With the exception of the Glock 19X pistol’s coyote slide, Glock only makes guns with black slides. If you see one with a slide of any other color, including NiBX, it’s done after the gun leaves the factory – usually by a distributor who does a special run.

Glock has only ever made color-molded frames in

 

1. black
2. OD (‘Olive Drab’)
3. BFG (‘Battle Field Green’) – exclusive distributor is Amchar in N.Y.
4. FDE (‘Flat Dark Earth’) – exclusive distributor is Lipsey’s in LA
5. gray – exclusive distributor is Lipsey’s in LA
6. red
7. blue
8. coyote (only with the Glock 19X)

Red and blue are only used in training guns (17R, 22P, 17T, etc.). Any other colors (purple, burnt bronze, red & blue, pink, white, Robin’s egg blue, ‘battle worn’, American Flag, dessert sand, etc.) are aftermarket.

If the serial number plate is the same color as the frame and not silver, or the back straps are not the same color as the frame, it’s aftermarket (although some cerakote shops will also do the back straps).

Some gun shops will tell you that these aftermarket guns are factory colors. Best reason I’ve seen for that is because that’s how they receive them. But gun shops get their guns from distributors – who are generally the ones who do these special runs. They don’t typically get them directly from Glock. The gun shop staff just don’t know any better.

As for the differences between Gen 3 and Gen 4 pistols, as a generalization:

Gen 4 pistols have the different grip texture (known technically as “RTF3”), dual spring Recoil Spring Assembly unit (with frame and slide changes to accommodate), larger & reversible mag catch (not ambidextrous as some claim), and four back straps. Gen4 guns are built on the SF frame, resulting in a shorter trigger reach and shorter heel depth than the Gen 3 guns (about 2mm). The SF frames also use a smaller trigger housing mechanism. Gen 4 guns use a “dot” connector instead of the Gen 3 unmarked connector. Gen 4 guns have an updated trigger bar. All Gen 4 guns come with 3 magazines, whereas only the blue label Gen 3 guns came with 3 – white and red label come with 2.

Some Gen 3 models are available in a factory threaded barrel version (to support compensators and silencers). Some Gen 3 and 4 models are available in a factory ported version – although not all models are available in both generations. Some Gen 4 pistols are available in a MOS (“Modular Optic System”) version to support optics. Some Gen 4 pistols are available in a few more factory colors (including Gray, and BFG) than Gen 3 pistols. Both are available in black, FDE, and OD. These are all color molded frames with black slides (the only color Glock makes), trigger, mag catch, slide lock, and slide stop lever. Gen 4 includes color molded back straps. Some Gen 4 guns are available with front slide serrations and extended controls (mag catch, slide stop lever) as well as steel sights.

From a maintenance perspective, the recommended replacement threshold for the Gen 3 recoil spring assembly (RSA) is every 2500-3000 rounds. For the Gen 4, it jumps to every 5000 rounds.

Some will point to the fact that the Gen 3 has been around for years, and thus, is proven. Well, so has the Gen 4. Production on Gen 4 guns began in 2009. I think that’s sufficient time to be considered “proven”.

Some will say the “finish” is different. Glock made a change to the metal treatment process (which is applied to the bare metal, before the finish), starting in 2007 (and that transition was completed in 2010). That original process was known as “Tenifer”. The change to the newer Melonite process caused subsequent guns to have a finish with a slightly different appearance, but a higher HRc rating, which is good. It’s not about the generation of the gun that dictates the finish, but WHEN the gun was manufactured. A Gen 3 gun and a Gen 4 gun both manufactured on the same day will have the same finish.

To see more technical data for each specific model, including both current Gen 3 and Gen 4, see https://us.glock.com/products/all.

17M/19M & Gen 5 changes from the Gen 4 pistols include:

