Glock Generation 6 Review

I was excited to see the new Glock Generation 6 pistol. I probably called my FFL every day for a week to see if the pistol had arrived! The Gen 6 pistols are Glocks without radical changes in the operating mechanism but they feature worthwhile improvements. If you have a long serving Generation 5 gun you may wish to keep it or trade it in but I don’t see anyone seeking out older models in preference to the Gen 6, it is a good pistol. In fact- there will probably be a glut of trade in Glock Generation 5 handguns soon. Anyone who began firing the Glock way back in the 1980s will be able to pick up a Gen 6 and fire it easily. No need to change the recipe for success and easy handling. The action is the same. When the slide is racked the striker is prepped but not fully cocked. The trigger is pressed and moves the striker to the rear and the sear breaks releasing the striker to fire the pistol. The Glock fires and the action is repeated, making it a true double action only. Some striker fired guns are single action trigger designs.

The Glock Generation 6 is a marked improvement in ergonomics over previous handguns

There are a number of good things about the Glock that make a lot of sense. The new pistol’s magazines are the same as other Glock 9mm handguns. No need to re-design one of the most feed reliable feed devices on the planet. The sight slots are the same allowing mounting your choice of night sights. The trigger feels the same but better. In other words anyone used to the Glock pistol will not find a learning curve facing them. The pistol operates in the same manner as previous Glock handguns but with detail improvements. The grip texture is a big part of the story. I don’t find the texture abrades clothing during concealed carry while the balance of adhesion and abrasion is good. The handle is fully covered in the new treatment including the front strap and backstrap. The Glock Generation 5 trigger guard is undercut while the Generation 6 trigger guard is a more severe cut. This helps reduce the height of the bore over the hand. With less leverage for the muzzle to rise control in rapid fire is enhanced. The pistol features a dual slide lock and the magazine catch is reversible for left hand use. I really like the extended grip tang. This beavertail type extension aids in comfort and control. There are grip inserts supplied, however, there is no longer a need for the usual beavertail add on grip insert, as the pistol is now standard with this improvement. There is a raised guard around the slide lock to prevent the thumb from contacting the slide lock during recoil. This is a more pronounced feature than with the Glock Generation 5. There is a ledge on each side of the frame, above the triggerguard, for stability with the finger forward supporting grip style. It works well and doesn’t impede holster fit. If you use the finger forward grip these enhancements are an excellent feature.

Note the new grip treatment and light thumbswells

The slide offers changes as well. Both the striker and extractor are re-designed. The sight cuts are the same. The optics set up is a direct mount for the RMR and Leupold DPP as well as the C More footprint. The Glock Gen 6 is a direct mount which allows a lower mount making it faster to acquire the red dot during shooting drills. This means a great deal in the optics world.

Glock’s new optics mounting system is a simple low profile set up. This is a sturdy direct mount interface

Glock’s new design recoil spring is a single flat spring type 

Glock supplies a compression spacer but the slide is direct mount. The forward cocking serrations are deeper and sharper than the Glock Gen 5. The extractor and extractor channel as well as the striker are a re-design. The barrel is re-designed and will not interchange with older Glock pistols. The trigger is standard Glock breaking at 5.8 pounds average. The flat trigger makes the trigger pull feel lighter, as does the slightly shorter trigger reach. The white outline sights are standard Glock. These sights work well in most combat conditions and should not be underrated.

Note deep forward cocking serrations

Redesigned forward cocking serrations offer plenty of gripping surface

My Glock Generation 6 is the 45, basically a Glock 19 slide over a Glock 17 frame, a popular carry pistol. The Glock 17 and Glock 19 are also offered in the Generation 6 lineup.

The Glock 45 Generation 6 is the author’s choice among the newest Glock pistols

Range Work

The pistol was lubricated with a single drop of oil on the trigger connector, locking lugs, and near the muzzle. The magazines were loaded in the proper manner- load three or four cartridges, tap the rear of the magazine on the shooting bench to seat the cartridges, and continue. Agencies choosing a service pistol usually proof the handgun with a service load and a lead free loading. For the rest of us we should be certain the pistol is reliable with a wide range of loads. We don’t know what may be available in the future.

The Gen 6 is finally here!

I didn’t expect anything other than Glock’s proven reliability but I was prepared for an extensive evaluation. The Glock 45 Generation 6 handgun proved reliable with a wide range of  ammunition including service loads, FMJ practice loads, and +P ammunition. Most of the loads expended were Federal American Eagle 124 grain Syntech and Blazer 115 grain FMJ ammunition. The pistol gets on target quickly. The grip texture and undercut triggerguard aid in control. The pistol isn’t as snappy with +P loads as a Gen 5 Glock 19 on hand for comparison, feeling even better than the author’s Glock 17, also fired in comparison. Glock has created a pistol that is easier to control in rapid fire and which handles well.

Glock’s Gen 6 pistol is a good shooter, the best shooting pistol yet from Glock

I proofed the pistol with a number of duty loads and also fired the Glock for absolute accuracy from a solid benchrest firing position. I used proven loads. The average Glock Generation 5 with its Marksman barrel is usually good for a 2.5 inch group at 25 yards from a solid benchrest firing position. The Glock Gen 6 model 45 meets that standard. Keep in mind the Glock 45 is a shorter slide pistol compared to the Glock 17 and the sight radius is shorter. Just the same this is a great shooter.

The authors pistol has proven reliable and accurate in initial testing

The author drew and executed double taps at 5 yards in rapid fire. This is a very nice handling handgun

25 yard accuracy from a benchrest position, 5 shot groups

• Federal 124 grain Synetch  -  2.75 in.
• Federal 124 grain HST  -  1.9 in.
• Speer 124 grain Gold Dot +P  -  2.3 in.
  
• Speer 147 grain Gold Dot  -  2.5 in.
  
• Remington 147 grain FMJ  -  2.6 in.
  

I mounted a red dot optic without difficultyi. The TruGlo Nexus is an affordable RMR pattern red dot optic. This sight features a 22mm lens and has provided good results on several handguns. I keep the TruGlo on hand as an aid in shooting evaluations. So far the Nexus has given good solid results. It is more affordable than many red dots but has good features. With the TruGlo Nexus mounted speed picked up. The low mount optics ready slide seems to make a considerable difference in speed. I need more time in with the handgun but at this point it seems to be a winner and the best Glock yet. 

Carrying the Glock

The Glock Generation 6 pistols will fit existing designs for the Glock handgun. I tested this with several holsters and found this to be true without reservation. The Timeless Leather inside the waistband/appendix carry holster is a perfect fit and among the best choices for concealed carry of the Glock Generation 6 pistol. I tested the Generation 6 pistol with tightly molded leather, bolatron, and Kydex holsters. I even tested nylon fabric holsters without any type of snag. Glock tells us the Generation 6 is good for existing Glock holsters and it is. Falco holsters have a high standard of fit and finish and the Generation 6 fits into these holsters just as nicely as my well worn Glock 19 Generation 5.



FALCO’s Timeless Leather IWB is an excellent choice for concealed carry and a perfect fit for the Glock Generation 6

Glock 45 important specs

• 17 round magazine capacity
• 189mm / 7.44 inch overall length
• 102mm / 4.02 inch barrel
  
• 655g loaded weight (23.10 oz.)
  


The Glock 45 is a nice sized pistol, ideal for concealed carry or uniform service use