Glock 19 Or 23 - The Glock 23 was introduced in 1990 with the new S&W.40 cartridge and has been around for over 30 years now. Essentially a Glock 19 with a heavier slide and a larger bore in the barrel, the Glock 23 is the smaller brother of the full-size Glock 22 model.
I'll never forget the first time I shot a Glock 23. It was a second generation police conversion model from a local gun store, with a hog hand-all rubber grip. The short frame felt good in my hands, so I talked it into a spin at the test range and loaded it up.
Glock 19 Or 23
Up to this point I had only shot .22, 9mm, and .45 ACP semi-automatic pistols, and had no experience with the 23. The rise of Musul I'm used to it, but I can still control it. I figured it out after a few rounds and had a permanent grin at the end of the magazine.
Glock 19, 23, 38 Rubber Grip Sleeve For Glock 17,18, 20, 21, 22, 31, 34, 40, 41 Hunting Tactical For Taurus G2c, G3c, Pt111
The second emotion was the trigger. This was my first Glock experience and I really like the consistent trigger. Not too light and not too heavy, without converting from double to single action like my friend's old Ruger P-89.
I appreciate the thirteen round magazine capacity and the ability to use the larger Glock 22 magazines for fifteen rounds of fun before reloading at the range. As far as sights go, the stock Glock setup is more than adequate for my mark. (Prefer to Iron Optics? Check out my guide to holographic sighting)
The only complaint I can register with this gun is that the finger slots on the Gen 3 and Gen 4 models with the short grip do not line up with my fingers. A narrow hole under the guard pinches my index finger. With my friend's full size Glock 17 and 21 this was not a problem - the slots fit perfectly. Although the problem was easily fixed with a belt sander, I refused to grind a new gun. Fortunately, Glock heard the cries of fat fingers and removed the holes from the Gen 5 and it was a lot of fun (along with reducing my bank account).
The Glock 23 is used by several United States law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This history of reliability, cartridge power, and compact package make it one of the favorite guns when asked for defensive handgun recommendations. I am surprised by the popularity of the Glock 19 9mm over the Glock 23 .40S&W. Among civilian shooters.
Front Line Glock 19/23/32 Thigh Rig Holster Level Iii
I don't know anyone who carries a Glock 23 on their own time and dime. Almost everyone in my circle of friends and associates has at least one Glock 19.
The guns are similar in size and shape and fit the same cases. My judgment, tape measure, and gauge show that they are each 7.35 inches long, about 5.0 inches tall, and 1.18 inches thick.
But their weight has dropped to 23.6 ounces and packed up to 32 ounces. Neither Glock comes with a manual safety. The firing pin block and safety lever on the trigger are the whole show. The real security is between the ears.
The real difference is in magazine capacity. The 9mm Glock 19 comes with a 15-round magazine, while the Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol holds 13 rounds in the magazine.
Glock 19 / 23 Tlr 7/8 Iwb Holster
The Glock 23 features the typical Glock double action trigger. There is only one active step to learning. In my example, the action is quick and easy at six kilos. Trigger reset is fast.
The Glock 23 doesn't have to handle anything, it snaps into action, and it just feels good in the hands. Sights are adequate for the task at hand, especially with the night vision option. The Glock is easily disassembled and handled.
Overall, the Glock 23 is not only a good concealed carry pistol, but an acceptable service pistol.
This brings us to the obvious contrast. The Glock Model 23 is chambered for the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge. The 40th Police Arm is the result of over 100 years of painstaking research.
Why The Fbi And Police Prefer The Glock 23 To The Glock 19
The Smith & Wesson .38 Special handled well and was smooth to shoot. The problem is that it is not doing the job it should be doing.
The original 158 grain RNL .38 load was often referred to as the "widow maker" because it was carried by unsuccessful officers.
The author's personal Glock 23 compared to the Glock 19 are identical pistols, but the shooting characteristics differ due to the larger recoil of the .40 caliber cartridge.
Finally, the powerful .357 Magnum cartridge was loaded into a relatively compact revolver. The Smith & Wesson Model 19, and the later Model 13, were excellent service revolvers.
Viridian Red Laser Sight For Glock 19, 23, 26, 27 Pistols
The problem was that they were difficult to control without extensive training. The magnum cartridge was also hard on the rifle. They didn't break or blow, but magnum recoil was tough on small parts.
.40 bolted to a 9mm frame the same way and the same problems occurred.
The .40 S&W is harder to handle than the 9mm and is considered larger worn on the rifle, although this varies from brand to brand.
We'll never learn, but a federal survey a few years ago confirmed what many police officers already know. A gun over 35 ounces will be a burden at the end of the day.
Owb Holster For Glock 19/23/32 W/olight Pl Mini 2 Valkyrie Adjustable 0.93 Kydex
The 9 mm pistol is suitable for carrying and compacting in the hand. A .45 caliber pistol like the excellent Glock 21 is stretched for most hand sizes.
There was a general consensus, backed by well-documented cases and research, that the 9mm was inadequate for police work.
We can argue the 9mm from here to the Ragnorak, but the reality is that the wound capacity of the 9mm is nowhere near that of the .45 ACP, but the .45 is much harder to carry.
I'm sure the .45 could do just as easily as the 9mm, but a .900 inch long cartridge case would require a longer grip frame. It is the same for 10 mm.
Gov't & Military Discounts On Glock 19/23/32 W/ Steamlight Tlr 1
40s have been floating around for a while in the centimeter round: .41 Action Express and others. The .40 S&W was a success story.
However, there were some cracks in the fabric. One federal agency rushed to adopt the Glock 32 and reverted to the 9mm because officers were no longer qualified with the Glock 23 at the previous high level.
This is understandable. The decline is greater. Early runs of .40 caliber ammunition did not demonstrate high accuracy. Some are loaded maybe too hot.
Several charges exhibit excellent wounding capacity. I've included some results from a water test from 21st Century Stopping Power, Paladin Press.
We Sell Guns For Less
The author is a military intelligence officer and the results are verifiable and repeatable. As you can see, between light and heavy bullets and different velocities, the .40 caliber scores better than the 9mm. But that's not the whole story.
Shooting position means a lot. The Glock 19 9mm is easier to shoot than a .40 caliber pistol. Although the restoring force can be calculated, the easiest way is to calculate the power factor.
This is bullet weight times velocity divided by 1,000. A power rating of 20 or more is generally considered too much for most shooters to handle with a self-defense weapon.
9mm defense loads are 13-14 size, .40 will work up to 17 and up. 230-grain is .45 in 20. The standard .45 ACP 185-grain load goes to 17.
C&g Glock 19/19x/23/44/45 Owb Holster
So we have guns. Oh, Einstein was right! Most shooters choose the 9mm if they want more ammunition and the .45 if they want more unloading power. Nothing wrong with that, but they ignore the .40.
But I like the Glock 23. I was impressed with the results I carefully researched and cataloged. For those willing to practice and accept lower times between shots, higher recoil and perhaps a little less perfect accuracy, the Model 23 offers excellent real-world ballistics.
The Glock 23 is as accurate as the Glock 19 with a fast first shot. The Glock 23 isn't for everyone, but what gun is? It's a well-balanced, reliable gun, and it's all Glock.
9mm or .40 S&W? Do you carry a Glock 23 or a Glock 19? Share your experience with the Glock 23, 19 or your favorite Glock in the comments section.
Glock 23 Gen3 California Legal
About the Author: Bob Campbell Bob Campbell's primary qualification is a lifelong love of firearms, writing, and scholarship. Although he has a degree in criminal justice, he educates himself on topics relevant to his readers. Campbell considers unarmed skills to be the front line.
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