The Glock 19 has been around for decades. They are famous all over the world due to their accuracy, reliability, and price. The first generation came out in 1982, and it featured a polymer frame, which was uncommon back in the day. The first company to ever use this type of material was Heckler & Koch with their VP70. Glock revolutionized it twelve years later, and it became the standard for all the polymer-framed pistols that came out right after. The new pistol presents a pebble stone texture all around the grip, a stainless-steel barrel, and a half-moon mag well relief in the bottom of the front strap. The second generation turned up around 1988 and features different side grip panels, checkered front and back straps, a smooth dust cover, and mag well relief. By the late 1990s, Glock had become a dominant force in the market. Since several companies are trying to replicate the success of their pistols, Glock decided to update their lineup to stay ahead of the curve. This led to the release of the third generation. The development includes the infamous finger grooves in the front strap, accessory rail, and thumb rest. By the time the fourth generation was released in 2008, the competition was already high. Numerous gun manufacturers came up with more innovative and modern designs to compete in the polymer-framed pistol market. Glock had to answer the challenges by releasing a new iteration of its collection, adding a modular back strap and pyramid textures on the grip. However, Glock is still being scrutinized for its grip design, as not everyone has a big set of fingers. Wrapping your small hands around those finger grooves isn’t ideal or comfortable. Hence, the release of the fifth generation in 2017. With it comes a match-grade barrel, a curved top slide, a flared mag well, an ambidextrous slide release, and the introduction of a flat front strap.
If you look at the timeline, the release of its new versions is always close to the end of the decade. And if you have noticed, the upgrades are not that much except for the fifth generation. This is probably why a lot of gun enthusiasts started developing their own version of the Glock. Although some were successful, a lot of people failed and realized that modifying their Glock pistols to the extreme affected their reliability to the extent that they ended up reverting to their stock form.
Modification aside, Glock pistols in general have suffered massive problems. But in this article, we will focus solely on the Glock 19. The most common malfunctions reported online are ejection issues due to a weak ejector, the slide doesn’t always lock back on empty, or it locks back when there are still bullets left to feed, the trigger occasionally goes dead, feeding issues when there are only one or two rounds left in the magazine, the recoil spring slipping out of the groove, and failure to extract, which might be because the Glock 19 doesn’t have a spring-loaded bearing at the end of the extractor depressor plunger spring that goes in the extractor depressor plunger.
Now that we have all of that information out of the way, we can start focusing on the task at hand. I will be using my Glock 19 Gen 3 with a Faxon Match Grade Barrel, Ghost 3.3 Pro Connector, Overwatch Precision TAC Trigger, Trijicon HD XR Night Sights, Live Free Elite Slide, and Holosun407C. Everything else is stock to maintain the reliability of this specific pistol and this includes the recoil spring, all internal parts of the slide, and the rest of the trigger mechanism and its housing. This setup has an average trigger pull weight (10 pulls) of 2 Lb. and 9 Oz. I will be using Atlanta Arms Elite 115GR JHP Match Grade ammunition for accuracy testing. For reliability, I will be using Hornady Subsonic 147GR JHP, Hornady Critical Duty 135GR FlexLock, CCI Blazer 147GR TMJ, Winchester Target 115GR JHP, Federal Champion Training 115GR FMJ, and the remaining few Wolf 115GR Steel Cased ammunition that I have in my ammo can.
Just like before, the target that I’ll be using for the test is from T. Rex Arms. It has a 1-inch box in the middle and a 1.5-inch (inside diameter) and a roughly 3.4-inch (outside diameter) box in the top right corner.
The Range
After testing the custom P320 X-Compact, I’ll be using this modified Glock 19 Gen 3. I’m still here at my local outdoor range, enjoying the sun. The temperature here in California slightly went up to 79 degrees Fahrenheit, with a relative humidity of 48% and an elevation of around 1,053 feet.
Now, it is shooting time again. I shot probably over 250 rounds in 2 hours to warm up the barrel and re-zero my Red Dot Sight (RDS). Throughout the session, I did not experience any kind of failure. The pistol worked well, and it seems like it is ready and prepped for the next test.
Accuracy Test
I shot twenty rounds through my target, and the majority of them were right in the middle of the 1-inch box. But there are a couple that went to the upper and lower right corners of the square. I know I did not flinch at all, and I’m a right-handed shooter, so it would be difficult for me to pull the aim to the right. Normally, as the shooter squeezes the trigger, a right-hander would be slightly moving the pistol to the left; thus, the POI goes to the left (usually lower left) and vice versa. With that being said, I’m not too worried about it because all of it is within 1.85 inches of the widest end of the hole at 10 yards. One could argue that both are flyers, but we still need to include them in the result regardless of whether they are flyers or not. Please see Figure 1.2 below.
