The Greatest Glock Pistols of all Time

Time for some Pew-parison

Glock is one of the most well-known names in handguns, and they manufacture a diverse and versatile line of pistols – including a pistol in every major caliber.

There is no shooting need that cannot be met with a Glock pistol. Choosing a Glock to suit your needs is difficult but possible after considering the differences and weighing the advantages of each model.

Vote below for the greatest Glock pistols of all time:

#1 Glock 19

The Glock 19 is the most versatile option if you’re going to buy just one handgun.

This model has a compact profile and size, which is ideal for multiple purposes.

The 15-round magazine and 4-inch barrel are solid advantages for defensive use without compromising size and concealability.

Additionally, the grip is longer and more comfortable for average-sized hands - this means that the most shooters will be able to get a full four-finger grip on the gun, which makes it nearly as controllable as a full-size pistol.

Where it really shows its versatility and adaptability is for concealed carry purposes and competition arenas.

The unit is light and compact, small enough to conceal with the right loose-fitting clothing and effective carry position. However, it’s not so small that it can be universally concealable.

The Glock 19 it’s adequate competition model, but it is surpassed by its larger relatives in terms of magazine capacity and barrel length. Beginner competitive shooters will get along fine with one, but more experienced competitive shooters will probably want a larger frame.

The versatility is what makes it the best overall Glock handgun. It performs equally well for all shooting purposes. Unless you have one specific reason for owning a gun, this is the best option.

This model is capable enough in all situations to be called the ideal general handgun. It’s perfect for shooters who want one gun that will work for all their shooting contexts and don’t have excessive performance requirements or a need for concealment.

35 points
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#2 Glock 17

The full-sized Glock 17 is ideal for home defense needs. It also makes an excellent competition pistol. The most obvious drawback is the size - these larger handguns are not suitable for concealed carry.

The Glock 17 has a 17-round magazine and 4.49-inch barrel, making it perfect for self-defense. These factors increase the size and limit its concealability.

Obviously, a 17-round magazine has benefits for self-defense. The more bullets available in that first magazine, the greater your chances of ending the conflict before having to reload.

The longer barrel provides some less obvious benefits:

First, it provides higher muzzle velocity. This is critical for defensive use. Higher velocity is necessary for hollow point ammunition to expand and perform as intended.

Second, it provides longer sight radius. The greater distance between the front and rear sights, provided by a longer slide, improves accuracy during sighted fire. The longer barrel also slightly reduces the cone of deviation, which help your shots converge in a smaller group. It is important to remember that poor technique can eliminate the advantages of a longer barrel.

The Glock 17 is also easy to shoot. Recoil is minimized and mitigated by the full-size frame, which also provides greater muzzle control. Better control can only be found in the competition models.

The disadvantage with the larger frame is reduced concealability. The frame will typically bulge or otherwise indicate the presence of a gun on most average-sized people, and it is difficult to conceal comfortably.

12 points
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#3 Glock 43

This gun is built first and foremost for concealment. As expected, it has all of the typical disadvantages of a concealed handgun, but can be concealed on just about any body type and clothing choice.

As with any Glock, you can expect the characteristic reliability and simplicity.

The 6-round magazine makes it ultra-concealable, but adds the risk of emptying the magazine quickly before the conflict resolution.

The 3.39 inch barrel fits comfortably in any concealed position. This is smaller than other single stack pistols - Glock wanted a model that stands out among the competitors.

The slim grip is an ideal design for shooters with small hands. Averaged-sized hands will have difficulty controlling recoil, however. The handgun is small enough that it should ideally be used by experienced shooters with good practiced technique to control the muzzle and recoil.

The Glock 43 is for shooters who need concealability, and have no intentions for competition or any serious concerns about home defense.

#4 Glock 26

The Glock 26 is a subcompact model, which means that it provides a great balance between concealability and performance. The smaller grip makes this model easier to conceal, while the barrel length still provides limited accuracy.

The short grip that minimizes printing, so you can conceal this Glock universally under almost any type of clothing.

The immediate drawback is that it only holds 10 rounds in the magazine. This is necessary for concealed carry, but for defensive use, 10 rounds will quickly empty the magazine and leave the defender vulnerable.

The short grip also makes this model more difficult to shoot. An shooter’s hand size can only fit three fingers on the grip, which means less control and recoil mitigation.

