Which Glock 9mm?

[chaim]

Conversely, the analogy I always use is the undersized college football defensive end that prior to the NFL draft is listed as a "tweener". He's really too small to play defensive end at the NFL level and too slow or can't cover well enough to play linebacker. You end up with a player that isn't a very good defensive end or linebacker. If you want a defensive end, draft someone big enough to play defensive end. If you want a linebacker, draft someone fast enough to play linebacker.

If you will only ever own one pistol, sure the G19 is probably a good choice. If you want a range or home defense gun, the G17 or G34 are probably better choices. For concealment, Glock has several that would probably conceal better than a G19. If you're LE, well we know why the G45 is available.

The 19 is basically a not so great compromise. The grip is cramped, and not very comfortable, and the gun isnt really much smaller than a 17 when you compare them side by side, so you give up a little and really dont gain anything for it.

You cant carry a 19 in places you can easily do so with the 26. The 19 is too close to the 17 in that respect.
Where the "difference" in size is, is between the 17 and the 26. There is enough of a difference there, to be a difference. If the choice is between the 19 and 17, the 17 makes the most sense.

The finger extensions for the 26 are unnecessary and defeat the purpose of the smaller gun. Once you figure it out and get used to wrapping your pinkie under the mag, the 26 has a secure and comfortable grip, and shoots very much like the 17's and 19's and at the same distances. There is no hindrance there. And, with a simple mag change, its basically a shorter barreled, full sized gun, with a full sized grip.

Everyone has their likes and dislikes, and for whatever reason, and that's fine, as long as you can make it work. If you dont have experience with the other different models, you really only know what you do have, and wont see the advantages, and disadvantages, of the others. Having experience with all of them gives you some perspective.

As I said before, I really dont see the point to the 19's and 45's. Not a real fan of the single stacks either, but thats simply what Ive come to understand, by having, carrying, and shooting most of them a good bit. My perspective anyway.

Part of why I went this way is that I'm already a big fan of the compact service pistol. In the larger than subcompact and smaller than full-sized category, I have a CZ P01, CZ PCR, CZ 75B Compact, SIG P229 and S&W 1911Sc (Commander sized 1911). The Officer sized 1911 is closer to subcompact, but if you consider that a compact as well, then my Officer sized RIA 1911 would also be in that camp.

No, they aren't quite as easy to shoot at the range as a full-sized (most of them anyway). My S&W 1911Sc doesn't quite give the performance of a full-sized steel 1911, but it is close. My CZs don't quite give the performance of my full sized CZ 75B but they are very close. The main exception is my SIG P229. When I had a .40S&W 229 and a 9mm P226, I shot the P229 better (which is why some years after I had to sell both for the money, I got another .40S&W P229 but did not get another P226). No, they don't conceal as well as a smaller gun. However, all of them are very shootable and very accurate in my hands. Far better than any subcompact or micro pistol I have. Meanwhile, yes the smaller guns conceal better, but these do conceal well. I am very often carrying my CZs when I can, happily giving up a little carry comfort for the extra capability (they are far easier to shoot well than the smaller guns).

Now, I recognize that a few hours a month (plus days when on vacation) is different than carrying daily. Now that I'll soon have my MD permit, I recognize that this may change and I may want a smaller and lighter gun more often. This is actually part of the draw of the G19, all of the plusses of the aluminum compacts, while weighing maybe 10% more than my steel snubs (less than my 3" Colt King Cobra new model) or my SIG P290RS. It will be about 6oz lighter and a hair narrower than my PCR or P01. It will be interesting to see if this or my new SIG P365 gets more carry time (probably the P365 because it is quite capable despite being quite a bit smaller and lighter, but I suspect I'll be carrying the G19 a lot as it hits all of my favorite boxes while being lighter than the other guns I have in the category).

 

[chaim]

Reliable Glock mags are the best priced mags! OEM should cost under $30, but Magpul’s are under $20. I have found the Magpuls to be completely reliable too. I won’t say that for the others…though some folks would. I don’t have enough rounds through ETS to have a good opinion.

Good to know. I was figuring around $50 since that is what I recently paid for standard capacity mags for my SIG P229 and for 12 round mags for my SIG P365 on a recent trip to VA.

Those would be called "range mags", and should be painted as such.

I was thinking something along those lines. I usually mix up my standard capacity and neutered capacity mags at the range. That way, with 15 round mags anyway, I can finish up a box of ammo while filling my mags fully. Anyway, my thought was that since many training classes call for 3 mags (and I'll probably only buy 2 standard capacity mags), I'd save the 10 rounders for training classes (in addition to finishing off each box of ammo).

