Boring Topic - Glock 26

[SamAdams]

I know it's been around for awhile. I've been considering getting a Glock 26. Application would be as a back-up to my primary ccw G19. (Ive been carrying a J frame for this purpose, but shoot a semi-auto much better.) I no longer have to wear a suit & tie every day. Most of the time I'm in Duluth cargo pants or shorts, & go casual. The G26 would also be carried as a primary those few times where I need something more discrete than the G19. I shot a buddy's G26 and like it. I also threw it in my cargo pants pocket and walked around with it for awhile and it seemed 'possibly doable' for me. Though a holster may be best. ( BTW - I have XL hands and find the new G43 single stack feels too small for me. Never shot one, though.)

Other forums/videos out there often have some guy who shot a box of white box through their G26, loaded it up with HPs and now declares it "the bestest gun ever !" So, I thought I'd ask here about this common and maybe now 'boring' gun to the folks on PF. After carrying one for awhile, what have you learned about your G26 ? What works & doesn't work for you ? What carry methods do you like, or don't like ? How do you feel about shooting it now? Anything else you might add after carrying your G26 for a few years ?

Thanks

[JHC]

I carry a Gen 4 G26 often. I think it's the best balance of a subcompact for carry and shootability I've tried out. I shoot the under 15 yard drills and tests about as well with a G26 as I can with a G19. The difference is thin. In this Triple Nickel run if I had not momentarily mistaken my failing to reset on the 2nd shot on the fourth target as running empty and inducing that hitch I think I would have broke 5 sec. The reload when I got to it is generally how my reloads go with the short G26. I shoot FAST with a G26 very close - within a few tenths of a second of how I shoot one with a 19 or 17. https://www.flickr.com/photos/780361...posted-public/

With good holsters and appropriate cover garments it's true a 19 carries about as concealable but I don't tailor my dress every day to suit a 19 and the G26's shorter grip simply conceals better in some circumstances. I carry it AIWB or IWB. Depends.

If I could only have one Glock I think it would probably be a 26. Because if there is only to be one, it has to be smaller.

[rjohnson4405]

I did not like it in a cargo pocket. Anything brisk walk or faster becomes uncomfortable if not painful. Plus, I'm tall so if I put my feet up on anything (sometimes a necessity in smaller places) if the cargo pocket isn't shut with a button or velcro it felt like it was going to fall out. Maybe a better holster would help with this, maybe not.

I found it maybe a little more concealable than a 19 but there just wasn't a niche for it to fill. Either I could fit a 19 and therefore a 26 or my LCR worked better.

Any other places you were considering carrying the back up than in a cargo pocket? The one place a 26 does work better than a 19 is in a coat with big pockets if you go down that route, but I"m moving someplace warm so that doesn't really apply to me anymore.

They are very shoot-able, I just couldn't justify another gun when I was in your position. YMMV

[Cookie Monster]

It's my EDC gun. Pocket carry works good for me, front pocket, not cargo. In boots ankle carry works but most of the time it is too much of a brick for me to be comfortable.

If you want to carry two guns, not an unreasonable choice.

[Clusterfrack]

AIWB I carry a G19, but for the times I strong side carry the G26 conceals better because of the shorter grip. I wouldn't pocket carry a 26. It's too big and heavy.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

As a civilian, the 26 has become my most popular carry gun. The short grip makes it very concealable for my old body in an OWB with a floppy shirt. I do carrry a 19 but have been moving towards the 26 more and more. Pocket carry didn't work for reasons mentioned above, it's just a touch too big as compared to a J frame or Glock 42.

As far as it's usage. I've used it in an Insights class and shoot it in IDPA (horrors) every once in awhile. For my level, it is quite acceptable and I can't tell a real difference between it and the 19. I don't millisecond time myself but whether I think I can get through the stage reasonably and I seem to. I do shoot my G17 better but it's not an EDC.

So with the 26 and an extra mag, I feel reasonably set up to go around town.

[Chuck Haggard]

A G26 was for me a niche gun, mine was mainly an ankle gun to BUG my duty G17. I've sometimes used mine for a fanny pack gun when I wanted to cut as much weight as possible vs my other alternatives but didn't want to use the 642 as a primary.

Overall they are decent little guns, I have seen very few issues with them, and they are easy to shoot well.

[JHC]

I have found valid, the G26 caution that I may have heard from DocGKR first; is that carried AIWB it may; depending on the holster, be less comfortable than a longer pistol. I wasn't so sure of that the first time I heard that but I'd have to say that can be the case. Which is one reason why so many use a G19 holster or something for their 26. Using the VG2 for the 26, yeah sometimes that hotspot forms whereas that's less likely with the longer gun.

[SamAdams]

Thanks guys for all your helpful comments.
I carry the 19 at around 2:30. I was thinking the 26 might be best IWB behind the hip, support hand side to balance the weight.
I do carry the J frame in the front pocket of the cargo pants now. As I mentioned earlier, I tried that with my friends 26 - but it was only for about 5 minutes, walking around. And I wasnt carrying anything else when I did that.

Chuck Haggard: "Overall they are decent little guns, I have seen very few issues with them, and they are easy to shoot well."

[BobLoblaw]

I love mine. Being a full-figured man, I end up wearing it more and more for better concealment. The 19/26 performance gap is noticeably smaller than the 26/43 IMO. Then again, I don't push left as much with the 26 compared to the 19 so YMMV.