G19 gen3 or gen4?

[sprink]

I've finally made up my mind on what my first hand gun is going to be! I found what I think is a decent deal on a new G19 gen3 with NS at a local dealer. My question is do I jump on the deal for the gen3 or pay a little more for the gen4? I've fondled both on seperate occasions but never side by side and can't really remember a difference between the two. I guess I just kinda feel funny buying something when a newer version is available. Is there any big differences, pros, or cons over the two? Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

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[andreys21]

I think gen3 will work as good as gen4. Personally, i like the Rough Texture Finish on gen 4 frames. The price difference would not be a lot, maybe $100. Glocks hold their value. You can put the new gen 4 recoil spring into gen 3 if i'm not mistaken. Go to shop that has both and see both and how they feel to you and weather or not the little changes between the two are worth the money to ya.

 

[bruzer]

Both Gens are great. Recoil springs ARE NOT interchangeable from Gen 4 to earlier Gens. I prefer the Gen 4 because of the texture, bigger mag release and the smaller grip. Gen 4 comes with 3 mags over 2 for the Gen 3. Good luck and stay safe,
Mike

 

[Cord318]

Gen 4. I never like the way the Glocks felt in my hand until I got my mits on a Gen 4. Now I own 2. Nothing against the older models, just always felt blocky to me.

 

[andreys21]

Both Gens are great. Recoil springs ARE NOT interchangeable from Gen 4 to earlier Gens. I prefer the Gen 4 because of the texture, bigger mag release and the smaller grip. Gen 4 comes with 3 mags over 2 for the Gen 3. Good luck and stay safe,
Mike

Thank you for clarification, mike.

 

[glocks]

I perfer the gen 3's, but you cant go wrong with either.

 

[Rich7944]

Both Gens are great. Recoil springs ARE NOT interchangeable from Gen 4 to earlier Gens. I prefer the Gen 4 because of the texture, bigger mag release and the smaller grip. Gen 4 comes with 3 mags over 2 for the Gen 3. Good luck and stay safe,
Mike

Agree 100%
If I had only Glock to choose then it would be the gen 4 after owning both. Fortunatly for us there are other options.

 

[mjbskwim]

Which ever fits your hand best. I like the gen3s myself
Unless you're competing with it,I don't believe there would be any real discernible differences in performance

 

[Steve06]

Thank God there is a choice between the Gen 3 and Gen 4.

 

[biggie24420]

I would go with the Gen4 because you have options. Also the duel recoil spring (not interchangeable with gen3) will soften the recoil so that is a plus. The different back straps are a plus and the bigger mag release button is sweet. I love the new finish on the Gen4 as well. You can contact the RSA team (Recoil Spring Assembly) to see if your new Glock needs the newest and greatest RSA just to be on the safe side (this applies to the Gen4 Glocks). I too love the rough texture frame as well..... I have a Gen4 G23 and love it. I have a lonewolf 40-9 conversion barrel and I shoot 9mm out of my Glock so it's like a G19 and a G23 in one. I do however have some feeding issues with crappy low power 9mm in my conversion but I don't carry my Glock for self defense as a 9mm.

 

[thewhitebuffalo83]

I have had both Gen 3 and 4 glock 17's, I have a Gen 3 glock 19, and I have shot both Gen 3 and 4 19's. From my experience I shoot the Gen 4's better than Gen 3's, I am sure that is because of the smaller grip size also almost everyone I personally know likes the Gen 4 grip better. I had a Gen 4 17 that I bought brand new, I took it out of the box no cleaning or lubing and I fired over 700 problem free rounds. My used gen 3 19 also has fired over 700 rounds without a cleaning or lubing. I think the performance is going to be very similar with which ever generation you pick. I personally like the Gen 3 because parts are more easily interchangeable from earlier generations and there was no major change from Gen 1 to Gen 3. With the Gen 4 I heard there was significant change and thus we have a new untested gun compared to before. However that being said, I personal shoot 19's better then 17's and I shoot Gen 4 19's the best. Your mileage may vary. My suggestion is find somewhere that has both and buy whichever feels best in your hands hand. For example, I have never owed or shot a Sig 226 before, however they are the absolute best feeling pistol I have ever held in my life and I will have one someday and that will be the number one reason. I have bought handguns and had great reviews but didn't feel great in hand and regretted it because I couldn't shoot decent groups if my life depended on it, The pistol just didn't fit me right. I am sure I could have trained through it if I wanted to but there was better options for me and so I dumped what didn't work and moved on to better things. I hope this gives a little incite and helps.

 

[jakk586]

if the gen 3 is a good deal, say arund 450 or so and the ns ampules still glowed brightly, buy it and use the money you save over the gen 4 new price to buy some spare mags and some ammo. gen3 guns are still being made and are not obsolete or discontinued. the only reason the gen4 might be a better buy, is if you have really small hands and needed the interchangeable backstrap for the absolutely smallest grip possible, or if you just had to have the rtf grip.

the earlier posters are correct. recoil assemblies are not interchangable, but mags are. the gen4 mags are backward compatable, and the gen3 are forward compatable provided you run the mag release in the left side of the gun (right handed configuration).

 

[sprink]

So I finally found a used gen4 g19 that I picked up Saturday and got to shoot it on Sunday. Really like the way the gun feels but I was less than pleased with the performance. I shot 200 rounds of Remington UMC 115gr and had seven ftf's. Don't know how much of this could've been from the ammo or the rsa but I was not happy. I emailed Glock and told them about the problem in hopes they will send me on of the new rsa's.