Nice choice. I recently shopped for my first Glock. Is the Glock 19 rail as long as the Glock 17 rail? I wanted to fit a Streamlight TLR-7A onto my handgun and had concerns that it wouldn't fit on the Glock 19.

I don't have any lights on any of my guns (yet, I may put one on either one of my Glocks or my CZ P01 soon). However, I do have a Glock 22 (the .40S&W version of the G17) and I'll pick up the G19 on Wednesday. If I remember, I'll measure the accessory rail of each and let you know the difference in lengths if you would like.

 

[JTQ]

But there is no argument that the Glock 19 is a very very popular Glock, and the gun most other gun manufacturers target when they come out with ...

Or we could look at the G19X/G45 and mention that Glock finally copied the best size duty gun format - about 10 - 20 years after everybody else made theirs, the full grip gun with the approximately 4" barrel, which is what the Walther P99/PPQ/PDP, HK P30/VP9, Beretta PX4, S&W M&P Full Size, whatever all those FN guns are called, etc., all are.

Speaking of the M&P, while I know nearly everybody has always preferred the Glock line-up, the 4.25" M&P full size always seemed like a better duty size gun than either the G17 or G19, while the original M&P Compact always seemed like the better concealed carry gun size than the G19 or G26.

Hey, the G19 is a fine gun and lots of people like it. It doesn't fill a niche I need, so I'll skip it, but if that's what folks like, it most likely won't let them down.

 

[DustyGmt]

Reliable Glock mags are the best priced mags! OEM should cost under $30, but Magpul’s are under $20. I have found the Magpuls to be completely reliable too. I won’t say that for the others…though some folks would. I don’t have enough rounds through ETS to have a good opinion.

I would steer clear of the ETS mags for carry. At this point the only ones I 100% trust are OEM with Magpuls being 2nd. The ETS mags worked great for me and then very suddenly, after many rounds and good experiences with them, a couple of them went haywire and the springs started to jam. Also, unfortunately, I had a couple Magpul 15rd 9mm mags give me the same trouble.

There is something to be said for strict OEM only carry. I will still use the others as range mags and I have enough OEM's that I don't need aftermarket for backups but yeah, stick with OEM. It's worth it.

 

[chaim]

Or we could look at the G19X/G45 and mention that Glock finally copied the best size duty gun format - about 10 - 20 years after everybody else made theirs, the full grip gun with the approximately 4" barrel, which is what the Walther P99/PPQ/PDP, HK P30/VP9, Beretta PX4, S&W M&P Full Size, whatever all those FN guns are called, etc., all are.

Speaking of the M&P, while I know nearly everybody has always preferred the Glock line-up, the 4.25" M&P full size always seemed like a better duty size gun than either the G17 or G19, while the original M&P Compact always seemed like the better concealed carry gun size than the G19 or G26.

Hey, the G19 is a fine gun and lots of people like it. It doesn't fill a niche I need, so I'll skip it, but if that's what folks like, it most likely won't let them down.

I definitely get the draw of a full size grip on a compact slide. When I carried 1911s and used them for home defense, my favorite was a Commander sized gun. Though, since I like IWB for carry, the length of the barrel doesn't matter for concealment (admittedly, it does matter for comfort) and the size of the grip does, so today, I'd almost prefer to go the other way around. Maximize both concealment with the shorter butt of the gun and practical accuracy (and minimize muzzle flip) with the longer barrel and sight radius. Again, for what I like in a gun these days, the G19 and my CZ PCR/P01 optimize what I am looking for: good purchase when drawing from a holster with a "big enough" grip while still being small enough for easy concealment, long enough barrel and sight radius for accuracy while being short enough to be comfortable IWB. When I want even more concealment, I have my SIG P365 (which will probably use the 12 round mags most of the time for a little better purchase on the grip on the draw). I doubt I'll carry my new Glock 22 more than a couple times a month, though if I'm wrong, I already have that to fill the full sized carry role.

 

[The_Quartermaster]

I was not a fan of Glocks until the Gen 5 came about. I hated the finger grooves and didn't want to pay to have them removed. I disliked the lack of gripiness on the Gen 2 and Gen 3 but the Gen 4 was fine. But the grooves were still there. Plus I was still leery about Glocks because of the fact that Gen 2 19's were firing when the slides were charged so that too made me stay away from them for quite some time.

