Trying to decide between the various Glock 9mm models can be a little overwhelming. The Austrian manufacturer is known for their reliable and consistent firearms, but they like to make a lot of different versions of them and sometimes its not immediately obvious what separates some of the models. So we’re here to break down for you the best 9mm Glocks!
Our Top Picks
Preview | Product | Category | Link |
 | Glock 17 | Top Overall Pick | |
 | Glock 19 | Best Compact | |
 | Glock 43x | Best Subcompact / Concealed Carry | |
 | Glock 34 | Best for Long Range |
In the end, everyone has different needs and preferences. So take a look below at the full list of Glock 9mm pistols (in number order) and see if one sounds like a fit for you.
Glock 17
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The Glock 17 is exactly what comes to mind when you think of “Glock Pistol.” These are the 9mm striker-fired pistols that introduced the world to Glock handguns and took the world by storm when Gaston Glock first sold them to law enforcement officers in the 1980s.
Although the trigger pull on a Glock is not quite as good as other handguns, such as the 1911, that came before it, the higher magazine capacity and its reputation for being a generally accurate handgun have made the Glock 17 one of, if not the, most prolific modern handgun in the world. We imagine that archaeologists will assume that most humans were born with a Glock 17 in their crib several hundred years from now.
Best Uses
This model is the basis for comparison with other Glock models. With its universal Glock rail on new generations, fairly generous sight radius, and great practical accuracy, we think that this full-sized Glock is a great first Glock for anyone. The Glock 17 feels natural in most folk’s hands, and these pistols shoot well, are balanced, and take a massive array of aftermarket accessories.
With that said, this might be a little bit big to concealed carry, so it is best suited, perhaps, to either open carry or use as a home defense gun. You can expect decent accuracy thanks to the longer barrel than some models, and it is a reliable gun for any defensive purpose. It’s also great fun to shoot one at the range, which makes training a more appealing activity than it otherwise might be.
Why You Should Buy One
Frankly, you should buy one of these if you want a great introduction to the Glock 9mm platform, and you’re not dead set on one of the other available Glock models. The Glock 17 is the standard by which other duty pistols are measured for law enforcement and military folks the world over, and for good reason: these pistols are awesome.
Since this is often used by law enforcement agencies, it’s also possible to get great gun deals on these when those agencies trade them in for newer models.
There’s also an awesome aftermarket for these, so it’s possible to replace the front sight, rear sights, trigger pin, locking block pin, and literally every other part aside from the polymer grip frame, since that’s the part that the ATF considers to be the firearm on most Glocks. The 17 is, in effect, the quintessential Glock.
Glock 17 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 17 (optional: 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 7.95 in |
| Width | 1.34 in |
| Height | 5.47 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 33.33 oz |
- Generations: Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3, Gen 4, Gen 5
- Optional Features: MOS (Modular Optic System), L (Long Slide)
- Size Classification: Standard
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We created an original chart so you can easily compare the sizes and specs of each Glock 9mm pistol.
Glock 19
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Imagine that you liked the Glock 17, with its relatively simple front and rear sights, a magazine release button that makes sense to most people, a loaded chamber indicator, and all of that packaged into a slightly smaller handgun that retains the practical accuracy of the Glock 17.
That gun you’re imagining is the Glock 19. This is the slightly smaller variation of the accurate handgun that changed the world and, as such, has become one of the more popular Glock models around.
Best Uses
The Glock 19 is a great concealed carry gun: the slightly less long sight radius than the Glock 17, when paired with the grip checkering on the newer generations, makes this gun easy to draw, shoot, and conceal without losing much in terms of overall accuracy.
The shorter barrel does mean a slight decrease in muzzle velocity when compared to the Glock 19, but the smaller footprint means that it’s easier to carry. Additionally, it takes Glock magazines up to 33 rounds in capacity, so it makes sense to us to use this Glock in conjunction with, or in substitution for, a full-sized Glock in 9mm.
Why You Should Buy One
You should buy a Glock 19 if you like the idea of a gun with a nearly full-sized grip frame, decent magazine capacity, and the format of the Glock pistol for concealed carry.
