W pistol. I've fired a Kahr MK40 which I felt exhibited more felt recoil and muzzle rise/snap, even though it's a steel-framed pistol and heavier. It's even a bit milder recoiling than my new 4040PD.
I just happen to prefer the G26.
I've fired various ammunition through my G26 ... 115gr JHP & FMJ, 115gr JHP +P+, 124gr +P, 127gr +P+ & 147gr JHP, just off the top of my head. It's fed and functioned fine with all of them, although the lower recoil impulse of the standard pressure 115gr loads seemed to exhibit the occasional tendency for an empty case to come back toward my face. Well, lower recoil force and slide velocity can cause such things, sometimes. The last round of 147gr in a magazine can occasionally do the same thing, when there's no round under the empty case being extracted to hold it high during extraction, as the ejector kicks the case out. The higher pressure loads seem to eject the empty cases with more authority, which makes sense if faster slide velocities help with ejection patterns. Of course, the use of higher pressure ammunition can also present other service-related issues, such as potentially reducing magazine & recoil spring service life, and perhaps some other accelerated wear considerations.
Everything's a compromise ...
I have no desire to get rid of my G27. Like I said, nice little pistol. I tend to like my 4013TSW a bit more, and my full-size SW99 chambered in .40 S&W is a bit better when it comes to felt recoil and controllability. I'm still working with my new 4040PD compact. Excellent little pistol, but it has some noticeably increased felt recoil compared to my similarly sized 3913.
You likely really need to shoot a couple boxes of ammunition through examples of both pistols before making a decision, since recoil & controllability can be pretty subjective issues for different folks.
