Glock slide differences

[Elliottsdad]

I was looking at full size and long slide Glocks and see that some (17, 21, etc) have a square-edged slide while others (the 41, for instance) have rounded edges.

My 26 has rounded edges on the slide, too. Why aren't all Glock slides this way?

[P71pilot]

The 40,41,42,43 are only gen4 guns, they have just recently came out, and are of newest design. You will not find generation 3 40/41/42/43 because they did not exist yet. Glock must have decided to round things out a little

[Dan-O]

Weight reduction.

[9x45]

Glock slides have always had a small radius since day one, however today the slides are investment castings and no longer milled from bar stock. It's a process improvement that reduces production cycle time, ie, the faster you can make it, the less $$ you have in cost. It was not done for weight, it's because it's better to have a generous radius on a casting.

[Uncle Malice]

I don't think any of the previous posters understand what OP is referring to.

The 40/41, just like the 26/27/33/29/30/34/35 all have the front of the slide rounded whereas the front of the others are squared up.

With the smaller guns, this has been said to be for easier holstering.

I don't know that there is any real reason Glock has described why the 17/22/19/23/20/21 do not include these updates other than they were the earlier production models.


Example:

https://www.all4shooters.com/en/Shooting/pistols/test-glock-41-and-glock-42-semiautomatic-pistols/Glock-41-and-Glock-42-004.jpg?resize=248x

[Dan-O]

I stand by my initial response. If it were to slim the profile, why are the 43 and 42 bull nosed? Weight reduction when needed for slide balance.

[laytonj1]

today the slides are investment castings and no longer milled from bar stock.
Do you have a source for this?

Jim

[M92919m]

Rounded edges also print less than sharp features.