The Glock 29 and the Glock 20 are very comparable pistols, but we threw in the Glock 40 for the largest of Glock 10mm pistols.
For those of you that have never shot a 10mm, this blog will help you make the best possible choice between the 3 10mm pistols.
Of the 3 pistols, the Glock 20 is the most popular among the 10mm because it’s like the Goldilocks porridge of the 3. For those who don’t know about the 3 bears, the Glock 20 is just the right size, length, weight, and capacity. The Glock 20 is perfect for a CCW and great as an open carry pistol with its 15 round magazine capacity.
However, if you’re looking for the best platform to add a red dot sight (RDS) to, that will be the Glock 40 MOS.
Normally, the overall length is the biggest indicator for a CCW, however, the height of the pistol (4.53") should also be considered. For example, the height of the pistol could mean the difference between the pistol showing in your shirt and exposing your pistol if you bend or raise your arms.
Anything over 5" in height increases your chances of exposing your pistol, which can get you in trouble in more liberal areas. The Glock 29 has a magazine capacity of 10 rounds (standard) with an option for 15 rounds. This gives you more than enough opportunity to hit your target and transition if need be.
The trigger pull is 6.29 lbs force with a trigger distance of 2.8, which is great for such a powerful gun. Of the 3 pistols on this list, however, the Glock 29 is going to have the most felt-recoil and muzzle flip because of its smaller size.
The Glock 20 is the most popular Glock 10mm pistol because it’s essentially the middleman regarding weight, length, and width for the 10mm pistols. The Glock 20 is a little over 1 full inch longer than the Glock 29 and a half-pound heavier. Since the Glock 29 is a CCW chambered in 10mm, they had to make the pistol overall wider to accommodate the heavier and more powerful bullets (slide width is the same).
The Glock 20 is thinner because it has a longer frame and is not for a CCW application. We can use both the Glock 20 and the Glock 40 as an open carry pistol, but are just too big for a CCW. With a full-inch-long line of sight, the Glock 20 is going to be more accurate than the Glock 29 and has less felt recoil and muzzle flip.
They specifically design Glock 40 MOS as a hunting pistol for either self-defense against bears in the Northwest or actually hunting hogs on the east coast. It is impossible to use this pistol as a CCW because of the slide and overall length.
The Glock 40 is 1.5" longer than the Glock 20, which really helps with reducing muzzle flip and felt recoil. I highly recommend the Glock 40 for Alaskans or hunters in Wyoming or Montana that have to consider large predators, such as wolves and Brown Bear, while hunting.
They make the Glock 40 as a MOS model for easy and quick red dot installation. Another prominent feature of the Glock 40 over the Glock 20 and Glock 29 is the lighter trigger pull (5.4 lbs) and longer sightline. These features ensure that you’re going to be more accurate with a quicker target acquisition time than any other model.
The Winchester Defender is one of the most carried personal defense bullets in our country. A 10mm is already a heavy round with a force close to the .357 magnum, so going with the 180 GR is perfect for a Glock. As a self-defense round, the Winchester Defender is phenomenal because the bonded jacket ensures deeper penetration with the wider expansion of a hollow point. In short, you shoot something with this bullet and you’ll destroy your target.
The Crimson Trace RAD Prowith the green dot is the most sophisticated and technologically advanced pistol optic that I’ve seen so far. Leupold, Vortex, Osprey, and Trijicon make great RDSs for pistols, but Crimson Trace takes the top prize with the practicality and ease of use with the Rapid Aiming Dot (RAD) Pro.
It’s no secret that a 10mm pistol can be a lot to handle, especially with the Glock 29 and maybe the Glock 20. However, the Glock 40 long-slide 10mm pistol handles that recoil like no other gun I’ve shot. We all know Glock produces the best striker-fired pistols, but it really surprised me with the level of comfort and lack of felt-recoil with the Glock 40 MOS.
Specs
Crimson Trace Pro Specs
Red Dot Rail Mount
M1913 Low-Profile Picatinny Mount Included (base plate not included)
Reticle
5 MOA Red Dot
Windage
Adjustable
Elevation
Adjustable
Waterproof
IPX7 Waterproof
Shock-Proof
Yes
Fog-Resistant
Yes
Impact-Resistant
Yes
Motion Sensor
Yes
Auto-Shutoff
Yes, turns off after 2 minutes of no movement.
Ambient Light Sensor
Yes (CT Radiant)
Lens
Multi-coated (Extra Low-Density Glass)
Construction
7075 Aluminum
Battery Life
7,000 Hours (1+ years)
Battery Type
CR2016
Battery Access
Top of housing
MSRP
$324.99
Adding the CT RAD Pro opticto your Glock 40 MOS is a match made in heaven for every gun owner. Not only does the stronger 7075 aluminum hold up better than any other optic, but it’s also impact-resistant, IPX7 waterproof, and fog-resistant.
Many people associate the 10mm with the Americans that live in Alaska and have to deal with animals like Brown Bears, Wolves, Moose, Mountain Lions, and Black Bears. These Apex predators can be killed just like any of us, but I’ve seen Brown Bear handle 5 9mm shots to the side and walk through it like it never happened. In order to bring down a 500+ lbs predator quickly, you’ll need a heavier and high-energy bullet like the 10mm.
The CT RAD Pro on a Glock 40 MOS will give you almost instantaneous target acquisition. As big as bears and mountain lions are, they’re incredibly fast, with sprinting speeds around 35 MPH. To put that in perspective, the average Grizzly Bear can run faster than the fastest human ever recorded (Usain Bolt) at only 27 MPH.