At 25 yards, once more, I can barely see the 1.5-inch box in the top right corner of my target. My 3 MOA RDS is set to the lowest setting, so I can be more accurate, but it is still covering most of the 1.5-inch box at this distance. Since I have astigmatism, this simple confirmation at 25 yards isn’t as simple as it sounds. I fired five shots, and the result can be seen below.
I managed to get two inside the 1.5-inch box that measures 0.4 inches from end to end and three inside the 3.40-inch box (outside diameter). I do not consider those three to be flyers, as they are consistent enough. Though I can give it the benefit of the doubt since my eyesight isn’t that great. Inclusively, the measurement of the five shots that I took from end to end is close to 1.65 inches at 25 yards.
Performance
This customized Glock 19 Gen 3 performed well. The accuracy is excellent, and the trigger is very smooth thanks to Ghost’s TCT and Overwatch Precision’s trigger. I tried pulling the trigger as fast as I could, and it felt like the pistol was in full auto. I managed to empty my 10-round magazine in roughly two seconds. Of course, my groupings were all over my target, but it was fun doing it. I wasn’t looking for precision when I did the rapid-fire. I was trying to push the limit and see what it felt like. Anyway, the felt recoil for this pistol is not much, and it is what you can expect from a 9 mm caliber firearm. The slide is easy to grab, but racking it is noticeably firm, and this is because of the stock recoil spring that I am using (and quite possibly the connector as well). The drop-in barrel surprisingly fitted perfectly into the slide. There was no play from left to right or from forward to back with the magazine out. Finally, the Holosun 407C tracked very well. Zeroing the RDS is easier since you can hear a click at every turn. After roughly 500 rounds with this optic, it is still keeping its zero with no issues at all. Using a holster poses no problem as well. I am very satisfied with the result I got today with this specific pistol.
Ergonomics
My Glock 19 Gen 3 uses the stock frame because it is pretty challenging to get an off-roster pistol here in California. As you all know, the frame itself is considered the pistol, so I cannot just order a grip module from out-of-state and have it sent over here. With that being said, the grip itself isn’t too bad. I have large hands, so my fingers fit perfectly into the finger grooves. I honestly did not have any problems with it. But I do have an issue with the trigger guard, as it is causing unnecessary pain to my right middle finger as I grab the grip handle. This can be easily fixed by making a larger cutout right under the trigger guard where it connects to the grip (right on top of the finger grooves). But I don’t want to do that, as I don’t want to make any changes that can compromise the dependability of the frame and/or the trigger guard. Although I believe that it is not going to do much damage to the integrity of the frame, I still want to be on the safe side. Also, the texture of the grip isn’t great at all. It provides minimal traction, and that is not good, especially if you have sweaty hands. This can be fixed by stippling your grip module, but I decided against it because it doesn’t bother me much. However, I still need to point out the facts because my predilections may differ from yours. I also do not like the absence of a takedown lever. My left thumb is left looking for a good place to grab, and it is hard to find one. I usually just leave it on the side, but if you can have something to grab on to, that would definitely help with recoil management. Another thing that I read on the internet is the “pig nose”. I don’t have this problem yet, but the majority of the reports online mention this annoying issue after shooting hundreds of rounds through their barrel. It is widely believed that because of the heat that the barrel is dissipating, the front part of the polymer frame is bending slowly and slightly upward. Some suggested a proven fix by reheating the frame to bend it back to its original state, and a few recommended using sandpaper to level it out and make it straight. But others still reported that the “pig nose” went back after a few hundred rounds of shooting.
The polymer frame is really good because it is impervious to rust and is also lighter. I saw a video years ago that showed the polymer frame bending during the firing process. Some say that the act of bending is good as it absorbs the felt recoil, but I am a little skeptical about this because, typically, when you have a lighter pistol, you will feel more recoil. That is the same reason why, in competition, a lot of shooters add weight to their pistols or rifles to mitigate the recoil of their firearm. Another good thing about polymer frames is that during the winter, the grip stays warm enough for you to use. Overall, I would say that the Glock polymer frame is very basic and run-of-the-mill. If you can, I would suggest getting an aftermarket grip module to fix the majority of these issues. If you can’t, prepare to fork out some moolah to get it professionally fixed.
