Originally Posted by secondstoryguy
With the exception of ankle carry, I also found that concealing a G26 was not much different than carrying a G19, and did the same. I tended to favor the +2 extensions as well, which also made the G19/G26 size difference even less pronounced. That said, as others have noted, I never had cause to complain about the G26's accuracy or performance. It is a very shootable little gun.
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
Admittedly I was one of the best shooters of my agency of 600, but never failed to score other than a 100 when qualifying with my backup gun G26 - love that gun. I can also say there is a quantifiable difference in concealability with the 19, even with ringer rests. It may not be enough to sway you out of a full grip and 5 more rounds but it's there.
I think 26s are a little more inherently mechanically accurate, and I also think for many people, the dynamics of the interaction between the hump at the bottom of the grip and grip strength in the full size frames gives problems that lead to some difficulties. Meanwhile, the small hump on the 26 tucks right into pocket of the palm and stays put. What the short grip gives up in leverage for recoil control in rapid shooting, the gun seems to give back in accuracy.
--Josh
“Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.” - Tacitus.
I have often carried a G-27 in a SmartCarry pouch holster, adjusted so the weapon rests very low on the torso. I've tried a G-23, but the smaller gun is significantly more discrete. A downside is that draw times increased to the 2.5 to 3 sec level. The offset is that when those three seconds expired I had an accurate weapon carrying 9+1 in my hand and, if those were insufficient, a G-23 reload available in the second (smaller) pocket of the SmartCarry.
I've never really thought of the G26/27 series as pocket guns, but -- because they take the same magazines as their larger siblings -- as NPE service pistols.
Last edited by Duces Tecum; 02-06-2016 at 11:43 AM. Reason: Speling
I have a Gen 4 which has been my primary off duty carry for the past 2 years. Not a terribly high round count, but no problems yet. I've consistently shot a perfect score on my dept. qualification with it. I'm more accurate with it than my Gen 3 G19.
It's not a pocket gun though. Very easy to conceal with a good belt holster. I also had a Gen 3 G26 which I sold off a few years back. For me, the Gen 4 handles better at speed.
Last edited by MRW; 02-06-2016 at 01:36 PM.
I think the Glock 26 is the most versatile pistol Glock makes. It took a while for me to really warm up to them, but I think most shooters would be better served with a pair of G26's and an array of carry options. With a G26, Smartcarry and ankle holsters work well, some people roll with a G26 in a pocket, though I never could pull it off. My wife carries her G26 in a purse, or IWB. I have a spare G26 in a go-bag beside the bed. Paul Howe gave me the idea of having several G26's stashed in different bags/kits.
I shoot a stock 26 at about 80-90% of a G19. I could probably improve upon this if I shot the 26 more often. The stock 10-rnd mag takes some getting used to for some people, but it does make a G26 conceal really well in lots of holsters, for a lot of people. Having the option of using G19 and G17 mags is awesome as well. I recommend them every time I get a chance.
Last edited by Clay; 02-06-2016 at 01:53 PM.
It seems like I'm in the minority here, but for me the 26 offers a significant advantage in concealment over the 19. I believe that it's the shortest overall height among all the double-stack compacts (and even the PPS, IIRC).
It's a very easy gun to shoot, and shoot well, in spite of its size. Don't get it expecting it to be a pocket gun, unless you live in cargo pants, but aside from that it's a great companion to the 19 and an excellent option for a deep-concealment "real gun" or for ban state carry.
The size and weight makes a noticeable difference without hindering shootability. Its almost a half pound lighter than a g19. I've always prefered a 26 to a 19. For some reason it just shoots better for me whether it be slow/bullseye shots and even controlled pairs.
If you can deal with its girth, I would highly recommend it. Maybe in a tuck-able appendix holster. Otherwise, if its too wide I would suggest the walther pps m2.
Only snubs belong in the pocket(IMO).
Id recommend checking out kangaroo carry or even high end (kramer leather, Ritchie gunleather) ankle holsters for the Glock 26.
I've found that the 26 is a touch more concealable than the 19 depending on cover garment. Since I carry OWB given my physique or lack there of, the shorter grip and barrel are nice. As far as shooting it - it's fine. I took an Insights handgun class with one and as far as I could tell, I was at no significant disadvantage. It works at IDPA.
Excellent carry option.. I participated in the G26 thread linked above. I fired approx 8,000 rounds through a G26 last year.
I found slow fire accuracy to be better from my 26 vs 19. I previously carried a 19 and ran them side by side from 50 yards. If I recall correctly, with the 26 my best 5 shot group from 50 yards was 3.25" with my average around 4-4.5".
...Please don't use pinky extensions. Only gripping with two fingers and allowing the backstrap hump to wedge against your hand forces a perfect grip. Adding somewhere for your pinky finger creates an unbalanced leverage point in the front and extends the length to almost G19 height. It was designed to be used with the flush mag.
Practice draws.. Lots of them. Initially it will be either awkward or slower, but like everything else you can and will adapt. I use Gen 4s with the beavertail backstrap. To establish my initial grip I drive my hand down hard into that backstrap. Obviously dependent on the user, but I find it helps. With practice your draw will be faster with the G26 than the G19 because there is less slide to clear.
The 26 carries much easier than a 19 in both size and weight. Additionally, I find if it does print a little it looks like a rectangle, not a handgun grip. You'll notice these characteristics more if you carry the 19 for a bit then switch.
Once I observed my overall accuracy, speed and drill scores it was a no brainer for me to switch.
I carry a G19 magazine as a spare so that eliminates the slower reload with a shorter G26 magazine. The desantis mag packer works exceptionally well for me in this application.
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