My "Glock 26L" ** UPDATED **

[Eric2340]

So a few years ago I decided I wanted to take a chance and bought a used G17 I cut the grip height down to that of a G19 (chopped), so it accepted G19 mags flush in the gun. It has handled and shot like a DREAM. It's not ideal for carry due to it's overall length, but regardless I have been very happy with it and love shooting it.

I started thinking about doing the same thing but with a G19 cut down to a G26's frame height to see if it gave the gun any advantage in either handling or shooting. I mainly pocket carry a G26 normally, and when I realized I could probably pull off a G19's slide length in the front pocket of my cargo shorts like I do my G26, I figured I'd give it a whirl to see how I liked her. A "G26L" if you will.

Well here she is, please don't mind how I butchered the mag well by cutting it a little too high, but as they say for the first try you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. Anywho, she may not be pretty, but she's also a test mule (it was a spare G19 frame I bought to try this rather than risking it with a complete good G19, and the slide off of my other G19), so this one is more for function and theory than anything else. I have NOT shot her yet, but if she does turn out to be a shooter like I hope she does, then I'm just going to buy a used G19 and then make a cleaner one next time around.

I'll update all once I get a chance to shoot her and see what she does compared to my trusty G26 to if this helps any, stay tuned....................................................

Edited November 20, 2018 by Eric2340

[Borg warner]

2 hours ago, Eric2340 said:

So a few years ago I decided I wanted to take a chance and bought a used G17 I cut the grip height down to that of a G19 (chopped), so it accepted G19 mags flush in the gun. It has handled and shot like a DREAM. It's not ideal for carry due to it's overall length, but regardless I have been very happy with it and love shooting it.

I started thinking about doing the same thing but with a G19 cut down to a G26's frame height to see if it gave the gun any advantage in either handling or shooting. I mainly pocket carry a G26 normally, and when I realized I could probably pull off a G19's slide length in the front pocket of my cargo shorts like I do my G26, I figured I'd give it a whirl to see how I liked her. A "G26L" if you will.

Well here she is, please don't mind how I butchered the mag well by cutting it a little too high, but as they say for the first try you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. Anywho, she may not be pretty, but she's also a test mule (it was a spare G19 frame I bought to try this rather than risking it with a complete good G19, and the slide off of my other G19), so this one is more for function and theory than anything else. I have NOT shot her yet, but if she does turn out to be a shooter like I hope she does, then I'm just going to buy a used G19 and then make a cleaner one next time around.

I'll update all once I get a chance to shoot her and see what she does compared to my trusty G26 to if this helps any, stay tuned....................................................

I don't see the advantage a gun like this has over a G26, A G26 has a barrel that's 3.45 inches. A G19 has a barrel that's 4.02. what is the advantage to adding a little over a half an inch of barrel and slide?  A regular G26 is more concealable and weighs less and you aren't going to gain much velocity or sight radius out of just a little over half an inch of barrel and slide. All you're doing is adding bulk to a gun that you normally pocket carry.

Also. If you can pocket carry a G26 I'd like to know what brand pants those are because I have trouble pocket carrying anything larger than a G42 in the top pocket of Wrangler brand cargo pants. There's room for the gun in the pocket but that doesn't leave much room to get your hand in the pocket to be able to grab the gun. As far as velocity goes, you gain or lose an average of plus or minus 50 fps per INCH of barrel. And for a half an inch that's 25 fps. very often the identical length barrels can vary as much as 50 fps for the same barrel length.

Interesting experiment, though, and it doesn't really look bad. You should shoot it side by side with your G26 and see which one you like best and let someone else shoot both of them too, and get a second opinion.

[Eric2340]

2 hours ago, Borg warner said:

I don't see the advantage a gun like this has over a G26, A G26 has a barrel that's 3.45 inches. A G19 has a barrel that's 4.02. what is the advantage to adding a little over a half an inch of barrel and slide?  A regular G26 is more concealable and weighs less and you aren't going to gain much velocity or sight radius out of just a little over half an inch of barrel and slide. All you're doing is adding bulk to a gun that you normally pocket carry.

