EDC Gun Review – Glock Compact

Glock 23 with Streamlight TLR-2 tactical light. Click pic for more details

I had someone email me the other day, asking why I didn’t do a review of the Glock I carry as an EDC firearm. While I don’t carry a Glock off duty, I am sure there are plenty of folks out there who might carry it as their EDC gun.

And since I carry the Glock 23 on duty and have for over a decade, I figured I am somewhat qualified to review it. So, here you go! My review of a Glock as an EDC.

I will actually be looking at two compact (mid-sized) Glocks. I will look at the Glock 23 (.40 S&W) and the Glock 32 (.357 Sig.) The Glock 23 is a Gen 4, while the Glock 32 is a Gen 3.

The first Glocks were produced in 1982, and started arriving in the US by 1988. There was a lot of doubt in the “gun world” about whether a plastic (polymer) firearm was worth anything. The huge success of Glock has answered it’s critics. It is now one of the most popular handguns in America today. According to Glock’s website, 65% of police departments in the US issue/carry Glock pistols.

This success was partly due to the clever and effective marketing of Glock, who sold their pistols to the police at a discount. When police departments saw how effective and well-built the Glocks were, plus the fact that Glock 17s could hold 17 rounds of 9mm, they began carrying them en-mass. This gave credence to Glock with the general public, and the rest as they say is history.

The Glock 23/32 is a polymer framed pistol and almost 7 inches in length. (5 inches high.) Its 4 inch barrel is made of ordnance grade steel, and has a nitrate finish. The pistol (Glock 23) weighs about 23.5 oz or so (unloaded). The 32 weighs 21.5 oz unloaded.

Glock is a striker fire pistol. There is a “safety” in the trigger, ie a little mini lever. Glock’s firing pin cannot be activated unless this mini lever is pulled. This prevents from gun from accidentally going off, even if it is dropped. Click on the pic for full-sized picture to see how it works.

Click for full size

The generation 4 Glock comes with a new MBS (Multiple Back Strap) frame. Out of the box, the new Glocks are configured for the standard back strap. However, medium and large back straps are included with the pistol.

To change out the back strap, simply remove the small pin in the frame with the included punch tool, put on the bigger back strap, and replace the pin with a longer polymer pin. (Also included.) I changed out mine and the entire process took me about 90 seconds.

Another new feature of the Gen 4 Glocks are the RTF (Rough Textures Frame). This was designed to make it easier to hold your Glock. I’ll be honest, maintaining my grip on my Glock was never an issue in the past. So I’m not a huge fan of the new RTF feature. But that’s just me. Some shooters out there really like it.

Notice the difference in the texture between the Gen 3 and Gen 4

Top is Glock 23 Gen 4. Bottom is Glock 32 Gen 3

Another upgrade found on the Gen 4 is the magazine release button. It is now a bit larger and also reversible. If you are left-handed and prefer your pistol set up this way, then this is a nice feature to have. The change from left to right is fairly easy for a Glock Armorer to do.

But the biggest change for both the standard and compact framed Glocks is the reconfiguration of the recoil spring. A dual-captivated recoil spring, ie. like the ones found in the sub-compact Glocks 26 and 27, is now used on the larger models.

The .40S&W and the .357 Sig are both high-pressure cartridges and have a bit of a sharp recoil. This is especially true in the smaller Glock frames. The dual-recoil spring/guide rod assembly helps to manage this sharp recoil. This makes the Glock more shooter friendly.

I prefer Glock Night sights OEM (dots) over the traditional bar rear sight. Note the difference between the two in the picture below. The Glock 32 (left) has the standard sights, while the Glock 23 has the OEM sights.

My Glock 23 came with two 13 round magazines, though I have purchased many more over the years. The Glock 32 has 15 round magazines, though the model I purchased came with two 10 round magazines. (I bought my Glock 32 at a military base Commissary…so I wonder if that is why it came with lower capacity magazines.)

I have owned and/or carried (issued) 5 or 6 different Glocks over the years. Never in all that time have I ever had a single issue, problem, misfeed, etc with any of my Glock. None. Ever. Glocks are probably the most reliable pistol I have ever had.

Every single Glock I had was/is accurate and easy to shoot. Even with the mini lever in the trigger, I have never had any problems shooting a Glock. The trigger pull for both Glocks are a little over 5 lbs. The triggers are smooth and crisp, and have a solid reset.

I can also attest to how fast and friendly Glock’s customer service is. When the Gen 4s were first introduced on the market, there was an issue with the guide rod. Glock did issue some recalls, and the problem was quickly corrected.

I contacted Glock to see if my Gen 4 was on the recall list. When I gave them the serial number, they looked it up and told me that it was not.

The Glock rep quickly added that if I like, Glock would send me another guide rod just to put any concerns I might have to rest. I asked them if I needed to send them my current guide rod. I was told “Not at all. It is perfectly fine.”

“What will this cost me?” I asked.

“Just a moment of your time as we get your shipping information.” was the reply.

Six days later, I had another guide rod for my Glock 23. Didn’t cost me a dime. Color me pleased!

The beauty of the Glock 40 S&W and the Glock .357 Sig is that the barrels and magazines between the corresponding models are interchangeable. Meaning, I can take the barrel out of my Glock 23 (40 S&W) and put it in my Glock 32 (357 Sig), or vice versa, and it will work just fine. (With the right ammo of course.) The magazines for both are interchangeable as well.

The MSRP for both Glocks is around $649 each, but you can find them for less. Considering how well-built and dependable they are, this is not a bad price.

As an EDC pistol, you cannot go wrong with a Glock! They are one of the most common pistols in America today, and parts for them are very plentiful!

Personally, I prefer something thin, smaller, and easily concealed when carrying off duty. Hence I carry a Sig P238 off duty. (Click the link to read the review.) But that does not mean I do not like nor trust my Glocks. I trust my life to one every single day!

If you decide that you want a Glock as your EDC carry weapon, then in my opinion you are good to go! Click here to begin shopping for yours!