We took a close look at the new Gen6

GLOCK used the fortieth anniversary of GLOCK US to present the latest version of their pistols. It was a world tour: straight to Smyrna, to the site of the American GLOCK subsidiary. A selected group of journalists was invited. We were there and already had the brand new 6th Generation in our hands. So much in advance, we really like what we've seen. 

Two things were improved under the motto "Designed for you," namely the grip and optics mounting. The Gen6 is by the way only available "optics ready". 

The Grip

What stands out first is that the grip looks somehow different. Almost as if it had been pimped at the factory and no longer touched up and trimmed by experts. That is indeed the case. GLOCK has listened to its customers and incorporated all previously common aftermarket modifications. 

The most significant innovation is the "Thumb Rest" for the support hand. 

An undercut has also been incorporated into the trigger guard. This makes the GLOCK feel much better straight out of the box. The slide catch lever is now surrounded by a larger wall. 

The beavertail at the end has been significantly enlarged. No worries, there are still backstraps to adjust the grip. 

The entire grip structure is now new. It is called RTF6 and is a combination of RTF4, which we know from the Gen5, combined with the RTF2 structure that existed before but was considered too rough by most. 

The grip geometry has also been changed. The grip is no longer just straight but has been widened in certain areas. 

Anyone who takes a Gen6 GLOCK in hand will immediately notice that it feels much more natural.

The Trigger 

Those who look closely will have already noticed it, the trigger looks different. GLOCK has opted for a flat face trigger on the Gen6, which is otherwise known from tuning triggers. 

The trigger travel has also been shortened and the reset has become shorter as well. In a live shot, this is very noticeable, the GLOCK Gen6 does not feel quite so "GLOCK-like" anymore. It is still not a competition trigger, but better than the old ones. Oh, bad news for you, the trigger does not fit in Gen5 models. 

The Gen6 models, however, still fit in all holsters. 

The Slide 

The slide has also been changed in the Gen6. The grooves are now a bit deeper, which provides better grip when cycling. 

The extractor has been completely redesigned and is now more complex, but for good reason. 

Due to the new design, optics can now be screwed directly into the slide, even with long screws. So no more MOS adapter plates with short screws. 

Polymer adapter plates are still available to accommodate different footprints. These plates also serve as crush washers and provide preload during mounting. 

Various optics were mounted on-site for testing, including TRIJICON and VORTEX. Unfortunately, there is currently no solution for the AIMPOINT ACRO system. 

You can see very well how low the red dot now sits. This also makes it easier to transition from iron sights to a red dot. 

See for yourself: Here is the view through and with the red dot. 

The internal components have also been modified so that the simple use of illegal "Glock switches," which switch to full-auto, is no longer possible. 

The closing spring, by the way, is again simpler, similar to Gen3. 

The Models 

At launch, there are four Gen6 models in Europe: GLOCK 17, GLOCK 19, GLOCK 45, and GLOCK 49. 

If you, like us, are confused by the numbers: GLOCK 45 has a short slide and a long grip, thus meaning GLOCK 19X.

The GLOCK 49 is the other way around, so it has a long slide and a short grip. Unfortunately, there was no GLOCK 49 on site during the presentation in the USA. Therefore, we quickly assembled one ourselves, from a G17 slide with a G19 grip. Yes, they are now compatible. But in all the excitement, we forgot to take a photo of it. 

The Conclusion 

The new Gen6 from GLOCK – you can see the whole family above – has really convinced us. This new generation does a lot right, in our opinion. Anyone who gets one of these pistols holds a truly modern “state of the art” defensive pistol in hand, on which you no longer really need to make modifications. 

The new Gen6 models will be available in stores starting January 20th. HERE is the Gen6 product page from GLOCK with all the information.