Appearance
I would say that it is not the best-looking pistol out there, but it is good enough considering our circumstances here in California. I’ve seen heavily modified Glock 19s that looked great and scored an easy 9/10, but we also need to take into account the number of people who had serious problems with their heavily modified Glock. It may get a 10/10 in the looks department, but if it’s going to bring down its reliability, then it will just cancel it out. I would rather have a dependable pistol than go for pure looks and be uneasy and unsure if my pistol will be able to perform when the time comes.
Customization
Glock has massive aftermarket support. I think it is safe to say that the sky is the limit when it comes to customization and modification. When you search for Glock mods on Google, you will see several great-looking pistols out there. Some of them are not even 10% Glock anymore.
Conclusion
I would grade this pistol a respectable 9 out of 10. The ergonomics brought it down considerably. The Glock frame is really outdated, and the company only incorporates minimal updates every decade. The only good thing going for the Gen 5 is the addition of the match-grade barrel, the optic-ready slide, and the removal of the finger grooves. The rest are still the same.
On the bright side, the pistol performed very well. It is accurate, reliable, and cheap. The military, police, and even the FBI are using this pistol as their service weapon due to its performance and ease of use. The grip angle might be a little challenging at first, but as soon as you get used to it, it will start working for you.
So how much superior is the customized Glock 19? I would say it is significantly superior. The stock trigger is an abomination already. The stock night sights are horrendous too. Upgrading those instantly is a no-brainer. If you are modifying your Glock, please read as much as you can and learn from all the people who crossed that line and did it. This platform is very sensitive, and if you went straight for an extreme upgrade, you might end up regretting it. Do not sacrifice reliability just because you want something unique and personalized. Not all aftermarket parts are great. If you ever have to use your modified Glock to protect yourself or your family, you don’t want to be second-guessing whether your pistol is going to work right or not. You want the pistol to operate immediately without fault and without any chance of failing. Besides, your life is on the line here. Every second wasted trying to clear up or fix the failure can be critical to your survival. The bottom line is that if you are going to customize or modify your pistol, do your homework and do it right.
TEST RESULT
Reliability: 10/10
There were no failures after using Atlanta Arms Elite Match Grade ammunition throughout the accuracy testing. I also did not experience any malfunctions during the reliability test.
Accuracy: 9.2/10
The pistol is immensely accurate for a compact model (4-inch barrel). The pistol operated as anticipated, and the Faxon Match Grade barrel delivered marvelous results. There were, however, two shots (out of the twenty) that went outside of the groupings at 10 yards. Whether those were flyers or not, I still need to take those results into consideration. Considering the limited upgrade that I did with this pistol, I believe that the accuracy is more than enough.
Performance: 9.4/10
This custom Glock 19 Gen 3 deserves a thumbs up. The match-grade barrel delivered as expected. The trigger is very smooth, and I really enjoyed it. I had the best split times because of it. The slide is a little hard to rack, and that is because I am using the stock recoil spring. That is my personal choice, so I can maintain its reliability and avoid future FTEs. The stock magazine release is small, and I had to reposition my grip to engage it, which is not ideal. I've contemplated replacing those for months now, but I’m still in the process of finding a reputable company and product, so we’ll just have to wait and see. Apart from those, the pistol performed very well as projected.
Ergonomics: 7/10
This is where it goes downhill. The grip textures are basic and typical. The finger grooves can be frustrating, especially if you have a smaller set of fingers. I didn’t have that issue, but it could be a problem for others. I didn’t like the fact that the polymer frame could bend and cause the “pig nose”. This is something that the company needs to reinforce. The grip angle can be a little perplexing, especially if you are not used to it. There is no place to put your left thumb (if you’re a right-hander), so I just rest it either on the side of the frame or just leave it hanging right next to the slide. With the tools that we have, every little advantage that we can find is a plus. Having to forego that little advantage is another negative for me. Aside from those, the polymer frame makes this pistol substantially lighter and makes it easier for EDC.
Appearance: 7.5/10 *
Looks are debatable, but this particular pistol is okay. Better than the stock, but there is still room for improvement. Surely I can get a better slide, but the frame is killing the overall appearance. Due to several restrictions in California, I will not include this in my final grade to be fair. It is not the pistol’s fault that I cannot upgrade the frame.
Customization: 10/10
The sky is the limit! Nuff said.
Overall Score: 9.12/10 ★
★: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. EDITOR'S CHOICE.
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