Like all Glock handguns, this is an accurate handgun that might not have the best trigger pull in the world, but the fact that that trigger, and the trigger guard, act as the primary safeties, make this concealed carry gun faster to draw and shoot than most people are capable of with older models. Basically, get the 19 if you want a great concealed-carry gun.
Glock 19 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 15 (optional: 17, 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 7.28 in |
| Width | 1.34 in |
| Height | 5.04 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 30.16 oz |
- Generations: Gen 2, Gen 3, Gen 4, Gen 5
- Optional Features: MOS
- Size Classification: Compact
Glock 19X
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When a Glock 17 and a Glock 19 get taken apart and put into a parts bin together, and someone builds a third pistol out of that combined box of parts, you get the Glock 19x.
The Glock 19x is, in effect, the full sized Glock 17 frame with the compact barrel of the 19 models. This puts it in a space that Glock calls the “crossover,” where the gun is somewhere in between a full-size and a compact of some kind.
The 19x, then, is in our minds something like the crossover SUV: it’s a little bigger than a car, smaller than a van, but for some people more practical than either one.
Best Uses
The 19x solves one of the bigger issues in the practical accuracy of the Glock 19: the grip frame. Some found that the 19’s frame was a little too small to grip well, which reduced their accuracy. Thus, for long-range accuracy, it might be easier for people if they have the larger 17-style frame.
Thus, the 19x is an excellent concealed carry gun, which is what Glock designed it for in the first place. It’ll be an excellent self-defense tool in an interesting form factor not quite captured in previous models
Why You Should Buy One
If you enjoy the hand-feel and large magazine capacity of the Glock 17, but you want something a little more concealable for self-defense, then the 19x would be an awesome model for you.
The inclusion of the larger accessory rail from the 17 on this model also gives you the chance to add a light or laser which, we think, would make this one of the better self-defense options on the market right now. These pistols represent one of the frontiers of pistol design that aim to maximize both barrel length and concealability, which makes these pistols, in our mind, a logical choice for folks who want a good all-around pistol for carry, home defense, and range use.
Glock 19x Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 17 (optional: 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 7.44 in |
| Width | 1.3 in |
| Height | 5.47 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 31.39 oz |
- Generations: Gen 4, Gen 5
- Size Classification: Compact
Glock 26
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The Glock 26 was designed from the ground up as a concealed carry firearm. It has a shorter slide and barrel length than you’ll see on most Glocks , as well as a somewhat reduced magazine capacity. With that in mind, this is arguably one of the best concealed-carry firearms around.
Where most 9mm guns this size are a little bit painful to shoot, Glock has done something clever with the recoil spring assembly here. The 26 has a dual recoil spring assembly: this integrated recoil spring assembly has one spring seated inside of another, both of which are on the same rod: this keeps the 9mm recoil fairly tame for such a small firearm and does a great job at reducing wear and tear as well.
Best Uses
This is not the firearm you want to ring a steel plate at 200 yards. This is, in our view, a great concealed carry gun that is small enough to carry in most outfits, even if you’re just wearing a t-shirt and shorts..
While the magazine capacity of the model 26 is half, or less, than some other Glock models, that matters much less, in our view, considering that a gun this small is likely an alternative to not carrying one at all. These pistols will likely not impress you with long-range accuracy, and many shooters will wish that it had a longer grip, but if you need an exceptionally small and light gun, consider one of these pistols.
Why You Should Buy One
You should consider the Glock 26 if you are looking for a concealed carry option that has the same manual of arms as other Glocks.
This model does, as we mention, suffer from a small magazine capacity, and it lacks the accessory rail of other models, six rounds of 9mm is more than adequate for most self-defense pistols. Overall, these little Glocks take much of what makes the overall design great and make it small enough that many shooters would feel comfortable concealed carrying this where other guns might be too heavy or large.
