Glock 19 mag drop - magwell or something else?

[ASH556]

I prefer a G19 for carry (smaller, easier to conceal, I've gone back and forth between 17/19 a few times and the 19 just works better). The problem I have with having it as my only gun is that it costs me on my reloads. I can pull consistent reloads in the 1.5-1.6 range with a full-size frame, but with a G19 frame it adds almost 1/2 second to my reloads (1.9-2.0 range). This comes down to getting the mag out of the gun because my pinky on my firing hand rests right on the crack between the bottom of the frame and the lip of the magazine.

One solution I see is to buy a magwell. However, having messed with Magwell'd G19's in the past I did not care much for it. Then again, they were Gen 4, so was still fighting the finger grooves a bit too. Before I do that I wanted to see if there are any alternate solutions. I suppose I could file down the front of the magazine baseplate, but that seems kinda fuddy and may not solve the issue. Technique-wise, I can try to remove my pinky. That is what I currently do with mixed/limited results.

If a magwell is the solution, what's the one to get for a carry gun?

Thanks!

[GJM]

Is this with a Gen 5 19 with the Gen 5 magazine baseplates that curve up?

[ASH556]

Is this with a Gen 5 19 with the Gen 5 magazine baseplates that curve up?

You know, I ought to further confirm it with those. But I've noticed it with my training mags, which have orange, not-gen5 style base plates. Is there something about the Gen 5 design that's supposed to mitigate it?

[tlong17]

You know, I ought to further confirm it with those. But I've noticed it with my training mags, which have orange, not-gen5 style base plates. Is there something about the Gen 5 design that's supposed to mitigate it?

If anything, I feel like the gen 5 mag would exacerbate the problem with its more pronounced "lip" on the front strap side.

Does your gen 5 have the half-moon cut on the front strap portion of the magwell?

[ASH556]

If anything, I feel like the gen 5 mag would exacerbate the problem with its more pronounced "lip" on the front strap side.

Does your gen 5 have the half-moon cut on the front strap portion of the magwell?

No, I should have mentioned in the OP that mine is an MOS gun, so no "half-moon" cutout on the front strap.

[Up1911Fan]

Are you worried about reloads for competition? Being a one gun solution I'm assuming the 19 is more of a carry/defensive gun. Reloads are a ways down the list of things that I worry about for a carry gun. I wouldn't worry about it, just my 2 cents. Also, I find the Gen5 19 with a grip plug pretty damn reloadable.

[tlong17]

No, I should have mentioned in the OP that mine is an MOS gun, so no "half-moon" cutout on the front strap.

Even more of an argument that magwell is probably your best bet, barring a change to your overall grip. The understanding being that the slow down in your time is the mag dropping free, not inserting the new mag.

[ASH556]

Are you worried about reloads for competition? Being a one gun solution I'm assuming the 19 is more of a carry/defensive gun. Reloads are a ways down the list of things that I worry about for a carry gun. I wouldn't worry about it, just my 2 cents. Also, I find the Gen5 19 with a grip plug pretty damn reloadable.

Yeah, I agree with that and that's the course of action I've taken thus far. I have no problem getting the new mag in the gun, it's getting the old (flush-fitting) mag out. If I use a 17 mag, the problem goes away. It's mostly about performance times for training and maybe light competition. That said, I'm wanting to pick up a second pistol and had considered going to a G45 as my "training" gun to get around the issue. But, if I could find a workaround for the reload, I might just stick with the 19's so they match.

[MGW]

Would something like the TangoDown grip plug help? It's similar to the Wilson mag guide for Berettas.

[bigslim]

I had similar issues with the G19 gen 4 in that mags would not drop free. My issue was a combination of grip flex and my hand touching the mag base pad. I couldn’t fix it so I switched platforms.

Mike