Glock 26 9mm subcompact

Performance: 10

I am very happy with the performance of my G26 so far. I have put about 600 rounds through it with no malfunctions. Now, I will never subject my gun to a "torture test", as I have no intentions of taking Iwo Jima or crawling through Mekong River mud with my Glock. I have been taught that if you take care of your weapons, your weapons will take care of you, so no stories of running over my gun with an Abrams tank or throwing it off Mt Everest here. The only down side to the gun is the point of aim, point of impact differences with various defense loads. Nearly all guns have a preference for one type of ammo, or bullet weight, or whatever, so it's just a matter of finding the right one. I am expecting some Cor-Bon 115 and 125 gr +P soon, so we'll see if she likes one of those two. As far as handling during firing, this gun is a dream. Firing multiple rounds rapidly is very easy, and there is not too much dispersion, as a five or six round rapid fire string at 7 yards stays easily within the vitals area on a life-size target. Of course, with more training and practice, one could probably do much better. I have had zero problems so far, and this gun fires like a dream for such a small piece, so it gets max credits

Features: 7

This is a Glock, so the features are as they should be for a fighting gun; few and out of the way. The only thing that takes points away here, and a big thing, are the factory sights. Glock factory fixed sights are terrible and should be replaced as soon as possible. If you plan to buy a Glock, take enough extra money to buy a good set of aftermarket sights at the same time so you don't settle for what's on the gun later. I have a set of Trijicon 3 dot night sights on my G26, and a set of XS Big Dot sights on my G19. After nearly 20 years of notch-and-post type sights, The express-style Big Dot sights have taken some getting used to, but they are really starting to grow on me. I have never used Glock factory night sights, so I can't comment on those, but the standard sights are not good, and bring this rating down

Appeal: 10

The Glock is an ugly, black piece of combat tupperware. But I use krylon sparaypaint on my 1600 dollar Bushmaster/EO Tech setup, so I'm not too worried about appearance. If i want to razzle dazzle my adversary into submission, I'll carry a purple and silver SVI race gun or a chromed-out Jennings, Phoenix, or Davis 25 ACP jamamatic. The Glock 26 has a wonderful feel, and is very easy to control, even though the short grip frame leaves my pinky finger with nothing to hold on to. I tried a grip extender on one of the magazines, but it really added nothing substantial to the control of the gun during firing, and reduced the gun's concealability (if that's a word). Like the aftermarket magazine release and slide lock lever that were on my G19 when I bought it, the mag extender proves once again, it's best to buy a Glock, replace the sights, and leave the rest alone

Overall:

Performance: 

I am very happy with the performance of my G26 so far. I have put about 600 rounds through it with no malfunctions. Now, I will never subject my gun to a "torture test", as I have no intentions of taking Iwo Jima or crawling through Mekong River mud with my Glock. I have been taught that if you take care of your weapons, your weapons will take care of you, so no stories of running over my gun with an Abrams tank or throwing it off Mt Everest here. The only down side to the gun is the point of aim, point of impact differences with various defense loads. Nearly all guns have a preference for one type of ammo, or bullet weight, or whatever, so it's just a matter of finding the right one. I am expecting some Cor-Bon 115 and 125 gr +P soon, so we'll see if she likes one of those two. As far as handling during firing, this gun is a dream. Firing multiple rounds rapidly is very easy, and there is not too much dispersion, as a five or six round rapid fire string at 7 yards stays easily within the vitals area on a life-size target. Of course, with more training and practice, one could probably do much better. I have had zero problems so far, and this gun fires like a dream for such a small piece, so it gets max credits

Performance Rating: 

10

Features: 

This is a Glock, so the features are as they should be for a fighting gun; few and out of the way. The only thing that takes points away here, and a big thing, are the factory sights. Glock factory fixed sights are terrible and should be replaced as soon as possible. If you plan to buy a Glock, take enough extra money to buy a good set of aftermarket sights at the same time so you don't settle for what's on the gun later. I have a set of Trijicon 3 dot night sights on my G26, and a set of XS Big Dot sights on my G19. After nearly 20 years of notch-and-post type sights, The express-style Big Dot sights have taken some getting used to, but they are really starting to grow on me. I have never used Glock factory night sights, so I can't comment on those, but the standard sights are not good, and bring this rating down

Features Rating: 

7

Appeal: 

The Glock is an ugly, black piece of combat tupperware. But I use krylon sparaypaint on my 1600 dollar Bushmaster/EO Tech setup, so I'm not too worried about appearance. If i want to razzle dazzle my adversary into submission, I'll carry a purple and silver SVI race gun or a chromed-out Jennings, Phoenix, or Davis 25 ACP jamamatic. The Glock 26 has a wonderful feel, and is very easy to control, even though the short grip frame leaves my pinky finger with nothing to hold on to. I tried a grip extender on one of the magazines, but it really added nothing substantial to the control of the gun during firing, and reduced the gun's concealability (if that's a word). Like the aftermarket magazine release and slide lock lever that were on my G19 when I bought it, the mag extender proves once again, it's best to buy a Glock, replace the sights, and leave the rest alone

Appeal Rating: 

10

I bought the Glock 26 in anticipation of being lightly dressed in the Arizona heat, and I am glad I did. I find myself carrying the G26 even when I could get away with carrying the G19, and I don't feel undergunned in the least. With 11 rounds in the gun, and a 17 round mag as my spare, The little Glock should be able to help me with nearly any bad social setting I may encounter. Despite what the gun shop commandos say, people will stop carrying religiously if their carry gun is not comfortable. The Glock 26, fed with quality ammo, is the kind of gun you can almost forget you have on, yet be more than enough should you need it. 9mm ammo is very inexpensive compared to 38 spl, 40, and 45, so it is easy to practice, practice, and practice some more. Overall, the G26 is a very good carry piece, especially in temperate climates where shorts and t-shirt are the norm. This is my first review, so constructive criticism on my review style is appreciated. I should have a review of my wife's Springfield XD subcompact 9mm in a few days. Thanks for reading.