Best Glock Alternatives for Striker Fired Fans

Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

Glock may still be the 800-pound polymer gorilla, but bans, lawsuits, and years of slow evolution have shooters looking hard at what else is out there. From Canik to Walther, these striker-fired Glock alternatives are not just second choices; they are serious contenders.

The Glock pistol is likely one of, if not the most, popular firearms in the United States. However, has the gun’s design become stale, or is its pending litigation and bans putting an end to its reign? If so, what are the options for Americans who now find themselves “Glock Blocked”?

How Glock Became King, And Why The Crown Is Slipping

The firearms world is changing. In the 1980’s, Gaston’s Glock 17 and 19 took the world by storm when they introduced reliable, lightweight, and simple pistols for police departments and civilians. Soon, police agencies en masse switched from the revolvers they had carried for decades to the new Tupperware miracle. The gun’s simplicity, as well as its reliability under abuse, made it an easy choice.

Today, estimates say about 65% of law enforcement agencies carry Glocks in one form or another. The civilian market is no different, with Glock being the weapon of choice for many, many Americans. They are among the most popular guns in the US, and likely make up a significant percentage of the 4-500 million guns in America.

Now, there may be a shift in the tide. Many complain that the Glock’s design has become stale, with little in the way of innovation over the years. Maybe they remove some finger grooves, or improve a barrel, but overall, a Glock from today looks very similar to one from the 1990’s.

Adding to this is the pending litigation and outright bans coming for Glock handguns. Some lawsuits target Glock, claiming they are disproportionately ending up at crime scenes. Others, however, have tried to put Glocks into a newly created category of firearms, referring to them as “machine gun capable” or something similar, as some will say they are easily converted to fully automatic firearms. It does not matter that the switch required to do this is a federal, and often a state, felony. The Glock’s very design is portrayed as a public safety issue.

Now, even state efforts in California to stop the Glock Ban that passed last October have stalled on both sides, and Glock has abandoned their earlier designs that were sold here. Efforts are now underway in New York, Illinois, and Connecticut, with others likely following suit to ban them.

So, say you find yourself in this mess. Maybe you wanted a Glock and never got around to buying one prior to a ban coming in, or maybe you just don’t favor the design. What’s out there other than Glock? Shocking statement, I know. Fanboys begin screaming, “blasphemy!”

Glock Alternatives Worth Taking Seriously

I’ll be honest, for many years, I was a Glock fanboy. I’m in recovery now. These guns are simple to work on, very well thought out for what they are, and reliable to a fault. There is a reason that nothing less than the US Navy Seals use them as their standard sidearm. They are a good, solid, reliable pistol, no doubt.

However, in today’s age, there are a lot of pistol options, many of which boast their own pedigree. The blanket option to adopt a Glock is not what it was today, so what else is out there? Companies are innovating and bringing excellent, might I even say, better options to the consumer.

For the purposes of this article, we will not look at any of the Glock clone models like Shadow Systems or the Ruger RXM, who have brought their own innovation to the Glock design, as any bans would likely pull them in too.

While this is not an exhaustive list, here is some of what I found here in arguably the most restrictive state in the Union.

Canik Mete MC9: Budget Price, Serious Trigger

Canik has jumped into the firearms scene in the USA with both feet. I have heard people rave about their triggers being the end-all, be-all on a budget-priced pistol. I have had the opportunity to try the trigger in the store, and it is all that. Many use these guns as competition shooters with good reason. However, most of their competition guns aren’t available to us here in Cali, so I really cannot speak to that.

If you are looking to replace an option for your slimline CCW gun, Canik has delivered, even here in the People’s Republic. Their Mete MC9 pistols offer slim firearms in multiple sizes from micro guns to mid-size slimline X or XL styles. These continue to sell at reasonable prices with features like optics cuts and an amazing trigger.

CZ P10: The Glock 19-Sized Czech Contender

The CZ P10 is a striker-fired entry from our Czech friends. The P-10C is almost identical in dimensions to the Glock 19, even to the point that I’ve known a few shooters who use their holsters interchangeably. The CZ has better ergonomics than the Glock, and a far better trigger. They come in a full size, compact, or subcompact version – now coming with optics ready versions. While not available in all states, these are excellent guns at a much better price point than many.

HK VP9 And CC9: Premium Feel With Sunday Barbecue Bragging Rights

HK offers their striker fired pistol, the HK VP9, in multiple configurations to give you multiple options. The gun boasts a barrel made from “cannon grade steel,” which will give the owner bragging rights at the Sunday barbecue. It’s also fully ambidextrous with its paddle magazine release and ambi slide stop. They also have slimline versions, such as the HK USA CC9 version or the German-designed VP9CC, for your concealed carry needs.