Also. If you can pocket carry a G26 I'd like to know what brand pants those are because I have trouble pocket carrying anything larger than a G42 in the top pocket of Wrangler brand cargo pants. There's room for the gun in the pocket but that doesn't leave much room to get your hand in the pocket to be able to grab the gun. As far as velocity goes, you gain or lose an average of plus or minus 50 fps per INCH of barrel. And for a half an inch that's 25 fps. very often the identical length barrels can vary as much as 50 fps for the same barrel length.

Interesting experiment, though, and it doesn't really look bad. You should shoot it side by side with your G26 and see which one you like best and let someone else shoot both of them too, and get a second opinion.

 

Well, you pretty much nailed it all the way around. Again, this was more an experiment more than anything else, and I thought loooooooong and hard before I did this (like over 2 years and then maybe another 6 mo to cowboy up and cut a brand NEW frame! ? LOL ). Sometimes the only way you learn anything good or bad is just to try it, and that's pretty much what this was in all, a "Hey, what if...................???" if you will. Honestly, I shoot my G26 really well, I shoot my G19 even better. I wanted to see after making my "19L" (my G17 that is cut to a 19's grip height) if I could repeat the same results and make my 26 even better? Only one way to find out in the end, and here we are. It honestly may NOT work and better once I shoot it, and if so - then no harm, no foul and it was a $150 or so learning lesson (I bought the spare frame when Glockmeister had them on sale last year - again still cheaper than even butchering a used G19).

You are 100% right on all the absolute minute advantages this has on paper over a G26, the only honest one I can see that may make any difference or even slightly help is the small amount of added extra weight it might help to keep the nose down a little, if so any. We're not talking about adding that much weight, so as long as the bulk of it is not there when drawing it from the pocket (more on that in a min) then we'll be able to see if there is any true advantage to it.

The only other thing I'd possibly gain in this is the ability to add a small light for carry to the rails on the G19 frame like the small Surefire XC1-B, but that too might then be too much added weight and bulk to make it comfortable enough for EDC?

As far as the shorts go, yeah I had the same thoughts at first too and was really surprised in the end that they worked as well as they do and are as comfortable as they are also. The shorts are some model of "Dickies" brand industrial work shorts that basically look like pretty much any other conventional cargo shorts for the most part. These are my issued uniform shorts for my job (I work for a car dealer), and it must be the way the pockets in them are cut, shaped or something else. Probably the biggest thing that helps with them more than anything else is they are BLACK in color, and that helps hide any kind of bulk or shape a LOT too. I had and have also worn the Wrangler cargo shorts for years also, so I know what you are getting at when talking about trying to do this with a set of those also (again not to mention the black vs any other color also). I carried a J frame years ago in the Wrangler shorts and always still found it pretty bulky still, and it was only until I then switched to a Kel-Tec .380 (pre-G42 days in the early 2000s or so) that I was comfortably able to do so. When I first got my job and started wearing these Dickie's work shorts 6 days a week somewhere after 2012 or so I decided to give carrying my G26 in the front pocket of them, and boom it worked!!! I was honestly surprised it worked and was as comfortable as it was and have been doing so sense ever since then. I went to go from the safe to the garage one day at home to do something with my G19 and my hands were full, so I stuffed it into my pocket (empty chamber of course) to carry it and viola! here we are, that was enough to get the wheels spinning. This (G26 pocket carry) kind of works for ME with the Wrangler cargo shorts (just not as well) and it does NOT work with any jean shorts or jeans I have tried PERIOD. Forget any kind of dress pants of slacks either, the G26 is just too much weight and bulk for something like that. Thank God and Gaston that's what the G42 was made for and works for that. LOL

