GLOCK G47 MOS Review: The G17’s Replacement?

GLOCK 47 MOS  PROS And CONS

PROS:

•  Gen5 trigger is perhaps the best trigger Glock has designed Accuracy was good
• The G47 ran without any mishaps
• The Ameriglo Haven optic with tall iron sights offers a good value and a motion-activated sensor so it automatically turns on

CONS:

• Because this a lightweight pistol, we did notice more muzzle snap, depending on the ammo being used

The GLOCK G47 was originally developed for the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in 2019, and in 2023, GLOCK made the G47 MOS available to the commercial market. It is the same size as the GLOCK G17 with a 4.5-inch barrel and full-size polymer frame. Before you yawn, and say big deal, the G47 offers parts compatibility with the G19 Gen5 and G45 Gen5, which is a nice-to-have feature, in our opinion. The G47 comes in a hard case with two
backstraps, three magazines, a magazine loader, and it is an MOS variant, so it also comes with an optics plate. The dust cover is shorter than the G17’s,
which is one of the features that allows the G47 to be compatible with the other two Gen5 pistols.

All the Gen5 features are built into the G47 — front slide serrations, better trigger, flared magazine well, enlarged floor plate, GMB barrel, and ambidextrous slide-stop levers. We ran the pistol with the small integrated backstrap, with no additional back strap module added. In hand, there is not a lot of newness
with the G47. It felt familiar in a good way.

The GLOCK G47’s flat front grip strap (arrow) offers a better fit for hands of all sizes.

We liked the flat front grip strap, and the Gen5 trigger was noticeably better than older-generation triggers. There is the familiar mushy take-up followed by a more defined wall, and then the break at 7.6 pounds. Reset was long compared to the other guns. It is a better trigger overall, but it is still a GLOCK trigger.

New with GLOCK’s Gen5 guns is a minimally flared magwell that makes reloading smoother.

For our testing, we put an Ameriglo Haven Handgun Red Dot Sight Carry-Ready Combo on the GLOCK. This combo kit includes a red-dot optic and tall metal sights that co-witness with the optic. If we owned this pistol, we would mount the iron sights. For the test, it was run with just the red dot. The battery compartment is accessible on the side of the unit so the optic stays on the pistol when the battery gives up the ghost. It has a 12-hour run time and motion-activation mode to conserve battery life, which Ameriglo says gives two years of battery life at the medium brightness setting. There are two buttons on the left side that turn the red dot on and are used to adjust 11 brightness settings. Hold both buttons to turn it on and turn it off. The dot brightness is easy to adjust and showed a slight bit of flaring.

New to the GLOCK’s controls is an ambidextrous slide stop, and the magazine release (arrow) is slightly larger than early generations.

Zeroing the dot was simple. Use the rim of a fired case to adjust elevation and windage. Directions — up/down, right/left — are clearly marked. The brightness adjustments were helpful because we noticed differences picking up the dot in bright light and in shade. The sight automatically turns on when it senses motion, which in our option is ideal for an EDC red dot.

The GLOCK G47’s muzzle is chiseled (arrow) for ease in reholstering. The front slide serrations are a welcome feature on Gen5 guns.

Going hot in the Failure Drill, the GLOCK G47 was snappy in recoil, depending on the ammo being used. The undercut trigger guard and flat front grip strap allows for better control when shooting fast. There are some gaps between your palm and the grip when grasping the pistol. Some shooters familiar with GLOCK found it hard to miss the A zone areas of the target. Forward serrations are helpful to do a press check. Not sure why it took GLOCK all these years to add front slide serrations, but we are glad they finally did. The slide release is small and out of the way, so it won’t accidentally be pressed when the shooter grips the pistol during recoil. The rectangular magazine-release button is larger than
previous-generation Glocks and is serrated. Ejecting an empty magazine is fast. Reloads proved to be smooth and fast. The magazine button can also be
swapped for a left-handed shooter.

There were no issues at all with the GLOCK, and that is the expectation with any GLOCK pistol. Accuracy was good enough. The smallest group with defense ammo was with Winchester Active Duty that measured 1.49 inches. With defense ammo, the smallest group measured was 2.04 inches with SIG V-Crown ammo. On average, across all ammo, the GLOCK is a solid 2-inch-group shooter at 25 yards, which is very good for a defense pistol.

There is not that much different with the GLOCK G47 MOS compared to a GLOCK G17 Gen5, except for the compatibility with the G45 and G19. The gun performed flawlessly and provides simplicity in use. You basically point and shoot. The Ameriglo Haven red dot offers added value with the included iron
sights. We like the way the battery is replaced. The cost of the red dot is
reasonable, and it passed our in-house torture test. If you are a GLOCK fan,
choose the G47 MOS if you want the latest size 9mm. It is reliable above all else, and that provides peace of mind in our book.

GLOCK G47 MOS 9mm Auto Range Data

Federal American Eagle 115-grain FMJ   

Average Velocity 1136 fps

Muzzle Energy     330 ft.-lbs.

Best Group           1.68 in.

Average Group     1.88 in.

Winchester Active Duty 115-grain Ball          

Average Velocity       1257 fps

Muzzle Energy           404 ft.-lbs.

Best Group                 1.49 in.

Average Group.          1.54 in.

SIG Sauer V-Crown 124-grain JHP          

Average Velocity       1051 fps

Muzzle Energy           304 ft.-lbs.

Best Group                 2.04 in.

Average Group.          2.72 in.

Remington HTP 147-grain JHP          

Average Velocity       920 fps

Muzzle Energy           276 ft.-lbs.

Best Group                 2.09 in.

Average Group.          2.38 in.

This review originally appeared in Gun-Tests.com