Anyhow I thought that the 19 was a good fit. Turns out it wasn't and was so problematic that even Glock said wow, hot garbage and sent me an entire new gun. I sold that one because it really wasn't small enough for IWB without printing or being entirely uncomfortable. I did get the G17 Gen 5 to replace it with and that's my winter carry gun plus I found out that I actually can shoot Glocks better when they're not the size of a 19. Next came a G43 but I wasn't a fan of the lack of having a full grip so it too was sold. I went ahead with that sale's money and immediately bought a G43X to replace it. Liked it so much that it's my favorite and most carried EDC now. The latest was a G45 MOS. It has replaced the 17 as my end of days, nightstand, and secondary roles. If I can find a battlefield Green NIB G17 MOS Gen 5, I will be selling that G17 Gen 5 in a heartbeat. May even replace the current G43X for another G43X but this would be the MOS model. I'm starting to like having a red dot on my Glocks, heh.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that it's personal preference really. If any of the three you think is right for you, then go for it.

 

[Smaug]

Well, to me, you've got subcompact covered with the P365. I don't think you'll beat that gun for CC with anything from Glock.

You've got compact covered with the M&P 40c. (that covers the G19)

So from those original 3, that leaves the 43x, which would be my choice, if I had to pick a Glock for that duty. The only questions is what does it offer than the P365 doesn't? Just a smidge more barrel.

I kind of went down this train of thought and decided that while a Glock is an iconic pistol, there are others now who do striker-fired pistols better than than they do. Your own M&P and Sig are perfect examples of that.

What I think you should consider instead is a Walther PPS or S&W Shield Plus. Those are both bigger than the P365, but still concealable. Great trigger on the PPS and I think thinner than the G43x. The Shield Plus has a great reputation as an option between compact and subcompact.

 

[Smaug]

By the way, I agree with the idea to add a 9mm barrel, spring and slide to the S&W to get yourself a 9 in that same frame.

 

[chaim]

You've got compact covered with the M&P 40c. (that covers the G19)

I have the original M&P Compact (the 1st gen), a tad bigger but much closer in size to the G26/27 than the 19/23. In the 2.0 I think they finally re-released it a couple years ago as a M&P 2.0 subcompact.

It is a good gun, and I may get the new 2.0 subcompact instead of the G26 if I decide I want a 9mm sized between the P365 and the G19 and CZ PCR (though the 43X is kind of sized in between too, which may be the mental justification I eventually use to get it)

 

[Rexster]

With the information and list of choices provided by the OP, I would opt for the G26. The track record, for long-term reliability, in large sample sizes, such as large departments and agencies, favors the double-column-mag 9mm Glocks. A G43 uses a different recoil spring assembly than the G26, which is part of this reliability equation. This is the unbiased part of my reply. The following paragraphs are subject to my personal biases.

I was never able to shoot a G19 nearly as well as the G17, and a G17 seemed to be no more difficult to conceal, realistically, than a G19. So, except for some specialized carry methods, I tended to tote a G17, same as I carried in my police duty rig. Comfort was also better, in my hands. As I aged, the lesser comfort of the G19 evolved to actual pain and swelling, in my more-gimpy hand, an unwelcome 56th birthday gift, in 2017. I traded-away my three G19 pistols in 2020. This is my personal G19 story, with my personal hands, but, I am not the only person to post that the G19 is less comfortable to shoot than the G17.

Regarding G19 versus G26, well, I still like the G26. No compact nine is exactly comfortable to shoot, but a G26 seems amazingly agreeable, especially with a longer G19 magazine to serve as a handy resting place for my little finger. Any belt pouch that can hold a G19 can hold a G26, and, I can ankle-carry a G26, with an Alessi or Ritchie ankle holster. A G26 can also ride in a suitably voluminous pocket, with my Kramer pocket holster. I do not routinely use pocket or ankle carry, with a G26, but, there are those special circumstances and occasions.

 

[Gesebastian1]

If for the range in 9MM, absolutely look at the G45. I hear a LOT of reports of it being just a great gun to shoot.

I don’t have one…yet, but soon.
I’d also suggest looking at a G17 or 34, but that G45 is just getting a LOT of good comments by folks who HATED the idea of a compact slide (G19) on a full size frame (G17).

Same concept as the Sig P320 Carry and Glock 19X

I have three 9MM Glocks I carry, a G43X, a G48, and a G19. If I kept only one, it would probably be the G48

I have multiple Glocks from the 43x all the way to a Glock21 .for my everyday carry weapon I carry a Glock 45. It handles well and points naturally . The full size grip helps to stay on target very well.

 

[tdbmd]

For fun at the range Gen 5 34 MOS.

I agree, I just bought a Gen 5 Model 34 MOS and it is super fun at the range and easy to shoot fast with...