Introduced in the early 1980s, the Glock 19 made a firearm leader. During its five generations, this handgun happened to be a convenient tool not only for military personnel but also for civilians. Some features of the latest generation, the Glock 19 Gen 5, make it at present the most favored one for self-defense and professional purposes.
I was introduced to the Glock platform during my military career with the Gen 3 Glock 19. I carried both a Gen 3 and a Gen 4 Glock 19 overseas and found them to perform extremely well in the rigors of military service. Now, as an end-user, I have been given the chance to run the Glock 19 Gen 5 and see how it truly performs from a practical standpoint.
The Glock 19 Gen 5 makes some piercing upgrades regarding functionality and user experience. Improvements include the Glock Marksman Barrel, which uses traditional rifling for advanced accuracy. No finger grooves are included in the grip, which is now much more comfortable and acquisition-friendly, accommodative of holds with a larger variety of hand sizes. An ambidextrous slide stops orienting the gun toward the left-handed shooter, and a flared magazine well enables easier reloads.
Range time went very well. The trigger broke in consistently and crisply with a very definite break, right in line with the Safe Action trigger installed on all Glock pistols, allowing for very accurate shot placement. Much improved ergonomics on this Gen 5 model, along with the textured grip, kept me in a secure yet comfortable hold during extensive shooting.
This compact, reliable handgun makes any person who wants to conceal a Glock 19 Gen 5 pretty happy. With as many carry options available as far as holsters go, setting up a good one isn’t hard. Its proven record and user-friendliness also place it very well for first-timers entering the world of firearms ownership.
It should be noted that nearly 60 million guns were sold in the wake of the pandemic, and first-time ownership surged, as did the rates of gun-related deaths and mass shootings. This was the largest increase in household firearms, driven in part by such fears of collapse and undergirded by NRA messaging. Having said this, safety, training, and proper storage should be on top of the gun owner’s list if we want to thin out potential dangers when it comes to owning firearms.
Equipped with a rather long list of upgrades, the Glock 19 Gen 5 is more efficient in its performance and much more user-friendly than any of its predecessors. Military personnel, law enforcement, and civilian users alike have found this handgun to be a solid companion while defending oneself or during professional applications. Like any other firearm, proper training and safety practices must be paramount to responsible ownership and usage.