Since Glock quietly dropped its outstanding Tenifer finish a few years ago, the replacement for it was less than satisfactory. A new proprietary nDLC finish on all the metal parts. Here are those five evolutionary upgrades with some commentary. Glock states that there are 20 total upgrades to the Gen5s, but I am only going to cover the five major ones that you are actually likely to notice.
I was suitably impressed and feel the Gen5s are likely the best Glocks yet.
If I could only own one 9mm, the G19 would probably be it.Ĭurrently, only two Glock models have received the Gen5 upgrade - the G17 and G19. I like the Glock 19, as it fits perfectly between the full-sized Glock 17 and the mini Glock 26, blending the best attributes of each. I recently tested a Gen5 Glock 19 at the Vance Outdoors indoor range in Columbus, Ohio. There is a modular backstrap system that allows Glock to be better tailored to the individual shooter’s hand and an MOS version that allows the mounting of a reflex-type optical sight at the rear of the slide. There have been new calibers in addition to the 9mm, changes in the grip frame (such as built-in finger grooves), and the addition of Picatinny frame railing for mounting lights and lasers.
The Glock line has undergone several evolutionary modifications in the last 25 years and is currently in its fourth generation (Gen4). Today, Glock is still the top choice of law enforcement for duty and off-duty pistols. Once those claims and beliefs were proven to be bogus, the Glock pistol line took off. It was also said to be fragile due to the polymer frame, which everyone “knew” would melt if left in sunlight too long. It was reputed at first to be undetectable by X-ray machines and metal detectors at airports. Just like the 1911, the Glock has been a controversial handgun.
It also introduced the “Safe Action” trigger system that eliminated the need for a manual safety, while providing a lightweight, 5.5-pound trigger pull. The Glock 17 introduced the first commercially successful semi-automatic combat pistol that used a polymer rather than a steel or aluminum frame. There was nothing that was done to the original design that changed the profile or basic operational system save for a few models that used a double-action trigger system (such as the short-lived Colt Double Eagle). All evolutionary, but none revolutionary. Changes were made in metals used for construction, finishes, calibers, sighting systems and operational controls. Since then, modifications to the 1911A1 have been developed at an almost non-stop rate. There have been many modifications to the original 1911 over the years, with the first official updates added to it in the form of the A1 version adopted by the military in 1924.
Like all revolutionary designs, it was - and still is to some extent - controversial. Third, it’s chambered for a cartridge that became renowned for its stopping power against human targets. Second, it’s an extremely accurate handgun, even in its pure military guise. First, it’s extremely reliable - reliable enough to serve as our primary military sidearm for 74 years and as a law enforcement sidearm for even longer. The 1911 was revolutionary for three basic reasons. The 9mm Glock 17, introduced in 1982, was also revolutionary. 45 ACP pistol, which is still extremely popular even 106 years after its introduction. Firearms of any given type only get one shot (pun intended) at being revolutionary.