Best 9mm Glock Pistols: A Complete Guide

Although Glock pistols have been a mainstay of the gun business for many years, even the most knowledgeable gun enthusiasts may find it difficult to understand the wide range and types of Glocks and their modifications available.

Unsurprisingly, these Austrian-made pistols have become so reliable and simple that they have developed a cult-like following. But how does one make their way through the world of Glock handguns when there are so many variations available?

We dissect the best Glocks in this extensive guide, covering everything from model and generation to frame size and intended use. Prepare to become an authority on anything Glock and locate the ideal pistol for your requirements.

What is a Glock?

Among civilian gun owners, law enforcement personnel, and gun enthusiasts alike, Glock handguns are now well-known. It should come as no surprise that Glock has grown to be one of the most well-known pistol manufacturers worldwide given its distinctive appearance and dependability.

Glock guns, which were first released in 1986, are renowned for its striker-fired mechanism and polymer frame construction. This was a major advancement in handgun technology that completely changed the way handguns were made. The pistols were stronger, lighter, and more resistant to wear and corrosion because of the use of polymer frames.

Glock models resemble one another, however there are minor yet significant modifications between the models. The grip and characteristics of the gun, as well as its size and caliber, can all be influenced by these changes. Custom Glocks offer users the opportunity to optimize performance, ergonomics, and aesthetics according to their shooting style and requirements.

Glock Numbering System

Models may be distinguished from one another using their unique numbering scheme. Glock handguns come in more than 50 types nowadays; the Glock 48 is the latest. Those who are not familiar with the brand’s naming procedures may find it puzzling because the numbers don’t match up with attributes like magazine capacity or cartridge size.

Glock uses this sequential numbering scheme just to maintain track of the order in which they released their models into the commercial or law enforcement/military markets.

Top Glock 9mm Models 2024

The most popular 9mm Glocks:

1. Glock 17
2. Glock 19
3. Glock 26
4. Glock 34
5. Glock 43

Glock 17

The famed Glock 17 is a firearm known for its reliability, simplicity, and efficiency. The 17-round magazine slot and a 9x19mm chamber make it extra-well equipped to handle the foe in just a few seconds without losing its mobility.

The Glock 17 is built of polymer and, thereby, it is characterized by its lightweight and strength with the frame. The super-low bore axis and ergonomics of the grip make it the first choice for everyone, as they elevate the handling and reduce the recoil.

The 4.49-inch barrel is what enables the Glock 17 to be highly accurate in both high-power scenarios as well as far range shooting. Its slim silhouette is a testament to the fact it has not sacrificed any power even Though it is only 22 ounces, it is complete and is a designation for the concealment of weapons and carrying.

One of the features of the Glock 17’s setup design that is worth noting would be the handy Picatinny rail which enables it to take lights and lasers, shortening the time needed to switch the required accessories, allowing people to use it for various purposes, such as the military battlefield or the civilian self-protection.

The Glock17 is undeniably the most innovatively designed handgun, among all. The gun is virtually unmeasurable to any other guy, as it is the gun that is the basis for his characters and his strength. This gun has been the only thing he has had since he’s been on the show and he has gotten it somewhere, so he can’t use any gun that he wants to.

Glock 19

The Glock 19 Gen 3 was the family’s first small handgun, and it was initially released in 1988. The Glock 19 would be the result of starting with a Glock 17 and cutting off half of the grip, barrel, and slide.

The G19 has the same width as the G17, but it has a 4-inch barrel and a standard capacity of just 15+1 bullets as the Glock 19 Gen 3 frame and magazine are shorter. This mid size Glock, which weighs little over 21 ounces without a magazine and slightly over 30 ounces loaded, is very well-liked by both law enforcement and private shooters.

Its concealability and shootability are expertly balanced. The G19 has been the best-selling pistol in America for the past several years, narrowly defeating the outstanding (and somewhat small) SIG P365, most estimates place it at this level almost annually.

When someone asks experts what pistol is ideal for concealed carry, the Glock 19 is perhaps the most frequently suggested model. Given its exceptional dependability, shootability, accuracy, user-friendliness, and ideal size—not too big, not too small—the G19 is a good option for the majority of users.

Glock 19 Gen 3 Accessories

A variety of accessories are available for the Glock 19 Gen 3 to enhance performance and personalization. These consist of holsters for different carry styles, improved sights for increased visibility, grip upgrades for better control, magazine extensions for increased capacity, trigger upgrades for smoother pulls, weapon lights for low light, magazine well extensions for quicker reloading, improved manipulation for the slide, and barrels that are ready for additional attachments such as suppressors or optics.

Tools and supplies for cleaning your gun are also offered for upkeep. Since Glocks are equipped with Glock’s safe action system, which has several internal safeties to prevent accidental discharges, the concept of Glocks with switches is not common.

The Glock 19fs, which has an extra safety lever on the trigger, is one example of an optional external safety device that some models may provide.

Glock 26

Covering the niche concealed carry guns and deep concealment, the Glock 26 is a compact bomb that would blow your mind. Launched in 1996, the G26 was the first extremely short Glock, made specifically for the people who must have their weapon covered and carried all day long.

G26 is the abbreviated version of already compact Glock 19, where an additional half-inch is removed from the barrel giving the total length of 3.43 inches. The slide has been cut to the same size, and the tube has been reduced by 0.8”. This way the G26 is very easy to hide with an all-out length of 6.5 inches and a height of over four inches.

