Glock 20 or 29

[usmcfox]

Hey i`ve concealed carried several pistols taurus pt145, walther sp22, and a s&w bodyguard. However I fell in love with 10mm I reload so ammunition cost is not a factor. I shoot a lot, so i`m attracted to the 20 because of the full sized grip and larger magazine capacity, and ability to drop a bear in the woods, but i want a gun that is concealable winter or summer so the glock 29 is attractive in that aspect. if i had $1300 i would buy both but i need help glock 20 or 29. or does anyone know of an equally powerful (10mm .357 .44mag) that is a good concealed carry weapon, but also is an awesome range/woods gun. around the 400-600 range. Any insight would be great thanks and i`m 5`9 190 lbs.

[mdell2]

I would go with the 29, you can use it for both. Add a longer barrel and a glock 20 magazine for woods duty. In it's stock form you can ccw all day long with a good holster. As far a something as good in that price range you can look at an EAA Witness Compact in 10mm but I have read mixed reviews on that one. Something about cracking frames along with poor customer support but thats another subject. Glock 29 is your best bang for the buck.

[ohen cepel]

Hard to have one gun to conceal and also make use of the 10mm power. The 29 can split the difference to some extent.

I would go with the 20 with the extended barrel to really get the most of of the round and CC something else. The 10mm from a short barrel gives you performance more on line with a 40 while also giving you a lot more flash and recoil.

[usmcfox]

The 10mm from a short barrel gives you performance more on line with a 40 while also giving you a lot more flash and recoil.

Yeah that`s what I was afraid of also what I heard about the chiappa white rhino 200ds I believe in .357 a glorified .38 spcl. I carried my pt145 in a shoulder harness in the winter, and i think that would work for a g20 but in the summer I think a holster would be hard to find. I might end up getting the g20 and attempting to cc it around the house of course, and if worst comes to worse it can be added to my car defense. Can you put the longer barrels on the g29 ie lone wolf?

[Brian Pfleuger]

A 10mm from a short barrel far out performs the 40SW from the same short barrel. This is particularly true of handloads that can use powder selected to the exact task at hand.

The other option you might consider would be having the 20 grip cut down to 29 size.

Were it me, I'd get the 29 and a Lone Wolf extended barrel, which is what I wish I had done rather than the G33 that I did get. The 29 is far more versatile, with barrel options for at least 10mm, 9mm, 40SW and 357sig. Probably 38super too.

[Hammerhead]

I traded my 20 for the 29. The hump in the back strap fits my hand so much better with the 29. With the 20 it was at the bottom of my hand and felt unnatural.
The 29 is highly accurate at 25 yards if you're up to it, and velocity loss is minimal.

[usmcfox]

What were your groupings like, and were you using factory or hand loads?

[Brian Pfleuger]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I find the recoil to be worse with full size Glocks than the baby versions. Why, I don't know. Maybe it's the fit. I have very large hands, even the big Glocks are a bit small for the length of my fingers but I like the feel of the subcompacts better.

[usmcfox]

10mm is balistically superior to many semi automatic calibers, if only it were more popular and had a bigger following so there wasn`t such a big gap between the 20 and 29 perhaps a compact with the ability to hold 12-15 rounds, and have a decent sized barrel, but also be concealable.

[Sharpsdressed Man]

Glock 29 for at the reasons above. Very versatile gun. [IMG][/IMG]

[usmcfox]

Very nice gun 2 questions is that duracoat, and do the pearce grip extensions work well?

[The_Shadow]

I opted for the Glock 29 and outfitted it with conversion barrels for 40S&W/357Sig/9x25Dillon...4 cartridges one gun!

[usmcfox]

i`ve never heard of 9x25 is it pretty similiar to 9x19

[bamaranger]

Don't think you will find a G20 that concealable in all circumstances. CAN you conceal one, sure. An inside the waist band holster and the typical untucked shirt will work, but it is a lot to ride against the body. A belt hoslter w/ an outer garment like a vest or jacket will work too, which is how mine ususally goes if concealed. But that arrangement is climate/weather controlled.


But a G20 is a big pistol with a big butt..........not easily concealed. No experience w/ the G29 but that looks like an interesting option.

[Dr_2_B]

40S&W/357Sig/9x25Dillon...4 cartridges one gun!

Shadow, can you use the same mag for all those? Do they all function well?

[Uncle Malice]

I. Love. My. Glock 29.

It's about the same size as my Glock 23, just a little thicker. As was mentioned concealing it is very easy, even with shorts and t-shirt here in Phoenix weather.

