If you’ve been considering getting into 10mm handguns, but aren’t sure where to begin, you might consider the Glock 20. This is a great gun as a starter 10mm but also fantastic for long-term use.
We’ve put this gun through its paces at the range, as a carry gun (yes, really), and as a hunting sidearm. It’s gotten rained on, snowed on, and covered in mud. Here’s our take on the Glock 20 and why we think it’s a solid choice for your ever-expanding gun collection.
What is the Glock 20?
The Glock 20 was originally launched in 1991, less than a decade after the 10mm round itself hit the market. While the G20 was designed with duty use in mind, it was also clearly a great idea for hunters. After all, it’s a full-sized, polymer, striker-fired handgun chambered in 10mm with double-stack capacity. That makes it a stellar option for handgun hunting while also leaving room for defensive applications.
Over the years, the G20 has gone through a few evolutions with the most recent model being a Gen 5 Glock 20 MOS. The gun has come a long way since 1991 and now enjoys all the latest advances in technology, but even the older generations of the G20 are worth having.
What are the specifications of the Glock 20?
For this review, we’ll consider the Gen 4 Glock 20, meaning it doesn’t have the benefits of the Gen 5 like the Marksman Barrel and a grip with no finger grooves. This way, we’re going to give you a look at the usefulness and performance of prior generations since they’re easier to find and more affordably priced. This Glock has a 4.61-inch barrel, an overall length of 8.07 inches, and a height of 5.51 inches.
As you might imagine, it’s large enough to make concealed carry a challenge. But it remains a solid choice for open carry while hunting or working on your property. It weighs 30.69 ounces with an empty magazine inserted.
This gun has upright serrations at the back of the slide for a sure hold while manipulating the slide (the Gen 5 has serrations at both the front and back). It does have molded finger grooves, but the gun is large enough that they aren’t poorly placed for average or large hands. An accessory rail is located in front of the trigger guard which is a must for hunting—and defensive use—for the addition of a good light and laser combo.
A selection of different-sized backstraps comes with the G20 so you can adjust the fit of the grip to your hands. That comes in more useful than you might think. This gun has the standard Glock stippling on the grips, something you can cover with a Hogue grip sleeve if you prefer. As for the trigger, it’s the usual Glock safety blade trigger, and the trigger guard is squared off.
How does the Glock 20 shoot?
For this review, a variety of 10mm loads were used including Blazer 10mm 180-grain FMJ (full metal jacket), Hornady Custom 10mm 180-grain JHP (jacketed hollow point) XTP, Federal Fusion 10mm 200-grain SP (soft point), and Sinterfire Special Duty 10mm 125-grain Frangible HP (hollow point). Outside of the review other loads have also been used. Thus far, the G20 hasn’t had any failures, even when it’s filthy.
The size of the G20 is a great fit for my hands. I’ve run it with the factory iron sights, but it didn’t take long for me to switch those out with XS Sights DXT2 Standard Dot Night Sights. Eventually, I put a Trijicon RMR on it for handgun hunting. Whether you choose to run your G20 with irons or a red dot comes down to personal preference. Both work well, but the red dot does give you an advantage while hunting.
Felt recoil and muzzle rise aren’t a significant issue with the G20. You might expect it would recoil quite a bit entirely because it’s 10mm, but it’s manageable. Reacquiring a target is fast and easy, making rapid-fire possible—and accurate. That’s important if you’re doing something like hunting feral hogs or if you’re in a self-defense situation.
Shooting offhand, this is an accurate gun. Groups at 10 yards are single holes with five shots per group; stretch that out to 25 yards and they broaden to around three inches. If you shoot from a rest or sandbag, you’ll get greater precision out of it.
Other Uses
For hunting, the G20 is fantastic on everything from coyotes to feral hogs to deer. Like any gun, you need to be familiar with the firearm and ammunition and how they perform at various distances. Make sure you spend time practicing with your exact hunting setup before you try it out on a hunt. Also, take care to use the correct ammunition for the task at hand. 10mm is more than capable of delivering a quick, ethical kill as long as you do your part with shot placement.
The G20 has performed well in the rain and snow and kept on going even when it was caked with Texas dirt and mud. Rather than constantly cleaning it in those cases, I keep lube handy so it can simply be lubricated as needed if it seems dry. The result is a gun that keeps cycling even in the grimiest circumstances.
Should you get a Glock 20?
10mm can be used for range days, self-defense, and hunting—really for any shooting sport. It’s all a matter of knowing what the gun and ammo can do. The G20 is a great option for a first 10mm — or a second, or a third — because it’s more affordably priced than many and also impressively reliable. This is a durable gun, as you’d expect from a Glock, and it can easily stand up to rigorous use. That makes it a logical choice for anyone interested in trying out 10mm.
As for the changing of parts like the sights and trigger, that’s easy enough. There’s an enormous amount of aftermarket Glock accessories on the market, and that includes parts for the G20. Whatever you want to swap out, you can. The customization possibilities are one of the things that makes Glocks such great guns because you can fine-tune it to suit your specific preferences.
Overall, the G20 is a great gun, whatever generation you choose. When it comes to cost-effectiveness and reliability, not much beats a Glock.
