This is a post from  Joel T. Nadler, GCA Lifetime Member #720

A Personal Top-5 List of GLOCK Carry Guns

By Joel T. Nadler, GCA Lifetime Member #720

Though I have carried other guns over the years, there is little question that the majority of my everyday carry guns over the last decade have been GLOCKs. That carry decision was based on reliability, support, widespread use, and other considerations. Over the years I have carried various GLOCKs, resulting in this personal “Top-Five” list of carried GLOCKs. For each GLOCK I will discuss when it was my primary carry, why it was chosen, and what led me to make a change.

#5: GLOCK G20 Gen 4

My decision to select the GLOCK 20 for everyday carry was based on a sports medicine doctor’s previous recommendation and scientific testing. In 2012 I met with a sports medicine doctor as I was having recurrent pain while running. I went in unarmed. The doctor had me do a variety of tasks while he watched. After about 20 minutes, he asked if I typically carried around 5 pounds behind my right hip. I was surprised but said “yes.”  He laughed and said, “switch to a GLOCK.” 

I soon switched to a lighter polymer gun, and the pain (compensating for the heavier gun) went away. When I picked up a GLOCK 20 Gen 4 chambered in 10mm in 2017 (I already had several guns in this caliber) I put it to the test. I was interested in whether the larger caliber resulted in slower reaction times. After many tests using a shot timer, I found no difference between drawing, shot accuracy, and shot speed, compared to a 9mm handgun. Thus, the GLOCK 20 became my primary carry gun in 2017. I most often carried the GLOCK 20 in a Crossbreed out-side-the-waistband (OWB) Kydex/leather holster under an overshirt or jacket using a Nexbelt ratcheting gun belt. 

#4: GLOCK G29 Gen 4

The decision to switch to a GLOCK 29 was driven by my need to better conceal my handgun. The GLOCK 29 Gen 4 fulfilled this requirement and became by primary carry handgun in 2018. Again, I tested it against the 9mm GLOCK 26 and found no significant differences in speed and accuracy. Though the GLOCK 20 did offer a few less rounds than the GLOCK 17, the GLOCK 29 had the same capacity as the GLOCK 26 making the choice even easier. This everyday carry was most often carried in a Tulster inside-the-waist-band (IWB) Kydex holster attached to a Nexbelt. 

#3: GLOCK G43

The GLOCK 43, released in 2015, has served consistently as my backup gun through multiple everyday carry changes. I adopted this gun as a calf carry backup gun in 2017 and it has remained in use off and on up until today. Though other similarly sized guns have been developed with greater capacity I shoot the GLOCK 43 pocket gun regularly in competitions and generally just like the feel and accuracy. Though occasionally carried in a Tulster IWB Kydex holster to this day the GLOCK 43 is more likely to be found in a BugBite calf holster.

#2: GLOCK G17 Gen 5

My decision to shift from 10mm to 9mm was driven by logic, the relentless advancement of time, and science. I started seriously considering going back to 9mm in 2023. This was driven by a few factors. First was logic, as my wife also carried, but used 9mm. Thus, we were using incompatible rounds if we were both in a fight with our primary carry guns. Second was I was getting older.  I first noticed this in outdoor competitions where my performance with 10mm GLOCKs started to decline while a similar decline was not occurring with my 9mm GLOCKs.  I put it to the test and found that my draw was still unaffected, but my shot speed and accuracy was no longer statistically similar to 9mm. Time was catching up to me, and I could shoot 9mm quicker and more accurately under a shot timer. In 2024, I switched to the GLOCK 17 Gen 5, and carry it in an OWB Crossbreed holster using a Nexbelt.

#1: GLOCK G19 Gen 5 MOS

Today my primary everyday carry is still a GLOCK, but I have gone with the slightly smaller GLOCK 19 Gen 5 MOS as I have added optics (Holosun 507C Green) and a rail mounted light (Streamlight TLR-8). I was a very late adopter of handgun optics on my defensive gun. This adoption was held back from my general distrust of electronics and devotion to tradition. This was finally overcome by my building trust in Holosun reliability through personal experiences and practicing point shooting should the optic fail. When I decided to make the change, I had just won a GLOCK 19 Gen 5 MOS and after some trials adopted it as my primary carry in 2024. The GLOCK 19 MOS is carried in a Crossbreed OWB holster using a Nexbelt.

The Future: GLOCK G17 Gen 6

I am currently evaluating the GLOCK 17 Gen 6 to replace the GLOCK 19 Gen 5 MOS in the role of everyday carry. On paper it looks great and can easily adapt to the same light and optics.  I just need more time to run my tests. 

What is your everyday carry, and what’s your rationale?