The Glock 19 is one of the most common and top-selling guns in the world, and we are eager to show you why.
The Glock 19 is the first concealed carry weapon (CCW) produced by Glock.
Weighing less than 2 pounds loaded and coming in at 7 inches long, it’s no wonder why millions of gun owners chose the Glock 19 as their self-defense pistol.
| Length (Overall) | 185 mm | 7.28 inch |
| Slide Length | 174 mm | 6.85 inch |
| Width (Overall) | 34 mm | 1.34 inch |
| Slide Width | 25,5 mm | 1.0 inch |
| Height incl.Mag. | 128 mm | 5.04 inch |
| Line of Sight (Polymer) | 153 mm | 6.02 inch |
| Line of Sight (Steel) | 152 mm | 5.98 inch |
| Line of Sight (GNS) | 151 mm | 5.94 inch |
| Weight (Without Magazine) | 610 g | 21.52 oz |
| Weight (Empty Magazine) | 670 g | 23.63 oz |
| Weight (Loaded Magazine) | 855 g | 30.16 oz |
| Magazine Capacity | 15/17 / 24 / 31 / 33 |
| Caliber | 9x19mm Luger |
| Barrel Length | 102 mm | 4.02 inch |
| Trigger Pull Weight | 26 N/ 5.845 lbs. |
| MSRP | $573.00 |
Most police forces loved the original Glock 17, but it’s a full-sized pistol that can be heavy when fully loaded (2.2 lbs) and doesn’t fit on your hip as comfortably as many officers would like. As Glock worked with local police departments in Austria, local police expressed their desire for a gun with better ergonomics. The Police wanted a gun that could be just as durable, and just as accurate as the Glock 17, but easier to handle and conceal.
As tall of a task as this sounds, Glock came through in a big way and engineered one of the best guns we have ever fired. With a shorter barrel, lighter weight, and a thinner grip, the Glock 19 delivers on every level. Since they created the gun in 1988, Glock hasn’t stopped producing or attempting to make them better. We will get more into the different generations of the gun, such as the Gen 4 and 5 below.
The whole point of creating different versions of the same model was to make something better, without reinventing the wheel. Think of the Gen 4 and 5 like you would the PlayStation or X-Box; Sony and Microsoft would never just scrap their amazing products, but they make them better every few years. Just like with the new-gen, Glock has no reason to scrap a beautifully designed and amazing gun.
Now, Gen 4 doesn’t look different or make you feel like it’s a completely new gun. Glock made several slight changes to the 19 that make it a more universal gun, such as a smaller frame, modular back-strap system, an enlarged reversible magazine catch, dual-recoil spring assembly, and a new Rough Textured Frame (RTF).
The new back-strap system gives shooters more customization with how the gun feels in their hands. One complaint that Glock received over the years was that the back-strap was too big and bulky, while some felt it was too small. It’s almost impossible for Glock to please everybody, but they found a way, yet again.
This option allows you to take apart your Glock’s back-strap easily and replace it with either a medium (8/100 in added) version or a large version (16/100 in added). The stock Gen 4 G19 comes with a small back-strap.
We felt like they designed this recent addition for all the lefties out there that have had trouble transitioning between magazines. A lot of gun manufacturers require extra parts to make a gun reversible, but Glock created one interchangeable part that fits on the right or left. Another knock on the original G19 was the magazine catch was too small. Gen 4 fixed that issue with this new feature and we cannot be happier.
The G19 does not have a single-action firing mode and many people have had issues with that fact. The addition of the dual recoil spring assembly didn’t fix the single-action firing mode, but it did significantly reduce the recoil. As most of us know, the trigger pull with a double-action pistol is always going to be heavier than a single action (think Beretta).
By adding this new spring assembly, Glock instantly improved the accuracy of many of its shooters. This addition also helps to prevent fatigue and anticipation of less experienced shooters.
As we’ve mentioned, the whole point of a new-gen gun is for it to be better than the last, or at least correct any deficiencies in previous models. The new RTF is all about giving the shooter a better and firmer grip on the gun.
The Gen 4 grip can feel too rough for those with very soft hands, but the rest of us love it. The added traction on this new grip noticeably increases the accuracy of any shooter with a stock grip.
You should buy this gun if you’re a Glock fan, but found the same or similar negatives with the first-gen G19. The Gen 4 is a little shorter overall than the original G19 and has a shorter trigger distance. This gun is so well made that it can accommodate every shooter we can think of; whether you have small or large hands, you’re a lefty, or not very strong, this gun works for you.
