I don't run my Glocks too very often as I pretty much went back to DA/SA several years ago but since I do like to shoot and I like to get them all out every so often I grabbed a couple Glocks and took a "kinetic lunch" today.

I shot a GEN 4 Glock 17 back to back with a GEN 5 Glock 19. As I was running them I started thinking that for departments that issue the G17 or G17 and G19......why not just issue the G19 for everybody? It seems to me that the less bulk on a duty belt carrying a ton of other gear the better and the G19 is absolutely less bulky.

Running them back to back neither really seemed to shoot drastically better then the other. I actually probably ran the G19 better today.

I get sight radius but it doesn't seem to be that big of deal in these two for all practical purposes.

I get the 17 has two more bangs and more is better but is 15 vs. 17 really huge factor?

The only thing I can think of is long term durability being a factor as the 19 is probably slightly less durable over the long hall vs. a larger G17.

It just seems like the G19 package makes a huge amount of sense as a total department single weapon running the gamut from duty belt, to plain clothes, to off duty.

All that being said I really like the Glock 17.....well as much as one can like a Glock but I digress. It just seems dollar for dollar pound for pound why not just issue G19s or 23s across the board?

Anyhoo, just gun geek musings.

Take care, shoot safe.
Chris

There's a lot to be said for a full grip.

I guess for me the G19 is a full grip. Makes perfect sense though for men with well actual man hands. I’m gonna go sob quietly now.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
There's a lot to be said for a full grip.

Exactly!

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
I guess for me the G19 is a full grip. Makes perfect sense though for men with well actual man hands. I’m gonna go sob quietly now.

Full grip for some. We have several officers that hold a Glock 19, like most of us hold a Glock 26 with flush fit base plate.

For the most part, it all goes back to grip length. Less important, and believe it or not, chiefs and sheriffs like the appearance of a full size gun when officers are wearing Class A uniforms. Whether right or wrong, there is an unwritten rule that uniformed officers carry a full-size gun, and plainclothes or undercover officers carry a compact.

It is rare as hen's teeth in Arkansas LE to see a uniformed officer carrying a G19.

When I was in uniform, I much preferred the G17 because the size of its grip gave me of a more positive and consistent draw from a Safariland security holster. Also, in a gun grab attempt, the full size grip of the G17 gives officers a leverage advantage while trying to retain the weapon in a fight. Also, I liked the full size grip better for uniform patrol because if I got injured or shot, and the G17 became covered with blood, I felt the full size grip gave me a better opportunity at hanging on to the gun once it became slick.

That said, is a G19 capable of being carried on duty by a uniformed patrolman? Absolutely. It just doesn't happen much, and it has much more to do with grip length than capacity.

Yep. What they said.

I have big hands, and I greatly prefer the G17's grip. With the Gen 3/4 G19, the shortened grip and condensed finger groove just don't work for my big hands. (Luckily, the Gen 2 and Gen 5 work for me.)

I'm issued a G17 to carry on duty, but officers with smaller hands or who need a more concealable gun have the option of being issued a G19, so we have a few with 19s on their hip.

Makes total sense, I was just looking at it from my smaller hand point of view and totally missed thinking about the big pawed folks among us.

Thanks for the insight.

Larger grips are also good for when your strong-side elbow starts to itch.

My first duty gun was a HK USP .45, which as we all know is uuuuuuuuuge. I have hobbit hands, and was able to make it work. Loved that gun. But if I had to chose between a G 19 and 17 I'd probably go with the 19.

I carried a G23 for a while as a detective. Besides the HK, that was my favorite work gun.

G19 Finger grooves never fit me. But all around, I like the 17 better. I think the added size makes it more enjoyable to shoot.

In my opinion, the new Glock 45 really fits the bill for a good duty gun. Full sized 17 grip with 17 round magazines, shorter 19 size slide and barrel for more comfort when sitting, plus it has all of the Gen 5 improvements and a flared magwell.

All these reasons are why I think the G45 and 19x are a perfect balance between the advantages of a slightly shorter 19 upper and that full grip size of the 17. The combo makes for an extremely well balanced and shootable package

Glock 19x, I'm a believer.

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
I guess for me the G19 is a full grip. Makes perfect sense though for men with well actual man hands. I’m gonna go sob quietly now.

It's not just the length of the grip. Where the palm swell fits in the hand changes, depending on whether you're using a subcompact, compact, or full size Glock.

