Glock G17 Vs G19 - The long-standing rivalry between the Glock 17 and the Glock 19 is one of the most contentious issues among Glock owners. People take this Glock 17 vs Glock 19 comparison seriously, and discussions about 'which is better' can get heated quickly.
I know, therefore, that I will receive several angry emails after writing this review, from people who claim that I have been deceived. I want to respond to those people before we go any further, by saying that I understand that the 'best weapon' is always the best gun for you.
Glock G17 Vs G19
If you prefer to shoot with the 17 or 19, good for you. Ultimately, having the right gun for you makes you a better shooter.
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But I'm just going to come out and say it - in my opinion, the Glock 19 is better. The Glock 17 and 19 are exceptional weapons, using the latest materials and a simple and reliable design.
Both offer the same triple-safe-action mechanism, both are best-selling pistols, and both have deadly accuracy in the right hand. But - and it's a big but - the Glock 19, being a bit smaller, is better for concealment, and as such, it's my preferred gun.
This is not to simplify the issue. Let's look at the main points of similarity and difference between the guns, and why you should choose one over the other.
Let's go over some basics, for those of you who are new to this debate.
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The Glock 17 and Glock 19 are essentially the same gun, except that the Glock 19 has a slightly smaller barrel and grip. This means it is classified as a compact and not a full-size pistol.
Furthermore, the gun is really similar. Both chamber the 9mm cartridge, both are made from the same mix of steel and polymer, and both are valued by police and military forces around the world for their reliability.
When Gaston Glock, the Austrian genius, sat down to design a weapon in the early 1980s, he had no experience with weapons.
This made it a resounding success – the Glock 17 was quickly adopted by shooters across Europe, and even received a NATO stock number. 19, as a compact version, was first released in 1988.
Glock G17 Vs Glock G19 Size Comparison
Both weapons are constantly evolving, with the latest model being the Gen 4 series. It is slightly smaller than its predecessor, the Gen 3, although in all other respects the same.
Some veteran shooters prefer the older Gen 3 models, but in my experience, it makes no difference.
Again, in terms of cost, the two weapons are almost the same. In terms of handguns, both come in at the more expensive end of the range, but you get what you pay for when it comes to handguns.
Additionally, the fact that the Glock 17 and Glock 19 have been around for so long now means that there are plenty of accessories available for both, from great holsters to more advanced aftermarket sights.
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Well, the truth is that what is best for you depends on many factors. Let's look at some of the differences between the Glock 17 and the Glock 19.
The grip on the Glock 17 will extend beyond the hand of most users, while the grip on the 19 will go under your hand. The size difference also extends to the trigger mechanism, with the 19 being slightly tighter than the larger 17.
These differences will affect which one you prefer, but whether you are large or small. For most of us, although the difference in size is noticeable, no gun is too big or too small.
Of course, some people prefer the feel of a larger gun. On the other hand, having a small gun can increase the ability to conceal it (especially for women who do), which I'll talk more about below.
Glock 17 Vs. 19
This is the most common argument used by those who say the Glock 17 is a better gun.
With its longer barrel, he claims, the 17 is slightly more accurate than its smaller sibling. I hate to break them, but both in my experience and after some extensive research, I think they are wrong.
The reason for this is that the mechanical accuracy of the gun is generally less than your experience using it. Face it, a half-inch difference between the barrels of two guns is small compared to the skill of the person shooting them.
It is for this reason that makes a direct comparison of the technical accuracy of the two pistols somewhat pointless. Both may be more accurate than I can extract from them (and maybe you).
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So, by this criteria, I have to conclude that there is no difference between the Glock 17 and the Glock 19.
Technically, the Glock 17, being slightly heavier and larger, should have less recoil than the smaller Glock 19. However, in testing, this was not the case.
In fact, the difference in weight between the two guns is so small that it's impossible to feel it for most users, and the same goes for recoil.
Therefore, I'm tempted to suggest that people who feel a difference between the two guns in this regard are delusional.
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The answer to this question is quite simple - both of these guns are Glock, and therefore reliable.
It is worth noting that the Glock 17, the older of the two models, was originally designed to replace WW2-era pistols used by the Austrian police, and therefore reliability was prioritized above all else in the design and production of the gun
In my personal experience, I have never seen a gun. I'm sure it's possible, through a series of handler errors, to rip people off, but for most people two guns are usually as reliable as they get.
In the discussion of which is the better gun, much has been made of the fact that the Glock 17 has a larger ammunition magazine than the 19. This is true - the standard magazine of the Glock 17 holds 17 rounds, the Glock 19 15.
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Now. There are several important situations. If you're using your Glock for certain types of competition, for example, and you're really going to run through the magazine at once, it's worth looking for a larger magazine.
However, in my opinion, the difference between these two rounds means very little for practical purposes. Some will say that, in a self-defense situation, you can never have too many rounds in a magazine.
I imagine this is the same person who, under those circumstances, would fire a full magazine in two seconds, and probably hit it once. There is no point in planning your self defense strategy how many times you will miss.
If you need 17 rounds (or 5, for that matter) to kill an attacker, you should spend more time at the range.
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Maybe. Perhaps, once in a hundred, a potential attacker will be better stopped by the Glock 17 than the 19.
But, by that logic, you might as well ask for an assault rifle. And frankly, if you're worried about half an inch, your insecurities won't be allayed by the Glock 17.
There are places where the different sizes of the two guns make a real difference, though, and that's where concealment comes into play. First, I'll point out that it's not the barrel size that makes the difference, it's the grip. The half inch taken off the Glock 19's grip makes concealment easier than the numbers would indicate, on paper.
If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate, where thin shirts are common, the pistol grip is often more prone to punctures than the barrel, and therefore, the Glock 19 is preferable in these situations.
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All that said, however, concealment is more of an art form than a science, and the size of the gun is just one factor that can hide it as well. Where you carry it, and what kind of holster you use, can make all the difference. Additionally, your choice of clothing can contribute to concealment.
For that reason, I would not say that the Glock 19 is the perfect concealed carry pistol. These two guns are very well concealed. However, the 19's slightly smaller profile gives it an edge.
For a fun summary of everything in this article, check out the infographic below (and check out the "winners").
No review can recommend the perfect pistol. The best gun you've ever used, can rely on, and have trained with for hours.
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Both of these weapons - both Glocks
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