Should it be a Glock 19 or 26?

[FlightGirl]

I am a 115lb woman. I need to buy a handgun. My friend who is in the marines suggested the G19. He is in the field and I need other experienced knowledge on the differences between the 19 and 26. It has to be small so i can conceal it while I am out. I am not afraid of the recoil I can handle a rifle just fine, could anyone please give me the pros and cons between the 2?

 

[Rockstar]

I'm not a 115# woman, but I do carry a G26; also know a 135# woman who carries a G26. The G26 is smaller than the G19 and is easier to conceal. Recoil differences are negligible, as the G26 employs the dual recoil spring system which mitigates the already-mile 9mm recoil.

With the G26, you can also carry G17; G19, or G18 mags as backups, or just for fun at the range.

 

[poppy]

Welcome FlightGirl. Get ready, because you will get much more advice than you asked for.

The obvious choice is the G26, because you want to carry. Before you decide on it, though, shoot it. If you can shoot it well, you have your answer. That is the simple answer to your question.

Now be prepared for all the other suggestions: 1911's, Kahr, Taurus, CZ, ad nausea. poppy

 

[pax]

Hi Flightgirl, welcome to THR.

I'm female, 5'4 & curvy, and have carried a G26 for about 5 1/2 years. I've also seen a lot of other women learning to shoot and watched them as they chose to carry (or not carry...) various guns.

In my experience, the most common cause of failure to carry a gun is simply choosing a carry gun that is too big. For that reason, if you really and truly can't decide between the two after handling them both, I'd recommend choosing the smaller gun.

In going with the G26, you won't be giving up any inherent accuracy because the G26 is scary accurate. But in order to shoot it well, you do have to make sure that it feels right in your hand, and no one else can decide that for you. A lot of people have strong opinions against the smaller Glocks simply because they don't like the way the little gun feels in their hands -- but their hands aren't yours and yours are the ones that matter here.

I've never noticed any big difference in the recoil between the G19 and the G26, but again, your mileage may vary and it's your opinion that matters. Umm, by the way, it's not just a matter of whether a new shooter is "afraid" of recoil. New shooters should avoid heavy recoil because if you learn to shoot with a gun that has a lot of recoil you will have to work a lot harder to avoid developing a flinch. You can do it, but it just makes it harder to learn. That said, the 9mm round is very mild as far as defense calibers go, and I know (because I did it myself!) that it's quite possible to learn to shoot with a G26.

If after handling them both you decide you like the feel of the G19 better, there's no real reason not to go with it. G19s handle well and shoot well. They aren't as easy to conceal as the smaller guns so you'll have to change your wardrobe even more than you otherwise would, but if you're willing to do that there's no reason you couldn't carry the larger gun.

Hope this helped.

pax

 

[bofe954]

G19's and G26's are both common enough that you should be able to rent/borrow/find someone to let you shoot theirs.

I'd do this if possible. The G26 is definitely superior to the 19 for concealment purposes but I don't like shooting them. I would rather deal with concealing a larger pistol than deal with drawing and shooting the small grips. This unpleasantness spoils practice time (for me). If I was new to shooting and only had a G26 to shoot I would not enjoy shooting.

You and your hands may not share the same opinion, but you should find out before you drop 500 bones.

Another thing you may consider- I know of pistol courses that are made for women and have many different types of pistols available to try out. There are a lot of other choices out there (although glock isn't a bad one). If you are not a beginner and have narrowed your search to these choices I apologize. Welcome to THR.

 

[dairycreek]

The G26 and the G19 are both small, excellent carry weapons. The G19, while somewhat larger (not a lot though) than the G26 also has a larger capaciaty. If you can try them both that would be the answer. Find the one that fits you best - both are good and you cannot go wrong with either one.

 

[Skipper]

Welcome. Both are equally good in every respect,except concealment. If REAL concealment is a top priority,go G26. You'll be very happy.
Regards,
SKIP

 

[carolinaman]

Hi there Flightgirl,

Welcome to the forum!

I have owned a G-26 and shot the G-19 and both are great handguns.

