Glock 19 Slides
Glock is known for making some of the best pistols in the world. They are reliable, accurate, and practical, which is why militaries and law enforcement agencies widely use them worldwide.
The Glock 19 is one of the most popular handguns in the US civilian market and is used by many citizens for home defense, concealed carry, and even competition shooting. Apart from their extreme reliability and accuracy, one of the main reasons for the popularity of the Glock platform is excellent aftermarket support. Many companies make aftermarket accessories for Glock pistols, which is why these pistols are so versatile.
Why Buy Aftermarket Glock 19 Slides?
The factory G19 slides are great. They are reliable and ergonomic. However, there are some modern features that they may lack. For instance, most Glocks 19 are sold with slides that aren't optic-ready. These days, you can get MOS Glocks; however, even they are compatible with a limited number of optics.
Furthermore, many shooters like to get aftermarket slides for their Glocks 19 to change their G19’s aesthetics. Granted, Glocks are very reliable and practical, but when it comes to aesthetics, they are quite lacking. Aftermarket Glock 19 slides are available in a wide range of cool designs, with different kinds of serrations, slide cuts, and finishes.
What Is an Optics-Ready Glock 19 Slide?
These days, micro red dot sights have become a very common accessory for pistols. They can help shooters improve their accuracy and shoot faster as well. However, most factory Glock 19 don't have a slide that supports the mounting of such red dot sights. Therefore, they aren't optic ready. Many people choose to send their slides to companies that machine and optic cut into it, but they can be pretty expensive.
Instead, you can buy an optics-ready aftermarket Glock 19 slide, which comes with an optics cut that supports a wide range of micro red dot sights.
Are Slide Cuts Good for Reliability?
Many aftermarket slides may also have slide cuts, which are done to make the slide lighter, and in some cases, to add to the aesthetics of the slide and show off the custom barrels. As long as these cuts do not decrease the weight too significantly, they don't affect reliability. However, reliability can become an issue for very lightweight slides if recoil springs aren't changed accordingly. Still, lighter slides mean that the gun operates faster, and with the correct springs, they are also very reliable, which is why many competition shooters use slides with weight-reducing cuts. Some slides may also have cuts on top for ported barrels.
DISCLAIMER:
“GLOCK” is a federally registered trademark of GLOCK, Inc. and is one of many trademarks owned by GLOCK, Inc. and GLOCK Ges.m.b.H. Neither Wing Tactical, LLC nor this site are affiliated in any manner with, or otherwise endorsed by, GLOCK, Inc. or GLOCK Ges.m.b.H. The use of “GLOCK” on this page is merely to advertise the sale of GLOCK pistols, parts, or components. For additional genuine GLOCK, Inc. and GLOCK Ges.m.b.H products and parts visit www.glock.com.