Gen 3 pistols chambered for .40 S&W use the exact same dimension recoil guide rod and recoil spring that Gen 3 9mm pistols use. Since Glocks were originally designed for the 9mm which has a weaker recoil compared to the .40 S&W, the recoil guide rod and recoil spring rated for 9mm recoil are considerably weaker against the snappy recoil of the .40 S&W. This resulted in faster frame wear in Gen 3 Glocks chambered for the .40 S&W.

To alleviate this problem, Glock employed the use of a newly designed recoil guide rod-spring assembly. It now has two captive springs, a smaller and a larger one, and because of a larger spring is used this time, the recoil guide rod’s front end diameter also have to be increased.

This new spring and guide rod assembly allows for better recoil force absorption that significantly minimizes frame wear and in turn results to better user recoil control in Gen 4 pistols chambered for any caliber higher than the 9mm. Better recoil control allows for faster sight re-acquisition and faster follow-up shots, as we determined in Round 2 of this Handgun Showdown series.

OTHER NOT-SO-GOOD CHANGES

Because the Gen 4’s grip is thinner, the frame was also designed to be a little smaller, for which a smaller trigger group was designed. For this reason, a Gen 4’s trigger group would be too small to fit in any previous generation Glock frame.

That part of the trigger bar that sticks out which deactivates the trigger safety for when the user pulls the trigger to shoot, that looks different now. The company put a little bulge on it to make sure the firing pin stays centered when striking a chambered bullet’s primer — this is so Gen 4 Glocks stay reliable even with the slightly slimmer frame profile.

But it resulted in a slightly heavier trigger pull, which is why some people who own both Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glocks claim that the Gen 3’s trigger is slightly easier to pull. There are some who even file that little bulge smooth to get a lighter trigger pull.

The ejector on newer Gen 4 frames is also a little smaller but thicker and has a more pronounced curvature. This wasn’t always the case. Glock only added this new ejector in later production Gen 4 frames because the earlier ones used the same ejector that Gen 3s use which didn’t work out the way they thought it would.

Because of the slimmer frame and slightly modified internals, Gen 3 ejectors installed in early Gen 4s resulted in stovepipes (i.e. empty case is not getting properly pushed out of the ejection port, causing a jam).

The company identified the problem to be the older version of the ejector not being compatible with the new frame and trigger group designs, so newer production Gen 4s were given the new ejector.

The problem with this is people unfortunate enough to have bought early production Gen 4 models are stuck with a handgun that is a disgrace to the manufacturer’s reputation.

All Glocks are supposed to be reliable, but their handgun stovepipes. The only fix for this issue is to buy a new trigger housing with the integrated new ejector design as an aftermarket drop-in upgrade (Part no. 30274).

PRICE

In general, Gen 4 pistols cost more $$$ compared to Gen 3s. But since we’re only looking at Glock 19 for both generations, we’ll only be including the factory price for those two pistols here.

As of this writing, on Glock’s website, the Glock 19 Gen 3 costs $475, while the Glock 19 Gen 4 costs $550. That’s a $75 increase which some might find unappealing, but we’ll get to this in a bit.

SO WHICH ONE IS BETTER?

Which slide finish is better between these handguns is a matter of personal taste. I prefer the darker shade of the Glock 19 Gen 3’s slide, but others don’t really care too much about the finish as long as the slide is protected from corrosion — that’s something I can agree with. So none of the two pistols gets a point here.

The interchangeable backstraps that come with the Gen 4 Glock 19 might be helpful for people with bigger hands. I have medium-size hands so I don’t really care for it too much. Again, none of the two pistols gets a point here, at least for me.

The new checkering texture on the Glock 19 Gen 4 looks and feels great. Some DIY gurus and tacticool gun nuts might argue that the Gen 3’s grip can be stippled, but DIY stippling is risky if you don’t know what you’re doing (you’ll just weaken the frame and ruin a working firearm), and having a qualified gunsmith do it for you can cost unnecessary expenses (I would be content with just using grip tape). So Gen 4 wins here, no doubt.

Gen 3 Glock 19s having a smaller low-profile magazine release button wouldn’t be an issue if the user practices pushing it enough times, but the larger magazine release button on the Glock 19 Gen 4 is definitely an improvement. Another point for Gen 4.

Gen 4 Glock 19s using the new double recoil spring assembly with the fatter guide rod is kind of pointless. Glock 19s are chambered for 9mm which is known for a relatively lower recoil compared to other more powerful handgun calibers.

However, if you’re looking to upgrade to a 960 Rowland (a 9mm on steroids that can surpass .357 magnum ballistics), it might be useful. So another point for Gen 4.

If you bought an early production Glock 19 Gen 4 though and you’re experiencing stovepipes, sorry to say this but you’re going to have to install that new trigger housing part (with the new ejector) to get it to work reliably. So much for owning a handgun that’s supposed to be reliable, huh? Gen 3 gets a point here, unfortunately.

As for differences in price, the Glock 19 Gen 3 is $75 cheaper but it only comes with two magazines. The Glock 19 Gen 4 on the other hand is $75 more expensive but considering the factory upgrades and that it comes with three magazines, it’s not too bad.

And if you have large hands and you can use the backstraps that come with it, you get even more bang for your buck! Thus, Gen 4 gains another point.

CONCLUSION

Glocks will never be perfect. The fact alone that they always have newer “generational” improvements should be proof enough. And I, for one, hate how they look. They’re never going to be the timeless beauties that the 1911s are.

But Glocks don’t have to be perfect. These are highly reliable handguns priced just right. And the company listen to their customers, they never rest on their laurels. They just have to keep doing what they’ve been doing for over three decades.

The Gen 4 Glock 19 (and all other Gen 4s) wins over its Gen 3 counterpart. With all the upgrades Glock has masterfully added into their newer Gen 4 pistols, even factoring in the slightly higher price tag, there really is no point in buying any Glock Gen 3s. However, they all share similar upgrades, and you might want to find out what are the best Glock sights, or the best Glock shoulder holsters, before buying them.

However, the Gen 3 might be the better option if you’re like a lot of Gen 3 owners and:

• You can work with the smaller magazine release button just fine;

• You’re okay with spending extra on stippling the grip or doing it yourself or putting grip tape on it — or you don’t mind the less aggressive, almost non-existent grip texture;

• You’re a die-hard 9mm fan and you’re not looking to buy a 960 Rowland conversion barrel in the foreseeable future because you don’t see the point;

• You’re such a scrooge that you think the $75 markup on the Glock 19 Gen 4 is not worth it (or you’re just broke);

Me being neutral and objective about all this (I’m not a Glock fan), I’ll have to say that the Glock 19 Gen 4 is the clear winner of this round. And it’s a well deserved win.

If you’re looking to buy one of these, or already own a model, you might want to check out this article about the best Glock 19 holster.

This article by Mike Ramientas originally appeared at Gun News Daily in 2018.

Image: Reuters.