For decades, the Glock 19 series of pistols have earned the respect and love of millions all over the world- and even after being on the market for several years, the fifth generation of this pistol is still turning heads.
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Table of contents
Introduction
It is somewhat reluctantly that I hold the opinion that the Glock series of pistols may be the best handguns used in the 21st century. Certainly, the most widely used (at least in the United States), but I do indeed think they are, at the very least, worthy contenders for the honor of being the best in use overall.
While it's certainly true that the Glock has earned some notoriety over the years for its portrayal as a cheap, simple and ugly weapon used by hipsters and criminals and feels more like a movie prop than an actual firearm, the fact is that the insane success of this pistol proves that there's true, verifiable merit in its design.
For example, Glock pistols are known the world over for being light and comfortable, and while this may feel weird, excessive weight is obviously not a desirable characteristic for a firearm. They are also known for their reliability and simplicity- which lends them well to inexperienced shooters as well as police officers and militaries who need something that will always go bang, and for their relatively cheap price- all things which are clearly priorities for many people.
The end result is a solid, easy-to-use and relatively affordable firearm that is perfectly suited for pretty much any common situation where firearms could be needed and has been used all over the world since the early 1980's, with the total number of units sold worldwide being in the tens of millions.
Of all of the Glock pistols, the model 19 is probably the most useful overall- small enough to carry concealed while still being large enough to fight with, while possessing all the qualities expected of a Glock.
And indeed, these three things alone might make it the best handgun used to today- better than any of its countless near-identically functioning knockoffs, even. Feel free to disagree of course, but first... let us state in depth why we think this.
Let's read!
First impressions
One noticeable thing right off the bat is that the Glock 19 gen 5 has done away with the finger grooves that where present on the 4th generation model, so that's already a huge plus over its predecessor in my book. I guess the grooves were supposed to increase the strength of the user's grip on the gun, but all the really ended up doing was make gripping it awkwardly uncomfortable because I have Vienna sausages for fingers.
But you won't need to worry about that on the Gen 5.
The forward serrations on the slide are another big plus for me- while some people prefer to grip the rear end of the slide when chambering a round or clearing a jam, the front is actually a bit easier to work with in my experience. Previous generations of Glock pistols had smooth slides which where a pain the ass to use if you had sweaty or oily fingers and were not very intuitively designed anyways, so the serrations for an easier grip actually work really well, here.
I also really appreciate the flared magwell- it certainly will make inserting and removing magazines even easier than they already where, but where I can really see it helping is in high-stress situations where someone is more likely to mess up inserting a mag correctly due to adrenaline.
And of course, I can't forget to mention how light it is- at roughly 23.6 ounces with an empty magazine, it does indeed feel almost like a toy gun.
But overall, it feels great. I would've loved to try this as my first handgun (if only it had come out 20 years ago).
Function and features
Here's where it gets more interesting- while Glocks are certainly not feature-rich, per say (the way gentleman's pistols like Sig Sauer and H&K are), they still have a surprising number of things going on that are worth mentioning- many of which are more improvements on previous Glock iterations.
I want to start with the magazine release. Older Glock pistols had really tiny, uncomfortable mag releases that where often hard to operate, and the Glock 19 has far better ergonomics in this regard since at least the 4th generation. Almost to a fault, actually- if you grip it just right, I could possibly see someone accidently pressing the mag release while gripping the gun. However, the Gen 5 seems to have a more positive release function compared to its 4th generation predecessor, so this probably won't ever be an issue unless you grip the gun exceptionally tight.
The frame is also ambidextrous, and so the mag release button (as well as the slide stop) can be swapped to the left side of the gun. The frame is really remarkable otherwise and is typical Glock fare- polymer framed like all Glocks, but at least it's got a light rail on it and has a durable finish.
