Reliable, accurate, and with plenty of capacity, it’s hardly any surprise the Glock 19 has built the following that it has. Trusted by those in lines of official duty as well as by civilians around the country, the rugged durability and reliability of the G19 cannot be overstated. It is a workhorse handgun that gets the job done, with minimal frills
Which deserves some addressing in its own right. The stock, black aesthetic of the majority of Glock handguns is a blessing as much as a curse. They are basic, but they can be improved in many ways. Here are just a few of them.
Check out some of the Glock 19 upgrades and see if they work for you.
A Threaded, Fluted Barrel
Glock barrels are alright, but they could be better. A threaded, fluted barrel is a much better option, and there are many aftermarket manufacturers that make threaded, fluted barrels for Glock 19 handguns.
Why threaded and fluted, you ask? Well, a threaded barrel will give you the ability to install a muzzle device, which deserves its own consideration (see the next section) and a fluted barrel offers some other benefits in its own right.
A fluted barrel will have metal strategically removed from the barrel, lightening it, which will make the handgun lighter and also aid in heat dissipation, keeping the barrel cooler. On that note, a cooler barrel will not just shoot more accurately but last longer.
A Compensator
With a threaded barrel, you can more easily install a Glock compensator on your G19, which is far and away the best Glock 19 upgrade mentioned in this list.
If you’re not familiar, a compensator is a muzzle device that changes the manner in which gasses are vented at the muzzle.
To keep things as simple as possible, a compensator will redirect gasses at the muzzle, which will counteract the force of felt recoil and in a big way.
A good Glock compensator can cut felt recoil by as much as 50% without adversely affecting shot power.
Therefore you can handle and shoot more accurately and confidently, enjoy reduced recoil, and execute faster, more accurate follow up shots.
A Lighter Slide
Like Glock barrels, Glock slides are alright, but just so. You can get lighter Glock slides with machined windows that make them considerably lighter.
There are two benefits here. A lighter slide that has mass removed will allow for greater heat dissipation, which, paired with a fluted barrel, will keep the barrel cooler.
But the other, more significant benefit of a lighter slide is that it will reduce the reciprocating mass of the handgun, which will result in less recoil and faster, snappier cycling.
So with a lighter Glock 19 slide you will potentially reap the benefits of faster, smoother cycling and less recoil.
A Heavier Guide Rod
The stock Glock guide rod is made of polymer. This, like other aspects of the G19 is inherently a blessing and a curse.
The lighter guide rod is just that, lighter. But the problem is that it doesn’t add sufficient mass near the muzzle to counteract muzzle flip.
You can get a heavier guide rod for your G19 that will add mass near the muzzle, helping to stabilize it. It’ll hardly add any weight to the gun overall but can help to fight against muzzle flip.
Glock Night Sights
There are Glock night sights you can get that are powered by tritium, a radioisotope of hydrogen that glows in the dark.
Which means that they will never go out, never need batteries, and will last for a long time. It just so happens that with night sights you can remain concealed but still execute much more accurate shots.
A Weapon-Mounted Light (WML)
Glock handguns are renowned for many things, but mounting points are not one of them. That said, most Glock handguns, including the G19, have a small section of rail under the barrel at the front of the gun.
This section of rail, as small as it is, is perfect for mounting a WML, or weapon-mounted light, which will give you the flexibility to spot a target and make a positive identification, even in the dark.
…or Laser
If you prefer a laser instead of a light, that is another great Glock 19 upgrade that can make it easier to execute a shot even in the dark, or if you don’t have the time to line up your sights.
Build Your Own G19 with a Lower Parts Kit for a Glock 19/23
While it’s not a Glock 19 upgrade, one option for building a customized G19 is to start with a lower parts kit for a Glock 19/23, a frame, and a slide parts kit. With a frame, slide parts kit and lower parts kit for a Glock 19/23 handgun, you’ll have everything you need to build a custom G19, and can then make these Glock 19 upgrades along the way.