I have owned an HK VP9, and it was a truly amazing pistol. It is by far one of the most customizable grips you can get, with nine separate backstraps and panels to adjust it to you. Accuracy and handling were what you expect from HK, excellent. However, the price is also what you expect from HK, as these are pricey pieces of gear built to exacting standards that can be hard for many to afford. However, if you can afford the $1000 + price tag, it might be right for you.

Rost Martin RM1C: The Surprise Belle At The Ball

Based out of Texas, Rost Martin is building a feature-rich striker-fired pistol that comes in around or just under $500 in most cases. The guns come optic-ready, with a flat-faced trigger, match barrel, and details like serrations in the top of the slide to limit glare. Compact, subcompact, or full-size vehicles are available, as well as compensated models. The guns themselves list their compact version as slightly lighter than the G19 by an ounce and a half, and thinner, 1.18” vs 1.34” on the G19 Gen6.

The polymer frame can be had in multiple colors aside from black, such as green, gray, or FDE. Extra magazines are priced very competitively, well under $30 as of this writing. They can be had in 10, 15, or 17 capacities based on your local laws.

So, my local range guy has been after me to try their RM1C, which they have for rent. I was glad I did. The gun felt good in the hand and had stippling on the grip that was not punishing, but very functional. Accuracy was, well, very good. The sights were a plain black rear and a white dot on the front sight. Out to 10 yards, I was able to keep all hits in the A zone at speed. Recoil was very manageable, but as the gun is lighter than a G19 or similarly sized guns, it was slightly jumpier than other mid-sized guns, yet was far superior to smaller micro guns.

For me, this was the surprise belle at the ball. For the price and value, this gun is very hard to beat. Most come with a gear package with extra mags, a gun case, and an optic for the same price as the gun itself. If you are looking for a compact-sized gun to do all-around duty on a budget, this would be it.

Sig Sauer P320, M17, M18, And P365: Modular Pistols With Big Debate

OK…for the controversial spot, we must mention the P320 line. This gun was revolutionary with its fire control unit (FCU) concept, allowing for an infinitely configurable firearm. The FCU was the actual firearm for Federal law, meaning you could buy one firearm and switch out grip modules, slides, barrels, whatever you wanted. You could set it up for multiple roles, a compact for CCW, and a full-size for the range, whatever your heart desires. The trigger was excellent for a striker-fired pistol, and it was ultimately chosen by the US Military for its general issue sidearm.

Many still bet their lives on these pistols, and I’ve met some who are adamant about the gun’s safety. I have had several over the years, and mine never gave me any issues. They were reliable and took well over 1500 rounds without so much as a hiccup. Controversy or not, this gun is still a viable and, for many, attractive option. I do hope that Sig is able to overcome any issues, if there are indeed any, or just show the gun’s safety to the public’s satisfaction, and right the ship on this one.

However, the true star from Sig is the P365 line. For a CCW gun, they blew up the earlier capacity limitations on earlier micro guns with their P365, causing everyone to scramble to meet this new standard. A gun smaller than most .380’s, carrying 10 rounds of 9mm, and one that was shootable was a masterful art of engineering. I currently teach civilian CCW courses, and inevitably, there are at least a few P365’s of various configurations in the class. You can get your “micro” sized like the original, all the way to the X, XL, Macro, or Fuse version, depending on what you need. Sig made an innovative version of “porting” of the P365 slide, using a shorter barrel to allow gases to vent out the slide cuts. This way of doing things sidestepped concerns about some barrels that had threading on them for states like California. Since the P365 is also modular like the P320, you can buy one version and adapt it as you see fit without having to buy another firearm.

Some are big enough to flex into a regular home defense gun with capacities into the high teens. A P365 X Macro has better capacity, is thinner, has more features, and some would argue handles better than a G19. The aftermarket has already met the demand for these little guns with gusto, making accessorizing or customizing these guns very easy.

Smith And Wesson M&P 2.0: The Glock Killer That Should Have Been

I’ll have to pause here first to say in full disclosure that I am a huge fan of the M&P line. I carry a M&P 2.0 Compact or a Shield X / Shield Plus regularly. I also teach with a full size M&P at my local police academy. If there ever was a “Glock killer,” it should have been the M&P line. The gun is well thought out, has great ergonomics, a far better trigger than the Glocks, and shoots like a dream.

I have never had an issue with my M&P’s, and I shoot them and carry them often. Recoil is very light, and with an optic on their CORE system cut slides, accuracy at speed is very easy. The aftermarket is continuing to adapt to the M&P line with more holsters and accessories as well. I have even seen some YouTube torture tests where the M&P outperformed the Glock.

Are they perfect? No. Some complain about the aggressive grip texture, and there have been some who have had issues with barrel accuracy. I have not had any issues with the versions I have. I carry one daily, and they are by far my favorite pistols right now.

