Sometimes, second place just isn’t good enough. The Glock 19X came close to winning the XM17 Modular Handgun System competition to replace the Beretta M9, but close doesn’t cut it in the military unless you’re talking about hand grenades. Glock even filed a complaint with the U.S. Government to protest the decision to award the contract to SIG Sauer.

Competition and Controversy

The U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System competition aimed to find a new service pistol to replace the aging Beretta M9, which had been in service since 1985.

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Firing a Glock 19X pistol at an indoor shooting range. Image Credit: Frag Out Mag

Glock, long known for its durable and reliable pistols, entered the competition with the 19X. This model was a hybrid, combining the full-size frame of the Glock 17 with the compact slide of the Glock 19, creating a crossover pistol designed to meet the Army’s demanding requirements.

However, SIG Sauer’s P320 variants, the M17 and M18, emerged as the winners. The government cited several reasons for this decision.

First, SIG’s entries were cheaper than Glock‘s proposal. Second, SIG had an ammunition partnership with Winchester, a significant advantage that Glock didn’t have. Lastly, SIG submitted two models for testing (full-size and compact), while Glock only entered its full-size version. These factors combined to give SIG the edge in the competition.

Law Enforcement Chooses Glock

While the military contract eluded Glock, the company’s reputation among law enforcement agencies worldwide remains strong. In the United States, about 65 percent of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies use some form of Glock pistol.

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A Glock 19X rests on a wooden surface. The pistol features the distinct Glock design, known for its durability and reliability. Image Credit: Frag Out Mag

This includes major organizations like the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the Secret Service. The widespread adoption of Glock pistols in law enforcement is a testament to their reliability, durability, and performance in high-stress situations.

Glock pistols are known for their “Safe Action” trigger system, which provides consistent trigger pulls from the first to the last round. This system, along with the pistols’ polymer frames and Tenifer-coated slides, makes Glocks highly durable and resistant to corrosion. These features are particularly valued in law enforcement, where reliability can be a matter of life and death.

Civilian and Military Popularity

Despite losing the XM17 competition, the Glock 19X has found a strong following among civilian shooters. When it was released to the public in 2018, it sold 100,000 pistols in less than six months.

The pistol’s combination of a full-size frame and compact slide offers a balance of accuracy and concealability that appeals to many gun enthusiasts.

The U.S. military hasn’t entirely sidelined Glock, either. In September 2021, the Army awarded Glock a five-year, $15 million contract for various firearms, spare magazines, and spare parts. Glock pistols are also common in special operations forces units, valued for their reliability and versatility in diverse combat environments.

What Makes the Glock 19X Special

The Glock 19X is Glock’s first “crossover” pistol, blending the full-size Glock 17 frame with the compact Glock 19 slide. This design offers the benefits of both models: the longer grip of the Glock 17 allows for a higher magazine capacity, while the shorter slide of the Glock 19 makes the pistol easier to carry and handle.

Key features of the Glock 19X include:

  • Ambidextrous Controls: The 19X is designed to be user-friendly for both right- and left-handed shooters, with ambidextrous slide stop levers and a reversible magazine catch.
  • GLOCK Marksman Barrel: The barrel uses polygonal rifling, which provides better accuracy and easier maintenance compared to traditional rifling.
  • nPVD Slide Coating: This coating provides enhanced corrosion resistance and reduces friction, extending the pistol’s service life.
  • Coyote Color: Departing from Glock’s traditional black, the 19X sports a distinctive coyote tan finish, making it stand out in the lineup.

The Glock 19X comes standard with 17-round magazines but can also use 19, 24, 31, or even 33-round magazines. It offers three different backstrap sizes (small, medium, and large) to fit different hand sizes. The pistol weighs around 31 ounces when loaded, has a barrel length of just over 4 inches, and an overall length of 7.4 inches.

Why Did the Glock 19X Lose?

After Glock filed a complaint over losing the initial competition, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a head-to-head test between the Glock 19X and the SIG Sauer M17/M18 to make a final determination.

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A Glock 19X pistol with a distinctive coyote tan finish. The pistol is equipped with various enhancements, including a textured grip and a mounted accessory light. Image Credit: KM3 Solutions

The SIG models scored outstanding in several key areas:

  • Initial Reliability: SIG’s pistols performed exceptionally well in initial reliability tests.
  • Ammunition Performance: SIG’s partnership with Winchester ensured superior ammunition performance.
  • Manufacturing and Licensing: SIG scored high in several aspects of manufacturing and ammunition licensing, areas where Glock fell short.

In contrast, while the Glock 19X was rated outstanding in initial reliability, it was only rated acceptable in warfighter ergonomics and marginal in ammunition licensing. The deciding factors were ammunition licensing, price, and ergonomics. SIG Sauer’s strategic partnership with Winchester for ammunition proved to be a significant advantage.

The Silver Lining

Despite not winning the military contract, the Glock 19X has become a popular choice in the civilian market.

Its blend of military-grade features and civilian-friendly design has made it a standout firearm. The 19X offers a balance of size, capacity, and performance that appeals to a wide range of shooters, from competitive marksmen to everyday carriers.

Moving Forward

The Glock 19X may not have become the military’s standard-issue pistol, but its legacy is far from over. Its innovative design and robust performance have earned it a place in the arsenals of law enforcement, special operations forces, and civilian shooters alike. Even in defeat, the Glock 19X has proven its worth and continues to be a top choice for many shooters.

In the end, the Glock 19X represents a significant step in the evolution of firearms design. It blends the best features of Glock’s proven models to create a versatile, reliable, and highly capable pistol. While it may not have “served” in the traditional sense, the Glock 19X has certainly found its place in the world of firearms.

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Disclaimer: SOFREP utilizes AI for image generation and article research. Occasionally, it’s like handing a chimpanzee the keys to your liquor cabinet. It’s not always perfect and if a mistake is made, we own up to it full stop. In a world where information comes at us in tidal waves, it is an important tool that helps us sift through the brass for live rounds.