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Posted: 2/6/2006 5:00:17 PM EDT
Please humor me here, but what are the differences between the various generations of Glocks?

Thanks.
Link Posted: 2/6/2006 5:03:41 PM EDT
[#1]
HotRod9mm will be along shortly to post a picture of the generations but basically it boils dow to the front strap and a light rail. The picture will explain everything.

Link Posted: 2/6/2006 5:44:45 PM EDT
[#2]
1st gen No Rail No finger groves
2nd gen Rail
2.5  cant remember one of the other
Gen 3 Rail AND Finger groves.
Glock FAQ
Link Posted: 2/7/2006 5:09:23 AM EDT
[#3]
Link Posted: 2/7/2006 5:41:15 AM EDT
[#4]

Quoted:
1st gen No Rail No finger groves
2nd gen Rail
2.5  cant remember one of the other
Gen 3 Rail AND Finger groves.



Not entirely correct; see picture in the above post.

To further describe:
Gen 1 frame - no FG/R, with a "stippled" texture all over the grip. Present in early G17s and a very few G19s (rare/collectible). 1985-88

Gen 2 frame - no FG/R, with a "pebbled" texture in defined panels on the grip, and checkering on the front & backstraps. 1988-1998

Gen 2.5 frame - a transitional design with finger grooves but no rails. I've personally seen the Gen 2.5 frame on G20s, 21s and 31s, but there were probably other models that had it, as well. Interestingly, the Gen 2.5 frame was featured prominently in the 1998 Glock Annual; the conversion to the  3rd Gen frame was completed later that year. Supposedly there was also a handful of frames that made it out with rails but no finger grooves, but I've never seen a picture of one.

Gen 3 frame - finger grooves & rails, 1998-present

Note that the Generations described above only apply to the full-size and compact-size frames; the subcompacts have kinda been their own beast from the start. Early G26s and 27s had smooth frontstraps, with the "grenade checkering" appearing later on. G29s and 30s retained the same frame design from their introduction until late 2005, when the light rail was added. Despite these variations,  subcompacts are generally considered to have "3rd Generation" frames for the purposes of classification.



 

Link Posted: 2/7/2006 6:01:01 AM EDT
[#5]
2.5gen G20


Close-up of the grip area.
Link Posted: 2/7/2006 6:18:35 AM EDT
[#6]
Thanks for the info guys; it looks like my G22 is Gen2, and the pair of G27's are "GenX", finger grooves but no rail.  Interestingly enough, one of the G27's has the "tactile" loaded chamber indicator on the extractor, while the other does not.

I am looking to get a G23 in the near future; is there any particular reason to try and find a Gen2 instead of just buying the readily available Gen3?  The finger grooves don't particularly bother me, and the rail is sort of moot as I use handheld lights.

Thanks again.
Link Posted: 2/7/2006 8:28:53 AM EDT
[#7]

Quoted:
and the pair of G27's are "GenX", finger grooves but no rail.  Interestingly enough, one of the G27's has the "tactile" loaded chamber indicator on the extractor, while the other does not.

Thanks again.



No 27's have a rail.
Link Posted: 2/8/2006 6:31:45 AM EDT
[#8]
Some additional info, from a friend in the know:

G19 introduced 1988.  1st gen to 2nd gen transition the same year.  

Side note: the G19 was a second gen before the G17.  There are 300~350 G19 1st gens,
but they are the cut down G17 prototypes.

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