The only other last issue that made me wrestle with doing this more than ANYTHING else was the fact that when I did this with my 17 going to a 19, I only gave up two rounds in a flush fitting mag, no biggie, not the end of the world. Doing this with a 19 going to a 26 I was giving up FIVE rounds now in a fifteen round mag. Whoa, now we're talking a third of the possible capacity using the shorter mag with what the normal G19 was capable with. Was it really worth giving up that much in an already really damn near perfect carry gun for whatever little gain I hoped I might get? Again, I struggled with that one for a long time before I jumped in the deep end and ordered that spare G19 frame, much less the six mo. or so before I picked up that Dremel. As I said before, in the end this was all one big experiment I wanted to try and here we are finally. The more I sit here and play with it the better it feels in my hands like my cut G17 does, the real test is still seeing if she shoots any better. I DO also plan to do as you suggested plan to shoot her back to back with my G26 and also up against my unaltered G19 to see if there are any real world advantages / disadvantages of any of them over the other two. There is a online video of Rob Pincus trying this also, and while he came to a lot of the same conclusions before cutting his as we've discussed here, in the end he basically said the same thing real world I'm thinking - the only thing in all of this that may even really help is getting a little more weight out there on the front end to help keep the nose down just slightly under fire. Beyond that, it probably doesn't really do anything that much better than the G26 already does, other than the "kewl" factor (which I honestly do again a LOT with my "G19L" G17 when people play with it.

 

We'll find out when we get her to the range for sure, stay tuned...........................................................

PS - We also DID try my G34's slide on my cut G17 frame when I still had it, and there was NO advantage to it over the G17 slide on the cut "19L" frame, and honestly it just felt more "weird" and too much more than anything else. Again, sometimes you just have to try some &^$% to learn anything..........................................

[5pointstar78]

Seems like your trying to reinvent the wheel blind.

The grip on a G26 is not ideal, but it's sufficient to assist in concealed carry. The difference in barrel length provides marginal difference in performance.

If it makes you happy so be it, but I don't see the point of your creation.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327AZ using Tapatalk

[Historian]

I really like the looks of that pistol.

[Eric2340]

4 hours ago, 5pointstar78 said:

Seems like your trying to reinvent the wheel blind.

The grip on a G26 is not ideal, but it's sufficient to assist in concealed carry. The difference in barrel length provides marginal difference in performance.

If it makes you happy so be it, but I don't see the point of your creation.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327AZ using Tapatalk
 

 

4 hours ago, Historian said:

I really like the looks of that pistol.

 

 

Yeah, people seem to really be split on it, just kind of like the "19X" and G45 - they either love or hate the idea.

 

Personally, I don't see the point in the 19X/G45, as they seem to be the polar opposite of what I am trying to achieve with my "G26L".

 

To each his own I guess?..........................................

Edited October 13, 2018 by Eric2340

[G26S239]

I like it too. Nice project. Since I already have two 26s and a 27 though I'll stick with those.

[jk_226]

I've thought about doing the same with a full-size M&P.  With an IWB holster it's the grip printing that makes it harder to conceal.  The extra length isn't an issue.  The only thing that's stopped me with the M&P is the back strap and the pin that retains it.  I've thought about just filling it in with epoxy or something, but feel like I'd totally butcher it.  Your Glock came out pretty nice.

ETA: I'm thinking of buying a banged up police trade in to try it on.

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by jk_226

[Eric2340]

1 hour ago, jk_226 said:

I've thought about doing the same with a full-size M&P.  With an IWB holster it's the grip printing that makes it harder to conceal.  The extra length isn't an issue.  The only thing that's stopped me with the M&P is the back strap and the pin that retains it.  I've thought about just filling it in with epoxy or something, but feel like I'd totally butcher it.  Your Glock came out pretty nice.

ETA: I'm thinking of buying a banged up police trade in to try it on.

 

 

That had actually been one thought I had at one point also, before I decided I wanted to try this as a pocket carry gun, that I had the same issue with grip of G19 when hip carried (end of the grip sticking out) that I did NOT have with a regular G26. It was kind of like the round "butt grip" on revolvers, vs the old square cut grips on them, the round butt ones are easier to carry and don't stick out as much -

Show Replies

 

Two other thoughts that led me in the same direction were the "Bobtail" 1911's, and also the G26 extended mag base plates also -

 

 

 

The only real problem with the G26 extended mag base plates was that they then made the entire over all length of the grip of the gun back to the original length of that of the stock G19. Sure it accomplished the purpose of the "round butt grip" or the "bobtailed 1911", but that was it.

