Any opinion on a chopping a G19 to a G26?

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mtsfitness

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I have a Gen 4 G19 (my baby) and im in the process of selling my Gen 4 G26 (for financial reasons). I am entertaining the idea of sending my G19 in to Business End Customs and having the grip chopped to a G26 length. Reason being, that I would still have the ability to better conceal it and I would have the option of using the higher capacity magazine with a spacer.

The idea sounds great... But i'm wondering if anyone has any opinions about doing so? Positive or negative? Lou at BEC seems to be excellent at what he does and I do not have any worries about it being done wrong but are there any other considerations I should have?

Thanks
 
Long barrel/sight plane + holsters to fit + $$ from sale of G26 might make you happier

The short grip will help with concealment, nobody feels the barrel except you - I keep thinking of this for myself.

In 1911 terms it's a CCO config - personally I don't see a down side unless it's your only pistol at the moment.
 
Lou did a 26L, odd but it looked cool. Let me find it.

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I'd get one made. But I LOVE my 19.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/175611-Custom-Glock-26L-Lots-of-Pics!

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DSC01292.jpg
 
Bud, your in financial straights and have to sell a gun but then send the other out and spend some of the money you just got selling it to make the other like the one you just sold???? I don't know about this one. Just keep both, find something else to sell.
 
Lou does good work, and there's no mechanical disadvantage to a grip chop. If you only want to own one gun, or if you have a custom trigger or sights and you want to maintain consistency between the range and concealed carry, a grip chop might be a good idea.

BUT, if financial issues are the primary consideration, why not just sell the GLOCK 19 and keep the 26? You can still use your high cap mags (w/spacers), and you save the money of an expensive grip chop. Plus you may devalue the G19 when you chop it (if you wanted to sell it in the future). But keep the G26, and all you lose is .6" of barrel ove rthe G19, which is hardly work the $100 you'd have to pay Lou for a chop.
 
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Good advice guys. Im going to sit on it a while. I should try carrying the 19 exclusively for a while and see how it is... Maybe the 1.5 inches wont matter to much, especially with Sept-October right around the corner.

Plus i'm sure that these "upgrades" will make it lose its resale value, no matter how much I love it...
 
To me barrel and slide length are what bother me most as far as comfort, and i really don't have a printing issue with a longer grip.

I'd keep both...
 
If you like the grip length of a G26 go for it.

I cut G21 to G30 length and loved it.

I also cut a G17 to G19 length and use it as my EDC.
 
TonyDedo said:
Lou does good work, and there's no mechanical disadvantage to a grip chop. If you only want to own one gun, or if you have a custom trigger or sights and you want to maintain consistency between the range and concealed carry, a grip chop might be a good idea.

BUT, if financial issues are the primary consideration, why not just sell the GLOCK 19 and keep the 26? You can still use your high cap mags (w/spacers), and you save the money of an expensive grip chop. Plus you may devalue the G19 when you chop it (if you wanted to sell it in the future). But keep the G26, and all you lose is .6" of barrel ove rthe G19, which is hardly work the $100 you'd have to pay Lou for a chop.
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Exactly what Tony said. Lou has done work for me and is excellent, but you can use longer mag on the 26 or carry the 26 and keep a 10 round as extra carry if you think that will help. But don't cut up the 19.
 
The G19 is a compromise between the G17 and the G26. If your primary concern is concealment then definitely keep the G26. Chopping the G19 just doesn't make any sense. The longer barrel/sight radius adds minimal advantage to a situation where you'd be CC'ing anyways.

With all that being said, if I were to only have one Glock then it'd be the G19 (un-neutered).
 
Despite the difference in sight radius of less than 0.5" between the 17 and 19, I shoot the the 17 noticeably better.

Doesn't seems like that small difference would be a big deal, but picking up the sights during presentation is quicker and my on-demand timed drills are faster.

Weird, but that's the way it works for me...
 
Choping a glock is like asking if I should get a haircut. Its 100% personal preference.

the only fact WRT cutting a glock grip is that it will likely make it harder to re-sell if that day ever comes.
 
TonyDedo said:
BUT, if financial issues are the primary consideration, why not just sell the GLOCK 19 and keep the 26? You can still use your high cap mags (w/spacers), and you save the money of an expensive grip chop. Plus you may devalue the G19 when you chop it (if you wanted to sell it in the future). But keep the G26, and all you lose is .6" of barrel ove rthe G19, which is hardly work the $100 you'd have to pay Lou for a chop.
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I couldn't have said it better. And I won't try. [wink]
 
I never understood the Glock grip chop. Seems like an answer waiting for a problem.

