(Review) Glock’s 19 Semi-automatic pistol

The story of the first “plastic” handgun began with a young gentleman named Gaston Glock who began a career working with plastics and metals in 1963. Then, using the knowledge and experience he had gained, Gaston founded Glock GES.M.B.H. in 1981, and proceeded to shock the world of firearms manufacture by introducing an amazing series of engineering feats that literally redefined what was possible in manufacture of modern handguns! Consequently, Glock is now the leading manufacturer of semi-automatic handguns worldwide and, their reputation for safety, durability, reliability, and ease of use has created a dedicated civilian and law enforcement following.

Based upon on the popularity of their full-sized Glock 17, the Glock model 19 is a more compact version that features a polymer frame with a steel slide and barrel meant to fulfill the need for a slightly smaller handgun for concealed carry use. Consequently, it measures 7.36 inches in overall length and 4.99 inches in overall height and thus, it is has 0.67 inches less length and 0.44 inches less height to more easily fit in a shoulder holster or behind-the-back holster or in a woman’s purse. Also, the Glock 19 features a 4 inch barrel chambered for the 9 x 19mm Parabellum cartridge instead of the 4 ½” barrel used on the Glock 17 and it incorporates Glock’s proprietary, hexagonal, right-hand twist, rifling with a twist rate of 1in 9.84 inches. In addition, the Glock 19 features a 15 round magazine (constructed using a hardened steel insert covered in high tech polymer) for a total capacity of 16 rounds. Plus, the Glock 19 features Glock’s “Safe Action” trigger with a standard trigger pull of 5 1/2 lbs. and a standard trigger travel of 1/2”. Furthermore, the slide features a fixed front sight with a drift adjustable rear sight and a full length recoil spring guide, a molded rail under the barrel for mounting a laser or a tactical flashlight, and low profile slide and magazine releases. Last, the Glock 19 features an unloaded weight of 21 oz. and a loaded weight of 30 oz. with a standard 15 round magazine.

According to Glock’s web site, the purpose of the Glock 19 is to create a smaller, lighter, handgun for concealed carry use with the same firepower as its full sized brother the Glock 17. However, unlike many compact versions of full sized pistols, the Glock 19 does feel surprisingly good in the hand due the fact that the four inch barrel provides enough length and weight to be able to feel where the muzzle is without having to look at it and the grip frame is just long enough to accommodate a medium sized hand without the need to extend the magazine’s bumper pad. However, two major differences between the Glock 19 and a conventional handguns are the fact that the Glock 19 is fired by a “striker” similar to, but larger than, a traditional semi-automatic pistol’s firing pin. Consequently, when the slide is racked, the striker is withdrawn to the half-cock position where it is held in place by a steel bar which prevents its forward motion until the safety bar is withdrawn. This type of firing system in turn results in a Double-Action-Only trigger pull and, unlike the Double Action/Single Action trigger pull or Single-Action-Only trigger pull encountered on hammer-fired pistols, the Double-Action-Only trigger pull tends to adversely affect the shooter’s accuracy; unlike a single action trigger pull. Consequently, with a striker fired pistol, you are forced to accept a tradeoff between accuracy and liability by carrying the pistol in the half-cock position only and, instead of the trigger reverting to single action after the first shot as with a hammer fired pistol, the trigger retains its double action pull on each subsequent shot. On the other hand, the Double-Action-Only trigger system may possibly lessen your criminal and/or civil liability in the event that you are forced to use your handgun to defend yourself or your family and then face a law suit for having done so.

Next, concerning the grip frame, the angle between the bore plane and the backstrap has been carefully calculated to be very ergonomic and thus, it does an excellent job of absorbing recoil and doesn’t cause the muzzle to rise alarmingly when the pistol is fired which enables the shooter to get back on target faster for a follow up shot if needed. Also, the pebbled sides combined with the checkered back strap, the checkered finger grooves, and the concave trigger guard, give the Glock 19 pistol a very comfortable feel that allows the muzzle to be pointed very naturally at the target without undue effort required to align the sights. In addition, due to its polymer frame, the Glock 19 weighs a mere 30 oz. when fully loaded; making it an excellent pistol for concealed carry.

Thus, all things considered, the Glock 19 is a very well designed and meticulously constructed handgun with a long standing reputation for safety and reliability. Thus, it would be an excellent choice a concealed carry handgun for both civilians and law enforcement personnel since it pack the full power of the 9 x 19mm cartridge into a smaller, lighter, package.