[FIREARM REVIEW] Glock 23 Gen4 Review for Concealed Carry

Glock. You know the name, but do you trust the brand? Choosing the right concealed carry firearm is an important decision; a decision that should never be rushed.

Size

The Glock 23 is classified as a compact .40 S&W that measures 7.36″ long, 4.99″ high and just 1.18″ thick. Compared to it’s little sister Glock 27, it’s nearly an inch longer and roughly 3/4″ taller. On my frame (5′ 7″, 130lbs), it feels quite larger in a holster.

Full Specs available here

Unlike the 27, the 23 offers a full frame to give that pinky of yours a rest. While your pinky having a spot on the grip shouldn’t be necessary for shooting accurately, it does offer some additional comfort. To me, it feels a bit awkward sometimes when my pinky isn’t on the grip.

Caliber

One of the most popular calibers out there for concealed carry, the 40 S&W is a tried and true cartridge with great stopping power. It’s my personal favorite for concealed carry. Hmm, not too sure what else to say about this. Moving on!

Safeties

No external safeties here (well, except the trigger safety). Sometimes people overlook the fact that thumb safeties have been known to get caught up in clothing while drawing. With the Glock, your safeties are all internal and do just what they’re supposed to do. During a stressful situation, there is no need to potentially fumble with an external safety.

Furthermore, if anyone tells you that they practice disengaging their safety and it would never be an issue in a stressful situation, don’t listen to them unless they have already had to draw in a stressful situation. No person on earth will know exactly how they will react until the time comes, regardless of how much practice or experience they have. That firearm will never discharge unless you pull the trigger. For more information on their “Safe Action” System, click here.

Reliability

My rule of thumb is as follows: If I can buy a brand new firearm and put 500 consecutive rounds through it without a single hiccup, it’s deemed worthy for carry. If though, even one little thing goes wrong that isn’t the fault of the ammo, the firearm is sidelined for carry. It’s just how I run my ship.

Here is what I can say about the Glock 23 and every other Glock that I’ve ever owned; I have never had a Glock malfunction. Not even once.

Compatibility

As many fans of Glock know, they have many interchangeable parts that are easy to come by. They also provide the same solutions for different firearms. Let’s say you buy a  G23 and a molded IWB holster. If one day you decide to purchase a G19 (9mm), you are able to use it in that same holster because the frames and slides are identical. Glock also has the added benefit of interchangeable magazines, and there are even some manufacturers that make conversion barrels to turn your 40 S&W into a 9mm.

Grip

The new style Gen4 grip feels much better in my hands than the Gen3’s ever did. It seems to add a little better traction and better feel, plus the new look isn’t bad either.

Simplicity

With simple items comes simple maintenance. Glocks are known for easy take-down. Now I’m not talking field strip here (although that’s super easy as well), I’m taking your full-blown take-everything-apart-one-piece-at-a-time-until-you-have-all-34-pieces-of-the-gun sitting in front of you (this includes the magazine). It’s so easy in fact, that I did it in roughly 4 minutes on my very first try, without directions.

CONCLUSION

After everything mentioned above, this is my #2 choice for concealed carry. Why #2? Well, because I don’t think anything will ever replace my #1 choice. I’m more likely to be carrying my 23 in the winter and my 27 in the summer. The sole reason for this is because the 27’s smaller size allows me to comfortably conceal it with just shorts and a t-shirt on. Some days, I can’t get away with that if I am carrying the 23.