I have been looking at a couple of new Glock models and I see that most of them are coming pretty standard with these front serrations. If I were to buy a model that allowed me to have a rear mount optic, it is looking like the front cuts are part of the package. I have shot many different guns for many years with and without optics, I am failing to see why this is a standard thing on many guns and manufacturers. I have tried a couple friends' guns with the front slide cuts, they make the draw less smooth on many holsters, chew up the inside of the holster, and collect gunk and debris in the ridges. I am not seeing a practical use that would necessitate having these slide cuts standard on a stock, non-race run.

I have heard people say then use the front cuts for press checks, but I've never had a problem using the rear ones on the hundreds of guns I've used over the years to perform press checks. In the case of the Glock and many other modern pistols, the loaded chamber indicator I can easily see from at least a few feet away if it is loaded, and in complete darkness I can feel if it is loaded with certainty without having to take the gun out of battery, and then the standard rear serrations are there as well. I don't know why anyone would like to have their hands or fingers anywhere closer to the muzzle of the pistol than they need to be, when the rear cocking serrations are available and at the back of the gun and are that way commonly on most pistols. If you tell me these front cocking serrations are just for Tacti-cool looks, I'm all good with that - to each their own, but anything other than that I am not seeing a useful benefit, and quite frankly I only see many drawbacks.

I see on Glock web page that shows MOS models without the front cuts, but all I see available out in the field are the ones with front cuts. Does Glock still make these models that are actually available, that has the MOS rear cut, and does not have the front slide cuts?

I forgot to specify, but I am looking for a Gen 5 19 MOS without the front serrations.

When you say you've never had a problem doing a press check with the rear serrations, were those on pistols with optics?

My Gen 4 G40MOS has no front serrations. There is plenty of slide forward of the ejection port to grab, on the G40, and the slide isn't slick, unlike many of my other Glocks with the teflon finish.

It's possible to put the hand over the slide and press on the optic for a check, though that does put your hand over the ejection port.

I've never had a round discharge when ejecting a live round, though I have seen pictures of hands that were covering the port when that happened.

With the MOS cut on my G40, the rear sight actually hangs off the back of the slide to make room, limiting the approach for a grip from the rear.

Nothing to do with looks or "tacticool," but front serrations on this pistol would be functional.

quote:

Originally posted by chewbackup:
I see on Glock web page that shows MOS models without the front cuts, but all I see available out in the field are the ones with front cuts. Does Glock still make these models that are actually available, that has the MOS rear cut, and does not have the front slide cuts?

Those would be the Gen 4 G19 MOS, which don't have front serrations: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g19-gen4-mos

The Gen 5 G19 MOS that you're looking for all include front serrations, and have since their first introduction: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g19-gen5-mos-fs

However, the standard Gen 5 G19s don't have front serrations, so you could get one of those and then pay to have it custom milled for an optic mount. But that will come out to be more expensive in total than just buying a MOS.

So your options are to pay the custom milling premium, or go with a Gen 4 instead of a Gen 5 (I wouldn't; the Gen 5 is worth it), or just live with the front serrations.

Cool thanks for info, and yes I have done many press checks with optics on many guns, never had an issue using the rear or the provided LCI. I see that unless I am missing something, when Glock moved from gen 4 to gen 5 they have the front serrations on standard now across the board. I was hoping maybe they had an option as a carryover or something that I was missing, but that seems not the case.

Thanks Rogue for the insight on the option configs, I would only go with the gen 5 for the lack of finger grooves. My thought was to replace my old Gen 2 with a gen 5 mos, and have the option of going with an optic. The front grooves are a no go for me on this gun.

quote:

Originally posted by chewbackup:
My thought was to replace my old Gen 2 with a gen 5 mos, and have the option of going with an optic. The front grooves are a no go for me on this gun.

If the optic is the only thing you're after, then you could send your Gen 2 slide off to get milled. You won't get the benefit of any of the various Gen 3/4/5 upgrades, but you also won't have any front serrations, and it'll be cheaper than buying a whole new gun.

quote:

Originally posted by chewbackup:
I would only go with the gen 5 for the lack of finger grooves.

Then you could get a Gen 4 MOS, and send the frame off to a grip modder to have the finger grooves removed and the grip restippled. But you won't get the benefits of the various Gen 5 upgrades to the trigger/barrel/rifling/etc., which IMO are well worth it. However, you won't have to deal with front serrations either.


Honestly, your best option is just to suck it up, get a Gen 5 MOS with all its beneficial upgrades, not have to pay to have it customized, and then just don't use the front serrations. In my experience, the front serrations on these Glocks aren't aggressive enough to interfere with draws or chew up holsters, which seem to be your main concerns. And they don't collect any more gunk or debris than the rear serrations present on all Glocks.

(Sure, they may look a little funny, but it's a Glock... It's more utilitarian than artistic anyway. )

After all, people said similar things when rails were introduced, with fears of them chewing up holsters, interfering with draws, etc. But those fears turned out to not be an issue, and those are basically ubiquitous on most handguns nowadays, with users merely deciding whether they're going to utilize them or ignore them. I'm like you in that I don't really see the need for front serrations on a Glock, and would prefer that they not have them. But I also don't think they have any real drawbacks either, and it's simply not worth going well out of your way to attempt to avoid them altogether.

Find an early run regular Gen5 and mill the slide. You will get no front serrations, Gen5 updates, and a milled mount that would be better than the MOS.
The only thing is you will have a half moon cutout on the mag well.

Yes. Find an early Gen5. According to my sources, Glock is phasing out the Gen4, and what you see in the current Gen5 inventory will be the only offerings.

Unless you catch special runs from Lipseys or the like.

I like the overall improvements of the Gen 5 going from the gen 2, so its an easy choice to go that route. Id like to avoid modification of the gun with having it milled, just wish they came in the configuration without having to mod or spend extra money!

It would be my luck, Glock will release some frankengun down the line after I make my purchase LOL.

Jones and Nismo are spot on. I can take or leave the front serrations myself but Glock seems to be about them. Eventually the aftermarket slide market will have more Gen 5 offerings and you could likely have a slide cut however you want from a blank.