Long sight radius is cool if you're going to get into a gunfight with the thing and need to Liam Neeson a shot over your daughter's shoulder into the bad dude's melon, but for the majority of situations where someone draws their CCW (ie, < 21ft) I don't see it making a life or death difference.

If you want the small CCW package of the G26, keep that one. If you want the bigger G19 for the longer sight radius and the slight advantage that may give you, then keep that one instead.
 
I was into this grip chop/long sight radius/short grip thing for a little while...

So I build a dissipator AR. Your chopped pistols are cute though.

 
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If you are financially strapped, then why would you sell the 26, keep the 19 and spend money to turn the 19 into a 26? Just keep the 26, sell the 19, and keep the money that you were going to spend at Business End Customs.
 
rkwjunior said:
To me barrel and slide length are what bother me most as far as comfort, and i really don't have a printing issue with a longer grip.

I'd keep both...
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This is the way I feel. I actually looked into trying to get a G26 slide onto a G19 frame. You end up with the weight of a G26 and the grip length of a G19. Plus the tapered slide of the 26.

it could actually be made to work but you would need to clip about 1/4 inches off the front slide rails. The G26 slide goes right onto a G19 frame but the slide won't go back far enough because it hits the front slide rails.

Don

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M1911 said:
If you are financially strapped, then why would you sell the 26, keep the 19 and spend money to turn the 19 into a 26? Just keep the 26, sell the 19, and keep the money that you were going to spend at Business End Customs.
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Agreed. Custom work is money down the drain. Keep the 26 and sell the 19.

By the way. I actually prefer to use G19 mags in my 26 WITHOUT the spacers.
 
A lot of great information on here, I appreciate the replies. Unfortunately, I did sell my 26 and kept the 19. I figured it would be wise to keep the 19 because of the rail (TRL-1). Plus I feel that if my wife ever had to use it at home, the 19 would be more controllable. I figured it that I should at least try to carry the 19 on a regular basis before I decide to get it chopped. So far its been a bit more uncomfortable to carry compared to the 26 but i'm committed to giving it an honest shot. Might try to eventually switch holsters from a N82, to a Crossbreed style of holster and see if the extra belt loop makes a difference.
 
I have owned several short barreled semi autos S&W 4516-1 (3.75 in), S&W 6906 (3.25 in) and Para 45 Carry Model (3.0 in). All performed well at distances out to 25 yds. By this I mean reliable head shots at 25 yds on an IPSC (6x6 in) head target. I see no reason to cut down a 4 in barreled pistol in an attempt to make it as concealable as the shorter versions. For me there is very little, if any, benefit.
 
Gammon said:
I have owned several short barreled semi autos S&W 4516-1 (3.75 in), S&W 6906 (3.25 in) and Para 45 Carry Model (3.0 in). All performed well at distances out to 25 yds. By this I mean reliable head shots at 25 yds on an IPSC (6x6 in) head target. I see no reason to cut down a 4 in barreled pistol in an attempt to make it as concealable as the shorter versions. For me there is very little, if any, benefit.
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True.
 
mtsfitness said:
A lot of great information on here, I appreciate the replies. Unfortunately, I did sell my 26 and kept the 19. I figured it would be wise to keep the 19 because of the rail (TRL-1). Plus I feel that if my wife ever had to use it at home, the 19 would be more controllable. I figured it that I should at least try to carry the 19 on a regular basis before I decide to get it chopped. So far its been a bit more uncomfortable to carry compared to the 26 but i'm committed to giving it an honest shot. Might try to eventually switch holsters from a N82, to a Crossbreed style of holster and see if the extra belt loop makes a difference.
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My opinion and a buck fifty might get you a cup of coffee, but I think the G19 is the ideal do everything pistol. Small enough to conceal easily, big enough to fight with. FTR, we have a G17, G26, and 2 G19's in the house. I carry a 19 everyday with a Raven Concealment VanGaurd 2 (minimal and very comfortable), and if I hit the range to do some training, I put on a more appropriate OWB holster. One pistol to do everything with.
 
Ed,

I generally agree with you. I've got a 26, 19, 17, and 34. So I've got ones that span the whole spectrum in size. The G19 is a great do anything gun.

But . . . ..a G26 can actually be more versatile because you can put G19 or G17 mags into it.

So if you use the 26 mag, its very short and concealable. If you put in a 17 mag, you've got full sized firepower. If you put in a G19 mag, you have a gun thats a clone of the 19, but can be made smaller when you want it to be smaller.

just my .02. , which with $1.48 might get you a cup of coffee.
 

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