Glock Generations & How To Tell Them Apart (Very Simplified)

I’m not going to pretend that this is an original idea or that I am the first to write an article on this extremely simple subject that seems to bewilder tons of people on social media.

Deciphering the Glock generations!

For this short and extremely simple to understand the article, I will be using the G17 as the constant.

It’s all in the frame! And boy are they easy to spot!

Gen 1

1- No accessory rail
2- Two-pin takedown/disassembly
3- Small, non-reversible mag release

Gen 2

1- No accessory rail
2- Two-pin takedown/disassembly
3- Small, non-reversible mag release
4- Introduction of separate grip texture areas
5- Cresent shaped cutout at the bottom leading edge of grip

Gen 3

1- Introduction of accessory rail
2- Three-pin takedown/disassembly
3- Small, non-reversible mag release
4- Introduction of finger grooves

Gen 4

1- Accessory rail
2- Three-pin takedown/disassembly
3- Larger, reversible mag release for ambi-use
4- Finger grooves

Gen 5

1- Accessory rail
2- Back to the two-pin takedown/disassembly
3- Larger, reversible mag release
4- Reintroduction of the crescent-shaped cutout on the lower leading edge of the grip

***Edit – Later Gen 5″s do not have the crescent cutout

Are there other things like backstraps that can also help you identify your Glock? Sure there is. But pawn shops and private sales being what they are, you may not always get all the accessories that one may get when purchasing the pistol new.