NEW GLOCK Gen 6 Review | The Future of Perfection

Perfection achieved for the sixth time? That is the question everyone is asking with the arrival of Glock Gen 6 pistols. As everyone at Glock would tell you, “perfection is their pursuit.” The arrival of the Gen 6 pistols coincides with an interesting time, marked by news of the redesign in the “V Series” pistols. Many had questions about what was next for the polymer pistol behemoth that is Glock.

Glock invited AmmoLand to their US headquarters in Smyrna, Georgia, for an inside look at the future of their pistol line. Starting January 20th, 2026, and celebrating their 40th anniversary in the United States, Gen 6 pistols will be available to American gun owners. The initial release will include 17, 19, and 45 models. The MSRP will be $745 for all Gen 6 models, the same price as Gen 5 MOS models currently available.

Live Inventory Price Checker

	45 Gen 6 9mm Luger Semi-Auto Handgun - Glock 45 Gen 6 9mm Luger 4.02'''' Bbl (3)17rd Mag Ors Black	Brownells.com	$ 620.00
	Glock 34FS Gen 5 9mm Pistol - 17rd MOS	Rainier Arms	$ 779.99
	Glock G43 Gen3 9mm Pistol, 6+1 RD, Flat Dark Earth - UI4350201DE	Palmetto State Armory	$ 599.99 $ 448.00
	17 Gen 6 9mm Luger Semi-Auto Handgun - Glock 17 Gen 6 9mm Luger 4.49'''' Bbl (3)10rd Mag Ors Black	Brownells.com	$ 620.00

The most pressing concern for most gun owners was whether their world-renowned reliability would continue to match the demand for “innovation”. As they told us at the event, they decided not to chase trends but remain true to their core values and safe action system. What this means is that this update is not a radical departure from Glock pistols; it does not feature a fire-control unit. While others have focused on “modularity”, Glock has intentionally decided to focus on reliability while at the same time now delivering more of the things that end-users have requested for a long time from their pistols.

After getting a hands-on look at the Gen 6 pistols and hearing from the Glock team about the testing this pistol has undergone, the reliability we have come to know and love in these pistols remains unchanged. The Gen 6 pistols underwent an even more rigorous testing regimen than the Gen 5 pistols. It can be said with confidence that the legendary Glock reliability remains present in these new pistols.

Glock Gen 6 – “Engineered for you.”

Have the Gen 6 pistols truly evolved to warrant a next-generation model? My short answer is absolutely, and I think that once people get their hands on these new Gen 6 pistols, they will agree with me that this is the best generation of Glocks yet.

What is exciting is that the updates in the Gen 6 pistols are precisely what many Glock owners have long asked for from the company. Most of the updates to the Gen 6 pistols are focused on the ergonomics of the pistol, as well as some significant changes to the optics mounting system. The initial impression of holding the Gen 6 pistols was that they were more comfortable to hold in my hand, across both the 17 and 19 frame sizes.

While that is a subjective test, the best way to describe it is that this is the least blocky Glock yet. The palm swell and grip texture work really well to fit my hand, and it genuinely feels like a better experience than the previous generations. As I’ll explain later, the reduced distance from the back of the grip to the trigger makes it easy to put more of your finger on the trigger to break clean shots, and the flat-faced trigger is a welcome change from previous Glock trigger shoes.

Gen 6 Improved Ergonomics

Starting with the frame of the pistols, Glock has updated the texture on the Gen 6 to the newly designated RTF6. This is a combination of the famous RTF2 texture with the RTF4 grip texture from the Gen 5 pistols. This provides the same grippy feeling as the RTF2, but with the raised texture of the RTF4, it feels less likely to damage clothes while in a holster. The Gen 6 pistols also feature more stippling higher up on the pistol, as well as an added thumb rest or gas pedal to the frame. By cutting small recesses into each side of the frame, they were able to create a ledge for a thumb rest that will not interfere with holsters or drawing.  This combination enables a repeatable grip and enhances recoil mitigation.