 

 

With my intention of using my 26L for pocket carry, the G26 extended mag base plates did not help it all and only impeded my draw and carry ability, hence why I use the flat finger extension plates on it and my standard G26 from the folks at Gee Plate (https://www.geeplate.com/).

Edited October 13, 2018 by Eric2340

[Eric2340]

Here's some more pics for comparison of my "G26L" with my standard G26 -

 

 

 

 

 

[Dric902]

I have the chopped G17 and I think it works very well for carry. Shoots great as well

I haven’t tried the chopped g19, but I like it

the gun on the right is a chopped full size M&P, I carry this on quite often

 

[Eric2340]

** UPDATE **

 

So I just got back from the range, finally having a chance to shoot both my "G26L" against my regular G26. Here's some numbers to go with them and what I found shooting the two of them together -

 

First of all weight wise, here's where the two of them come in at -

Empty / Loaded

G26 - 567g / 20.0 oz
G26 - 763g / 26.9 oz

G26 "L" - 596g / 21.0 oz
G26 "L" - 791g / 27.9 oz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, so in a nut shell there is roughly a 29g / 1 oz difference between the two of them, both loaded and unloaded. Make sense as they now both hold ONLY 10 rounds each. You can tell there is just a little more weight in the nose of the G26L, but not enough to be offensive. I have NOT carried the G26L yet as I wanted to test fire it first, but I normally DO carry my G26 in my front pocket - more to come on that in a min.......................

 

ACCURACY

Shooting the two of them back to back I was really surprised that there was little to next to no significant difference that was that notable between them. You can tell that there is just a little more weight obviously in the nose of the G26L when firing it, but no more real accuracy of one over the other. The regular G26 does feel little easier to hold onto, but that could be me also as I am used to carrying it constantly and it's back strap area has a little more rounded / natural shape to it than the G26L does. The one thing I DO notice with the G26L is that it does seem easier to control and a little more accurate under rapid, CONTROLLED fire (again, more than likely going back to just a little more weight being in it's nose?). Both are plenty accurate and go right on target as always with slow, aimed fire, but I have no doubt I can shoot the G26L faster and keep her closer to being on target and hold the sight picture better when fired quickly.

 

All this said would I give up a good G19 to do this to it to make it a "G26L"? No.

Is it easier carry (at least pocket carry like I do with mine) than a regular G19? Slightly, again the only real advantage I can see in is either pocket carry or if you wanted a "bobbed" or rounded butt on it as discussed in post # 9 or so.

I still feel a regular G19 is easier to hold on to, handles and shoots better than either of these, but this is no where near the success I found when I chopped a G17 down to a G19 frame size.

I would recommend anyone curious about doing this to do one of two things - 1. Do as I did and buy a SPARE frame when they are offered (I got mine from Glockmeister when they had them on sale) and chop it rather than a matching numbers gun (slide, barrel and frame). 2. Buy a cheap USED G19 and chop it's frame so at least you're not whacking down a brand new gun if you're anywhere near being on the fence about try this (as I was for over a couple of years or so).

By far the greatest DISADVANTAGE I still see in this as I did from the get go is the 1/3 capacity loss when going from a 15 to 10 round flush fitting mag. These is NOT enough advantage in my book gained by that extra weight in the nose to make a "better shooting G26" in giving up those 5 rounds. When handling and shooting my G17 cut down to a G19 mag frame I'm only loosing two rounds going from 17 to 15, so it's no where near that 1/3 capacity loss, and again it does feel better in the hand, more the proportions of a full size 1911 has. These is also yes little advantage in the gun as there is in this one ("G26L"), but if were going to do it or if I were to build a second one, it would be the 17 cut down to the 19 by far.

 

I still want to try carrying this G26L now before I make my final decision on it to see how the weight is and how it carries. But I think the real problem in it is going to be the bulk in it more than anything else over the G26. It is doable for me to carry  it and draw it form my pocket as I do the G26, it's going to be the actual living with it all day long like I can with the G26 I want to see. More to follow..........................................

