Glock 25 Vs Glock 19 - We may earn commissions when you make purchases through links on our site. Learn more here.
For those of us who love pistols and have been living under a rock for about 3 years, the name Glock has become a household word in the shooting world. Anyone who has probably never held a gun (let alone a Glock) knows the name. An estimated 65 percent of police agencies in the United States use some form of Glock or other handgun. Time to dive into everything you need to know about the Glock 9mm pistol and its various models. We'll look at:
Glock 25 Vs Glock 19
The Glock story is remarkable considering the man who designed the gun knew next to nothing about handgun design. Gaston Glock sold curtain rods and knives to the Austrian Army and was familiar with injection molded parts. His team designed the Model 17 to help the Austrian army in desperate need of new weapons, and a firearms legend was born. Interestingly, the "17" represents the 17th patent granted to Glock, a numbering system that is still in use today.
Anyone Still Like Gen 3's?
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Shooters tend to be either Glock fans or detractors -- there isn't much of a middle ground. I'm one of those middle-of-the-roaders who take my view on Gaston's miracle. I have owned a model 30 .45 ACP for a long time and have an aftermarket barrel that fires cast cartridges. It works well without being obtrusive. It's not a feast for the eyes. I called myself the Chevy Impala of the gun industry in another post. The Impala is a good mid-priced car that's a popular choice with buyers—reliable and well-designed without being overly flashy.
Glock, like Impala, functions in a practical way. It gets the job done without breaking an arm. And they tend to be very reliable. This is well documented by all police agencies that have purchased Glock systems.
Zooming out, let's take a look at the best-selling Glock products. When it comes to caliber, 9mm is the standard for Glock pistols. Of the more than 50 pistol models that Glock sells, their best-selling 9mm pistol is the Model 19. This compact pistol holds 15+ 1 rounds in a smaller package. I know a lot of people carry this model because it seems to strike the sweet spot between hidden size and capacity. Now, if this pistol isn't for you, there are 19 other major 9mm Glock models to choose from.
Glock 43 Vs. Glock 19
I've put together a chart comparing the specs of the most popular models, as well as comparing extended versions of all twenty models, for all detail-oriented shooters out there. Of course, some of these models are rarely seen in gun shops, as they tend to serve very specific purposes (example: the long-range competition the Model 34 excels at). So, before we look at all the chart numbers, let’s take a closer look at the most popular Glock 9mm.
Here is a concise list. Are you a digital person? Here's an expanded version of all available 9mm Glock pistols, you can sort them by clicking on the headings (best to view the table on a PC or tablet):
Let's now look at the individual models, but before doing so some explanation is necessary. If you look at the table above, you'll see "MOS" and "FS" listed after some model numbers. MOS stands for Modular Optical System. Glock modified the frame of these guns by milling a slot in the front of the rear sight to accommodate a red dot or other sight mounting plate. Cover with filler when not in use.
FS indicates that the pistol contains forward (inserted) serrations. In addition to the standard rear serrations, these FS marked pistols have serrations on the front of the bolt for easier access to the bolt. Many shooters are asking Glock to add front serrations to all their new guns. As of now, they only work with those weapons marked FS.
Adjustable Belt Clip
If we want this article to be as useful as possible for those considering buying a Glock, an explanation of the Glock generations is in order. "Generation" in Glock terminology is equivalent to "Mod 2", "2.0", etc. introduced by other companies. Basically, it marks a major redesign of their weapon's functionality. Functional changes (often called upgrades) can be something small, something "big" significant, or a combination of both to meet next-generation requirements. So, let's go from the original Glock (now called Gen1) to the latest generation Gen5 at the time of writing.
This is an original Glock 17 pistol. We can identify this gun by the relative lack of stippling or texture on the frame and the absence of finger grooves. This is the Glock pistol that the Austrian Army originally issued in 1983 when it ordered 25,000 pistols. Here's an interesting note: In addition to the Model 17 pistols sold to the military, there are also Model 18 - Selective Fire Model 17 pistols. Capable of firing between 1100-1300 RPM. Glock also offered a compensatory version of this weapon (model 18C). It's technically a submachine gun and as such is subject to regulations and fees on machine gun ownership as individuals find out who tries to buy them.
In 2009 they gave the Model 22 RTF2 (.40 S&W) a rough textured finish, chevron serrations and new rifling around the grip. Other RTF2 modified models include 31, 32, 23, 21 and 19, but not all models have gill teeth.
Starting with the 17 we see a full size frame and a longer barrel than the smaller models. This gun was the first Glock pistol to enter the mainstream. This is mainly due to its adoption by the Austrian army and some police forces since 1982. I remember when this gun came out - the world's first "plastic gun" (the H&K VP70 was technically the first polymer gun, for the German market in 1970).
Range Report: Glock Gen 5
All anti-gunners believe the "plastic gun" won't be picked up by airport metal detectors, while some in the shooting community believe the gun will fail due to concerns about the durability of the frame. Neither of these concerns makes any sense—they just don't happen. On the contrary, due to its reliability and innovative design, this pistol was popular not only with military and police forces, but also civilians. The average gun has only 35 parts... talk about simplicity! My brother has a Gen 4 Model 17 and he loves it. I took it and was amazed. Due to its size, the 17 isn't really designed for concealed carry. It fits better in a grade 3 police holster or tactical gear on the leg of a SOE military agent.
17 Appears in Generation 3, Generation 4, and Generation 5. So if you like (or don't like) finger grooves, you're in luck—just buy the generation that has the features you want. Do you need a match weapon? Use a Gen4 or Gen5 MOS and mount a red dot sight on it. Do you want an all-around shooter? Get a Gen3 and save some money (if you can still find one). As mentioned above, the Model 17 started it all.
Ok...now let's look at the compact 9mm. The Model 19 is Glock's best-selling brand, with a huge following of fanatics. Let's not forget the spare parts industry either. The Model 19 probably has more third-party parts than any other Glock. That said, the Model 19 is almost perfect for concealed carry with an interactive whiteboard or an OWB with a 4-inch barrel, slim quarter-inch width, and 15-round magazine. As I've written before, this pistol is the benchmark for other compact 9mm pistols.
I know several people who wear a Model 19 and love it. It's no coincidence that Glock chose to launch its Gen5-configured Model 17 and Model 19 first. 17, followed by law enforcement, and the best-selling Glock Model 19.
Glock 17 Vs. Glock 19
The Gen5 Model 19 was generally well received. The only complaint I've heard about the Gen5 Model 19 is about the cutout on the bottom front of the frame. Some shooters report that their hands hurt because the palm rests on the heel and where the palm meets the frame. The sharp edges are the culprit, they say. This doesn't seem to be a problem due to the Model 17's longer frame. Fortunately, they have fixed this problem in the new Model 45 (below).
Like the Model 17, there are several variants to choose from
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