My advice is always to find your way to a local shooting range that has both to rent and try each one to see what your preference is as far as handling, ergonomics, controllability, and concealment.

How the pistol is concealed will also affect your decision on the size of the pistol.

Best of luck with your decision and please let us know what you decide on!

Chris

 

[Kramer Krazy]

People went into pretty good detail on the same topic recently. you may want to read some of it here: http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=167969

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

I'm not a Glock owner so I can't comment on any choice beliefs..I just wanted to welcome Flightgirl!

 

[Dionysusigma]

Kahr Mk.9

Really, just find a range that rents guns and shoot as many as you think you can conceal. IMO, Glocks are bulky, ugly, and uncomfortable. The Kahr feels nicer to me, and a Kel-Tec wouldn't be my last choice either. Glocks, however, are frighteningly reliable. They never quit working unless you cram TNT in the barrel.

Just try everything you can before you plunk down several hundred dollars on something you'll be carrying with you every day.

 

[Wilson 17&26]

I have a G26 that is a sweet shooter but neither the wife or I use it as a carry gun. We both find it a bit too heavy and bulky except as an IWB gun and our dress seldom permits that. If your dress will permit that type of carry go for the 26 as it is somewhat smaller than the G19.

If you plan on handbag carry go for something smaller than the Golck 26, weighs 15oz or less, holds 13 rounds of 9mm +P ammo and cost no more than $300 (incase your purse is stolen). A new P-11 will fill this bill but there may be others.

If you want a featherweight pistol that will completely disappear when carried on your person, consider an 8oz, ¾” thick, P-3AT that holds 8 rounds of .380 Cor-Bon and cost about $275 in hard chrome (see below).

 

[pest3125]

Both the G26 and G19 are excellent handguns.
The thing I don't like about the G26 is that it is is too heavy for pocket carry.
and the short stubby grip makes it a bit hard to draw from a belt holster.
Try to rent both and see. Btw, have you looked into the Sig P239 or S&W 3913? Both of these use single column 8 shot mags and carry a lot better than the G19 or G26 IMO.

 

[oldschool]

26v19

G26
Upside; I’ve seen a lot of pistol instructors carry and compete with a G26 and if you don’t go crazy with +p+ defensive loads it should be quite manageable. And as has been said it will take G19 or G17 mags for spares.

Downside; only 1 really, it is not a pocket gun (if that is actually a downside). And you may want more gun for games and longer practice sessions.

G19
Upside; it’s a good balance between a smaller pistol & a full size. I carry a Kimber Compact and I’ve been looking at the G19 as a cheaper (ammo wise) gaming gun and an alternative to the almost 3 pound (loaded) Kimber.. It will probably become my wife’s nightstand gun.

Downside; its not as concealable as the G26 or I should say it doesn’t have as many concealment options as the G26. I really only carry IWB (Inside the waist band) and I make clothing adjustments for that purpose. Carrying IWB you can and I have concealed full size pistols (FN Highpower) while wearing shorts & a tee shirt.

General thoughts on Carry & gun.
Most people are not as observant as we think/fear they are. I’ve often wondered if open carry would even get noticed. Before you plan to carry, carry concealed around the house (with a full ammo load) for awhile to get your body used to the weight and overcome the self consciousness of it. It is very easy to hide a pistol it is however not so easy to hide the behaviors that will tip people off to the fact that you are wearing. With me it is hiking my (inadequate for the purpose) belt up and repositioning a poor fitting holster.
Glocks, used to hate them and I still loathe them a little but I’m considering a G19. Why? So long as you firmly seat the mag in the gun they are extremely reliable and very tolerant of less than ideal maintenance. 99% of the malfunctions that I have seen with glocks have been in competition just after a mag change this is operator error and easily corrected with training & not overstuffing the mags. Somebody had a link here to a thread on ar15.com of torture testing a G21, anecdotal but impressive.
Good luck, have fun & be safe

 

[WT]

I think you might want to look at the entire 'system'. Not only must the firearm be considered but how do you plan to carry it - on your person, in a handbag, in a brief, etc.