One thing I have forgotten to mention thus far is the classic Glock single action trigger. It's about as good as a single action trigger can get- and while they aren't really ever anything truly praiseworthy (they feel gross and spongy, normally), the Glock 19 Gen 5 actually surprised me a bit- it has a solid wall, very little reset and take up, and breaks with crispness.
Beyond making it feel somewhat better than other poly-striker triggers, it's still not anything to write home about, though- especially considering there's no manual safety (which is a must-have for me, personally). Instead, it relies on an internal firing pin block, which is released by depressing the distinctive blade on the Glock's trigger itself. This ensures the gun won't fire unless the trigger is actually pulled- and don't worry about it firing if you accidently drop it, either.
Anyways, another thing I actually really appreciate about the Glock 19 Gen 5 is the improved rifling compared to its predecessors. While the boost in accuracy probably won't matter a whole lot for most shooters, it's certainly noticeable (well explain more in the "shooting" section of this article).
The crown of the barrel is also slightly modified to boost accuracy. It's worth noting that the Glock 19 Gen 5 barrel (along with a few other major parts) aren't interchangeable with earlier iterations of the Glock 19, but even so, the aftermarket support for Glock is so immense nothing about parts replacement should be too difficult with the Gen 5 regardless.
An additional plus I should mention is the interchangeable backstraps that come with the gun- which is particularly useful if you're having trouble finding a comfortable grip. While many pistols have these nowadays, rest assumed Glock is not falling behind in that department.
Now, let's take a look at how this all comes together, shall we?
Shooting it
A quick trip to the range will tell you essentially everything you could need to know about the function and performance of your firearm, and that's exactly what I do first when I'm breaking in a new member of my ballistic circle.
So, how'd the Glock 19 Gen 5 do?
Well, the improved handling characteristics over the previous generation made it much more comfortable to shoot for an extended period- particularly with +P ammo (for the uninitiated, in layman's terms, this is ammo that is loaded to a very high chamber pressure, which gives it more velocity- and recoil- than "normal" ammo). Even after about 600 rounds, my hands didn't feel all beat up the way they would've if it was a 4th generation model with +P ammo.
As could be expected of a Glock, the Glock 19 Gen 5 had zero failures in all 600 or so rounds I put through it on my last range trip- which is pretty much always the result I get with any Glock. Most of the ammo I used was Winchester 124 grain full metal jacket but a sizeable amount (at least 100 rounds) where Cor-Bon +P 125 grain JHP which I am considering using for a self-defense load.
Accuracy was respectable, too- I was able to score a roughly 3-inch group from 25 yards offhand using regular FMJ ammo mentioned prior (a little disclaimer, though: the trigger didn't help that much).
At the end of the day, it was a very pleasant shooting experience- easy to operate, comfortable to hold and shoot and, true to its reputation, a high-speed, low drag shooter that's utterly reliable and dependable. One final note: it's really no wonder this is a particular favorite of LEO's and competition shooters alike- all these come together to make it a super-fast handling gun with proper experience and training, and the light weight doesn't really seem to increase recoil all that much over heavier 9mm pistols like the Beretta 92, meaning it can be drawn and fired with precision at lightning fast speed. This isn't to say other pistols can't, but the Glock 19- due to its size and weight- probably is the fastest horse in the race in this regard for a non-dedicated competition pistol.
Pros and cons
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Final thoughts
So, there you have it.
Simple, reliable, and with all the handling characteristics one could desire (minus maybe the trigger and safety), the Glock series is renowned the world over for good reason, and the Glock 19 Gen 5 continues to build on its brethren's success in multiple ways. There's really little left to be desired, and regardless of the reason you feel you need a handgun, the Glock 19 Gen 5 can almost certainly meet your needs.
Its simplicity (that some people hate) is not a con- it's actually its greatest strength.
It's not perfect, of course, but when we state it's probably the best poly-striker in existence, I do feel like it deserves that title. It deserves respect, certainly, and who knows? Maybe once you've pick one up, you'll say the same.
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