• No finger grooves.
• Flared mag well.
• Ambidextrous one-piece slide stop lever – on many of the ‘M’ guns, it’s also an extended ambi slide stop. That extended ambi slide stop lever is part # 33797, and is available for sale to certified armorers. It now appears that the extended ambi slide stop lever is on the Gen 5 G34.
• Front of the slide is rounded to match the Gen 4 subcompacts and long slide models. When first introduced, the Gen 5 and ‘M’ frame weren’t beveled to match. That has since been resolved in newer pistols.
• Land and groove rifling instead of polygonal
• Gen 5 GMB (Glock Marksman Barrel) barrel has a target match crown (FBI ‘M’ guns don’t). Barrels cannot be swapped with other generation guns – mainly due to the differences in locking blocks and newer, longer, RSA.
• Same style firing pin safety (angled instead of flat) as the Glock 43
• Return to two-pin frame due to a redesign in the locking block that removes the need for the third pin as well as Glock’s plan to only have Gen 5 in 9mm.
• Slide lock spring similar to Glock 43 (coil vs leaf), and the slide lock is moved slightly rearward.
• Return of cutout on bottom of front strap to assist with stripping magazine (such as due to a double feed) that were originally in Gen 1, Gen 2, and early Gen 3 full sized guns. Early prototypes did not have this cutout, which is why it’s not visible in some early pics. This cutout is on the 17, 19, and 34, but not the 26. The 26 has the extended toe similar to the MHS and 19X frames.
• Tougher finish applied to the same Melonite metal treatment process. This finish is dubbed nDLC (diamond like coating) that is similar to the black nitride finish. Glock refers to it as an ion bonded finish, and will only be available on Gen 5 guns.
• The upper cartouche, the flat area on the upper right grip area that show where the pistol was made, has been moved down and combined with the lower one, which contains the patent number
• Mags have an orange mag follower
• Mags have extended front lip to aid in reloading
• Mags have a slightly rounded base plate (bottom front edge)
• There are no front serrations, as some people claim, or as some photoshopped pictures suggest. Glock added an LCI to the guns many years ago to negate the need for press checks.
• ‘M’ guns come with 6 magazines. Gen 5 guns come with 3.
• Gen 5 is available with polymer sights or several night sight variations, including factory and Ameriglo ‘Bold’ night sights. The new sights are narrower than previous models. ‘M’ guns have slightly different sights than the Bold sights. Differences being FBI sights have a ‘U’ shaped notch in the read sight, whereas the Bold have a square notch. Both rear sights are serrated, and the night sights don’t have a white or colored ring around them (this is often referred to as ‘blacked out’). Both the Gen 5 Bold sights and the FBI sights are available with  a .125 orange front sight as well as a more traditional .140 width sight.
• Glock had said no plans for MOS guns, but they are now releasing the Gen 5 G34 in MOS.
• Glock said originally that the Gen5’s will only be offered in 9mm, but São Paulo Police Department (Brazil) is now testing the Gen 5 G22.
• New striker, but same spring cups, spring, and sleeve
• New extractor
• New slide cover plate
• New trigger mechanism housing
• New trigger bar, but the Gen 4 dimple is removed (since the Gen 5 went to the angled trigger safety, the hump is no longer needed)
• Gen 5 doesn’t use the ‘S’ shaped coil trigger spring, like the previous generations, instead going to a setup like the slimlines
• G19 and G26 come with a smooth trigger (like the 17) instead of the previous grooved trigger.
• ‘M’ guns have the nDLC finish on some internals (at least the trigger bar),  Gen 5 guns do not.
• ‘M’ guns appear to have an extended mag catch as stock, vs. a normal mag catch for the Gen 5 guns
• Gen 5 are currently available in black. ‘M’ guns are available in several color molded frames.
  • Black is standard issued to all agents.
  • BFG is issued to FBI SWAT
  • FDE is issued to FBI HRT
• Gen 5 guns have a ‘5’ rollmark on the top of the barrel. ‘M’ guns have a ‘5M’.
• Gen 5 G34 doesn’t have the cutout on the top of the slide like previous version, yet still maintains good balance due to a re-engineering of the materials used in the slide.

The new mags will work in previous generation pistols, and vise versa, with the exception of the 21SF with picatinny rail & ambi mag catch.

Keep in mind that the ‘M’ pistols are Glock’s specific response to the FBI requirements for a new pistol. Just because any of these features exist on these guns does not mean that they will appear in any other non-‘M’ guns in the future.

The following pictures of the Gen 5 G26 and G34 are from Glock.

This is a living post and will be updated as I get more info.

Here is information about the various roll marks you may see on Glock barrels, slides, and/or frames.

