What is the best Glock pistol for concealed carry? Many would argue it is a toss up between the 43x and 19. The Glock 19 is one of the most popular concealed carry weapons out there. Glock is a great brand and they make awesome guns for nearly every application. Many of their guns conceal carry extremely well.
The Glock 19 is a compact 9mm pistol that is large enough for most to get a good grip while staying small enough to conceal nicely. There is a lot that goes into picking the perfect conceal carry weapon though, so let’s see if the Glock 19 is the pistol you are looking for.
It is Reasonably Sized
The Glock 19 is definitely not the only 9 mm Glock makes. Many people think of the Glock 19 as a scaled down version of the Glock 17. The Glock 17 is a duty sized, or full sized, firearm. This makes it great for open carry, but for concealed carry, you will want something smaller. That is where the Glock 19 comes in.
The Glock 19 is considered to be a compact pistol. It is still large enough to get a good grip on, and not have an overhanging pinky. Plus, this pistol still has a 4 inch barrel, and 6.85 inch slide which allows you to still shoot farther distances accurately, but still allows for concealment.
Personally, I have a Glock 23 which is the exact same size as the Glock 19 but it is chambered in 40 S&W. I have average-sized hands, and this pistol is extremely easy to grip. It is also not too big to conceal either. I prefer appendix carry, and with a comfortable holster, this pistol is easy to conceal and wear on a daily basis.
Higher Than Average Capacity
Is the Glock 19 good for concealed carry? Many people start with a very small gun when they first start carrying, but later switch to a larger gun because it fits them better and provides a higher capacity. When I first started carrying, I preferred a smaller pistol. I carried the Bersa BP9CC for years, which is similar in size to the Glock 43.
Glock 43x vs 19
The Glock 43 or 43x are great if you want a thinner pistol. Both the 43 and 43x have single stack magazines but they are not interchangeable. The Glock 43 holds 6+ and the Glock 43x has a longer frame, allowing it to hold 10+1. The slim width of these handguns makes them easily concealable. They are the same width as the Glock 48. Their slide is shorter than the Glock 19, which is good for concealing but makes shooting snappier, plus accuracy may suffer with the shorter sight plane and barrel.
Glock 48 vs 19
The Glock 48 is the same dimensions as the Glock 19, except it is a single stack magazine, allowing the pistol to be not as wide as the standard width Glock 19. If you want a smaller pistol but are okay with it being a bit wider, the Glock 26 is a nice choice.
Glock 26 vs 19
The Glock 26 has a shorter slide and frame, which might fit some people's bodies better than the 43x or 19. The Glock 26 is a double stack magazine but only holds 10 rounds due to its short frame.
All of these pistols have a much lower magazine capacity than the 19, which holds 15 + 1. The 43 has 6 + 1 capacity, and the 26, 43x, and 48 have 10 + 1 capacity.
The Glock 19's 15 round capacity is plenty to do just about anything. There are plenty of stats around the web about self-defense shootings, and from what I can find there are between 2 and 5 shots fired on average in self-defense situations. Most sources quote 3 shots. Those websites that claim 3 shots are quoting the FBI, but I can not find the raw data myself.
Nonetheless, there are less than 5 shots fired in your average firefight. A Glock 43 would be cutting it close with its 6 + 1 capacity, and the Glock 17 with its 17 + 1 capacity doesn’t add much except its large unconcealable size, the two extra rounds aren't worth it. For what you get in size reduction, I think the Glock 19 is perfect for the job and still has 3 times as many rounds fired in the average self-defense situation, just in case there are multiple attackers.
9mm is a Good Caliber to Carry
I am not here to fire up the eternal 9mm vs 45 ACP war, but 9mm is a good round to carry. 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP will all kill and each of them has its pros and cons. Personally, I carry 9mm, but have carried both 40 S&W and 45 ACP.
What I like about 9mm is that it is a little smaller, which comes with multiple benefits. The first is that you can fit more rounds in your magazine. Like I mentioned before, I have a Glock 23(40 S&W) but it only holds 13 + 1 rounds. The Glock 19 has two extra cartridges to use if you need them.
Plus, the 9mm is a lighter load. This means there is less recoil and more accuracy. In many self-defense situations, the shooter's accuracy goes out the window. With all that adrenaline pumping, it is important that you can put repeated rounds on your target, and that is easier to do with less recoil.
Glock 19 Concealed Carry: A Fairly Priced Option
Right now you can get a Glock 19 for around $550. Glock is an awesome brand in general, and for the quality they produce, that is a stellar deal. Many other pistols that actually compete with Glock quality cost well over $800. This is more a testament to Glock, and not specifically the Glock 19. All and all it is hard to find a pistol of this size, caliber, and quality that is better than the Glock 19 for the money. Plus you can even get a discount on your Glock if you qualify for the GLOCK Blue Label Program.
Popularity Leads to More Accessories
Another great thing about buying a popular pistol is that there is just about every accessory you would ever want. You will not have to look very long on the internet before you can find the perfect holster, red dot, extended mag, or trigger for your Glock 19. Plus there are hundreds of companies that offer custom gun work on Glocks.
The Glock 19 platform is so popular that some companies make their pistols match the Glocks accessories so that even their customers can take advantage of all there is out there. One company that has done a great job of this is Shadow Systems. They produce the Shadow Systems mr920 which is a nice pistol with a ton of improvements over the standard Glock.
Overall Durability and Ease of Use
There are dozens of videos of Glocks being stress-tested on YouTube, which shows how much these pistols can take. Of course, these videos often go above and beyond what any firearm would ever go through, but it is fairly entertaining to see guys take these pistols to their limits. Check out this video and see just how much the Glock 19 can take.
All and all, the Glock 19 can take just about anything you put it through within reason. If you drag it through mud and wash it off with soda like they did in the video, a simple quick cleaning will make it run as good as new.
Plus Glocks are built like tanks. They are so durable and intuitive that Glock also gets plenty of military and LEO contracts. If they are tough enough for military use, then they are tough enough for just about every application.
So, is Glock 19 good for concealed carry?
Absolutely. The Glock 19 is one of the most popular pistols out there, and for good reason. This pistol is a good size for concealed carry, but it is still big enough to be used effectively and comfortably. It has a 15 + 1 capacity which is much more than what you would get in a thinner or smaller pistol. Plus, the Gen5 G19 is compatible with the Glock Performance Trigger, which we recommend for range and competition shooting..
Plus Glocks are extremely popular, and there are thousands of accessories out there for you to choose from. With the relatively low price of the Glock 19, you can get a few accessories for it and make this gun totally custom. Lastly, Glocks are some of the best guns out there and they can take a beating. You will struggle to find another pistol that is as tough as a Glock.
Make sure you check out our article about Buying/Selling/Transfering Guns In Delaware, Delaware Gun Laws, 12 Tips for Delaware Open Carry, Delaware Concealed carry application process and How to Properly Store Firearms in your Home.
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