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1st firearms: 43 and 19 or 26 and 17

3K views 66 replies 54 participants last post by  crockett 
#1 ·
I'm about to purchase my first handgun. Actually first 2 handguns. What is a better combo, 43 and 19 or 26 and 17?

My concealed carry class was w Springfield XDM and XDS. Very nice, worked great, instructor had many variations to test, I liked the stock sights. However, everybody I know has Glock (family, friends, law enforcement buds). For across the board compatibility and legendary reliability, Glock is my choice. I've shot G27 and G19 (2nd gen?), both felt great. Initially, I was going to just get a 26. Then I thought maybe a smaller 43 would fit well and the higher capacity for not much larger size 19 would make a great 2 gun stable, while a 26 and 43 or 19 seems redundant.

So, starting from scratch, what's the best 2 gun combo? Or just the 26?
 
#3 ·
I went with a 26, I was in the same boat. But I wanted to shoot club Conceal carry matches and figured the double stack mags was way to go. Cause you can still use 17 round or 15 round mags in it.

That and it is fairly accurate and easy to shoot. That is my first magazine out of the gun at 7 yards (first time shooting a glock too), I didn't shoot any pistols before this for atleast 6 months.

 
#5 ·
I guess I should ask...is it better to get my first gun (26) and shoot shoot shoot? Or have both a 43 that I can carry all the time and a 19 that I can keep on the nightstand and shoot at ranges all the time?

Better for beginner to get 1 and practice? Or better to strategically build the stable?

Another completely unrelated yet relevant question:
What's the best shop in Denver? Say, buy 43 and 19 for less than $1000 Saturday?
 
#6 ·
If you carry it, you'd better practice shooting it often. The small glocks handle a bit differently. I only have 2 glocks, and since I carry both I shoot both whenever the ammo budget allows. If I can only shoot one it is my primary carry.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
Gen 4 Glock 17
XDS 9

My 9mm lineup these days and it works really well. Former 19 and 26 owner here. For a one all do all the 19 is hard to beat if you only can have ONE.

Wasn't a fan of the 26 I had, just didn't feel right, XDS is a nicer gun IMO if you want to go more compact due to some nicer features.
 
#9 · (Edited)
26 & 19, or 26 & 17. I wanted a 43 not that long ago, but right now I don't really have a need to go smaller than the 26.
In winter(I live in a cold place) I can conceal a 19 or a 17 all the same. In summer, the 17 is out of the question for carry, but I can carry a 19 if I dress for the gun. A friend of mine has worked several jobs that don't allow employees to carry(not illegal, just against company employee policy) who carries a 26 all the time without any problems.
Couldn't go wrong with two 26s either, although its nice to have one with a rail for mounting a light.

If you get a 43, those mags won't work for anything else. If you get a 26 and something else, every mag you get for your larger glock will also be good for your 26.

I don't think there's anything wrong with getting two right away. Just practice with both.
And as far as "shoot shoot shoot", it's equally(at least) as important to dry practice dry practice dry practice.
 
#10 ·
My Glocks are actually the 43 and the 19 so I am biased. The 43 conceals very easily and it is on my hip whenever I am out but I could easily conceal the 19. The little 43 takes some practice to shoot well and proper grip is essential lest you interfere with the slide lock and the mag release. Talon grips are needed because that little gun will want to jump around in your hand. The 19 is on the other end of the spectrum, it is so much fun to shoot and just feels right in your hand. It's like the 43 is a little sports car and the 19 is a Cadillac. The advantages here are both can be carried concealed easily, they are both 9mm so you only need to buy one type of ammo, they're Glocks meaning they are easy to customize to fit your ergo needs and are both fun to shoot and easy to maintain. For me, the real question is 26 or 43? You have to weigh your options, which is more comfortable to shoot for you? Is the grip on the 26 just too dang short for your hand or does the slim size of the 43 appeal to you? Is mag cap a big issue?
The 19 however, is a given -no question. That gun is awesome!
 
#12 ·
I went with a 17, 26 and much later a 42. 26 is my carry. 42 is if I ever need to carry when I can't conceal a real gun. I'd try a 26 before I assumed I could not carry it. Its much easier to go smaller than go bigger for carry. A lot of carry is what you get used to and you should carry as large as you can get away with. I mean you are carrying in case you have to actually use it an no ever wished for a smaller gun with less bullets while in a fight.
 
#13 ·
I'm going with what I would personally go with and that would be the Glock 19 and Glock 26. Perfect pairing. Both are easy to CCW and both are some of the most popular Glock pistol models in the world (well at least in my world <grin>). Glock 17 would be a great bedside gun and the Glock 43 would be a great BUG.
 
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#16 ·
I'd go 43 and 19. For me the 43 is an excellent pocket gun and just super comfortable to carry. I tried carrying the 26 in a pocket and it was not comfortable The 19 would cover hd and owb carry

If I were going to own one (I have in the past) it would be the 26. It does everything well but not great on some factors.

It's nice having 2 guns and options for carrying. After 5 years of trying out several guns, I have decided on a 43 and ppq m2 and and
 
#17 ·
I would probably go with just the G26 to start. After shooting it for a while and carrying it for a while, you might have a better idea of what you want as a second gun.

Some here have reported shooting the G26 better than bigger 9 mm Glocks and with a G19 magazine and grip sleeve "issues" of the last finger not fitting the grip can be resolved.

While we can guess, it will only be a guess as to what will be a higher priority for you. You might want a G17 or different gun for some sort of competition or for range use. You might find that sometimes something a bit smaller than the G26 would be easier to carry. You may end up shooting something at a range and decide that you really want a revolver to shoot or as a gun to keep at home. You might decide that a shotgun or a rifle is the next logical choice because of gang activity on the sidewalk or a mountain lion seen in the thousands of acres behind the house.
 
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#20 ·
As said, one should practice with any gun that is carried. My problem is that I don't enjoy shooting or practicing with small guns such as the G43.

The G26 is a different story as it's just large enough to enjoy shooting it and therefore practice is fun. The gun is accurate and I don't get this same accuracy from the G43. Therefore my confidence is not as high with the 43.

Based on the above, in my experience only, I would go with your choice of G26 and G17. Of all my Glocks I'm most accurate with the G17.
 
#21 ·
Awesome responses, thank you all. Especially to a newbie! I have not held or fired a 43 yet. I think for "building a stable," it'd be a good option but I'm kind of leaning toward just 1 to begin. Probably the 26.
I've gone 31 years without carrying and never had much problem. This decision is fortunately just as much new hobby as it is self / home / family defense.
 
#22 ·
Start with a 19 since it's probably the most versatile. Then take some really good training instead of buying a second gun right away. The training class should include pulling the gun out of concealment many times and quickly being able to hit a target along with making quick magazine changes. After the training and carrying the 19 for a few months, you'll have a much better idea of what the next one should be. I really wanted to love the 43. On paper it seemed perfect. But it ended up feeling too small in my hands and not nearly as easy to manipulate as a 19 or even a 26. My 2 pesos
 
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