The pentagon indicates polygonal rifling, which all Glocks except the 17M and 19M use. Those two use land & groove rifling (a requirement under the FBI contract). A pentagon without a dot in the middle means the barrel is from grade 5 steel. Pentagon with a dot in the middle indicates grade 6 steel. Neither symbol has anything to do with +P and/or +P+ compatibility. For +P and +P+ info, see https://us.glock.com/customer-service/faq. The Austrian government eventually required the 3D in the oval, which replaced the pentagon symbols. NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) created a 3D ballistics database for research to positively identify bullets fired from specific barrels. The 3D database will help draw positive matches between a fired bullet and the barrel it was fired from. Barrels marked with a 3D are in the database. Ballistic experts can strategically identify the correct source, but it’s not 100% accurate. For more info about the database, see https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2016/07/nist-3d-ballistics-research-database-goes-live. It’s important to note that the evolution of these symbols should not be interpreted as there are issues with the components with previous marks.

The “AT” indicates it was made in Austria. Newer barrels made in Smyrna, GA have a “US” and a little outline of the state of GA.

From 1982 to 1991, Glock 17 pistols were assembled & test fired in Austria. (Later pistols were also assembled and test fired at Glock Inc. in Smyrna, GA.) Those barrels have an eagle roll mark. The eagle with the number 2 in the center is Austria’s coat of arms. The number 2 in the center of the coat of arms means it was proofed at the firing proof house in Vienna, Austria. You’ll also see this mark on frames from the same period.

The ‘NPv’ is the Vienna proof house roll mark for ‘smokeless powder proof for parabellum pistols’. The pistol was tested using a round loaded to at least 130%. Normally, Glock guns are tested with 120% loads. The markings are proof marks and inspectors marks as required on Austrian pistols that they met the 130% requirement. Many of those NPv marked guns have “Glock Inc, Smyrna GA” stamped on the bottom of the trigger guard.

Sometimes, you’ll see three letters after the NPv on Austrian made barrels. Those are date stamps to indicate when the BARREL was test fired (note that does NOT necessarily mean when the pistol was built). Eventually, Glock did away with those three letter codes. Unofficial information I have to decipher those three letter codes that are on the barrel (not the serial number) are:

The first letter is for the month:
E…Jan
L…Feb
N…Mar
B…Apr
S…May
Z…Jun
G…Jul
P…Aug
I…Sep
C…Oct
V…Nov
A…Dec

The last two letters are for the year:
O…0
W…1
K…2
R…3
F…4
M…5
H…6
Y…7
T…8
D…9

For those with the ‘CIP over N’ roll mark, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_Internationale_Permanente_pour_l%27Epreuve_des_Armes_%C3%A0_Feu_Portatives and http://www.mdwguns.com/cip.html

Gen 5 pistols have a ‘5’ to the right of the ‘3D’ mark on the barrel. ‘M’ guns have a ‘5M’ to the right of the ‘3D’ mark.

 

When the Army solicited guns for consideration for the next military sidearm, Glock submitted the 19 Modular Handgun System (MHS) pistol. Unfortunately, the Army went with Sig’s pistol. When you look at the Glock MHS pistol in detail, we see the following:

• A full size, G17 length grip, on a G19 frame for 9mm, and a .40 version with a G22 length grip on a G23 frame.
• No finger grooves, similar to the Gen 5 and ‘M’ guns. Same texture as the Gen 4 guns.
• 18 round magazines in FDE. Only the 2nd time we’ve seen FDE mags from Glock.
• Ambidextrous thumb safety.
• Ambidextrous slide stop lever – it appears to be the same part as what’s in the Gen 5 pistols.
• Lanyard hole (I bet it’s part of a butt plug).
• Back to two pins (from three) due to a redesign in the locking block, just like the Gen 5 pistols.
• The rounded snout on the slide – just like the 17M and 19M, and the long slides and subcompacts. That’s always made more sense to me than the regular flat nose we typically see. And apparently, just like the Gen 5 and ‘M’ guns, the frame is NOT beveled to match.
• And, for the first time, Glock Cerakoted a slide.

Also, kinda surprised we don’t see the circular cutout at the bottom of the front strap, like we do on the Gen 5 and ‘M’ models and older generation pistols.

For Glock’s response to losing to Sig, see GAO Denies GLOCK, Inc.’s MHS Pistol Protest.

This is a running list of things I’m actively looking for. This is a a living post and will be updated as needed. If you have any of these items and are looking to part with them, or know where I can obtain them, please contact me. All firearms transactions MUST go through an FFL.

Pistols

These are publicly released pistols that I’m actively looking for. Most are fairly hard to find. I prefer those pistols with original case, including matching case label, and all case contents (loader, brush, rod, lock, manual, spent casing, etc.). But I’m willing to discuss any opportunity.

