What’s up with the X-pistols that we’ve been seeing these past few years? Is this a new concept that was recently invented? Beyond all of that, what are the benefits of using this concept, if any? After all, it could be just a sales gimmick to help part us with our hard-earned cash. How did this all start, anyway?
Way Back When…
Harkening back to around 1949, Colt pioneered the Commander concept. The standard Government model 1911 had a 5-inch barrel, and the military was considering a more compact model for their officers. Colt engineered the 1911 to meet the government’s wishes, and the Commander was born, sporting a 4.25-inch barrel. The grip and frame, however, remained full-sized to retain the advantage of control and capacity.
Initially, these pistols featured an aluminum alloy frame, giving it a weight of 27.5 ounces, but there were complaints that the pistol’s recoil was deemed to be “excessive.” Consequently, Colt introduced the Combat Commander, which had a steel frame and weighed more to soak up that recoil. The Commanders with aluminum frames were eventually re-named the Lightweight Commander.
In reality, the Commander was the very first X-pistol in that it had a full-length grip and shortened slide/barrel, and it happened way back in the 1940s. By all accounts, it was popular, as people perceived it as being handier than its full-sized brethren.
I’ve rambled through these antique sentiments to demonstrate that pistols with full-sized grips and shortened slides are not a new thing, despite what some folks might think. It also goes to show the forward-thinking that designers demonstrated back in those days.
Current Times
When we fast forward to current times, we can see that this concept is being well-embraced by manufacturers. But it’s more than the simple fact that these pistols are being produced; they are being bought at a high rate. Let’s take a look at just a few X-pistols. But what does the X stand for?
The X stands for “Crossover,” as in a crossover between compacts (or micro-compacts) and full-sized pistols. Some of the best features of both are jammed together to produce a package that’s usable in a fighting pistol while still remaining relatively concealable.
Attributes
We can point out a couple of attributes of the X-pistols here, and they were mentioned in the section where we explained the Commander. It has a full-sized (or close to full-size) grip and a short barrel. We mentioned that it gives maximum control while still allowing good concealment.
While we’re at it, I’ll take a moment to mention the barrel length. I’ve heard it said so very many times that barrel length doesn’t matter when we’re talking about concealment, that a longer barrel won’t hurt anything. To those who maintain that a longer barrel doesn’t matter, I challenge them to carry a handgun with an 8-inch barrel in an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster. Then come and tell me that barrel length doesn’t matter. Yes, that’s a little extreme, but it does prove the point. These folks want a shorter grip, which they claim conceals the pistol better, and a longer barrel, which “doesn’t matter.”
I’m about average anatomically, being not much different than most other people my age, so there’s nothing terribly unusual about me (physically, anyway). When I carry a pistol with a longer barrel, it digs into my leg or groin whenever I sit down, especially when driving a car. Now I know that other people have to notice this as well when they’re carrying IWB with pistols that have longer barrels. However, when I carry pistols that have a shorter barrel, this is less pronounced. It’s just a fact.
Personally, I’d rather have a slightly longer grip and a shorter barrel. I realize that the grip does impact concealment to a degree, so we don’t want an enormously long grip. Apparently, I’m not alone in that these pistols are selling like crazy. I’m not overly bright, so the fact that others are in the same mindset kind of lends credibility to this line of thinking.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at a couple of pistols that qualify as crossovers. Let’s get to it.
Glock 19X
The Glock 19X was submitted for the military handgun trials a few years back, and they were hoping to gain the military’s contract for the MHS (Modular Handgun System). In the end, the 19X was beaten out by Sig for the MHS. As far as I can understand, this loss didn’t have anything to do with performance or reliability; instead, it came down to dollars and cents. But I digress.
The 19X’s barrel is 4.02 inches, which is exactly the same as the Glock 19 (in fact, it’s the same slide). With an empty magazine in place, the weight is 24.83 ounces, which isn’t bad. The height is 5.4 inches.
The 19X has a Glock 17 grip and a Glock 19 slide. The principle of a full-sized grip coupled with a shorter slide is alive and well here, and the control it offers is supreme. There are also a few other factors at play, which I’ll cover in a moment.
Regarding that Glock 17-sized grip, I’ll admit that the G17 isn’t my favorite pistol because that’s a pretty large grip, and I don’t have pretty large hands. However, it does allow a lot of rounds to be carried in the pistol (17- and 19-round magazines). Beyond that, the combination of a substantial grip and shorter slide, especially in the Glock 19X, makes a pistol with interesting handling characteristics. I honestly can’t quite explain it, but when you pick this pistol up, there’s a certain feel to it that just feels right.