I've only got the 40 drop in barrel so far. I'd like to find a 9mm barrel too, but I don't know if those exist - I haven't been able to find one. The 10mm is so much fun to shoot, and I'm just as - if not more - accurate with the 10mm than I am with the .40. The recoil is different... The 40 is very snappy where the 10 is more like that stout push of the .45 with maybe a little bit of snap.

[Mercenary]

@peetzakilla

I find the recoil to be worse with full size Glocks than the baby versions. Why, I don't know.

I think this is in part due to the dual recoil springs in the subcompact Glocks. They work to dampen the felt recoil.


@Usmcfox

i`ve never heard of 9x25 is it pretty similiar to 9x19

Not hardly! The 357 Sig takes a 40 S&W case and necks it down to a 9mm projectile. The 9x25 takes the 10mm case and necks it down to a 9mm projectile. Its a step up from a 38 Super.

[Hammerhead]

What were your groupings like, and were you using factory or hand loads?

My most recent outing with the 29 I was getting roughly 4" groups at 25 yards, but I'm very capable of blowing a good group with a flyer or two. That was with the KKM .40 conversion barrel using Winchester .40 180 grain JHP (USA brand) and handloads with the excellent Hornady 180 HAP over Universal (great powder for the .40 and mid range 10mm loads). I do about the same with the stock 10mm and HAP handloads. I shoot a lot more with the .40 conversion because of the free brass and it seems to shoot plated bullets a little better than the stock 10mm barrel.

All rounds used in the conversions use the standard 10mm magazine.

I've just added Warren/Sevigny Competition sight with fiber optic front and I'm getting better groups than I expected. The rear has a very wide notch and the fiber optic is all you see of the front, it's brightness obscures the post itself, but so far it seems to shoot just as well as it did with Heinie Slant Pros.

9x25 Dillon?

[jmr40]

In my opinion neither is easily concealable. Since I don't really try, I prefer the larger G-20. You can use G-20 mags in a G-29 and can add a longer barrel to the G-29, which helps make them be a little more versatile, but I feel the longer sight radius of the 20 helps with more accurate shooting. Especially at longer ranges.

That said I wouldn't be opposed to adding a G-29 to my collection to go with its larger brother.

[Brian Pfleuger]

A G29 isn't easily concealable?! I've been easily concealing a G33, which is almost identical, for 2 1/2 years.

[Uncle Malice]

It would be closer to the G32 than the G33, just thicker. But I agree that it's quite concealable.

[jmr40]

A G29 isn't easily concealable?! I've been easily concealing a G33, which is almost identical, for 2 1/2 years.

Your G-33 is the same size as the G-26. Compared to a G-29 the G-33 is roughly 1/2" shorter, about 1/3" less tall, about 1/8" thinner, with about 1/4" shorter grip (unless you compare the SF models), and almost 1/2 lb lighter when loaded.

Got my figures straight from Glock.

Never said it was impossible to conceal a G-29, just a lot easier with a G-26, 33, 27, etc.

[usmcfox]

So glock 20 mags do fit in the g29 i understand they will stick out of the mag well but just wanted to know if they`ll lock in place and everything they would strictly be for range and woods use.

[The_Shadow]

Dr_2_B writes...

Shadow, can you use the same mag for all those? Do they all function well?

Yes they function for the same magazines just fine!

usmcfox writes...

i`ve never heard of 9x25 is it pretty similiar to 9x19

As Mercenary and Hammerhead have posted it is the 10mm case necked down to 9mm, it does produce some nice velocities but they do perform much faster and better from longer barrels. I handload all my own stuff, so selecting powders to match barrel lengths to provide the best combination of performance.

A little history about the 9x25 DILLON is a wildcat pistol cartridge developed by employees at Dillon Precision, specifically Eric Harvey and Randy Shelly around 1987-1988. It was designed to be used in USPSA / IPSC open gun competition. The cartridge is made by necking down a 10mm auto case to 9mm. Harvey and Shelly's goal was to get as much slow-burning powder in the case as possible. There are two reasons to use lots of slow-burning powder in a compensated race gun. First, it drives a 9mm bullet to the velocity needed to qualify for the IPSC major power factor. Secondly, it gets the compensator to work as efficiently as possible. They achieved their goal, as the short-necked and steep-shouldered cartridge holds twice the powder of a .38 Super Auto case.

[Hammerhead]

So glock 20 mags do fit in the g29 i understand they will stick out of the mag well but just wanted to know if they`ll lock in place and everything they would strictly be for range and woods use.

Yup, they fit and lock in place. You can even buy a sleeve that slips over the base of the 20 mags so they become part of the grip.
For the 10 rounders Pearce +0 pinky extensions are fantastic for giving the pinky a place to rest without taking away from concealability.