Gen 1

1. Glock 19 Gen 1
2. Glock 17 Gen 1 w/ pencil barrel
3. Glock 17L Gen 1

Gen 2

1. Glock 20 Gen 2
2. Glock 21C Gen 2
3. Glock 24 Gen 2
4. Glock 24C Gen 2
5. Glock 29 Gen 2
6. Glock 30 Gen 2
7. Glock 31 Gen 2
8. Glock 32 Gen 2

Gen 2.5

1. Glock 21C Gen 2.5
2. Glock 29 Gen 2.5
3. Glock 30 Gen 2.5

RTF2

1. Glock 21SF RTF2 (no gills)
2. Glock 22C RTF2
3. Glock 31 RTF2 (no gills)
4. Glock 32 RTF2 (no gills)

Gen 4

1. Glock 21C Gen 4 (European only)
2. Glock 22C Gen 4
3. Glock 31C Gen 4 (European only)

Misc Pistols including imports

1. Glock Tactical (‘Tactical’ written on the right side of the frame. I believe these were marketed for the Philippines)
2. Glock 17DK/19DK – Danish pistols with extended barrel
3. Glock 23 Apache Instructor Pilot Model
4. G17FTO – Italian pistol with threaded barrel
5. 17MB/19MB/21MB – Ambi mag release pistols from Europe. Not sure if the 21MB is the same 21SF pistol with ambi mag release and picatinny rail that was briefly available here. I suspect not.
6. 17S – G17 with manual safety used in Tanzania, New Zealand, Israel, Pakistan, and South America
7. 17 Pro – produced for Finland, with threaded barrel, maritime spring cups, extended slide stop lever, 4.5lb connector, night sights, +2 mag extensions, and redesigned mag release.
8. 17AO – Australian Gen 3 G17 with threaded barrel, in Olive Drab

Special Purpose Pistols

1. Glock 17 Gen 1 Cutaway
2. Glock 17 Gen 5 Cutaway
3. Glock 19 Gen 4 Cutaway
4. Glock 19 Gen 2 Cutaway
5. Glock 19 Gen 5 Cutaway
6. Glock 19T Gen 3 (released 2017, IIRC)
7. Glock 20 Gen 3 Cutaway
8. Glock 21 Gen 3 Cutaway

Non Factory Pistols

1. Glock 19 Talo Premier Gold Edition
2. Glock 19 Talo Special Operations Edition
3. Glock 23 Talo Premier Gold Edition

Commemorative Pistols

1. Glock 19 & 26 “Defense Set” w/ presentation case
2. Glock 23 & 27 “Defense Set” w/ presentation case
3. Glock 22 FBI “100th Anniversary” w/ presentation case
4. Glock 23 “Homeland Defender” w/ light
5. Glock 17 “Homeland Defender” w/ light
6. Glock 23 Kiowa Warrior (only 26 made – with USAxxx serial)
7. Glock 19C Gen 3 Operation Enduring Freedom (“OEF-XV11 2011-2012” on the slide)
8. Glock 19 Mariner (minus connector & maritime spring cups & “Mariner” on right side of slide – believe only available in Philippines)
9. Any of the pistols from the ELP program. See Hand Engraved And Gold Inlaid Factory Glocks for more info.
10. Any of the 30th anniversary pistols. See A Year of Perfection.
11. Detroit PD marked Glock 23. I have a matching G22 and G27 and would like to complete the set.

Accessories/Parts

1. Glock Tactical Light GTL-51 (IR light & IR laser)
2. Glock Tactical Light GTL-52 (IR light & IR laser w/ dimmer)
3. Glock Tactical Light GTL-11 (light w/ dimmer)
4. Glock 78 knife – 25th Anniversary (engraved blade)

Printed Materials

1. Glock Annual magazines. I need the following issues:
   1. 1995
   2. 2003
2. Glock Armorer’s manuals. Not the aftermarket ones. I need the following:
   1. 1985
   2. 1986
   3. 1987
   4. 1988
   5. 1989
   6. 1990
   7. 1993
   8. 1994
   9. 1995
   10. 1996
   11. 1998
   12. 1999
   13. 2001
   14. 2003
   15. 2004
   16. 2005
   17. 2006
   18. 2007
   19. 2008
   20. 2010
   21. 2011
   22. 2012