Glock 26 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 10 (optional: 12, 15, 17, 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 6.42 in |
| Width | 1.3 in |
| Height | 4.17 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 26.07 oz |
- Generations: Gen 2, Gen 3, Gen 4, Gen 5
- Size Classification: Subcompact
Glock 34
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The Glock 34 starts with a fairly standard Glock 17 frame and adds a much longer slide. This makes for a package that might not be awesome for concealed carry, but a handgun that fits in a unique spot in the Glock pistol lineup. Law enforcement folks, and those who can open carry, might like this pistol quite a lot for its ability to get greater accuracy at longer ranges than is usually practical with duty pistols. The tradeoff, though, as is the case with all of the models that have longer barrels, is that they tend to feel front heave to most shooters.
This model has an especially long sight radius: that’s the distance between the rear sight and the front sight. That, along with the polygonal rifling of the longer-than-usual barrel, makes this one of the Glock handguns that security agencies and many shooters prefer for competition and longer-range types of engagements.
Best Uses
The Glock 36, with its long barrel length, front serrations for cocking, full-size frame, and aggressive finger grooves, seems to suggest that the best use case here might well be as a competition gun. With that in mind, we might add a modular optic system such as a red dot to get the most out of the accuracy, as opposed to simply relying on the iron sights.
This handgun is great for folks who don’t mind a long trigger reach, and, instead, want a handgun that would be ideal for longer-range engagements. The longer grip makes accuracy a little more possible in well-trained hands.
Why You Should Buy One
While the shorter slide models are easier to carry, the Glock 34 is the ideal model for people who like a longer barrel. Law enforcement types might carry one as a duty pistol, and other reviews indicate that people use older models as the basis for their competition guns.
Overall, this pistol is awesome for people who want high magazine capacity, and are looking for gun deals when compared to other competition guns: Glock tends to give customers excellent value for money on new and used guns. The ones you’ll find on sale at your local gun store are pistols that are well worth looking at, as they tend to be duty guns with very low round counts, though the finish on them is likely to have more than a little bit of holster wear.
Glock 34 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 17 (optional: 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 8.82 in |
| Width | 1.3 in |
| Height | 5.47 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 33.33 oz |
- Generations: Gen 4, Gen 5
- Optional Features: MOS
- Size Classification: Competition
Glock 43
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The Glock 43 is intended as a concealed carry firearm, and it is one of the smallest 9mm handguns that you can reasonably carry. This handgun has a shorter slide and frame than most other Glocks, and its magazine capacity of six rounds means that it is a lot smaller to conceal than those models with the longer grip.
This particular model does away with the finger grooves that most Glocks have, as well as the interchangeable backstraps: this a simple tool for concealed carry and a lot of users appreciate that simplicity in this excellent little pistol. These pistols are, for some folks, the epitome of utilitarian pistols that can be treated as tools rather than as shiny objects to be hoarded in a safe.
Best Uses
The Glock 43 is a lot smaller than what the Austrian military first asked for in the 1970s, but this makes it an excellent concealed-carry gun.
Some law enforcement personnel like this gun for use as a backup, considering it is so small that it can easily fit in an appendix carry or even an ankle holster configuration. It’s one of the smaller handguns out there that are made in large numbers, so this pistol is certainly worth considering for folks who want a small gun that’s familiar to user of Glock models but comes in a truly small form factor.
Why You Should Buy One
You should consider the Glock 43 if you are in the market for a concealed carry handgun that is reliable, has available magazines, and you like the general format of the Glock design.
This pistol lacks some of the niceties of larger models, such as night sights or larger acessory rails, and we do almost wish it had a lanyard loop for retention if it’s being used as a backup gun, but this pistol is just about ideal for people who want a small but sturdy firearm for self-defense.
Glock 43 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 6 |
| Length | 6.26 in |
| Width | 1.06 in |
| Height | 4.25 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 20.64 oz |
- Generations: Gen 4, Gen 5
- Size Classification: Subcompact
Glock 43X
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The Glock 43 is an awesome concealed carry gun, and, to some people, it’s almost a little too good at that being small and easy to conceal. This leads to some folks wishing there was a slightly bigger model that allowed them to get a better grip on their Glock pistol.
That’s where the 43x comes in: it is a very slightly larger version of the 43, which makes this gun easier to grip than the very smallest of Glocks out there.
Best Uses
Like the smaller 43, the 43x is a great concealed-carry gun. Thus, the best use of this pistol is as a concealed carry firearm. Among law enforcement folks who love Glocks generally, the 43x is growing in popularity over the 43 thanks to being a little bit larger, and thus easier to draw, aim, and handle under stress.
