[BamaTrooper]

Front side serrations-

They don’t affect the function of the gun.

Even if you don’t use them, they could prove useful; perhaps in a one handed reload or malfunction event.

They don’t seem abrasive enough to do any real damage to a holster. I suppose if your holster is lined, and/or so tight the friction on the slide is what holds the gun, then continuous sawing via draw and holster might damage it until it has created its new fit.

 

[360joules]

Front Slide Serrations are an exterior marker that the pistol has the breech face cut that provides excellent 9mm brass ejection to the right, even with the wimpiest of ammo.

From a survey in another post, only the earliest FS models do not have the BFC.

To the best of our knowledge, no Glocks without the Front Serrations have the BFC.

I admit that I was surprised that the new production 19x I just bought, BPNN, didn't have the breech face cut. I wish it did. My earlier prod G45 (with FS) has it. I guess I expected (hoped) this improvement would have been implemented on all new 9mm production after a certain date, but I guess not.

Re the front serrations:
I would prefer my glocks not have them, both because I just prefer the clean looks of the early glocks, but also because my safariland holsters have a retaining system that grinds against them as I insert/remove my G45. In order to try to quiet it down, I've had to add a piece of velcro (the loop side) to the inside mechanism.

 

[mmcbeat]

I have a very slight preference for front serrations, not enough to determine a new gun purchase one way or the other. Front serrations have been around a long time, Glock is just a little late joining the party. As other Gen 5 calibers are introduced it will be interesting to see if front serrations are across the board.

 

[DAW9347]

Outta sight, outta mind. My Glock 23 doesn't have front slide serrations, so if they ain't there, can't comment.
If my safety is "ON" that means there's a round chambered, don't need to press check. I use and prefer "leather holsters" and as was mentioned above, any serrations on my other pistols have not sheared any leather away from these fine holsters:

 

[-JCN-]

I bought a Gen 5 17 on the first day they were available and it’s a great gun. I really like it just the way it was, maybe they could have beveled the frame to match the slide, but it’s a Glock, not my Wilson so I don’t really care.

Recently I felt like getting a second Gen 5 17 but they all have forward life serrations and I just don’t like them. Can anyone sell me on them?

For all the naysayers...

It is pretty common to use front serrations to rack slides in competition shooting. Because it’s faster and gets your support hand back into play sooner.

This guy isn’t a slouch.

 

[Schrag4]

What is all this talk of shooting one’s hand or fingers during a press check? Or not wanting to get a hand or fingers so close to the business end?

Guys, guns are dangerous, and the utmost care should be employed while using them. That includes during press checks. You’re not going to suddenly put your hand or fingers in front of the muzzle (as it’s not necessary) and pull the trigger just because you’re press-checking. If you do that, you were going to shoot yourself while holstering or field stripping or <fill in the blank>, anyway (because you’re careless). It’s not that hard to keep your digits/appendages behind the muzzle while gripping the front serrations.

 

[X65]

If you don’t like them because of looks, that’s one thing, but they are absolutely functional for weapons manipulations. If you choose to press check from the front, these help tremendously. You can also use them for reloads. I know there’s a very well known instructor who advocates using the front of the gun to chamber the next round after a speed reload if you can’t get to the slide stop. This is primarily a technique if a red dot is being used as getting to the rear serrations with a dot on top can be a little awkward. Slide stop method is the quickest, though. As far as chewing up holsters, my G45 doesn’t do that at all. There are no downsides in my eyes to having serrations in the front. The only one would be if you don’t like the look. The functionality is there, though. I’d love it if they had serrations on top of the gun too for one handed malfunction clearances.

 

[Damn_Yankee]

Just checked my Tenicor Velo for any signs of wear from the front serrations on my G19 and it’s clean. Probably have about 50 practice draws with it so not a whole lot but I think I’d see it by now if it was going to happen.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fortunate Son]

Look cool. Can rack the gun from them if need be. Press check. There free.

Same sentiments I have.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[shadowlands]

They simply look cool. Vanity is important, no?

