GLOCK Gen6 & Gen V: Future of the Company

I’ve long maintained that a GLOCK is a GLOCK is a GLOCK. It is a very reliable yet unappealing handgun. In some ways this is an advantage; it is very recognizable, and popular, in TV and movies. However, it is not a pretty gun, but concealed-carry guns don’t need to be pretty. If someone can see my carry gun, I’ve screwed up.

GLOCK is a pistol that many love while others hate. I’m kind of in the middle, as it was an amazing concept, but I always felt it missed the mark on some little features, such as grip, grip texture, trigger and overly small controls. Lots of shooters buy a GLOCK for the reliability before upgrading it with aftermarket parts and personalized customization on the grip.

And while I’ve had the opportunity to shoot quite a few GLOCK pistols, I’ve even owned a few, it is a pistol I’ve never reviewed. As such, I was surprised at the invite to a GLOCK media event. It was right after the Gen V announcement, so I figured it just might be about the Gen6, of which rumors had been flying for months. Leaks before the event proved I was correct. At the event, a bunch of us got to handle and shoot all three of the new GLOCK Gen6 models — G17, G19 and G45.

Moving Forward

One of the first things we learned at the event is that the Gen6 is not the result of laws or lawsuits. The company has been working on this gun for the past few years, using customer input from previous models, advice from firearm experts, and both its U.S. and Austrian design teams.

Testing was intense, with the company claiming to having put 40,000 rounds through single pistols to make sure that it was to their level of “perfection.” At the event they even held a panel discussion consisting of GLOCK staff from Austria and the U.S., explaining the new features and the reasoning behind those features. This included why the company brought out three models in 9mm. This is especially true with one model; they followed the founder’s claim that “there is no GLOCK without the 17.”

More intimate discussions even explained the reasoning behind bringing the Gen6 out so quickly after introducing the GenV. It was simpler than expected. Basically, some shooters might desire a pistol that harkens closer to the original. Also, the new features of the Gen6 come with a higher price tag. The GenV, however, is staying at the price of the Gen 5, just like when it was introduced. This gives shooters a lower-priced option.

I did have to ask, though, if they felt that the changes to the GenV, and the Gen6, might help with the lawsuits the company has been facing through the illegal actions of criminals. In a roundabout way, they did admit it wouldn’t hurt. Still, they were adamant that the lawsuits were not the reason behind the changes.

GLOCK Gen6; New & Improved Features

The first things one notices about the GLOCK Gen6 is the grip and the serrations. The grip texture is significantly higher and better placed. The RTF6 grip combines two different sized textures that provide excellent purchase in the hand. Pretty much everywhere the hand hits contain texture.

The serrations are cut deep for an excellent grip, with the top being slightly deeper than the bottom. It is quite easy to see the angled cuts down the slide. While I’m not completely sure that matters in use, they are interesting to see, and plenty deep for manipulation.

Picking it up revealed a palm swell that was different than other GLOCK pistols. It felt smaller and more manageable, especially with the extended beavertail and undercut trigger guard that allows a very high grip. It doesn’t feel like a brick in the hand. Even better, it comes with additional backstraps for adjusting the grip,

Extending out into a two-hand grip showed the benefits of the textured thumb rest that helps recoil via an extremely secure grip. It even still comes with the squared-off trigger guard for those like that; it’s not my shooting style. Something that is very nice about the Gen6 thumb rest is that it is cut into the frame. Because of this, it will fit Gen5 holsters already on the market.

At that point, you reach the flat-faced trigger. I liked the trigger. While it could be just a little bit lighter at 5.5 pounds, the grip with the flat trigger provides a very natural pull. Everything put together allows for very fast follow-up shots in a pistol that you know will go bang.

Regarding the optics mounting, I’ve never used the MOS system. I have, however, heard the complaints of others. The polymer plates of the new system are very easy to use and act like a crush washer. I especially like the direct mounting of the new system. GLOCK developed it because they found some folks would overuse Loctite and/or crank down too hard on the screws on the MOS system. This caused some problems, particularly with ejection. The new optics system eliminates this issue. It also provides a secure foundation for optics.

Future Secured

The GLOCK pistol has been debated and argued about since its introduction. Not all of it is exactly its fault. Movies and TV shows like to make claims about GLOCKs that hoodwink the uninitiated into believing things that aren’t true (thank you Die Hard 2). Some of it might even be jealousy from those who don’t understand its fandom.

From the very beginning, Gaston Glock made an incredibly reliable pistol. It wasn’t pretty and felt kind of weird in the hand, but it was simple and went bang. Then, the company aimed its marketing at law enforcement agencies at a time when larger capacities and faster reloads were becoming necessary. Still, all an officer had to do was draw and pull the trigger to fire, just like a revolver. Add in the reliability and it was a recipe for success.

The GLOCK Gen6 is a culmination of more than 40 years of a basic idea that continued to get better. It is probably close what the founder envisioned at the beginning. It is also obvious that the company is well placed for the future. The GLOCK Gen6 is the most advanced and user-friendly pistol the company has ever produced.