These pistols, since they are quite small, are ideal for smaller-handed folks as well, whether for concealed carry or more general home defense use. These pistols are, depending on who you ask, some of the best concealed carry guns on the market: some law enforcement personnel such as detectives who might want to be a little more subtle with their choice in pistols, prefer these over larger models for being a little easier to conceal.
You can even extend the capacity up to 15+1 rounds with some after market flush magazines!
Why You Should Buy One
If the Glock 43 sounds like slightly too much of a good thing, then the 43x is for you. We also notice that Glock adds the painted, upgraded sights to most new 43 models, which is something that most concealed carry users will appreciate in their daily carry gun.
Overall, pick one up if you are looking for a gun that represents the most modern version of a concealed carry firearm, including a little easier-to-use grip and sights that are a lot easier to pick up at night when compared to older models.
Glock 43x Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 10 or 15 |
| Length | 6.50 |
| Width | 1.1 in |
| Height | 5.04 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 23.07 in |
- Generations: Gen 5
- Optional Features: MOS
- Size Classification: Subcompact (Slim)
Glock 45
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The Glock 45 (9mm) is a further evolution of the idea of the 19x: this 9mm pistol sports a compact-sized frame with a full-size frame, slide, and barrel. This makes them accurate handguns that are great for their intended, real-world purpose, but also might make them some of the more compelling choices for folks looking for a base for a competition gun as well.
Glock developed these pistols in conversation with folks to tend to make good use of the pistol as a fighting gun, both military and law enforcement special operators. Thus, this is desired not only to work well but to be user-upgradable to achieve the best performance possible out of the pistols.
Best Uses
This pistol is in a sweet-spot size wise when in comparison to other pistols on the market. With the flush-fit 17-round magazines, this is small enough to use as a concealed carry weapon. The larger magazine,s which are available up to 33 rounds, would make it hard to conceal but would make it even better for home defense or competitions in trained hands.
This is used in the real world as a backup and duty pistol for law enforcement and military personnel, so we think it would do just fine for about anything that you could think of using it for. In an ideal world, consider a lighter aftermarket slide, a long magazine, and a red dot sight for a compelling competition pistol if you compete in divisions that would allow that particular setup of firearm.
Why You Should Buy One
You should consider one of these if you want one of the pistols currently in use by military and law enforcement all over the world. The sights that come on these have been upgraded to be used at night, and you can swap out the backstrap from the included medium backstrap to whatever size fits your hand the best.
Buy a Glock 45 if you want access to the latest generation of Glock pistols and want to be able to customize the grip to your hand with ease. Expect to see a lot of these in the coming years outfitted with suppressors, braces, sights, and all sorts of other accessories: the addition of the longer barrel and bigger magazine capacity opens the door to customization in directions almost resembling personal defense weapons, which was more or less the intended purpose of the design in the first place.
Glock 45 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 17 (Optional: 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 7.44 in |
| Width | 1.34 in |
| Height | 5.47 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 30.34 oz |
- Generations: Gen 5
- Optional Features: MOS
- Size Classification: Compact
Glock 47
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The Glock 47 was designed with law enforcement in mind, especially the US customs and border patrol. Often, law enforcement faces an interesting conundrum when choosing a pistol: they need to be able to engage targets out to long distances with accuracy if they don’t have time to get to their long guns but they also have to carry the pistol around all day, every day.
The 47 is an attempt to address that pistol design challenge well: it has one of the longest barrels that Glock offers, as well as a compact grip size to make it easier to carry.
Best Uses
This works well for its intended law enforcement purpose: sitting in a holster all day, every day comfortably until you need to deploy the pistol to make shots with long-range accuracy.
We think that this would be well suited as a home defense gun, as well as for those who can open carry, whether as security personnel or in more permissive states.
Why You Should Buy One
You should consider this pistol if you want the same firearm that is currently in use with the US Customs and Border patrol. Particularly, that design challenge called for a pistol that had a little longer barrel than other, comparable pistols, allowing for longer-range engagements when necessary.
