Practical Advantages of Grip Length Reduction on Concealed Handguns
Rob PincusDescription
Rob Pincus discusses the advantages that can be gained in concealed handguns that have a short grip while retaining a standard grip length slide.
There are a lot of modifications that people can do to defensive guns. And there were very few that I actually recommend. One thing that definitely deserves to have a closer look taken at it is the idea of reducing the length of a grip on a longer slide firearms that you get the concealability benefits of a sub-compact gun while still getting some of the benefits of a longer barrel and a larger slide. Let's take a look at what the real advantages there are for practical purposes. Now, this is my particular carry gun most often.
This is a previously Glock 27, now essentially a 26 with a nine millimeter conversion on it. This gun is unloaded. There's no bullets in the magazine. There's no rounds in the chamber. This gun's also unloaded and this gun has been modified.
This is a Glock 19, a nine millimeter again, the slightly larger brother from the 26. And as you can see, it's just been kind of hacked off. We've just cut off the bottom of the grip so that the grip is essentially the same size as that of the 26. Now, we've made a little cutout, so that just like on the 26 it's very easy to pull that magazine out should we need to, for an emergency manipulation. And what we end up with is something that is basically exactly the same length so that when I take this firearm when I insert the Glock 26 size magazine put it into my holster I end up with no more extended grip sticking out.
Now, if I were to have a normal full Glock 19 with an untucked shirt that might print. Certainly a Glock 17, a full size Glock is going to extend out. So, by cutting the bottom of the grip off I retain the concealability for practical purposes which largely comes from the size of the grip of the Glock 26 subcompact. But what I gain is the length of the slide the length of the barrel and what that means is slightly more energy and a slightly longer sight radius. That means I can be more precise with this firearm than I can with this firearm under similar conditions.
Now, what we have to realize here is we're only talking about half an inch difference. There is not a huge amount of difference here. Now, if we were to take a 17 and put it next to the 26 we would see a little bit more difference. But one of the things that's often missed because people focus so much on this site radius and also on the length of the barrel and realize that there's not much to gain one of the things where there is a lot to gain is in the weight and the mass of the slide. And this is really where I think the biggest advantage comes and that's the reason that I did this modification myself very quickly to this Glock 19.
Because of the extra weight of the slide because of the extra length of the slide out front I think most people can actually manage the recoil a little faster on the 19 than they can on the 26th. And that 100th of a second, 500s of a second maybe 10th of a second between shots really can make a big difference in terms of how quickly you can put a multiple shot string of fire into the high center chest. So, while there are several other advantages especially when we start looking at the Glock 17 size reduction of the grip modification I think one of the things that sometimes gets overlooked in the conversation is the added weight of the slide which helps you manage recoil. So, not only is this gun capable of more precision capable of more energy coming out of the barrel it's also capable of being fired faster because it actually gives you more weight to manage the recoil out in front of your hand. So, consider this modification especially if you carry anywhere inside the waistband with an untucked shirt where you're really concerned about grip length and it might be keeping you in the subcompact gun.
Now, I haven't completely switched over yet but I'm certainly considering it. I'm gonna get a little more practice in with this and maybe take this to someone who does this professionally to clean up my modification, get it a little cleaned up make it a little more pretty little less sharp on the edge of the hand when I grab it and that will give me a gun that I'm probably gonna start carrying very, very soon because I can shoot this gun faster than I can shoot this standard subcompact.
I was just discussing this very pistol mod with a couple of other Glock CCW guys. But we never thought of the slide mass point. Excellent video, on a critical issue.
Just watched modified grip on subcompact. Have you considered windowing slide and recoil management time?
Hmm, I wonder how that would work with my old Glock 20. The recoil reduction would certainly help in this platform vs the 29, and ... then I could buy a newer 20 too (evil grin).
If it works for you, it's a good thing, but it also offers less grip and can be more easily wrested from your hand. "If it works, it's good; you cannot argue with success." - George S.Patton
You've got to try the Beretta PX4 Sub Compact. Best sub compact I've ever seen. Shoots like a full size frame.
I believe my 9mm Shield provides the same advantage as the chopped Glock.
Great advice!
I guest it is a personal choice on what length of a barrel is best for you. I had just read an article by another expert (not related to PDN) that stated he liked the short barrel on a subcompact since it allowed him to acquire his target faster. He also liked it in competitive shooting too. So as one might see, it can be a matter of personal choice. I also feel that I would hate to cut up a beautiful Glock too! lol It hurts just to think about it. Take a Dremel to smooth out the cut edges.
A buddy of mine was talking about doing the same thing to a 17 shortening the length of the grip to the same length as a 19 for the same reason(s).
Sounds familiar; wasn't this sort of thing done in the 70's and 80's with 1911's? Another benefit, I would think, is less effort vs. spring due to mass of slide-- manually operating slide would be easier.