This model has a 3.26 inch barrel to make the gun more comfortable and concealable. Unfortunately, the trade-off is that it reduces the sight radius and impedes the muzzle velocity. These are the physical limitations of any concealed carry model.

As a defensive gun, it is perfectly adequate. It is best as an option for those who want just one gun for concealment and personal defensive purposes. The limitations on accuracy and capacity make it less suitable as a house gun, but it makes an outstanding secondary defensive gun.

Overall, the Glock 26 is the ideal choice for gun owners who want a capable concealed carry gun, but aren’t concerned about home invasion or prolonged gunfire exchanges.

#5 Glock 34

The Glock 34 is the best option for competition shooting. It also functions well as a crossover handgun, if you’re need a good defensive gun as well.

The two differences between the Glock 34 and the Glock 17 are the slide length and the barrel length. It has a 5.31 inch barrel, which is an ideal length for the accuracy necessary in competitive shooting.

It has the longest sight radius and highest muzzle velocities in the Glock catalog, as you would expect in a competitive performance firearm.

This also makes it a capable defensive gun. The accuracy is more than enough for defensive shooting, and the muzzle velocity will deter home invaders or any outdoor assault.

A 17-round magazine is held in the full-size frame. This is great for defensive use, and the defender need not worry about immediate reloading. It is also a great capacity for competition shooting. Its competitive performance is also enhanced by some additional standard features.

Shooters with smaller hands will love the extended slide release and lighter trigger pull. This lighter pull will minimize muzzle migration during the trigger squeeze.

The final feature is a cutout for mounting optics on the slide. Gun owners who want to add optics without the additional work and cost of milling the slide will love this feature. Milling the slide can also ruin your gun if it’s done unprofessionally.

The Glock 34 is a great dual-purpose weapon for competitions and personal or home defense. The basic features make it competitive at most levels without heavy modification.

#6 Glock 32

The signature feature of Glock handguns is reliability. They work consistently when needed. However, the Glock 32 is the most reliable among a series of reliable pistols, and this comes from the .357 Sig round.

.357 Sig was designed in the 1990’s to produce a more accurate and more powerful round without compromising magazine capacity.

They achieved this by using a 10mm case and necking it down to .357 caliber. Using a necked casing for more performance gave the benefit of improving reliability, since the necked case feeds into the barrel smoothly, reducing feed-related jams and malfunctions.

The Glock 32 is an exceptionally powerful handgun, while also the most reliable Glock model. Additionally, it is designed with a versatile compact form, which makes it concealable enough to be a concealed carry gun for most shooters, while also capable enough for home defense.

The first drawback is that it only has a 13 round magazine, and .357 Sig ammunition is expensive and can be hard to find.

Second, the .357 Sig round has a snappier recoil than the 9mm. This makes it harder to control than the Glock 19. The more powerful recoil is difficult for new shooters to handle.

Overall, it delivers an excellent balance between performance and reliability. For experienced shooters who most value reliability and ballistic performance, this is a perfect choice.

-4 points
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#7 Glock 20

The full-sized Glock 17 is ideal for home defense needs. It also makes an excellent competition pistol. The most obvious drawback is the size - these larger handguns are not suitable for concealed carry.

The Glock 17 has a 17-round magazine and 4.49-inch barrel, making it perfect for self-defense. These factors increase the size and limit its concealability.

Obviously, a 17-round magazine has benefits for self-defense. The more bullets available in that first magazine, the greater your chances of ending the conflict before having to reload.

The longer barrel provides some less obvious benefits:

First, it provides higher muzzle velocity. This is critical for defensive use. Higher velocity is necessary for hollow point ammunition to expand and perform as intended.

Second, it provides longer sight radius. The greater distance between the front and rear sights, provided by a longer slide, improves accuracy during sighted fire. The longer barrel also slightly reduces the cone of deviation, which help your shots converge in a smaller group. It is important to remember that poor technique can eliminate the advantages of a longer barrel.

The Glock 17 is also easy to shoot. Recoil is minimized and mitigated by the full-size frame, which also provides greater muzzle control. Better control can only be found in the competition models.

The disadvantage with the larger frame is reduced concealability. The frame will typically bulge or otherwise indicate the presence of a gun on most average-sized people, and it is difficult to conceal comfortably.

-5 points
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Written by Sgt. Gunner

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