Milling a gen 2 Glock 19 for an EPS?

[Exiledviking]

I need some advice. I'm looking at a Gen 2 G19 for sale locally for a decent deal. I much prefer the Gen 2 or Gen 5 due to no finger grooves as the finger grooves on the 19 frame are very misaligned for my thick fingers. I'd have to have the finger grooves removed on a gen 3 or 4.

I'd be primarily be using this for the local competitions and I'm really liking the concept of running a Holosun EPS 6 MOA sight on it. And I'm leaning hard towards using the EPS 6 MOA sight as it checks 95% of the boxes (I wish the window was a little bit larger).

So, I'd have to send it off to be milled for the EPS and I'd add FCS too.

A couple of things are holding me back; is it sacrilege to do this to an early G19.2 and if I go the EPS milling route I think I'm severely limited on optics in the future?

Another thought that occurred was to buy a Brownells G19.3 slide with the RMR cut and FCS and then add a CHPWS adapter plate for the EPS (507K mill pattern). The slide is about the same money as the milling so that makes it appealing.

What do you all think?

[WobblyPossum]

It’s a Glock, not an Alchemy 1911. If you want to get the slide milled, stipple the frame, whatever, then have at it. It’s not a collectible, especially a used one.

Regarding the optic footprint, you would be stuck with using optics that had the Shield RMSc footprint like the EPS or 407k/507k families. That seems to be a footprint that’s here to stay for a while since most of the micro guns and their optics use that footprint. The Trijicon RMRcc seems to be the notable outlier.

[G19Fan]

I need some advice. I'm looking at a Gen 2 G19 for sale locally for a decent deal. I much prefer the Gen 2 or Gen 5 due to no finger grooves as the finger grooves on the 19 frame are very misaligned for my thick fingers. I'd have to have the finger grooves removed on a gen 3 or 4.

I'd be primarily be using this for the local competitions and I'm really liking the concept of running a Holosun EPS 6 MOA sight on it. And I'm leaning hard towards using the EPS 6 MOA sight as it checks 95% of the boxes (I wish the window was a little bit larger).

So, I'd have to send it off to be milled for the EPS and I'd add FCS too.

A couple of things are holding me back; is it sacrilege to do this to an early G19.2 and if I go the EPS milling route I think I'm severely limited on optics in the future?

Another thought that occurred was to buy a Brownells G19.3 slide with the RMR cut and FCS and then add a CHPWS adapter plate for the EPS (507K mill pattern). The slide is about the same money as the milling so that makes it appealing.

What do you all think?

It is a glock....nothing special on Gen 2
.
Eps carry footprint is here to stay. Wager Machine Works does a great job

[john c]

If it’s the same money to direct mill or get a new slide, then it comes down to accuracy.

Shoot the pistol first to see how accurate it is right now. If accurate, direct mill. If it’s not accurate, get a new slide. It might tighten everything up and shoot better.

As others have said, it’s your gun so do what you want to it.

If it was me I’d skip all that and get a Gen5 MOS and forget about it. The increased accuracy alone is worth the additional cost. FWIW I feel the exact same way you do about Glock finger grooves. I carried a gen2 G17 for decades until the Gen5 came out. The gen5 is superior to the gen2 in every way.


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[HeavyDuty]

I’m with john c - I’d just get a Gen5 and drive on. I only have one Gen2 left (a large frame) but I have been very happy with my Gen5 in comparison.

[JCN]

I need some advice.

What do you all think?

I would get the Gen 5 because I don’t like the half moon cutout at the bottom of the Gen 2

Also the factory flared magwell on the 5 will help in gaming stuff.

[psalms144.1]

Especially on a COMPETITION gun - which is what you said it's primary role will be - the tiny window on the EPS/Shield/507K footprint optics makes no sense to me. IMHO, you'd be much better served with something like the 509T.

Having said that, early Glocks were not renowned for "competition" level accuracy - so as others have pointed out, you probably would want to shoot it before you bought it, or definitely before you committed to sinking the money into slide modification. You also need to know going in that you are almost certainly going to be "stuck" with that pistol - selling a compact "duty" size gun with an itty bitty slide mounting cut is going to put a unicorn in your stable that it's VERY unlikely you'll be able to sell if you decide it's not what you really want.