 

 

Edited November 25, 2018 by Eric2340

[Moshe]

Apples and Oranges.  Valors cost more, because of the name, yes, but all the reputation of being tack drivers.  I am not disparaging the Glock, obviously.  However, Comparing the Valor to a Glock, is like comparing a Glock to an XD.

[Moshe]

Concealed carry depends on how you dress around the firearm.  I am by no means a heavy guy.  But, with oversized clothes I can carry anything I want without printing.

[Eric2340]

So I've been carrying my G26"L" around with me for the last few days now and here's what I've noticed-

1. The weight is just as I suspected, a non-issue. At one ounce over what my regular G26 weighs I really did not think it would be, but now I know it is not none the less.

2. The bulkiness of what I was afraid of what would be there vs the weight is NOT an issue :). I am VERY pleased to see this as this had become my fear after realizing there was not that much difference in the weight between to two. It has taken a little getting used to in the "feel" of having the slightly larger slide in the pocket of my shorts, but it is doable and surprisingly not any more uncomfortable to carry around all day than my regular G26 is I am more than used to before this point.

3. The gun DOES feel different in my hand when pointing it vs. my regular G26 and I think it's either b/c of one or two things - the additional weight in the nose of it due to the longer slide and barrel making it front heavy (which also BTW as I said before make those follow up shots come back in the sight picture that much faster ). That, or there is a slight difference in how the back strap feels against the heel of my palm vs how the regular G26 feels I am more accustom with. There seems to be just a little more rounding in the regular G26's backstrap that is not there from where I cut the G26"L"'s frame that feels a little straighter. The best way I can relate it is how people describe the difference between the G17's backstrap vs the "hump" many people hate in the regular G19's frame. It's not uncomfortable, but for someone like me who likes how the "hump" feels in the backstrap of the G19 or is used to it, it takes some getting used to with it not being there now in a gun this size.

 

All in all not a bad thing with this G26"L", I don't regret it as a learning experience, but I'm still happier with how my G17 cut down to a G19's frame height came out (my G19"L" if you will ) and still not as good as a regular old G19 feels in the hand and shoots as well either. If I had to do it over again I'd want either my cut G17 (my G19"L") or just another regular G19.

 

Thanks -

 

[fortyofforty]

I like such experiments.  They provide points for discussion, and help to advance the industry.  Unless somebody tries it, nobody knows how it will turn out.  Thanks.

[I Am Groot!]

I like how it turned out too Eric.

Now I'm wondering about how the x-grip adapters would fit for using a G19 or G17 mag for times when you want more rounds available.

Have you tried this or does it seem like another positive use with your 16L?

[jk_226]

On 10/18/2018 at 10:04 PM, Dric902 said:

I have the chopped G17 and I think it works very well for carry. Shoots great as well

I haven’t tried the chopped g19, but I like it

the gun on the right is a chopped full size M&P, I carry this on quite often

 

How did you secure the rubber backstrap to the grip on the M&P?

[Dric902]

1 hour ago, jk_226 said:

How did you secure the rubber backstrap to the grip on the M&P?

Had the work done by David Bowie at Bowie Tactical Customs. At the time even Apex didn’t have any parts for it. He did the action, milled the slide for a red dot (not the slide that’s on it in the pic) grip chop and stippling.  I’m sure he bonded it somehow, it doesn’t come off.

He did a great job, but you’re gonna wait for it

 

.

Edited November 24, 2018 by Dric902

[Eric2340]

21 hours ago, I Am Groot! said:

I like how it turned out too Eric.

Now I'm wondering about how the x-grip adapters would fit for using a G19 or G17 mag for times when you want more rounds available.

Have you tried this or does it seem like another positive use with your 16L?

I've never used the X-Grip adapters previously when I've ran any of the larger mags in my regular 26, so I honestly would not use them with the "G26L" either.

 

I have shot both my regular G26 and G19 with larger mags in them before and never had an issue as far as grip pressure on the mag sticking out of the frame when shooting as may fear. I normally always carry a spare fifteen round G19 mag on me as it is, so I ran it in the G26L also with no ill effects either. Feels just like shooting a normal G19 with the exception it's missing a little bit of the grip off the bottom.