G17 vs G19x vs G19

jska

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After trying numerous handguns, these are my top three picks. Anyone own these and have an opinion on the differences between them?
 
Owned both the 17 and the 19…still have the 19.

For the most part, the frame of the 17 and the 19x are the same, with the frame of the 19x being just a bit shorter to accomodate the same slide found on the 19.

Which one did you shoot the best?
 
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Have all three (well, 45 instead of 19X but same thing) if I had to choose one it would be the 45. Most controllable to me, due to the full size grip and lighter slide which means less reciprocating mass and equals less recoil/muzzle flip IMO.

I also shoot optics so the longer sight radius of the 17 is irrelevant to me and I also don’t think it’s much harder to conceal than the 19.
 
G19 carries well, conceals well, and shoots well. It also accepts mags from any of the above and fits in any holster that would hold a 17 or 19x, while the reverse is not true.
If you don't have a specific reason to pick the larger gun, choose the G19 for versatility.
 
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Glock 19 is one of the best all around handguns on the market (and I'll fight anyone that disagrees). It's concealable but still a pleasure to shoot. I own two Glock 17 monstrosities (Gen 5 lower + some aftermarket upper) and I'm going to eventually chop to G19 grip length.
 
G19 is always the answer, but I'm slightly partial to the G45.

Would recommend the G45 over the 19X for the breechface cutout and no front grip lip.
 
Glock 19 is one of the best all around handguns on the market (and I'll fight anyone that disagrees). It's concealable but still a pleasure to shoot. I own two Glock 17 monstrosities (Gen 5 lower + some aftermarket upper) and I'm going to eventually chop to G19 grip length.
5 years ago, I would agree with you about the G19. But with the advent of high cap micro 9’s, the G19 is slipping.
 
I prefer the G45 sized pistols, but you can really do dang near everything with a G19 and for certain guys the concealment difference between a 19 and a 19x/17/45 can be dramatic.
 
5 years ago, I would agree with you about the G19. But with the advent of high cap micro 9’s, the G19 is slipping.
Only if you don't despise shooting the micro 9's. I've had them all, some a few times over and I hate shooting them. I am much better with a compact or larger framed pistol. The only micro I remotely liked, if it can even be categorized as a micro, was the Sig P365 X-Macro.
 
With the 17, 19, 19x and 45, all have the same reputation for reliability, support, holsters and after market accessories. The ONLY difference will be how YOU feel about any of them. Which model shoots the best for you and meets your requirements/needs is the correct answer. That is all.
 
The 19X is magic in my hands to me. I can’t explain it. I thought the 19x/45 was a stupid gun when first unveiled. I never messed with one nor did I even have any desire to do so. Then I went to a Glock armorer course and messed with one briefly and it sparked my interest into looking into it. I spoke with a few people and @thrillhill was one that talked with me about it. So, I went and rented one and came home with my own version. It’s a staple in my stable. The magic of the 19x/45 size is one I can not explain. I carry it alot but for my CCW I go with a 43 mostly or a 365 in the X configuration. Can I concealed carry the 19X ? I sure can and do, but I just prefer the 43 or 355 over the 19x especially on the summer months. I also have a few 19s and I do love them however they honestly don’t get carried. In fact I don’t think I have carried a 19 at all in 2024.
 
They did not have that when I bought my Glocks. I doubt I will buy any more at this point, but if I did, it'll be a 49 or 19x.
Oh I know i was mainly being funny because it seems like Glock is making all their guns in different configurations to compete with SIG and the fire control modules and Caruso sized handgrips
 
Only if you don't despise shooting the micro 9's. I've had them all, some a few times over and I hate shooting them. I am much better with a compact or larger framed pistol. The only micro I remotely liked, if it can even be categorized as a micro, was the Sig P365 X-Macro.
But, you are in the minority. Nothing wrong with G19 sized guns, I carried a G19 for a long time.
 
What are you using it for?

If you forced me to be the man with one gun it would be a G19. It does everything pretty damned well.

That’s not reality though. There are better carry guns. There are better competition guns. There are better nightstand guns.

So….what are you using it for?
 
Glock 49 is something that took Glock about 20 years too long to bring to the market.

Factory 17 slide, factory 19 frame no chopping needed. MOS version is about… $650ish?
They sell that now in a Glock 49


Little shameless self promotion:

 
My carry for years has been a P80-19L basically a 19 frame with a 17 slide just like the G49. Over all this has been the best for me and a G49 MOS is probably going to be the next handgun I buy. Concealing the slide has never been a issue, but the grip always has been. I was shocked that the 19X and 45 were made before the 49, but allot in this world doesn't make sense to me anymore. So for your list I would get the 19.
 
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What are you using it for?

If you forced me to be the man with one gun it would be a G19. It does everything pretty damned well.

That’s not reality though. There are better carry guns. There are better competition guns. There are better nightstand guns.

So….what are you using it for?
Honesty, I don’t have a complete idea yet. Most likely HD or as a range toy.
 
In that case I would go 17 and then get a 43 or 43x for CCW.
Yea I agree.

It’s interesting (to me at least) how things progressed when I started moving away from the 1911/2011 platform and shooting mostly Glocks. For a couple of years I used a Glock 19 for everything. Carry, USPSA, 3 gun, nightstand…everything.

Then I started trying a few other models and have finally settled on a 34 for games, a 43 for carry, and a 21 for nightstand.

