The Glock 19 has spent decades proving itself as one of the most useful compact pistols ever made. It is large enough to shoot well, small enough to conceal, and backed by a long record of reliability. For the past few months, I have carried the new Glock 19 Gen 6 as my everyday carry pistol, and the more time I spend with it, the more I appreciate what Glock changed.
The Gen 6 is still unmistakably a Glock. It is not a radical redesign, and it does not need to be. Instead, Glock addressed many of the complaints shooters have raised over the years without abandoning the simplicity that made the pistol successful.
The Glock 19 Gen 6 remains a compact, striker-fired 9mm with a 15-round standard magazine and a 4.02-inch barrel. Unloaded, without a magazine, it weighs 20.11 ounces. Those numbers place it squarely between today’s micro-compacts and full-size defensive pistols.
Now that I’ve carried the Glock 19 Gen 6 for a few months, been to the range multiple times, and put about 500 rounds through the pistol, here are some of my thoughts.
| Specification | Glock 19 Gen 6 |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 9×19mm |
| Operating System | Glock Safe Action |
| Standard Capacity | 15 rounds |
| Barrel Length | 4.02 inches |
| Overall Length | 7.28 inches |
| Height With Magazine | 5.04 inches |
| Overall Width | 1.35 inches |
| Weight Without Magazine | 20.11 ounces |
| Weight With Empty Magazine | 22.58 ounces |
| Weight With Loaded Magazine | 29.10 ounces |
| Factory Trigger Pull | 26 N (approximately 5.8 pounds) |
| Optics System | Gen 6 Optic Ready System |
| Factory MSRP | $745 |
Returning to a Compact Carry Gun
After carrying subcompact pistols for several years, I wanted to return to a true compact. The smaller guns are convenient, but the Glock 19 gives me more grip, more controllability, and a better overall shooting platform without becoming difficult to conceal.
The right holster makes the difference. I have been carrying the Gen 6 in a Safariland Incog XS IWB holster, and the combination has worked very well. I have carried it around the 12 o’clock appendix position and closer to 3 o’clock on my waist. In either position, the pistol remains comfortable and reasonably easy to conceal.
The Gen 6’s integrated beavertail has caused some shooters to break out the Dremel, but I have no desire to remove it. I installed beavertail backstraps on my older Glocks, so incorporating one directly into the frame is a positive change for me. It has not created any noticeable problems while carrying inside the waistband.
Glock Perfects the Grip
The updated RTF6 grip texture may be my favorite texture Glock has produced. It provides positive control without feeling unnecessarily abrasive. Even during the middle of a hot Florida summer, with sweat working against my grip, the pistol remained planted in my hand.
Just as importantly for a concealed-carry gun, the texture has not shredded any of my shirts. Glock found a useful middle ground between a slick factory frame and the overly aggressive stippling jobs that can chew through clothing and skin.
The factory trigger-guard undercut also makes a meaningful difference. On older, unmodified Glock 19 frames, my pinky tended to sit half on and half off the grip. The Gen 6 undercut allows my hand to ride higher, giving my pinky enough room to sit fully on the pistol. It sounds like a minor change, but it improves both comfort and control.
Glock also added an extended thumb rest that many shooters will simply call a gas pedal. It provides a useful index point for the support-hand thumb and helps slightly with recoil control. On the opposite side, it creates a defined shelf for the trigger finger while operating a weapon light or waiting to fire. That is a practical improvement that most shooters will enjoy on the range as well as in a duty scenario.
A Better Optics System
Glock’s new Optic Ready System is an improvement over the older MOS arrangement. Gen 6 pistols include three adapter plates covering several popular red-dot footprints, with the optic screws passing through the plate and directly into the slide.
I have been carrying and shooting the Glock 19 Gen 6 with a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro mounted using the factory polymer adapter plate. The combination has worked without issue so far, and the DeltaPoint Pro has held zero through both range use and daily carry.
The decision to use polymer plates will undoubtedly concern some shooters, and the aftermarket is already responding with metal alternatives. That concern is understandable on a defensive pistol, but so far, I have had no issues. My DeltaPoint Pro has remained secure and held zero, but the factory polymer interface is something I intend to watch.
More importantly, the Gen 6 system is simpler and cleaner than the previous MOS setup. For shooters who intend to mount a red dot, and that now includes a large percentage of handgun owners, the new Optic Ready System is one of the strongest reasons to choose the Gen 6.
Changes Without Losing the Glock Feel
The redesigned trigger face is another improvement, although the trigger itself does not feel like a drastic departure from previous generations. It still feels like a Glock trigger. The new face simply makes it easier for me to locate the sweet spot and apply consistent pressure through the break.
One other spot that will look suspiciously familiar is the sights. Love them or hate them, they work. It would have been a nice upgrade to get suppressor height sights from the factory that would work with red dots. I think that would have added to the cost, and for most owners, sights are something they ultimately look to upgrade or change at some point based on their preferences. If you like the old school Glock sights, you are in luck; they remain unchanged on the Gen 6 pistols.
That describes the Gen 6 as a whole. Glock did not replace the Glock 19 with something unfamiliar. The company refined the pistol in the places that matter: grip texture, frame geometry, trigger reach, optics mounting, and shooter interface.
The Best Glock 19 Yet?
The Glock 19 Gen 6 answers many of the requests Glock owners have made for years. It fits my hand better, provides better control, carries comfortably, and arrives ready for an optic.
For armed citizens who want one pistol capable of serving as an everyday carry gun, home-defense handgun, and range pistol, the Glock 19 remains difficult to beat. The Gen 6 does not reinvent “perfection.” It brings the design closer to delivering on the slogan.
In my opinion, this is the best version of perfection Glock has released yet.
Have you carried or fired the Glock 19 Gen 6? Has the new frame convinced you to upgrade, or are you sticking with an earlier-generation Glock? Let us know below.
About Duncan Johnson:
Duncan Johnson is a lifelong firearms enthusiast and unwavering defender of the Second Amendment—where “shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. A graduate of George Mason University, he enjoys competing in local USPSA and multi-gun competitions whenever he’s not covering the latest in gun rights and firearm policy. Duncan is a regular contributor and editor-in-chief for AmmoLand News and is responsible for AmmoLand’s daily gun-rights reporting and industry coverage.
