Range Report/Personal Impressions - Glock 26

[BerksCountyDave]

So I got a new Glock 26 this week and took it out to the indoor range yesterday morning to put it through its paces, as it will soon be my new CCW. I thought I'd share a range report and my impressions of the weapon for anyone that may be interested.

Ergonomics/Feel:
I own a Glock 19, so I am familiar and comfortable with the Glock grip angle, so when I picked up the 26, it felt natural to me. A lot of people complain about the Glock grip angle, but it fits my hand great. I added a Pearce grip extension to two of my three mags, and I do like having the extra space for my strong hand pinky. I put a lot of rounds through this gun and my hands didn't tire at all. The gun feels great, to me.

Fit/Finish/Construction:
It's a Glock. It's simple. It's put together well. It'll take a lickin and keep on tickin, so to speak. We all know this. The gun feels extremely solid and tight. The tennifer matte finish is extremely wear-resistant, even under less than optimal conditions. Glocks may not be the prettiest guns in the world, but they're well made and they always go bang when you need them to.

Shooting Impressions:
This guns shoots great! I put 400 rounds of Winchester white box 115 gr. FMJ and 100 rounds of Federal Hydra-Shock JHP through the gun yesterday. Not one malfunction. The gun just works. Recoil is very tame, even from such a small weapon. I had no problem controlling muzzle flip and staying on target during controlled pair drills. The stock Glock trigger feels good to me. I know a lot of people modify their triggers, and that's fine if that's what they're comfortable with. The way it comes from the factory suits me just fine, however.

The Glock 26 proved to be far more accurate than I though a gun with such a short barrel would be. This is a picture of a 10 round group at 10 yards, controlled pairs:

I know there's one outside the black, but that was my fault, not the gun's!

Overall Impressions:
I really like this gun, even more than I thought I would. I own a Glock 19 and while I'm not in love with the 19, it is a great gun and has always been reliable, which is why I decided to grab a 26 to carry on a daily basis. The 26 certainly performed like a champion. It is much more comfortable to shoot than I was expecting it to be, and more accurate too!

In closing, if you're looking for a subcompact semi-auto pistol, I would highly recommend you at least try the Glock 26. I know Glocks aren't everyone's cup of tea, but they're worth a look if you've never fired one before. Of course these are just my opinions.

I hope this helps anyone that may have been pondering a Glock 26 purchase. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.

Thanks
Dave

[nhughesmd]

Great report! I also own a Glock 19 and will be purchasing a Glock 26 as soon as I can afford it. I am glad to see that there was little to no transition between the two. Could you post some good comparison shots? Side by side height and length. I have always been curious just how much smaller the 26 is. I personally like the beveled front on the 26. It looks like it would slide into the holster so much easier.

Thanks for the report!

P.S. I just noticed you have a xd9 subcompact. How do the two compare?

[BerksCountyDave]

Regarding the comparison to the XD9SC, they're both nice guns, but I prefer the Glock. It feels better in my hand and I'm more accurate with it. That's not to say it's a more accurate gun, I AM just more accurate with it.

I'll post some comparison pics with the G19 tomorrow

[nhughesmd]

Thanks I look forward to seeing them!

[TJB63]

Very Nice, I've been wanting to get a G19 but keep talking myself out of it since I have a G26 & G17 -- The G26 feel into my lap and I couldn't pass the deal by, Maybe but one of these days when I can mentally justify the need.

Enjoy your G26 -- They are amazing little guns.

[BerksCountyDave]

Very Nice, I've been wanting to get a G19 but keep talking myself out of it since I have a G26 & G17 -- The G26 feel into my lap and I couldn't pass the deal by, Maybe but one of these days when I can mentally justify the need.

Enjoy your G26 -- They are amazing little guns.

Hmmm . . . if you have a 26 and 17 and you're itching for another Glock 9mm, may I suggest checking out the 34? I know it's my next gun purchase.

[TJB63]

Hey BCDave,

Thanks for the suggestion, But if I buy anymore Glocks, It will be the G19 -- I just need to justify why I need it, Since the G26 is my CCw gun and the G17 is just for fun, I'm trying to figure out why I need the G19 other than I just like it.

[BerksCountyDave]

Hey BCDave,

Thanks for the suggestion, But if I buy anymore Glocks, It will be the G19 -- I just need to justify why I need it, Since the G26 is my CCw gun and the G17 is just for fun, I'm trying to figure out why I need the G19 other than I just like it.

Haha I don't know why would you need a G19 other than having all three size Glocks in 9mm.

[Cheeseybacon]

Good choice on the 26. It's definitely a surprisingly accurate gun for it's size. All you need now is a good set of night sights and you'll be set.

I practice and carry my G26 with the flush-fit magazine instead of the grip extension though. While there's no doubt that the pinky extension feels a thousand times better, I don't seem to shoot any better with the extension in place, so I have went with the flush fit magazine for more concealability. Fits perfectly in my front right pocket in a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster.

[Suburban]

I practice and carry my G26 with the flush-fit magazine instead of the grip extension though. While there's no doubt that the pinky extension feels a thousand times better, I don't seem to shoot any better with the extension in place, so I have went with the flush fit magazine for more concealability. Fits perfectly in my front right pocket in a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster.

If you give the 26 a chance with the flat magazine baseplate, you should find that it's still easy to shoot, I agree. If you compare the G26 with the extension to your 19, you'll see that it's practically the same size, and you're down 3 rounds.

Pocket carry? I guess you can get away with it if you wear cargo pants with bellowed pockets, but otherwise it's going to look like you've got a heavy pistol in your pocket.

I now have a 17, a 19, and a 26. I guess I really don't need the 19, but I wanted it, so I bought it anyway.