Glock Gen 6 pistols now feature a palm swell, which is arguably one of the most significant improvements to the pistols. The grip’s shape has been redesigned to provide the best fit in your hand. From my experience on the range, it really felt like an improvement from all the previous generations. A beaver tail has been built into the grip as well, and the pistols will include two backstraps for an adaptable grip. Glock reduced the distance from the back of the grip to the trigger. What that means is you will be able to get more of your finger on the actual trigger, and from my range time with it, it felt like my favorite trigger from Glock yet.

No More Glock Knuckle

An undercut trigger guard has also been added to the frame, which, in my mind, is a big update and another one of my favorite developments for the Gen 6. Glock went to great lengths to create an undercut that would not compromise the strength of the trigger guard while still providing enough cut to make the grip significantly more comfortable. If you have experienced “Glock knuckle,” this is the solution you have been asking for.

For those with a higher grip, Glock built a border surrounding the slide stop lever. This should help prevent those who unintentionally hold the slide stop lever down due to a high grip. Speaking of the slide, there are two updates: one minor and one significant. First, the minor update is slide serrations. The new front serrations on the pistol slides feel considerably deeper and easier to manipulate.

Goodbye MOS?

Now for the bigger update, Glock is moving away from MOS and has updated its optics mounting system. Gen 6 pistols will all be optics-ready and ship with three polymer optic plates that are compatible with RMR and DPP footprints. Glock found that polymer plates act more like a crush washer or O-ring for the optic, allowing for a more secure mounting solution under recoil. The optics cut is also deeper into the slide, allowing the optics to sit lower and create a lower height over bore axis.

Moving on to internal changes of the new optics system, Glock has redesigned the extractor. If you have ever mounted an optic on previous MOS pistols, you will know that using screws that are too long or too much loctite will damage the extractor system and cause malfunctions. Gen 6 pistols now have a redesigned extractor channel that is separate from the optics mounting system. This will simplify the process of optics mounting and reduce the likelihood of user error.

Parts Compatibility and Changes

Glock has also returned to a single captured recoil spring for these 9mm pistols. Dual recoil spring assemblies were adopted for higher-pressure rounds, such as the .40. Gen 6 9mm pistols, which are moving back to the original single-captured recoil spring, should be welcome news. However, the big question people will ask is if the barrel is backward compatible. Gen 6 barrels will not be backwards compatible as they have made some changes to the geometry. Gen 6 barrels are not compatible with any previous iterations.

Magazines, importantly, have not changed, and your existing Glock magazines will continue to work with new Gen 6 pistols. There are still many parts compatible with previous generations, but not everything.

V Series Changes

The changes made to the V Series pistols are present here in the Gen 6 pistols. Glock has been proactive in making design changes to prevent known machinegun conversion devices from functioning in their products. AmmoLand will cover this topic in more detail in a future article; the important thing here is that none of Glock’s actions are a result of litigation. The development of the V series and Gen 6 line updates was well underway before the California situation arose.

How Does the Gen 6 Shoot?

None of these updates is reinventing the wheel, but that’s the point for Glock. They are refining perfection with every new generation of the pistol that they produce. The Gen 6 pistols are by far the best generation of Glock that I have had the chance to shoot yet. All of the improvements here combine to make a pistol that feels better in your hand and shoots better because of that. When you pick up a Gen 6, it will feel better than any other previous iteration of Glock pistol. Simple things, such as improving the grip texture, an undercut trigger guard, a flat-faced trigger, and adding a palm swell, demonstrate that Glock has listened to the consumer and delivered a pistol from the factory that gun owners have been requesting.

Engineered for you, the best generation of Glock pistols will be available January 20th, 2026. Stay tuned for full reviews of each Gen 6 pistol!

Glock Gen 6 Pistols – 17, 19, & 45

About Duncan Johnson:

Duncan Johnson is a lifelong firearms enthusiast and unwavering defender of the Second Amendment—where “shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. A graduate of George Mason University, he enjoys competing in local USPSA and multi-gun competitions whenever he’s not covering the latest in gun rights and firearm policy. Duncan is a regular contributor to AmmoLand News and serves as part of the editorial team responsible for AmmoLand’s daily gun-rights reporting and industry coverage.