The 19 does all of those things perfectly well but sits in the safe most of the time these days.

If I could only keep one, it would be the 19. It’s also the one I shoot the least anymore. 🤷‍♂️
 
Of those three I prefer the 19 simply because it's a little more compact, yet essentially handles and shoots like a full-size. But my favorite Glock right now is the 49 which gives you the G19 grip size and G17 slide length.

Personally I've never understood the appeal of the 19x (or 45), unless you have really large hands and just need the long grip. If concealment isn't a concern, then why wouldn't you just go with the 17 or 34 and reap the benefits of the larger sight radius, greater slide mass, and slightly higher muzzle velocity? If you are carrying concealed OTOH, then you probably want a shorter grip as that's generally the part of a gun that prints the most, and the longer slide is generally not harder to conceal. Either way, I don't see how the short slide / long grip is ever preferable to the other options.
 
the 19X/45 slide length is easier to get into and out of a car with. It is also a wonderful balance and like I said above I can’t explain it but it shoots well and you can get back on target quick with it.
 
Whatever you decide to go with, get the MOS version.

My reasoning is ,slide milling is expensive if you decide you want a red dot later.

I have a G19 gen 5 MOS in my carry rotation. If the G45 ,had been available at that time as a MOS I would have bought one. The 19x and G45 didn't get the MOS slide till much later.
 
Just finished at the range shooting my G45. Damn, what a great shooting pistol. I like it way better than my 19’s. She ain’t much to look at with all the slide wear from holstering over and over but she makes up for it in performance. Might finally be time to get a dot and work on getting proficient with one of those.
 
I vote G19 MOS (old man eyes).
I'd been carrying a G23 (med G19 size) or G27 (small G26 size) for ~25 years, they fit me, the natural point of aim is great. I picked up a G34 (G17 grip) for fun and discovered why some folks hate the Glock grip angle. The hump at the bottom of the G17 grip does not sit in my palm pocket, it's at the bottom of the palm, raising my front sight substantially. See what fits you.
For the last few years, my EDC is a Hellcat with a dot.
 
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Whatever you decide to go with, get the MOS version.

My reasoning is ,slide milling is expensive if you decide you want a red dot later.

I have a G19 gen 5 MOS in my carry rotation. If the G45 ,had been available at that time as a MOS I would have bought one. The 19x and G45 didn't get the MOS slide till much later.
What he said!!!!! I have no plans to run a red dot on my 19x BUT I wish I had the option to if I want to later. You can find a used 19x cheaper now because the new model in MOS is out and some folks are gonna ditch their 19X for it. Heck I may get an MOS in 19X myself. I won’t get rid of my original 19x thou
 
What he said!!!!! I have no plans to run a red dot on my 19x BUT I wish I had the option to if I want to later. You can find a used 19x cheaper now because the new model in MOS is out and some folks are gonna ditch their 19X for it. Heck I may get an MOS in 19X myself. I won’t get rid of my original 19x thou
Luckily, the G45 I bought was cut for an RMR already by Race City Defense. If I decide to get an optic, I’m all set.
IMG_5360.jpeg
 
They are essentially all the same pistol. To me the main consideration should be barrel and RSA compatibility. The 19 length barrels are compatible across all generations. This makes getting aftermarket barrels easier for a 19, 19X or 45. The G17.5 has a longer RSA and different barrel lug design. The models 47 and 49 address this issue by using 19 length RSA.

My preference is 17 length slides (models 17, 47, 49), but the 19 length models (19, 19X, 45) are equally nice and great pistols. Right now trade in G17.5 models can be had for under $400. Pretty good deal, although the G17.5 is something of an oddball in terms of compatibility.

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another consideration is irons vs dot. in other words, whether the sight radius is going to be helpful. If i were planning to run an RDS, I'd probably go with a G19 or G45 MOS since the sight radius no longer buys you much. However, I prefer to shoot irons and with the correct sights (e.g. Dawson precision, Heinie), the longer sight radius makes it much easier to connect on smaller targets beyond 25 yards. For example, I find my G17 and 47's significantly easier to hit at 50 yards than my G45, all of which are using irons. Even more so with the G34.5 which is like on easy mode with the Dawson fiberoptic front + blacked out rear.

To me the 45 MOS is in a sweet spot in terms of parts compatibility and optimization for RDS use, although my personal preferences are not in this direction.
 
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So what if I understand that the 19 or 17 will likely be more practical, but I REALLY like the peanut butter color of the 19X…

For me the 19X was a hard no since the gen 5 baseplates prevent mag compatibility. this has come up a bunch and for many it's not an issue. I just have way too many glock mags around to deal with this problem. If I ever got a 19X, that front grip lip-thing would be dremelled off like on the drive home.
 
I like the grip length and slide length of the 19. I’ve had longer slide versions and found that I didn’t experience any appreciable accuracy difference with the longer sight radius. I crossed over to the dark side with dots and doubt I’ll ever go back so longer sight radius argument is off the table.
The 19 carries well concealed. The 19 is extremely versatile
I use a Glock 19 as a match gun with a dot. I stuff 21 rd Magpul mags- I’ve ran this set up for the last 3 years
 
If you got a 19 now and 47 later, that would give you the option for configuring a 19, 47/17, 45 & 49. You could also do this by getting a 45 and a 49.

My order of preference is 19, 49, 45, 17.
 
Would y’all recommend that I practice with irons first, or should I go straight into milling and add a red dot?
 
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