First Look: Glock G19 Gen5 Pistol

Glock launched its new Gen 5 pistol series in summer 2017, bringing more than 20 design changes to the company's popular duty-size and concealed-carry handguns in order to improve on the performance and capabilities of its Gen 4 design.

"The development of our Gen 5 pistols was the result of the constant pursuit of perfection and a desire to meet the requests of the consumer market," said Glock, Inc. VP Josh Dorsey. "We have combined the standards of high-level performance and reliability with distinctive design enhancements to improve durability, accuracy and performance. The benefits enhance the shooter experience at the range and in high-stress situations where fractions of a second matter."

The road to the launch of the Gen 5 pistol series started with a Federal Bureau of Investigation soliciation for a new service pistol. The contract specified a number of design features, and Glock worked to improve its earlier designs to meet the FBI requirements. The resulting pistol was classified as the M model.

"Our goal was to meet the demanding needs of law enforcement agencies while maintaining our standard of perfection," Dorsey said. "Once the pistols we submitted proved themselves in testing and were adopted, consumers began asking for those pistols. The Gen 5 pistols we are introducing today meet that demand."

The new Glock Gen 5 pistols have five key differences that distinguish the guns above their predecessors. First, Glock incorporated a new Marksman Barrel design, which features an improved rifling process in order to produce heightened accuracy. These barrels are a totally new design from the company and are not interchangeable with previous generations.

Glock also removed the finger grooves found in the Gen 3 and Gen 4 models, citing improved control and versatility in this new model. Flexibility is also enhanced with the addition of an ambidextrous slide stop, making the gun user-friendly for both left- and right-handed shooters. Finally, Glock incorporated a new nDLC finish that withstands wear better than its previous Tenifer finish, as well as an enhanced flared magwell to facilitate faster and smoother reloads.

The new Glock Gen 5 pistols are available in the company's G17 and G19 models.