But, as has been wisely pointed out, save the money, get a Gen5 G19 MOS, and be done with it.

[G19Fan]

Especially on a COMPETITION gun - which is what you said it's primary role will be - the tiny window on the EPS/Shield/507K footprint optics makes no sense to me. IMHO, you'd be much better served with something like the 509T.

Having said that, early Glocks were not renowned for "competition" level accuracy - so as others have pointed out, you probably would want to shoot it before you bought it, or definitely before you committed to sinking the money into slide modification. You also need to know going in that you are almost certainly going to be "stuck" with that pistol - selling a compact "duty" size gun with an itty bitty slide mounting cut is going to put a unicorn in your stable that it's VERY unlikely you'll be able to sell if you decide it's not what you really want.

But, as has been wisely pointed out, save the money, get a Gen5 G19 MOS, and be done with it.


Missed that part about a competition gun. 100% 509T

I love my 509T cuts slides and have one with 50k rounds on it. No loss of zero or any issues at all

[Exiledviking]

I really appreciate your input.

A couple of things I need to mention; a gen 5 19 will cost me almost 3x more than the G19.2 here in California. So, that's a serious consideration. But, as pointed out above there are significant advantages to the gen 5.

Second, the window size of the EPS is virtually identical to the 509T (EPS 0.63 x 0.91" vs 509T at 0.66 x 0.90" ) which was my first choice in optic for the G19. However, the 6 MOA dot is what I really want for competition.

[BK14]

What form of competition? Do you currently shoot competition, and if so what is your ranking?

I shot a 19 in production briefly, as that’s what I already owned and it was fine. But if someone was buying a gun to get into competition with, a 19 would not be my recommendation. Likewise, if I was buying a new optic to shoot matches with, I’d get the largest window I could find that offered reasonable durability. Likely the SRO.

I’m not super familiar with the buying processes in California, but if a Gen 5 is too expensive, but Gen 3/4 34/17s are available, a file and wood burner kit from OTD will make quick work of those finger grooves.

[fatdog]

A used, or aftermarket gen 3 slide as a "spare" slide, mill it (if factory) or buy one of the aftermarket versions that does not cost a gazzilion dollars and already has provision for the optic (e.g. Brownells), then put a better aftermarket barrel in it and you have "carry optics competition upper" complete with the optic and the ability to put the gun back in factory original condition in about 20 seconds.

[Coyote41]

The simple solution here is just remove the finger grooves from a gen 3. Have the slide milled to whatever optic you want. Problem solved.

Will it be surplanted by whatever comes out next? Yes. The gun industry is all about convincing you what you have isn’t good enough. Ignore it.


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[Exiledviking]

What form of competition? Do you currently shoot competition, and if so what is your ranking?

I shot a 19 in production briefly, as that’s what I already owned and it was fine. But if someone was buying a gun to get into competition with, a 19 would not be my recommendation. Likewise, if I was buying a new optic to shoot matches with, I’d get the largest window I could find that offered reasonable durability. Likely the SRO.

I’m not super familiar with the buying processes in California, but if a Gen 5 is too expensive, but Gen 3/4 34/17s are available, a file and wood burner kit from OTD will make quick work of those finger grooves.

I regularly shoot the local Bowling Pin matches, Steel Challenge (way abbreviated at 2 stages), Falling Plate Rack match (similar to Plate Rack event at the Bianchi Cup), a steel plate Gallery match, and a Bullseye match.

I'm usually among the top 5 shooters and have won a few of the above events.

I run either a G34.5 with a 509T or a STI 2011 9mm with a 508T as my primary competition pistols. I also have a G34.3 with Dawson Precision iron sights for competition use.

I want a compact (4" or less barrel length) for some of the above events as they run separate categories which include a compact category. And to be competitive, I need a red dot on top.

Thanks again for all the input.

