What is the Best Glock .45 ACP? Glock 21 vs. Glock 41

The most popular round behind the 9mm Luger is the .45 ACP for both law enforcement officers (F.B.I., Sheriff Deputy, State Police, etc…) and civilians alike.

Most of all Americans prefer the 9mm Luger at the moment, but I believe that gun choice is cyclical. Millions of Americans carry .45 ACP because of its versatility in the sizes of pistols available.

The evolution of the 1911 (M1911 pistol) years has led us past the world-famous M1911, to guns like the Glock 21, Glock 41, or the Springfield Loaded. All three guns are incredible, but not all 3 guns are equal to each other.

Glock 21 vs. Glock 21SF

Where Can I Buy a Glock 21 Gen 4 Holster?

We The People Holsters is an American company that we love to support because all their products are American-made and they’re actively supportive of the military and LEO communities. As you can see from the printing on the holster, they have some really exceptional-looking holsters that come with a lifetime warranty for any defects or manufacturing issues.

We use this specific holster as an Inside waistband holster (IWB) to provide concealment and security. The KDEX material is 100% waterproof and can handle dings, scratches, and drops from about any distance without destroying the holster.

This is the durability that is needed to compete with the big dogs in weapon accessories and We The People Holsters does it well enough to earn our support.

Since the Glock 21SF is more of an LEO pistol, the holster you use should have a respectable retention system to avoid getting your gun ripped out of the holster by an assailant. According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in a national survey of police officers, the biggest concern for police is getting shot with their own gun.

If I were still a police officer, my first choice of a holster would be a Safariland Self Locking System (SLS) design with a Level 2 or Level 3 retention system. The durability, reliability, and practicality of Safariland products are known throughout the LEO and military communities.

The Safariland SLS Tactical Holster provides an incredibly smooth single-motion draw and can’t be pulled out from someone reaching for your pistol. The Safariland SLS Tactical holster provides extra gun security by preventing the hood from being released unless the gun is pushed down and rotated forward at the same time (simultaneously).

If someone tries to pull the holster out and up, the holster actually becomes more secure and locked in, preventing any mishaps while under stress. I suggest LEOs practice with different retention systems to find out which is best for them. Security is important, but being able to quickly draw your pistol is vital to the survival of our officers.

Safariland SLS Tactical Holster

$103.25

at Safariland

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Prices accurate at time of writing

Is the Glock 21 Legal For Civilian Use?

Yes, although the Glock 21 SF was originally meant for LEOs, the Glock 21 is legal for any of us to buy from authorized dealers, such as Guns.com, Kentucky Gun Company, Primary Arms, and Sportsman’s Warehouse. Since Glock has discontinued the original Gen 4 G21, it’s difficult to find and most LEOs and civilian shooters are moving toward the Glock 41.

The Glock 41 is now the only .45 ACP full-size Glock that’s in production for an excellent reason; it’s better than the 21. The G41 features the same magazine capacity as the standard 13+1 round mag in the G21, but is lighter and has a thinner slide width for a better tactical advantage when drawing from a holster.

The Glock 41 is viewed as a competition pistol, especially with its success in competitions, such as the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) and the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). However, it’s a great option for open-carry and home defense purposes and competition.

For example, if you load some Sig Sauer 230 Gr SIG V-Crown Jacketed Hollow Points rounds in your G41, you’d stop any assailant in their tracks with one hit anywhere center mass. The longer barrel and slide length give you a longer line of sight and better recoil control for the heavier round.

What Makes the Glock 41 Better Than The Glock 21?

• Glock 41 is lighter than 21
• Features a longer, thinner slide for a quicker draw and longer LOS
• The G41 has a longer barrel for better accuracy at ranges past 25 yards
• The trigger pull was lightened from 6.3 lbf to 5.4 lbf for a smoother pull to improve accuracy on follow up shots
• The G41 maintains the overall width of the G21 to maintain the proper grip for most shooters.
• The G41 also reduced the height of the G21 to further improve the tactical advantage of drawing from a holster

Depending on how much money you’d like to spend, there are different options for you to choose from.

However, I’ve found the We The People Holsters are more affordable, have a more unique level of customization in their aesthetics, and are durable enough for competition and carry.

Glock 41 MOS

I’ve never really thought about how practical it was to buy the MOS model for Glocks over the standard issues until I got more into optics and other weapon attachments, such as lights and lasers.

The MOS version of any Glock is going to be more expensive than any standard version because they come drilled, tapped, and ready to install optics without interfering with the line of sight or ergonomics of the pistol.

Glock 41 MOS Holster

Anytime you get a gun that has the potential of adding an optic, light, or laser, you need to be sure the attachments will fit inside your holster.

With the Safariland 6390RDS Automatic Locking System (ALS) holster, you can be confident and comfortable knowing there is adequate room for the pistol and any micro-optic that is designed to fit on the Glock 41. The belt-loop has a unique feature that allows the pistol to be carried lower than normal to add more concealment and to protect the gun more.

6390RDS – ALS Mid-Level Retention System

$233.75

at Safariland

VIEW DETAILS

Prices accurate at time of writing

Glock 41 Problems?

Anytime people talk about problems with a Glock, it immediately piques my interest because of the famous reliability and durability of Glock pistols.

I think most problems with the Glock 41 relates to the Gen 4 models specifically rather than the G41 model.

However, there are enough complaints about 3 specific features of the Glock 41 that I think everyone should know.

1. Some ammo doesn’t feed properly in the Glock 41 versus others. I’ve read a lot of complaints about target ammo not feeding properly versus HP self-defense ammo. My suggestion is to clean your Glock 41 more than you do your 9mm Glocks. FOr whatever reason, I’ve found that my heavier pistols (.45 ACP, 10mm) have to be cleaned more than my 9mm pistols and this will cause failure to feed problems if the slide is caught on carbon or dirt.
2. Accuracy issues out of the box. I’ve seen a lot of issues with brand new Glock 41s that are shooting poorly right out of the box. I’ve had this issue with many pistols in the past and it’s because of shipping (most of the time). If the shipping company is rough on the load, you can see your sights being thrown off or loosened upon arrival. One of the most underestimated tools in my bag is the Wheeler Armorer’s Handgun Sight Tool. You can easily ensure your handgun sights are on target with this tool and it works on any handgun, so you can use it for decades on your entire collection. Well worth the cost!
3. Trigger Pull Weight inconsistencies are a common complaint I see from Glock 41 owners. There can be many reasons for this issue, but mostly it’s a manufacturing defect or lubrication issue. Sometimes the internal parts of a pistol take some time to break in to loosen up to the proper specs. However, the best thing about Glock is there are many aftermarket accessories you can add to fix this problem with ease. The GHOST Ultimate 3.5 lbs Drop-In Trigger is a brilliant choice for only $23.99.

If you’re interested in learning more about Glock 9mm and .40 S&W Pistols, read our blogs below.

Glock 43x Review | How Does It Compare To Other Subcompacts?

Glock 22,23, & 24| Full Review of the .40 S&W

Glock 26 | Review of the "Baby Glock"