View Full Version : the real difference between a Glock 19 Gen 4 and Gen 3
I know there is a different recoil spring and grips but can you tell the difference in shooting a Gen 3 Glock 19 and a Gen 4 Glock 19?
I don't have huge hands so I find that the gen 4 fits better in my palm. Aside from that I don't notice much difference in shooting.
I couldn't tell a difference in shooting or recoil impulse between my Gen 3 and my cousin's Gen 4. To me the biggest benefit of the Gen 4 is the larger mag release.
I felt that my Gen4 guns shot 'flatter', like the front sight had less flip and they returned to battery faster.
I might be crazy though.
For me, the Gen 4 simply fits my hand better with no back straps. I have thick hands and short fingers. By the book it's only .08", but it sure feels more than that.
I don't have huge hands so I find that the gen 4 fits better in my palm. Aside from that I don't notice much difference in shooting.
Same here. Unless it's a very hot day and I'm sweating, then strings of shots are much better with the Gen 4 for me.
My gen4 Glock 23 has less (to me) recoil than my gen3 Glock 23. Same with the G19s as well.
gen4 17 shooter here.. I perceive less muzzle flip with it than I do with my gen3 17. The grip on the gen4 feels thinner as well.
Gen 4 grip is skinnier side to side
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Allah_Snackbah
09-10-15, 17:08
I can't tell
Gen4 with Medium beavertail backstrap that is trimmed down to the same size as a grip force adapter, feels thinner and handles better. I also shoot my Gen4 19 much better than my Gen3 19.
Gen 4 grip is skinnier side to side
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No, the Gen4 is thinner front to back not in width.
I perceive that it's slightly flatter shooting which to me is due to better ergos for those the Gen4 fits.
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"One cannot awaken a man who pretends to be asleep."
Newer glocks are more accurate, tighter barrel lock up
edmorseiii
09-11-15, 22:16
I have both and I am probably going to sell the Gen 3 for an other Gen 4. The Gen 4 just feels better in my hand and I shoot better with it. I also like the mag release on the Gen4 better.
Gen 4 has better traction, and a better mag release. Thats literally all i can tell between my gen 3 and 4 19's.
I have both a gen 4 and a gen 3 g19. To me in terms of ergonomics, i think the gen 4 is the better more modern gun. Better mag release, better grip texture, and interchangeable back straps are awesome. I prefer the small/no strap on the gen 4 but I still use the medium blackstrap to mimic my carry gen 3. If you have medium to smaller hands this is a huge plus since gen 3 g19s have a pretty chunky grip compared with other guns in its class. The only thing I like about the gen 3 more than the gen 4 is the trigger. I know the trigger bars are different between the two and my gen 4 has a noticeably heavier and grittier pull. My gen 3 trigger is lighter and crisper, but neither have really great triggers. If I was starting from scratch I would 100% get a gen 4.
In terms of shootability, they're pretty close. Maybe a slight edge in felt recoil for the gen 4, and maybe a slight edge to the gen 3 in accuracy because of the lighter trigger.
On a side note I bought my gen 3 g19 back in 2005, back when glock made really really good guns. It just oozes a higher level of quality than my gen 4 does, it seems like today's guns don't have the same level of quality in them. Either way I'm very happy with my gen 4 and wouldn't hesitate to buy another new gen 4. My gen 4 has a little over 9k rounds through it and it's been very reliable for the last 8k rounds or so. The first 1k rounds I had major issues that glock fixed for me, so now after working out the issues I would say I'd trust my life to it. It looks like pretty much all the gen4 issues have been worked out so any new one should be gtg after a few thousand rounds break in. I would definitely get the gen 4 over a 3 if buying new
I have a Gen 4 Glock 19 and the real reason I was wanting to pick up a Gen 3 Glock 19 was to put a Green Crimson Trace laser on it. I have had my Gen 4 for sometime and shot a lot of rounds through it with no issue.
I'm hoping to find a cheap Gen 3 to satisfy my want. I am going to stipple the Gen 3 so I think it will make up for the texture issue as I stippled and took off the finger grooves from my Gen 4. Made a huge difference.
Gary1911A1
09-26-15, 11:15
I like the pebble type grip and the magazine release for the Gen 4 better than the Gen 3.
Gen4 fits my hand better so perceived recoil is less IMO.
Straight Shooter
09-28-15, 07:55
Newer glocks are more accurate, tighter barrel lock up
Man, I started to say that a couple days ago in my review of my new G19 I got a few days ago. It DOES seem tighter, the gun overall seems that way. I thought that the moment I checked it out before I bought it.
I had both and sold the Gen 4.
If you had both you might sell the Gen 3.
YMMV
Older thread but curious if any other feedback on the differences of Glock 19s in Gen 3 and Gen 4?
I see several agencies picking the Glock 19 but many are going with the Gen 3 and curious why not the Gen 4?
I have two gen4 19s, put gen3 trigger bars in both, one has the dot and one has the minus connector. Robar np3 internals, not enough Rounds through to give a valuable review, but I like them
Man, I started to say that a couple days ago in my review of my new G19 I got a few days ago. It DOES seem tighter, the gun overall seems that way. I thought that the moment I checked it out before I bought it.
The three Gen 4 G19's my brother and I got a couple of weeks ago also had a tighter slide to barrel fit (no side to side movement of the barrel hood at all in the slide). I did not check the barrel hood fit front to back with the pistol disassembled. Though not as important for accuracy, the slide to frame fit were also a tighter fit than the Glock pistols I have had in the past. The one I took to the range was also the most accurate Glock 9 I have ever owned. I believe with just a little trigger work/polishing and better sights ( narrower front sight) the accuracy will be pretty close to the VP9 and Sig 320c pistols that I used to have.