I'm looking at picking up a G19.5 now instead due to advantages offered by the gen 5 as listed above.

I suspect I'll end with a 5 MOA SRO sometime in the future mounted on the G34.5.

It sure is good to have options!

[Exiledviking]

So, now I'm thinking maybe I should go with a 5 MOA SRO instead of the EPS because the primary use of this pistol will be competition.

Anyone else run a SRO on a G19? If so, your thoughts?

Any downsides to the SRO vs the EPS other than it being harder to carry concealed?

[psalms144.1]

I've just mounted an SRO on my Shadow2 - zeroing and starting over in the dot life will start Thursday. My best friend had an SRO on his G19 for a while, but got rid of it because:

1. His G19 is also a "work" gun, and the SRO may or may not be "duty ready."
2. He shot his competitions using his "tactical duty" belt, so that big old ash tray of a lens caught everything that fell off him - mostly sweat, leading him to have distorted/unusable "dot" a lot of times in the hot, sweaty summer season.
3. He's an EXCEPTIONALLY good shot with irons, and his eye Dr just figured out a perfect prescription for his contacts, so he never realized a lot of performance improvement with the SRO (or any other dot, for that matter)

For COMPETITION, presuming the G19 is the platform you WANT to shoot in competition, I don't see any down side to the SRO. If you decided you wanted to dual-use the pistol as competition and concealed carry, I'd probably opt for an enclosed emitter to avoid the ash-tray issues mentioned above.

[john c]

I regularly shoot the local Bowling Pin matches, Steel Challenge (way abbreviated at 2 stages), Falling Plate Rack match (similar to Plate Rack event at the Bianchi Cup), a steel plate Gallery match, and a Bullseye match.

I'm usually among the top 5 shooters and have won a few of the above events.

I run either a G34.5 with a 509T or a STI 2011 9mm with a 508T as my primary competition pistols. I also have a G34.3 with Dawson Precision iron sights for competition use.

I want a compact (4" or less barrel length) for some of the above events as they run separate categories which include a compact category. And to be competitive, I need a red dot on top.

Thanks again for all the input.

I'm looking at picking up a G19.5 now instead due to advantages offered by the gen 5 as listed above.

I suspect I'll end with a 5 MOA SRO sometime in the future mounted on the G34.5.

It sure is good to have options!

Ok, I changed my advice. Since you’re in CA, get the gen2 and rock on. I still think you should shoot it for groups first to see if it shoots well, and go from there. I think you can get a gen2 g19 to shoot as well as a gen5 for less money than buying an off-roster gun.

Outside of CA, my original advice holds.


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[HCM]

I've just mounted an SRO on my Shadow2 - zeroing and starting over in the dot life will start Thursday. My best friend had an SRO on his G19 for a while, but got rid of it because:

1. His G19 is also a "work" gun, and the SRO may or may not be "duty ready."
2. He shot his competitions using his "tactical duty" belt, so that big old ash tray of a lens caught everything that fell off him - mostly sweat, leading him to have distorted/unusable "dot" a lot of times in the hot, sweaty summer season.
3. He's an EXCEPTIONALLY good shot with irons, and his eye Dr just figured out a perfect prescription for his contacts, so he never realized a lot of performance improvement with the SRO (or any other dot, for that matter)

For COMPETITION, presuming the G19 is the platform you WANT to shoot in competition, I don't see any down side to the SRO. If you decided you wanted to dual-use the pistol as competition and concealed carry, I'd probably opt for an enclosed emitter to avoid the ash-tray issues mentioned above.

Re: 2. If your buddy is running a working / duty holster without the “Cheeto guard” he’s doing it wrong. The Cheeto guards are like an SCD on a Glock. They don’t required any extra steps or time to the draw.and the prevent the issue you described. For some reason all the tactical brothers had decided that Cheeto guards are not cool so they “don’t like them” but they serve a real purpose.

Re: 1 - Trijicon has flip-flopped on the SRO being suitable for duties and there are large departments such as the LA County sheriffs department to approve them for duty. I’d say they are a wobbler for uniform patrol duty but for a CCW gun they are just fine.