 

[MinervaDoe]

There is no reason for them other than a foolish press check. I don't want my hand that close to the barrel,

Ditto. Other than a press check, I see no reason for the serrations. And, since I check the chamber without getting my fingers near the barrel (by using the serrations at the read of the slide) I see no need for the ones in the front.

 

[OdinIII]

I only manipulate the slide by the front now, even on pistols with no serrations. I also don’t understand why this is a safety issue. My finger is off the trigger and hands/fingers never go in front of the slide.

Count me in the front serration fan club.

 

[Borg Warner]

I bought a Gen 5 17 on the first day they were available and it’s a great gun. I really like it just the way it was, maybe they could have beveled the frame to match the slide, but it’s a Glock, not my Wilson so I don’t really care.

Recently I felt like getting a second Gen 5 17 but they all have forward life serrations and I just don’t like them. Can anyone sell me on them?

Trust your instincts. Front slide serrations are a a fad because they look "Tactical" but they're useless for anything but doing "Press Checks" which is something all the cool guys in movies and on TV do for dramatic effect.

Even back in the days when everyone carried revolvers, on television everybody used to check their revolvers to make sure they were loaded by opening the cylinder and then snapping it shut with one hand.

.

 

[DirectDrive]

I try to keep my fingers away from the business end if any weapon. I’m not a press-check kinda guy. But, I think they look pretty cool. With the exception of my 43X, none of my Gen 5 Glock’s have them.

LOL
A few months ago, there was a very young dude at the gun counter.
He racked the slide for a customer with his hand over the muzzle.
I told him that chances were good that he would someday shoot a hole through said hand.
He seemed to take it well.
And then probably went on to racking the same way.

 

[boilergonzo]

I have no strong preference for or against. For racking the slide, I would actually prefer the "ears" like those on a VP9 over forward serrations if we are looking for a practical answer.

What is it really for? My money is on a need for "change". If Glock's had always come with them, their marketing would have offered us a smooth, clean Glock (no forward grip) to generate sales. Since they haven't historically had these, THIS is now the "new thing" to differentiate the new offering. In a few years, another (fairly trivial) "new thing" will be added, be it a color, finger grooves, thumb rests, grip texture, or something.

In short, if we don't like them, we don't have to get them (or we can not use them), but I don't think Glock was deeply contemplating true benefit as much as they were thinking of satisfying a contract or finding that "new thing" to add to generate sales (and later fill in the benefits of the new wrinkle when they write the brochures (explaining nDLC, first-ever factory colored slides, or Marksman Barrels!).

I would take mine with or without. For a full-size Glock, I would prefer without. But I it wouldn't stop me from buying a gun with them (SIG 365, etc.).

 

[shadowlands]

My Glock 17 Gen4 doesn't have front serrations, but my Glock Tac Light on the front, does. That's something...

 

[Pierre!]

I still shoot these in competition... that holster is at least 20 years old... shows Zero wear.

Ofcourse, the serrated stainless slides - May go back only 5 to 7 years.

I use the front and rear serrations, just depends on the need.

 

[Orive 8]

You kinda either like them or you don’t.

Yep, I like them, like them a lot. As I've posted before, I've owned 30+ Glock 19s, my favorite version was the Gen 4 Front Serrations model, ended up having 6 of them in all.

I like the way they look and I like that they aid in performing press checks from the front. My Shadow Systems MR918s have them, but my Gen 3 grip reduced 26 doesn't - I have been thinking about sending the slide down to Maple Leaf Firearms, LLC to have them cut front serrations on it. (There was a post on GT were someone had some work done by these guys and it turned out really nice.)
https://www.mapleleaffirearms.com/front-serrations-standalone/

Time will tell...

 

[Critch]

They will make you shoot like a ninja....

 

[Pete Perfection]

A press check is easy enough to do without front serrations.
I look at it like the curved trigger guard. No good shooters actually use this feature, but we are stuck with it...

Angus Hobdell probably the best shooter in the world uses the front of the trigger guard when shooting his 8 time world record pistol.