 

[gbran]

Hey there........

I'm a 200 pound feller and I carry a G26. I also have a Kahr PM9, which is somewhat smaller, but the G26 outshoots it, at least for me.

 

[Doug S]

I carry a G26 in a Galco Horsehide Pocket Holster with an untucked shirt. It is a little think for this purpose, but with the shirt untucked, I've not had any problems. The G26 is my favorite handgun, and I actually bought a second G26 recently. As others have said, it is really accurate, and recoil is pretty easy to handle. The two finger grip takes a little getting used to. That said, many will tell you that there is not a big difference in size between the G19 and 26. That may be true, but the difference is significant in my opinion when it comes to having numerous options for concealment. The G26 is the way to go if your looking for a CCW firearm. Also as Pax said, if it isn't convenient to carry, you probably will leave it at home. I know this is true in my experience. The G26 is the best compromise between size, reliability and firepower that I've found. It also easily handles 17 round G17 mags and 33 round G18 mags on the reload.

 

[jlh26oo]

The 19 is the same width as, and only an ounce heavier than the 26. About a half inch longer. The biggest size advantage of 26 over 19 is the height, which is less than an inch difference.

For compromising the ability to put all three fingers on the GRIP, is it worth the slight size reduction? Not like it's really pocket carryable (though some do). If you want smaller than a 19, I'd go with a Kahr.

19.

But you'll find the votes to be pretty split on this one.

 

[riverdog]

Welcome FlightGirl.

There's concealability and then there's shootability. Some of the other handguns mentioned are double action only and they have a long reset. It's a long (IMO mushy) trigger on every shot. Stick with the Glock and learn to use the trigger's short reset, it makes second and third shots much quicker and potentially more accurate.

I like Glocks in general and own a G19, G17 and G21. The G19 is a nice size for me, while the G26 is too small. That said, go with what Pax recommended, shoot both at a range and take the one that you shoot best. If they both shoot about the same for you, go with the smaller gun. When buying a gun for yourself, it's all about you, not us, not your friend and definitely not the guy behind the counter. Good luck and have fun.

 

[BozemanMT]

My wife (5'4") has her carry gun as a G26. But she has to have the mag extensions on it to shoot it well. This, of course, puts it almost the same size as a G19
I, of course, having been married forever, know better than to argue.
She shoots my G19 better than her G26, and she shoots "our" G34 better than both (and both of them better than me )
And that's no help i know, but it's more data.

 

[middy]

I've owned both. I kept the 26.

 

[longeyes]

My first two Glocks were the 26 and the 30. I could have stopped there. Two gems.

 

[Rockstar]

Adding mag extensions to a G26 doesn't add length to the barrel and slide. Even with a G19 mag and A&G sleeve, the G26 is easier to conceal than the G19.

 

[Dienekes]

My daughter has has a G19 since age 13; loved it. She is now 25. A couple of years back she picked up a G26 and is ambivalent about it. She is more comfortable with the 19, shoots it better. The 26, while smaller, isn't all that much smaller and requires a holster just like the 19 does. She still has the 26 and is giving it more time, but I think the 19 will win.

As someone pointed out, concealment is relative. As unobservant as most people (including a lot of cops) are you could probably carry a howitzer around for years before anyone noticed.

Lastly, most of us shoot better with a gun with some size and heft. Light weight and comfort are nice but in the crunch having Old Reliable in the hand is worth a lot too.

Everything is a compromise. Just make the best one you can.

 

[FPrice]

Welcome FlightGirl.

Like many others here I have both the G19 and the G26 and like both of them. But I heartily second the suggestion that you borrow and try the G26 first before you buy one. While many of us like them, some do not and it is impossible to tell which group you will fall into ahead of time. And this is not because of your size or gender. There is no one gun that fits everyone or which everyone will like. One person may like and be able to carry the G26 while another same-sized person may not.

But it is a good gun and if you try it and like it, then you should get one. However, if you don't like it, there are still many other fine choices.

Good luck in your quest.