However, do not be deceived by its smallness because the G26 is a tiny gun that can hold ten 9mm rounds of ammo in a flush-fit magazine, so it is a great option for people who need a small, no-nonsense weapon for self-defense.

The weight of the G26 is the main reason for this. Even when it is fully loaded, the G26 weighs just a little more than 25 oz. It is also lightweight and convenient for long-term carrying. Compatibility with the big brothers of G26, namely G19 and G17 is a great advantage of the G26.

The grasp size, slide thickness, trigger reach, and buttons are all equal which means the move between weapons and muscle memory becomes easier. Moreover, this quality makes the G26 an exceptional secondary weapon to policemen, soldiers, or secret agents who carry the full-size or medium-size Glock models as their lawful duty weapons.

Glock 34

Manufactured in 1988, this gun was created with the action-pistol competition shooter in mind. It was developed in order to satisfy the strict size stipulations of the different organizations, which made the long Glock 17L slide illegal.

The Glock 34 has a 21mm longer barrel and slide compared to the Glock 17. A longer barrel allows the sight radius to be increased, which in turn helps the shooter aim more precisely leading to better accuracy. The longer dimension of the slide is also associated with weight distribution, which, in turn, allows smoother shooting.

Aesthetic factors such as an extended magazine release and slide stop lever allow the shooter to reload the gun faster and simpler. The single-action trigger pull is shorter due to the use of a special connector, which gives the forefinger a quicker response to the recoil and hence, follows up target acquisition. Besides, some SKUs are also equipped with a rear sight, adjustability of which allows for better precision.

The gun features of the Glock 34 also qualify it for competition purposes. Both the edges of the slide and the machined surfaces show evidence of hand finishing to a high degree such that the slide can be easily inserted back into the holster. The top of the slide is cut and the balancing and timing of the gun are further polished.

However, the veritable proving ground of a competition gun is its performance on the range. And the Glock 34 agrees. Its longer sight radius, soft-shooting characteristics, reliability, and accuracy make it a top choice for serious competition shooters.

Glock 43

The X in Glock 43X stands for “ten,” as it uses 10-round magazines rather than the G43’s typical 6-round ones. This is a significant improvement to the Glock 43. Its revised grip and frame give it almost the same footprint as a standard G43. The G43X is 6.5 inches long overall and 3.41 inches long in the barrel. Its width is 1.10 inches.

Between bigger Glocks like the G19 and smaller Glocks like the normal G43, the G43X fills the void. The G43X is the pistol you want if you want something smaller but still have a respectable amount of capacity. What happens if you adore red dots and desire the G43X frame? Glock’s G43x MOS will take care of you.

It’s obvious that the MOS classification makes it suitable for optics. We strongly advise purchasing the MOS version if you have the additional funds available, since it comes with all the advantages of the G43X platform in addition to an optics-ready handgun.

Glock 47

The Glock 47 MOS is physically a G17 upper assembly attached to a G45-sized frame. This development in firearms will allow law enforcement and military to bring along some of the newest and complex weapons available.

This is cherished for the fact that the Glock 47 combines the size of Glock 19 with the capabilities of a Glock 17. To be gained from such combinations is the groundbreaking dimension of an intricate design of the G47’s slides that permits a rather simplistic mallet and plug exchange.

The G47 SOS functions identically to the G17 Gen5 MOS kit, which is a well-known weapon because of its accuracy, toughness, and easy use. Yet, the folks using the G47 can enjoy a short dust cover which makes the piece easier to carry and handle as well.

The G47 automotive software, with the aforementioned capability, can also be joined with these three aforementioned Glock models. Part of the attraction is that the G45 MOS, G17 Gen5 MOS, and G19 Gen5 MOS all have common parts and the G47 can be integrable with these models without any changes.

Glock 48

The Glock 48, which was announced at the 2019 SHOT Show together with the G43X, uses the 10-round, slimline grip frame that the G43X has, but has a longer slide and barrel. The old G43 only has 3.4” barrel, whereas the G48 has already been mounted to 4.17”.

The G48, with one doubled overloaded clip on it, has unarguably become the selling commodity in the case of the Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) market not to mention all of the relatively slim, compact pistols that still retain the higher velocities, longer sight radius, and reduced recoil characteristics available from longer slides and barrels.

The 9mm round is the one it is meant for and is held in the magazines. Standard Glock factory magazines for the G48 are 10 rounds holding 9mm but Shield Arms have come up with a metal, aftermarket G48 magazine that can store 15 rounds in the standard flush-fit format and 20 rounds with an extension!

Final Thoughts

Although the G19 is the standard best Glock for carrying hidden, you can see that Glock offers much more than just their widely available 9mm handguns. Their assortment of cartridges and weapon combinations truly caters to nearly any requirement, ranging from hunting and bear protection to deep concealment.

FAQs

Q. Do glocks have a safety?

The “Safe Action” system, an integrated safety feature found in Glocks, consists of three passive safety mechanisms: drop safety, firing pin safety, and trigger safety. Traditional manual external safety switches are absent from them.

Q. Where are glocks made?

There are various places where Glocks are made, mostly in Austria, although there are also sites in the US.

Q. Why are glocks so popular?

The popularity of Glocks may be attributed to its reputation for dependability, robustness, ease of use, and broad acceptance among law enforcement, the military, and civilian users. They provide a large selection of models to meet diverse demands and provide reliable performance under a variety of circumstances.

Q. How much do glocks cost?

Glocks range in price based on model, features, and location. Prices for the majority of models typically fall between $500 to $700, with certain specialist or bespoke variations costing more.