Glock Gen 6 vs Gen 5: Same Size, New Grip. What Changed?

Quick answer: On the Glock 19, Gen6 didn’t change the size. Glock lists the G19 Gen6 and the G19 Gen5 at the same 5.04-inch height, 7.28-inch length and 4.02-inch barrel. The Gen6 is 0.01 inches wider (1.35 vs 1.34), 1.41 ounces lighter with no magazine and 1.06 ounces lighter loaded. What Glock says is new is the frame and the setup: a palm swell, a thumb rest and Gen6 grip texture, and Glock says Gen6 pistols come optic-ready and with a flat-faced trigger as standard. For concealed carry, both grips are the same height and both guns are the same length. The questions are how the Gen6 grip feels in your hand and whether your holster is made for it.

Glock 19 Gen6 vs Gen5 Specs, Side by Side

Source: Glock’s official product pages for the G19 Gen6 and G19 V, and its law-enforcement page for the G19 Gen5, us.glock.com, checked October 3, 2026. The G19 V and G19 Gen5 pages list the same dimensions and weights. Glock notes that its technical data are rounded.

Which Glocks Come in Gen6?

Three 9mm models: the G17, G19 and G45. Glock announced Gen6 on December 6, 2025, and says the pistols reached dealers on January 20, 2026. As of October 3, 2026, Glock’s site has Gen6 product pages only for those three.

Glock’s consumer pages now list the G19 Gen6 alongside the G19 V. The G19 Gen5 appears on Glock’s law-enforcement pages, with the same published figures as the G19 V. This page compares the Glock 19 because it’s the only Gen6 model Glock labels “Compact”; it labels the G17 and G45 Gen6 “Standard.”

What Glock Says Is New in Gen6

Glock’s Gen6 page describes “the ergonomic frame with palm swell, thumb rest, and Gen6 grip texture,” and says Gen6 pistols “come optic-ready” and “come standard with a flat-faced trigger for consistent finger placement.” In short:

• A palm swell and a thumb rest on the frame
• Gen6 grip texture
• Optic-ready as standard
• A flat-faced trigger as standard

Glock’s G19 V page highlights a different list: a frame without finger grooves, interchangeable backstraps to adjust the grip size, a reversible magazine catch, an ambidextrous slide stop lever, the Glock Marksman Barrel, an nDLC finish and front serrations. Glock also has a separate G19 V MOS page for the optic-cut version. The Gen6 page doesn’t go through the V’s list item by item, so we don’t assume either way about what carried over.

The spec sheet shows two measurable changes in the hand. The trigger distance is 2.68 inches on the Gen6 against 2.76 on the Gen5, so your trigger finger reaches 0.08 inches less. The line of sight with polymer sights is 6.18 inches against 6.02.

For Carry, They’re the Same Size

The grip is the part that prints. When you bend, reach or sit, the bottom of the grip is what pushes out against your shirt. Glock lists the same 5.04-inch height with the magazine for both, so neither generation gives you a shorter grip to hide.

Below the belt, nothing changes either. Both are 7.28 inches long with a 6.85-inch slide, so the gun reaches just as far below your belt.

The width difference is 0.01 inches. The weight difference is a little over an ounce loaded (29.10 vs 30.16 oz). Either way, a stiff gun belt keeps the holster from sagging.

Holsters, Lights and Magazines: Check Before You Buy

Glock’s product pages don’t say whether holsters made for the Gen5 fit the Gen6. Buy a holster the maker lists for the G19 Gen6 specifically. If you mount an optic or a light, make sure the holster is made for that setup, and check the light maker’s compatibility list for Gen6.

Magazines are the same story. Glock’s G19 Gen6 page lists a 15-round standard magazine and no optional magazines. The G19 V page lists optional 17-, 24-, 31- and 33-round magazines. The Gen6 page doesn’t say whether earlier G19 magazines fit, so ask Glock or your dealer before you count on the ones you already own.

Making Either One Comfortable to Carry

Because the two grips are the same height, the same setup works for both. Three things do most of the work:

• A claw or wing on the holster presses against your belt and rotates the grip in toward your body.
• A wedge low on the body side of the holster pushes the muzzle end out, which tips the grip in. For printing, keep the fill fuller and mount it low. For comfort, start in the middle on fill and move it toward the edge that digs in. Our wedge placement guide shows where it goes.
• A stiff gun belt keeps the holster from sagging. We carry Kore ratcheting gun belts.

We make the Cloudster Pillow, a soft holster wedge made of adjustable cooling-gel memory foam in a fabric cover. It attaches to the back of your holster with hook-and-loop Velcro and goes on any holster: Kydex, leather or hybrid. On leather or hybrid holsters, some owners make it semi-permanent with a dot of glue at the corners and center of the adhesive Velcro, or by lightly sanding the mounting spot with very fine-grit sandpaper. Both change your holster, so check its warranty first.

Which size? A Glock 19 takes the Deluxe, whichever generation it is. The Deluxe also covers a light-bearing holster or a sidecar mag carrier. Our size finder takes 30 seconds, or tell us your gun and holster and we’ll confirm. For a full setup, see how to conceal carry a Glock 19 and our Glock 19 holster options.

Gen6 or Gen5: How to Decide

Choose the Gen6 if:

• You want optic-ready and a flat-faced trigger out of the box
• You’ve held one and the palm swell and thumb rest suit your hand
• You want the lighter of the two: 1.06 ounces less loaded

Choose the Gen5 / G19 V if:

• You want the optional 17- to 33-round magazines Glock lists for it
• Your holster, light and magazines are already set up for it
• You’ve held both and prefer the V’s grip

Comparing other Glocks? See our Glock 17 vs 19, Glock 19 vs 43X and Glock 26 vs 19 comparisons, or our best Glock for concealed carry guide.

Quick Answers

Is the Glock 19 Gen6 bigger than the Gen5?
No. Glock lists the same 5.04-inch height, 7.28-inch length and 4.02-inch barrel for both. The Gen6 is 0.01 inches wider.

Is the Gen6 lighter?
Yes, slightly. Glock lists the G19 Gen6 1.41 ounces lighter with no magazine and 1.06 ounces lighter with a loaded magazine.

Which Glocks come in Gen6?
The G17, G19 and G45. Glock says they reached dealers on January 20, 2026.

Will my Gen5 holster fit a Gen6?
Glock’s pages don’t say. Check the holster maker’s fit list for the G19 Gen6 before you buy.

Can I still buy a Glock 19 Gen5?
Glock’s consumer pages list the G19 V next to the Gen6, and the V shares the Gen5’s published dimensions and weights. The G19 Gen5 itself now appears on Glock’s law-enforcement pages.

What size Cloudster Pillow do I need?
The Deluxe for a Glock 19 of either generation.

Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make holster wedges and carry Kore gun belts. We don’t sell firearms or holsters, and nobody paid for this comparison. Specs are from Glock’s published product pages and press releases, checked October 3, 2026. This isn’t legal advice: magazine limits and carry laws vary by state.