With a full size glock, the palm swell is lower, and the grip handles a little differently. Considerably more so with a Gen 4 and no backstrap. This is actually a plus for someone with a smaller hand (and there's nothing wrong with a smaller hand). I don't have large hands, but given a choice, I prefer the larger grip. It actually has the effect of feeling like a smaller grip...just longer.

As for service use, well others are more qualified to respond with that. But I will add that with duty carry there's not a size concern afoot there like for us civilians when CCing a gun. The compact Glock frame makes it readily viable whereas the full size G17 is less so. Then there's the notion that there's two more rounds in the firearm as well; never can overlook that important tidbit.

Until the Gen5 I would NEVER choose a G17 over a G19. That damnable palm swell in the backstrap is more pronounced in the 'full grip' gun. Always used to throw me off. Plus for me I'm one of those as well that the compact Glock frame really IS a 'full grip'. With the Gen5 I swear Glock adjusted something more than finger groove deletion because it's here that the full size gun really comes into its own. Whether Gen5 G17/34, G19X or G45, I prefer those over any 'standard' Gen5 G19.

For duty carry, the Glock 19 has nothing to offer. Nothing. It holds two rounds less. Holster length isn't an issue, because a vast majority of cops out there are carrying guns with lights on them, and the lights protrude further than barrel anyway. The extra grip length doesn't matter in patrol or investigations.

Most detectives don't try to "conceal" their pistols because they carry the Safariland ALS paddle holster, which is impossible to conceal unless you are wearing a coat 9x too big. Issuing the 19 to detectives is actually sort of dumb. The guys that really need to conceal their stuff (dope for instance) won't be carrying either gun anyways.

Smaller framed shooters don't really have the advantage in the Gen5 guns that they had in previous generations. The Gen5 G17 doesn't "fit" them better or worse than the G19 does. previous generations there was a difference.

You might as well go with more bullets given the choice. If agencies choose the 19, ok good on them.

I prefer the G19 over the G17 for the same reason I prefer a 4&1/4” Commander-length over a 5” full-size M1911; it just feels better to me in my hand. YMMV.

I don’t shoot the G19 nearly as well as the G17. Sure I like the size of the G19, but for some reason the G17 just works better for me all around.

Now that it is an option, I would jump on a 19X or 45 in a heartbeat for a duty application. I do have decent size hands so the 19 grip is a tad small for me as well.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
For duty carry, the Glock 19 has nothing to offer. Nothing. It holds two rounds less. Holster length isn't an issue, because a vast majority of cops out there are carrying guns with lights on them, and the lights protrude further than barrel anyway. The extra grip length doesn't matter in patrol or investigations.

Most detectives don't try to "conceal" their pistols because they carry the Safariland ALS paddle holster, which is impossible to conceal unless you are wearing a coat 9x too big. Issuing the 19 to detectives is actually sort of dumb. The guys that really need to conceal their stuff (dope for instance) won't be carrying either gun anyways.

Smaller framed shooters don't really have the advantage in the Gen5 guns that they had in previous generations. The Gen5 G17 doesn't "fit" them better or worse than the G19 does. previous generations there was a difference.

You might as well go with more bullets given the choice. If agencies choose the 19, ok good on them.

Very well said. My sausage fingers line up perfectly with the finger knobby things on the 19 size guns. Irritating as all get out. The full sized ones my fingers are off of those a little bit but, I can deal with it. I am not a Glock guy however, if I had to buy one it would be a Gen3 G17. I appreciate the Gen 3’s. They always seemed to work and the frying pan finish stood up to a beating!!!

When I worked dope we were issued a G27 to go along with our issued G22’s. I carried and concealed a G22 probably 80% of my time there. To me and probably my body shape/size/whatever it wore and hid more comfortably.

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:
When I worked dope we were issued a G27 to go along with our issued G22’s. I carried and concealed a G22 probably 80% of my time there. To me and probably my body shape/size/whatever it wore and hid more comfortably.

I work in plainclothes semi-regularly, and often carry my duty G17 with TLR-1 concealed. With the right clothes, and a quality holster and belt, it's no tougher for me to conceal than a G19. But I've got a broad torso. Smaller-statured guys have more trouble concealing the full-size gun, and benefit more from the reduced grip length of the compact or subcompact Glocks.