In a Marine Corps first, the service recently added a Glock pistol to its list of authorized individual weapons, optics and modular attachments.
However, the 9mm semi-automatic Glock 19 pistol is officially approved for use only by personnel assigned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, according to a force-wide message issued in mid-February. In fact, the pistol will carry a non-Marine inventory number because it is a U.S. Special Operations Command asset, according to the message.
MARSOC has been using 19s for a while in Afghanistan much like other SOF units under SOCOM. The .45’s have been less than reliable and keeping the large numbers they need up and running is tough. This MARADMIN is just making it official, along with providing a means for $ to support it with holsters, etc. outside of unit buys.
Glock 19s are used because that is what is provided to foreign forces. Then SOCOM trainers can carry them too because they are training those forces and need familiarity/commonality…kinda convenient.
As you stated, they have been 'quietly" using them for a while. The G19 is the standard pistol for many units and agencies due to it good balance of size, capacity and conceal-ability. Individuals with very large hands are sometimes allowed to use 17’s but the 19 is the norm.
I think it says a lot about Glock. I have heard that the Army’s Special Forces have been using the Glock 22 for a while now. I would think that other special units are carrying Glocks as well. Up until a few months ago I was not planing to getting a G19. A co-work let me shoot his G19. It felt a lot different then the full size Glocks. He even told me he liked it better then full size Glock. I have a supervise that carries a G23. He told me the something. Both have said it is a good compromise gun, meaning you can conceal it really well and it handles like a full size gun. I started looking at getting a G19. Time will tell.
MARSOG has bouncing the Glock 19 OCONUS for a while. Now, it’s “Officially Authorized”.
You also need to take into consideration the mission of MARSOG can take it’s members and place them in positions where they are doing things while blending into the general population of the location that they are in. For this mission, the Glock 19 excels. It excels for the same reasons that the Glock 19 is so popular as a CCW and a plain cloths LEO pistol.
G19s are in the inventory at USSOCOM already. G17s would require a new procurement process. The extra two rounds and 1/2" of sight radius probably isn’t worth going through all that hassle…
Not that it matters much, but Rob Trevino of Evergreen Mountain Training and former Delta Trooper, told me directly that they had G22’s as well as several other pistols depending on the mission.
Doubtful. I have only ever seen the FDE magazines or FDE extensions on .40 caliber Glock 22 magazines. I have not seen any other information counter to this.