Our favorite thing about Glock Gen 5 is the peace of mind that we, as customers, are being heard and listened to. The first thing you’ll notice in Gen 5 is how different it feels in your hand. The traditional look of the Glock is still there, but they made 20 different modifications to enhance the entire experience. We don’t want to get away from the purpose of this article, so we will only focus on the 5 biggest modifications.
| Length (Overall) | 185 mm | 7.28 inch |
| Slide Length | 174 mm | 6.85 inch |
| Width (Overall) | 34 mm | 1.34 inch |
| Slide Width | 25,5 mm | 1.0 inch |
| Height incl.Mag. | 128 mm | 5.04 inch |
| Line of Sight (Polymer) | 153 mm | 6.02 inch |
| Line of Sight (Steel) | 152 mm | 5.98 inch |
| Line of Sight (GNS) | 151 mm | 5.94 inch |
| Weight (Without Magazine) | 610 g | 21.52 oz |
| Weight (Empty Magazine) | 670 g | 23.63 oz |
| Weight (Loaded Magazine) | 855 g | 30.16 oz |
| Magazine Capacity | 15/17 / 24 / 31 / 33 |
| Caliber | 9x19mm Luger |
| Barrel Length | 102 mm | 4.02 inch |
| Trigger Pull Weight | 26 N/ 5.845 lbs. |
| MSRP | $673.00 |
Every shooter at some point will either drop, scrape or hit their gun, therefore Glock used a technologically advanced ion-bonded finish on the Gen 5. This ion-bonded finish prevents scratching your gun, whether you drop or hit it on other metal objects.
It not only extends the life of your gun but it’s tested the most extreme environments on Earth. This gun will perform whether you’re in Florida with the humidity and heat or in Montana with the extreme cold. After shooting this gun, we are thinking Glock is close to an indestructible gun!
The Gen 5 has improved the rifling and crown of the barrel to enhance the accuracy of the G19. The shorter distances should be very accurate, regardless of the new-gen addition, but this new barrel specifically affects distances of 25 meters and beyond.
A very popular complaint with the majority (until Gen 5) of Glock owners is the grooves set in the grip for your fingers. The finger grooves enhance traction and keep good placement on the grip. However, these grooves rarely provide the placement or added traction they’re meant to.
The answer with the Gen 5 was to remove the grooves and give each individual shooter their own way of gripping the gun. Gen 5 provides a more ergonomic and comfortable grip than any previous model. The RTF without finger grooves also gives the shooter more control over recoil by keeping your hands flush with the pistol.
The Glock 19X is like the Glock 43X because they’re crossover pistols. A combination of the Glock 17 frame and the Glock 19 slide is called the Glock 19X. The 19X is the first model from Glock that comes with a factory-colored slide and is finished with a new nPVD coating to prevent corrosion and wear.
They made the Glock 19X from the Gen 5 specs, so it includes the Glock Marksman Barrel (GMB), doesn’t have finger grooves, and has ambidextrous slide stop levers. They designed the Glock 19X for shooters who love the full size of the Glock 17 but prefer the lighter weight and shorter barrel of the Glock 19.
| Length (Overall) | 189 mm | 7.44 inch |
| Slide Length | 174 mm | 6.85 inch |
| Width (Overall) | 33 mm | 1.30 inch |
| Slide Width | 25,5 mm | 1.0 inch |
| Height incl.Mag. | 139 mm | 5.47 inch |
| Line of Sight (Polymer) | 153 mm | 6.02 inch |
| Line of Sight (Steel) | 152 mm | 5.98 inch |
| Line of Sight (GNS) | 151 mm | 5.94 inch |
| Weight (Without Magazine) | 625 g | 22.05 oz |
| Weight (Empty Magazine) | 704 g | 24.83 oz |
| Weight (Loaded Magazine) | 890 g | 31.39 oz |
| Trigger Distance | 70 mm | 2.76 inch |
| Magazine Capacity | 15/17 / 24 / 31 / 33 |
| Caliber | 9x19mm Luger |
| Barrel Length | 102 mm | 4.02 inch |
| Trigger Pull Weight | 26 N/ 5.845 lbs. |
| MSRP | $700.00 |
One of the best comparisons to the Glock 19 is the Sig P320 RXP because of how similar they appear to be. For me, I normally choose between 3 companies for pistols; Sig Sauer, Glock, and Walther. I believe that regardless of the propaganda or marketing, you can never go wrong with any of these 3 companies.
The Glock 19 Gen 5 is easier to conceal than the Sig P320 RXP, but is a little heavier. If you’d like to learn more about Sig Sauer or the more compact P365, we have a great resource for you below.
| Glock Gen 5 | Sig Sauer P320 RX | |
| Caliber | 9mm Luger | 9mm Luger |
| Weight | 1.94 lbs | 1.84 lbs |
| Overall Length | 7.28 in | 8.0 in |
| Barrel Length | 4.02 in | 4.7 in |
| Width | 1.34 in | 1.4 in |
| Magazine capacity | 15+1 | 15+1 |
| MSRP | $540.00 | $1050.00 |
Glock is an exceptional company that makes some of the best guns in the world. The Glock 19 is one of the top-selling and performing guns trusted by millions of gun owners, from the police to the military and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We recommend going with the Glock 19 Gen 5 because of the upgrades and customization you can have with this firearm.
Buying anything except the Gen 5 right now would be like buying the PlayStation 1 when you can have the PlayStation 5.
We don’t see any point in going backward and we don’t want you to overthink this purchase. The Gen 5 will last longer than any other generation Glock and it will perform better on a more consistent level.
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