I have two gen4 19s, put gen3 trigger bars in both, one has the dot and one has the minus connector. Robar np3 internals, not enough Rounds through to give a valuable review, but I like them
Just curious on the trigger bars? My Gen 4's trigger is far superior to the two Gen 3's I have.
from what I recall, the bump on the gen4 trigger bar ads a little weight to the trigger pull, it sounds like a somewhat popular modification to either put the gen 3 trigger bar in the gen 4 Glock, or put the gen 4 dot connector in the gen 3 glock.
If I recall, the lighter dot connector came in part as a response to the heavier gen4 trigger bar
A year ago if you have any questions or are interested in getting your internals coded, the guys at Robar are extremely knowledgeable in addition to doing great work, in fact, I think switching out the trigger Barney be a standard part of their factory Glock modifications, or at minimum an option
It was asked previously but why are agencies and military that are going to G19 ordering 3rd gen?
Beat Trash
01-05-16, 10:14
It was asked previously but why are agencies and military that are going to G19 ordering 3rd gen?
Don't know about what "agencies", as most Agency orders I am aware of for Glock are going to a Gen4 gun. But the military, especially NSW is going with the gen3 guns because that's what is already being used within the system. They're just buying more of the same guns they have been quietly using for a while. And expanding who gets to use them.
As to the differences between the gen3 and gen4's, my gen4 Glock 19's are more accurate than my gen3 Glock 19's. Not positive as to why, not sure that I really care what the "why" is. But with that said, the gen3 guns were accurate enough for what I needed them to do.
The gen4 guns do have a bump on the trigger bar. This makes the trigger a bit heavier. But after a while, I go to preferring the gen4 trigger bar's. The trigger is heavier, but it's also cleaner with a better break. My gen3 triggers are more of a "mushy" break, for a lack of a better term.
If the accuracy and triggers were identical in the gen3 and gen4 guns, i'd still prefer the gen4 guns. The interchangeable back straps and the bigger magazine release button on the gen4 guns are enough to win me over.
In reference to the statements about gen 4 Glocks being more accurate than gen 3's, does this apply to the older production gen 3 Glocks? Or the current gen 3's as well?
I know Glock is still producing both generations. So I wonder if the tighter tolerances are present in both currently produced generations, or if it's simply that gen 4 Glocks are built to tighter tolerances than gen 3's regardless of date of manufacture.
Eurodriver
01-08-16, 06:35
I have more G19s than I can count (I'm almost being literal) and they are evenly split between early '90s Gen2s, late 90s-2013 Gen 3s and 2014-15 Gen 4s.
They all "feel" to shoot the same to me, but in practice the Gen4s with Large Backstraps have the best split times and best accuracy for me.
P.S. Glocks will become currency post-SHTF so buy one every month!
I know there is a different recoil spring and grips but can you tell the difference in shooting a Gen 3 Glock 19 and a Gen 4 Glock 19?
No, not really.
ETA: There is one difference I notice sometimes if I shoot Gen4 then go back to Gen3, and that is the magazine release. The Gen4 mag release is definitely easier to activate, at least for me.
I was shooting my gen4 g19 a while back and picked up one of my Gen2s and shot it and immediately noticed that the gen 2 has more felt recoil. The difference is barely noticeable, but I definitely noticed it that day.
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Blindeye_03
01-09-16, 08:35
I never felt a difference when shooting gen3 or gen4 glock26's. I ended up buying a gen4 since I got it used for an awesome price. I found out why when I went to the range.. it was a jamomatic. I took it to Glock in Smyrna and they acknowledged it had some old/improper factory parts in it since it was an early gen4 and they fixed it right up for me with no hassle.
So no beween the grips I wouldnt say there is any real difference. Maybe the frame texture?
packinaglock
01-10-16, 17:38
Is there any chance that the gen 4's being built with tighter tolerances are going to be less likely to do well in the torture tests that are seen on YouTube vs what the gen 3's have done? I recently watched the VP 9's not fair to well on The Military Arms Channel that was kind of a surprise.
Is there any chance that the gen 4's being built with tighter tolerances are going to be less likely to do well in the torture tests that are seen on YouTube vs what the gen 3's have done? I recently watched the VP 9's not fair to well on The Military Arms Channel that was kind of a surprise.
They're still looser than a $2 hooker compared to say a 1911
I never felt a difference when shooting gen3 or gen4 glock26's. I ended up buying a gen4 since I got it used for an awesome price. I found out why when I went to the range.. it was a jamomatic. I took it to Glock in Smyrna and they acknowledged it had some old/improper factory parts in it since it was an early gen4 and they fixed it right up for me with no hassle.
So no beween the grips I wouldnt say there is any real difference. Maybe the frame texture?
The gen3 and gen4 have the same RSA so you wouldn't feel any difference. It is the compact and full sized guns that changed RSAs.
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My last trip to the range I tried to notice a difference in felt recoil in my Gen3 and Gen4 Glock 19, could not tell any difference.
Both functioned fine, no issues at all.
The only true difference for me is the magazine release between the two and even then does not seem to make a big difference.
I will tell you the only reason I like my Gen3 a little better is Crimson Trace makes a Green laser for the Gen3 and the Gen4 they only make red. I can pick up the green pretty quick, heck with the green I don't even need a light in a dark room, lol.
I have Gen 2 and Gen 3 19s that run like you want a pistol to run. I shot a Gen4 19 a couple months back that ejected brass in every direction found on the compass.
I found that distracting as hell.
It seems Glock is still not 100% past function issues with Gen4 19s. If you have a good one be happy.
Re: features - the Gen4 texture is better. I find Gen3 triggers to be better.
Glocks implementation of adjustable backstraps has to be the worst in the industry. I run my Gen4s without just to avoid those crappy grip shims.
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