For those who want a slim line, there is the M&P Shield line, which gives you a slender CCW micro pistol. The Shield or Shield Plus for the really small version, or a Shield X for the X or XL crowd.

Springfield Echelon And Hellcat: The Evolution Glock Never Built

The Echelon is another product from HS in Croatia and imported by Springfield Armory. This is also a chassis system where you can pull the fire control system; they call it a COG for Central Operating Group, and just change out grip modules, slides, etc. It’s still unclear how robust the aftermarket will be for this one, but it has strong potential.

The Echelon is what the Glock should have evolved into. The slide serrations, both on the rear and front, allow for easy manipulation. There are “ledges” built into the slide that make racking the slide or doing safety checks a breeze. The ones in my state come in either standard or compensated versions, with a generous cut directly into the slide/barrel, again, preventing any issue with “threaded” or lugged barrels that seem to cause ire for those of us in Blue states.

I have not been able to get my hands on one yet at the range, so I cannot speak directly to how they handle. From those who have shot them, they say the trigger is excellent, and the grip is very ergonomic and comfortable in the hand, while its adaptive stippling pattern helps keep it there securely while firing. I have had the opportunity to feel one in my local gun store, and I can verify that the fit, feel, and trigger pull are excellent.

For those looking to go slimmer, the Hellcat line allows for a gun, similar in size and proportions to the P365. Springfield published a torture test online for the gun, and it survived 10,000 rounds straight, with only changes to the recoil spring at every 2,500 rounds and some intermittent re-oiling. This was very impressive to watch, and gives me a lot of confidence in this platform’s reliability/durability.

One thing I noted on the Hellcat was that it has a noticeably longer and harder trigger pull. This is because the Hellcat’s striker is not completely tensioned when at rest, like other models. So, as you pull the trigger, you are retracting the striker as well as eventually releasing it. Some may consider this an added measure of safety, especially if you’re carrying an appendix and the gun is pointed at your nether regions. If a short, crisp trigger pull is your thing, this may need some modification.

Walther PDP: A Trigger That Feels Like Cheating

Walther has a name for making nice, high-end firearms. Their PPQ was a game-changer for competitors and shooters alike, setting a high standard for striker-fired triggers. The PDP, or Performance Duty Pistol, is no different. It boasts an amazingly ergonomic grip and an excellent trigger, possibly one of the best on this list. When I tried it at a local store, after I got through the take-up, it hit the very short wall, then broke crisply and cleanly. The trigger pull itself felt the lightest of the guns I put my hands on. Reset was obnoxiously short and was nothing short of exceptional. I have heard it can feel a bit snappy, but I haven’t really had the ability to shoot one to verify this. Also, “snappy” can be a very subjective feeling. Your results may vary.

Like every pistol on here, they come optics-ready, and almost all have adaptable grip panels or backstraps. I did note the PDP looks and feels a touch top-heavy with a fairly blocky slide. If you’re carrying it in an OWB holster, I don’t see it as much of an issue. However, for IWB, it might mean taking the time to find the right holster for it.

Glock Alternatives Specs And Standout Features

Pros And Cons Of Leaving Glock Behind

• Pros: More innovation, better factory triggers, optics-ready slides, modular systems, slimmer CCW options, stronger ergonomics, and real competition across multiple price points.
• Cons: Glock still has massive aftermarket support, proven simplicity, deep law enforcement adoption, and a reputation that every challenger has to fight uphill against.

Final Verdict: Glock Still Matters, But It No Longer Owns The Room

While the current campaign against Glock is problematic at best and potentially disingenuous at worst, thankfully, we have options. Even if your state isn’t in this mess, you don’t have to be trapped in the headspace that only Glock is the acceptable choice for a top-tier defensive pistol. Yes, they are exceptionally simple, durable, and reliable. They have earned that reputation. Many do feel the Glock design is somewhat stale, and are looking for something more with regard to features.

However, Glock seems willing to abandon places like California, so we must move on. I hear tales that they have models to address these bans coming, so maybe we will be surprised. Thankfully, there are many choices now to choose from, many with much more to offer in features and performance.

I seriously doubt Glock’s heyday is completely over. Yet now with the other options out there, there is true competition that can motivate them to innovate, develop, and stay competitive.

Brian Jensen has been a shooter for over 45 years, and served in law enforcement for over 30 years in Southern California. During that time he served for over 27 years on the Department Range Staff.  Brian has written for Guns America and Harris Publications, and currently trains law enforcement trainees in a local police academy as well as civilians for CCW courses.

Away from writing Brian does photography and exploring the southern California backcountry.

Experience:

-45+ years as a shooter

-Prior Law Enforcement for over 30 years

-27+ years instructing firearms for peace officers

-Civilian CCW Instructor