Why use a shorter slide?
A shorter slide does a few things for us. First, it clears leather slightly faster than longer slides. Granted, it only amounts to fractions of a second, but in a life-or-death encounter, that can mean something. As well, the pistol indexes on the target slightly faster (that fraction of a second again). By now, you’re noticing we’re shaving off fractions of a second by having a shorter slide, which can give us the hint of an advantage during combat. And whether someone is trying to kill us on a battlefield or some filthy city street makes no difference – they’re both combat.
The RTF (Rough Texture Finish) provides traction to keep our hand anchored on the grip. A variety of interchangeable back straps also help us customize the 19X to our grip. The Coyote Brown finish is also very durable and looks nice.
The 19X comes with steel night sights, which is exciting because that normally doesn’t happen. Glock usually uses polymer sights, so steel sights are a wonderful thing from a durability standpoint. The fact that they have tritium installed really blows my skirt up.
Another nice plus is that Glock includes three magazines with the 19X: one flush-fit 17-round magazine and two 19-rounders. Of course, they are in Coyote Brown to match the finish of the pistol.
I’ll admit that I don’t carry this pistol concealed very often. Compared to others on the market, it’s a bit larger than I care for. However, if I were going into a combat environment, there is no other pistol that I’d want to carry; the 19X would be my first choice. It’s my “nightstand” gun for things that go bump in the night and wears a weapon-mounted light.
Glock 43X
The best way I can describe the Glock 43X is to picture a scaled-down version of the 19X. It has a full-length grip that is as long as the Glock 19, so users can get a solid purchase on this pistol. However, the 43X’s grip is much slimmer than that of the Glock 19, which makes this grip more comfortable, in my opinion (and in the opinion of many others).
It’s not quite a single-stack mag, but it nearly is, with a slightly staggered format. A main criticism of the 43X is that it only holds ten rounds with Glock factory magazines. I’ve chosen to stick with the factory magazines because no one does it better than Glock as far as reliability and durability are concerned. And they’re priced reasonably, too.
Just like the full grip and shorter slide of the 19X, the 43X’s shorter slide clears leather more quickly and seems to index onto the target just a little faster than pistols with a longer slide. I suppose we could call the Glock 43X a micro-9, but it seems slightly larger than many of today’s micro-pistols. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it conceals very well, and at the range, it feels as though you’re shooting a real pistol and not a tiny toy. It’s thin enough at 1.10 inches that it’s comfortable to carry.
It’s not the most popular carry pistol these days, but it seems to have a solid following. Glock’s legendary reliability, along with its reasonable price, is a major factor in the 43X’s popularity.
Sig P365X
Sig’s P365 series took the handgun market by storm, and it’s likely the most popular micro-pistol platform out there currently. And for good reason; they packed reliability, compactness, comfort, and accuracy into a small platform.
Not long after the original P365 was introduced, other models emerged. Various slide lengths and grip lengths were mixed and matched so that customers could pretty much have whatever they pleased. Bear with me while I explain the P365X model and two other models. There’s a method to my madness, I promise.
The standard, original P365 has a barrel length of 3.1 inches and holds 10 rounds in its standard magazine. The grip is short and concealable.
The P365XL has a slightly longer grip that holds 12-round magazines as standard. It also has a 3.7-inch barrel, which means a slightly longer slide. Overall, it’s a very accurate pistol that shoots great.
Released in 2021, the P365X has a slightly longer grip that holds 12-round magazines as standard, and it also has the 3.1-inch barrel of the standard Model P365. In keeping with the Glock “X” series, Sig’s “X” series has a more substantial grip with a shorter barrel.
Now watch this: I have a Sig P365 and P365XL. By removing the slide of the P365 and placing it onto the grip of the P365XL, I can create a Sig P365X, like magic. I now have the 12-round grip with the shortest slide possible. In essence, I have three pistol configurations while just owning two pistols. I love that. It feels like I’m getting a third pistol for nothing!
Closing Thoughts
Some shooters still want the longest slide possible for the long sight radius and increased accuracy, and if that’s what blows their hair back, more power to them. After all, who am I to deny anyone the platform that they love?
Personally, I really get turned on by the “X” pistols with their substantial grips and shorter barrels. I love their handling characteristics and performance. I appreciate the control that the slightly larger grips offer, and they are usually more comfortable than tinier grips. The shorter barrels/slides reward faster deployment and indexing on target. It’s great to have all of these choices in carry pistols!