Using the ambient light sensor (CT Radiant), the green dot will automatically adjust to the environmental lighting around you. The shake-to-wake motion sensor (CT Motion) activates the green dot with the shake of your wrist or a simple draw from the holster. In warfare, a red dot is better for stealth operations, but in the wild, you want to see your dot big and bright, so you can acquire your target ASAP.
35 MPH might not sound as fast when we think about driving, but running 35 MPH would only give us seconds to draw and shoot before that bear is on top chewing on your skull like those dentastix chews for dogs. You may not have time to turn your optic on or adjust the lighting in low light or high noon, so it’s imperative that your pistol attachments improve your capability and not hinder it. I know for sure the CT RAD Pro will only benefit you in either surviving a bear attack or defending yourself against an armed assailant.
Right now, Crimson Trace is running a pretty exceptional deal that gives you a CT-1550 Open Reflex Pistol RDS for free! If you buy any RAD optic for your shotgun or pistol, you can get the pistol optic for free with free shipping with your order. You’ll save about $22.00 if you buy the RAD Pro Green dot optic on Amazon, but CT is giving away a $150.00 MSRP pistol optic to negate any reason to buy from Amazon over CT.
Best Alternative Optic For Glock 40
The Trijicon Type 2 RMR is the official replacement for the original RMR Red Dot Sight. Type 2 has significantly improved the battery connection from the original RMR to improve the reliability of the Red Dot Sight (RDS). It also features a button lock for the brightness setting to ensure you don’t increase or decrease your brightness by accident.
This can be huge because Type 1 accidentally shifted the brightness, so it drained the battery or left you without the setting you want. As you can see from the video below, the RMR can handle any drop, scrape, or smash without breaking off the gun, or losing its zero.
The multi-coated lens and true-color feature ensure that the image you see through the sight is exactly what it looks like. This is important because sunlight and twilight can obscure your image and distort the accurate picture.
Talon Grips for Glock 20 and Glock 40
As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, Talon Grips are incredibly easy to use and can make a world of difference in accuracy and comfort. For whatever reason, if I don’t shoot with gloves, my hands get sweaty and the Glock grip isn’t good enough for me. Therefore, I always put on a Talon Grip to ensure that I have a steady grip on my pistol. This is especially important when shooting a high-caliber gun like a 10mm pistol because of the heavier recoil.
The Comp-Tac International holster is the jack of all trades regarding a belt holster. It combines the belt holster, belt drop offset holster, paddle holster, and paddle drop offset holster into one modular platform. You also have the option of using 3 different Cant settings, which are the speed draw (straight drop), the FBI cant (grip angle forward), and the reverse/cross draw (grip angle rearward).
The Comp-Tac Glock 40 Holster accommodates a 1.5"-2.25" battle belt for the heavy-duty belts in law enforcement or military units. It’s made from Kydex, which gives it great durability and flexibility to accommodate the Trijicon RMR or Leupold Delta Point RDS. This holster is also the official holster for the International Defense Pistol Association (IDPA).
They specifically designed Diamond D Guides Glock 20 Chest Holster for Alaskans who spend their time in the wilderness and want the comfort to carry on their chest instead of a belt. They make the holster of genuine leather and only weigh 14.2 ounces and are 10" long to accommodate the larger 10mm pistol.
It adjusts easily and is more comfortable to carry than any belt holster I know of. Trekking through the Alaskan wilderness is a tough task on its own. This holster will make it a little more comfortable while doing so.
The Alien Gear Cloak Mod OWB Holster reminds me a lot of Safariland with the attention to detail and features. For example, the base of the holster is a spring-steel flex plate that provides rigidity to handle any task from hunting in the thick National Forest to hiking in the Colorado Rockies. Alien Gear Holsters include a Thermo-elastomer retention material to provide a soft and safe barrier between the steel backing and your body.
The unique elastomer compound also works by locking the gun into the holster as you place your gun into the wide-mouth opening. The wide-mouth opening to the holster makes it much easier to holster your pistol without having to focus as much. It reminds me of a flared magazine well on a high-end pistol, like the Staccato P. The natural curve to the paddle of the holster helps to deflect the force of smacking your holster against a tree in the forests, or a rock in the high mountains.
Finally, the built-in retainment lip on the inside of the paddle helps protect you from someone trying to unhook your paddle to grab your gun. This retainment lip forces you to draw your pistol straight up, so if someone grabs it from the side, it will increase the tension to ensure your pistol stays in your holster.
Sometimes it’s difficult to get over the prices of some of the top-end holsters we see online. Often, you can find a legit holster for half the price of most Safariland holsters that will give you years of use without trouble. Safariland holsters are not your run-of-the-mill holsters that focus more on the color scheme and design than the practicality and performance. It sucks that many things we have to buy in life are not worth the money we have to pay. However, Safariland is one of those products where you know you’re going to get elite-level performance and features for the extra money.
The Safariland 7378 7TS™ ALS Concealment Paddle and Belt Loop Combo feature the Automatic Locking System (ALS) to secure your pistol as soon as you holster it. The 7378 7TS concealment holster has an open-top design for faster retrieval of your pistol. Some may prefer the extra strap over the pistol for added security, but if you’re wearing this as a CCW holster, you don’t want anyone seeing your gun, anyway.
Another prominent feature is the SafariSeven nylon that protects any type of pistol from marring, scratching, or abrasions. When I say things like “attention to detail", I mean features such as the raised surfaces inside the holster to provide space around the pistol for any moisture, dirt, or grime from contacting the metal. In places in the NorthWest, like Washington and Alaska, this is vital to the longevity of your pistol because of the exorbitant amount of rain.
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