Pick one up, perhaps, if you could foresee needing a pistol in wide open spaces where it would take too long to get to a rifle or a shotgun.
Glock 47 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 17 (optional: 19, 24, 31, 33) |
| Length | 7.95 in |
| Width | 1.34 in |
| Height | 5.47 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 34.29 oz |
- Generations: Gen 5
- Optional Features: 47 MOS
- Size Classification: Standard
Glock 48
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The Glock 48 is one of the more interesting pistol designs from the Austrian manufacturer, in that it actually changes up the design language of the platform that has remained, practically, unchanged since the introduction of the first Glocks several decades ago.
This pistol features a larger-than-usual beaver tail, which will prevent the slide from biting the user’s hand when firing it. Anyone with much experience shooting pistols will tell you that this is an exceptionally welcome change, as slide bite both throws off your accuracy, and hurts!
Best Uses
These pistols were meant to be used for concealed carry: the addition of the larger beaver tail, the shorter slide, and the short trigger pull all make this a fast and accurate pistol to deploy from a holster. Also, the magazine release button is slightly oversized, again, a nod to folks who might have to use these pistols to defend themselves.
This is a dedicated concealed carry design, and it would be nearly ideal for that depending on the user’s preference for things like rails and sights.
Why You Should Buy One
You should consider one of these pistols if you have experienced slide bite with other models, such as the Glock 43 or 43x. This is basically a smoothed-over, optimized concealed carry version of those designs.
Rather than jumping from Glock to some other manufacturer, if you want something a little less square and sharp than most Glock pistols, give the G48 a look.
Glock 48 Specs
| Magazine Capacity | 10 |
| Length | 7.28 in |
| Width | 1.1 in |
| Height | 5.04 in |
| Weight (fully loaded) | 25.12 oz |
- Generations: Gen 5
- Optional Features: MOS
- Size Classification: Compact (Slim)
Which Type of Glock 9mm Is Right for You?
While most of the guns in this article follow the standard framework of the Glock pistol- a 9mm, striker-fired handgun, there are a few considerations to keep in mind so that you can choose between the many variations of this classic design. With just a little careful thought, you can choose the Glock pistol most likely to fit your needs and states as a shooter.
Size
One of the first things that we’d advise people to keep in mind when choosing a Glock pistol is the overall size. Some models, such as the 43 series, are small land designed for concealed carry. This means that they are, indeed, easy to hide on your person but might suffer in terms of overall long-range accuracy. Others,s such as the 34, are much larger: this makes them a lot easier to shoot more accurately, but also makes them a lot harder to conceal if you need to do so.
Capacity
From there, think about capacity. Some of those same small models that we listed below have round capacities in the single digits: these are not the firearms to choose if you see your ideal Glock pistol is one that has the larger capacity magazines. The bigger firearms on this list, on the other hand, can often accept magazines upwards of 30 rounds.
Customization
Next, are there any special features that you want? For example, the ability to customize the size of the back strap for the grip is not available on every model of Glock pistol, so keep anything like that in mind before you make a purchase decision. While Glock does not generally do gimmicks, newer generations might have more room on the gun for attaching lights, optics, and the like.
There are also some major variations in the Glock Pistol lineup in terms of aftermarket: the more popular models have an astonishing market for parts available so that you can customize your pistol to whatever visual or performance needs you may have. The less popular models, on the other hand, will have you scouring the depths of the internet for a threaded barrel for hours at a time.
Generations
Finally, there are some generational changes within and between different models. For example, the front serrations on the slide and finger grooves on the grip tend to come and go with consumer tastes over time. While, generally, Glocks have been exceptionally reliable for decades, there have also been improvements in the design, safety, and durability of the pistols over the generations as well.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind as you think about buying a Glock. With that said, that’s exactly why we wrote this piece: to give you a guide to buying the right Glock for you, so that you can have your need and wants addressed within this excellent lineup of modern pistols.
George has been an avid shooter for twenty years. He began shooting when he was gifted a Browning SA-22 for target practice. Now, as an academic, he combines his love of firearms and knowledge of history to write for firearms blogs and is still a frequent sight at the local range.