I have the 26.3 and 26.4.

The trigger system on the 26.3 is better. It's smoother. Downsides are the slick Gen 3 grip texture and tiny magazine release. The 26.4 fixes the grip texture and has a larger magazine release. I like it better than the 26.3. However, the trigger system on the 26.4 is "clunky". It has a different feel. You may likely not notice if you don't have a 26.3 and 26.4 side by side.

26.4

26.3

Real Gun in 41 Magnum

 

For me Glocks came in to my wheel house at gen 4 first reversible mag release . It matters for us lefties especially in 10mm and the grip is better . I have a 26 and it's a good little gun

 

I finished building a Glock 26 Gen 3 in 9 mm because I wanted two aftermarket slides; one in stainless steel and the EDC one in a black nitride finish. Build what you want and trick out your weapon to the max. I started with a Glock 26 OEM stripped frame from GunBroker.

 

The Gen 4 is going to be next to impossible to get new b/c as I understand it it’s not available anymore. Between Gen 4 and 3 the trigger is not good enough for me to notice vs the mag release and texture negatives.
I do however notice an improvement in the Gen 5 trigger ( some don’t) AND also there’s the Glock performance trigger upgrade available for Gen 5 if you want. ( I don’t have experience with it )
So I am a go for Gen 5.

 

i dont know much about gun modifications but could one have someone modify some finger grooves to the gen 5

 

I own at least a half dozen G26s from Gen 3-5. Your decision will come down primarily to ergonomics, rather than the performance of the guns. Given the size of my hands and grip, the ability to use the beavertail backstraps with the Gen 4 and 5 was a benefit, as they helped prevent slide bite. Depending on the size of your hands, you may prefer the smaller grip of the Gen 4/5 without backstraps, or the the larger grip size while using them. The ergonomics of the Gen 4/5 guns are improved in my opinion, as the frame texture provides more grip, and the mag release is easier to actuate. The Gen 4 is no longer being marketed to civilians, so you’ll likely need to choose between the Gen 3 and 5. The Gen 5 removes the finger grooves, adds slide serrations and has an ambi slide stop lever.

in terms of shooting performance, the triggers will feel a little different, but the recoil impulse is the same across all three Gens and there isn’t any meaningful difference when it comes to accuracy; they’re all great in that respect.

The backstraps are plenty strong, so don’t worry about them breaking. I’ve used them on various models, including the G26, and never had a backstrap crack or deform and I’ve had numerous guns with 50-100k rounds on them.

 

Thanks for that detailed response,
Half a dozen from three gens? Nice yeah i feel like im going to have to buy both the gen 3 and 4 (used4)

 

I chose Gen4, because I have a Gen 4, and a Gen 3 27. I prefer the larger mag relaease. When I shoot a Gen 5, I may like it better because I like Gen 5 triggers the best.

 

I have 3 Gen 5 26’s. I have 3 versions of the Gen 5 26. The first version has no front serations. The 2nd version does have front slide serations, and the 3rd version is a 26 MOS. I liked the first one so much I bought the second one. Then the MOS came out, so I had to get it too. They have a decent trigger, and I like the mag release. This of course is just my opinion. Opinions vary.

 

Gen 5 is the answer to your question.

 

No choice. California rosters the 26 in Gen 3. But I am happy with it. The size and feel are comforting. I suspect I would also be happy with Gen 4.

 

When I bought mine over a decade ago I went with the Gen 3.

My rationale came down to two things. Smoother grip texture, so clothing less likely to hang, and smaller magazine release, less likely to unintentionally activate it.

No regrets.

 

I’ve got a 3 and a 4. Not a whole lot of difference.

You won’t find a new Gen 4. Decide which feels better for you, 3 or 5, or buy a used 4.

There’s not that much difference between them that you’re going to choose the wrong gun. Just get one and shoot it.

 

None of the above for me, except that I stumbled across a Gen 3 26 that had a grip reduction and stippling job that fit my hand really good. And the big plus, the grip reduction eliminated the rear grip hump, something that I have always disliked on the 26 pistols.

So I do have a 26, just one with a grip that is "Perfection" for me . But if I had to replace that one, it would most likely be with a 43X or 48.

My wife prefers the Gen 3, but she did say that if she had to get another one, a Gen 5 might be in order.

 

Have used both for EDC. Currently carry the Gen 4. The one small but significant improvement for me in Generation 4 was the availability of the beavertail attachment.

 

The Gen 5 is better for me. If nothing else, the magazine release is much better for me than the Gen 3 (the Gen 4 and Gen 5 have the same mag release). They don’t really define the gun but the OEM AmeriGlo night sights available on the Gen 5 are outstanding.

 

If you're going to leave it OEM I'd say 4 or 5 due to the grip enhancements (backstraps on the gen 4 and then finger groove removal on the gen 5). If youre going to modify the firearm I'd say its a little more blue on black.

 

So if the gen 4 is not available but want the upgrades would the gen 5 be available to be modified adding finger grooves 👀not aftermarket sleeves

 

Your basic gen 3 G26.

Also, I'm sure you know, gen 4 9mm pistols are no longer available to the general public, meaning that eventually factory support and parts will become less to none available. Not an issue in my lifetime and may not be in yours either, IDK.

 

Why are they not available?

 

Glock discontinued all gen 4 civilian sales.
They currently only offer gen 3 and gen 5.

To answer your other question, no you will not be able to add finger groves to a gen 5 without an aftermarket sleeve.

If you are set on a gen 4, look around in the used market.
If you are near a GT Distributors, they just took in a bunch of gen 4 G26 in Dallas. Not sure if those will hit their webpage, other stores or gunbroker though.

 

I was just in a similar situation and had to pick one. I went with the Gen 3. I don’t regret my decision at all. At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with any of them though.

 

While I appreciate the larger Gen4 mag release, I’ve always been more of a Gen3 guy.

 

I like the Gen 4 the best when it comes to the Glock 26. I like finger groves on the sub compacts like the 26 and 27, Gen 5 does not have that. It has a larger mag release that can be swapped to each side, Gen 3 does not have that. It does not have the ambi slide release/lock, the Gen 5s have that and I don't like it because it makes the gun a little bulkier, im fine with that feature on a bigger gun but not a carry gun.

I guess I find it to be a happy medium between the two gens. You can find used ones quite often, I bought a like new Gen 4 at Cabela's for like $350.

 

If you live near a bass pro or Cabela's, you can call up this store and ask them to ship it to your local store:

https://affiliate.cabelas.com/c/404...404739/185932/2623?subid=autolinker&u=https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/101540738

 

I live in California, so am limited to only the Gen3.
With that bias, I have two of the Gen3 G26's and love 'em!
So...my recommendation is to go with the Gen3.

 

I carry a G26.3 because I don't like the grip texture of Gen4s. Other than the texture nothing else seems better or different to ME. jmho

 

If I have a choice between a 3 or a 4 its a Gen 4 all day everyday. Better grip larger mag release. Now that the Gen5;s are out I would take a look. I bought a gen5 G19 and its my favorite Glock.

 

I have a gen 3 and I like it a lot, but if I had to replace it I would go with a gen 5 without hesitation

ambi slide lock, beaver tail backstraps, and a slide cut that eliminates BTF