Glock 19 was always one of the most popular concealed carry or backup weapon choices. Since it was chosen to replace SIG P226 as the service weapon of the Navy SEALs, its popularity skyrocketed. It is chambered in 9x19mm caliber, ideal as an effective defense in critical situations.
Introduction
It is a semi-automatic pistol ideal for concealed carry because of its reduced size compared to standard-size pistols. It effectively reduced-size of Glock 17, designated as the “Compact” by the manufacturer. The serious production started in 1988 to supply a growing demand for such pistols by military and law enforcement.
Design
Glock 19 works on the same principle as the Glock 17, but its barrel and pistol grip are shorter by about 12 mm (0.5 in). It uses a magazine with a standard capacity of 15 rounds but also can use factory magazines from Glock 17 and Glock 18, adding a round capacity of 17 rounds (standard magazine with +2 extension), 10, 17, and 19 (standard Glock 17 magazine with +2), 24 and 26 (standard magazine with +2 extension) and the 31 (standard Glock 18 magazine with +2 removed) and 33 rounds of the Glock 18.
As is already mentioned, the Glock 19 uses the same short recoil system as in the Glock 17. Therefore, the slide mass remains the same as in the Glock 17 to preserve operational reliability. Except for the slide, frame, barrel, locking block, recoil spring, guide rod, and slide lock spring, all other components are interchangeable between models Glock 17 and Glock 19. The actual difference between Glock 17 and Glock 19 is user experience.
For example, many US Air Force pilots used a Glock 19 as an effective defense in critical situations even before it was introduced as a service weapon.
Variants
Glock 19X
It is the civilian version of Glock’s entry to the XM17 Modular Handgun System competition for the US Military. The main difference between the regular Glock 19 features in the color of the slide (coyote color instead of the standard black color the Glock usually comes in), an additional lanyard loop on the slide, and a front lip in the magazine whose purpose is to make changing magazines with tactical gloves on more accessible.
That resulted in the problem because the new Gen 5 17-round magazines cannot fit in the Glock 19X. After all, the front lip will block the extended magazine floor plates from locking into the Glock 19x’s magazine well. An easy fix for this problem is to switch to a Gen 4-style magazine floor plate.
Standard packing includes one 17-round magazine and two 19-round magazines, all in coyote color. It has been Glock’s best-selling pistol since its introduction. Over 100,000 were sold in the first six months after the initial release of the Glock 19X.
Glock 19M
It was introduced in 2016 to respond to the FBI’s needs for a new compact 9mm pistol. Glock 19M differs from the Glock 19 in removing the finger grooves, ambidextrous slide lock, rounded slide nose profile, flared magazine well with new magazine baseplates, and a stricter finish on metal components.
The Glock 19M also abandons the polygonal rifling of previous models for conventional rifling. The US Marine Corps fielded the Glock 19M, designated as the M007, to CID (Criminal Investigation Division) and Marine One personnel.
Glock 19 Canadian
As the name suggests, it was drafted precisely for Canada’s market because of Canada’s Restricted Class firearms, limiting the barrel to 105mm. Glock 19 Canadian was sold in Canada with a 106mm barrel and a distinctive laser-engraved hollow maple leaf on the right side of the slide. The limit for Restricted Class firearms in Canada is a 105mm barrel.
Technical specifications
| Manufacturer: | Glock Ges.m.b.H., Austria |
| Type: | short recoil, locked-breech, semi-automatic |
| Designed: | 1982 |
| Service: | 1988-present |
| Caliber: | 9x19mm |
| Barrel: | 4.02 in (102 mm) |
| Weight (empty): | 23.63 oz (670 grams) |
| Magazine capacity: | Standard: 15 rounds; Optional: 10, 17, 19, 24, 31, 33 rounds |
