I’m a simple guy that likes simple things. The Glock 19 is just that, a simple no frills handgun that has been widely accepted by both law enforcement and militaries worldwide. The less complicated a device is, the less likely it is to fail. Glock has embodied this theory when they designed their famous handgun. Not having an external safety doesn’t compromise your ability to carry with confidence. Glocks Safe-Action has been preventing accidental discharges since its inception. If you ever need to draw your handgun in self defense, you’ll appreciate this concept as you won’t be required to manipulate an external safety before pulling the trigger. These are precious fractions of a second that could be the difference between life and death.
The Glock 19 is the compact little brother to the full sized 9mm Glock 17. You wouldn’t think being a fraction of an inch shorter in the barrel and grip would make such a big difference but if you plan to carry one of these handguns concealed like I do in the Bravo Concealment Holster, it makes all the difference in the world. And maintaining a healthy capacity of 15 rounds in the magazine equals piece of mind should the shit hit the fan. Carry a couple of spare magazines and you now have 45 rounds of high performance 9mm pills.
My personal Glock 19 is a 4th Generation model with a few ergonomic modifications to better suit how I like the gun to feel and react. All the modifications I made are essentially bolt-on aside from one permanent alteration to the trigger guard. I removed a little bit of the polymer frame material with a Dremel Tool at the bottom of the trigger guard. This allows me to move my right hand a little bit higher on the grip and better control the recoil of the pistol. I also use the supplied medium sized back strap with beaver tail which is a unique feature of the Gen 4 Glocks. To further enhance my grip on the sometimes slippery polymer frame, I installed a rubberized grip from Talon Grips. Some people stipple the frame to increase the friction factor but I haven’t seen the need to permanently disfigure my Glock 19 at this point.
In the performance department, I’ve made some changes as well. The Safe-Action trigger from Glock is a tried and true mechanism that I’ve become accustomed to over many years of Glock ownership. With the pistol I carry for defensive purposes, I wanted a more decisive feeling trigger. I found just what I was looking for with the Pyramid Trigger from The Glock Store. This trigger breaks crisply at 4 lbs with very little take-up and a short positive reset after discharge. The Glock Store offers many color combinations for the Pyramid Trigger but this Ranger has an affinity for Black and Gold. I also installed a heavy tungsten guide rod to add some weight to the front of the weapon which helps reduce the muzzle rise and allows a faster follow up shot. I’ve always had a hard time releasing the slide using the original flat slide release button especially with gloves so I opted to install the factory extended slide release similar to the ones found on Glocks competition models.
Silencerco, a company better known for their complete line-up of suppressors, also produces threaded match barrels for the Glock pistols. I decided to purchase a threaded match barrel to gain a little more barrel length and accuracy. It may seem contradictory to have a compact pistol and add length to the barrel but I’ve found the minor protrusion of the barrel doesn’t make the pistol feel any bigger. The frame is what matters when it comes to size so the benefit of increased accuracy outweighed any detriment of installing a slightly longer barrel. I also own an Octane suppressor that I’ll occasionally spin on for fun as you’ll see in the video.
To top off my Glock 19, I installed the Trijicon HD night sight. It’s bright orange luminescent dot on the front sight allowed for quick target acquisition and follow up shots in bright sunlight. The tritium night sights from Trijicon have stood the test of time in both form and function on Glocks I’ve owned for over 20 years. The rear sight design has a steep leading edge allowing it to be used for one handed cycling of the slide in the event that you are down to one limb. Serrations placed on the rear of the sight break up any reflected light insuring that you have a nice black contrast to frame the orange front sight.
Your personal carry pistol should be an extension of your body to maintain fluid, instinctive operation if the time comes to draw it. Everyone is different and the modifications to my Glock 19 may not suit everyone but it works for me. Regardless of what you carry, training regularly and in realistic conditions is what’s ultimately going to be the difference maker. Be safe, train harder than your enemy and remain vigil at all times.
Happy shooting!
