The Glock 17 and Glock 47 are two of Glock’s most popular full-sized models. Both pistols work admirably for home self-defense, concealed carry, or duty use. Both of these 9mm pistols share a lot of similarities, and on the surface look almost identical. They have some key differences, however, and the savvy buyer would do well to understand them. Either pistol will likely serve you well, but understanding the differences will get you the Glock pistol that serves your needs the best. Let’s begin with a close look at each pistol, and the compare and contrast the Glock 47 vs. Glock 17.
Glock 17
The Glock 17 is and has been the flagship Glock pistol for over four decades. Introduced in 1982, Gaston Glock’s 17th design was adopted by the Austrian military. After being introduced to the United States it became an instant hit with cops and civilians alike. Initially shunned because of their radically different look and polymer frame, Glock pistols’ performance quickly changed minds. Within just a few years, Glock dominated the U.S. sidearm market and became the standard by which all other pistols are judged. Present day, you are just as likely to see a Glock 17 in law enforcement officers’ holsters as all other pistols put together. The Glock 17 was the first Glock pistol the author bought, and served as his duty pistol while overseas as a “government contractor.”
The Glock 17 is a full-sized service pistol. It boasts a 4.49-inch barrel and a full-size grip-frame that accommodates a standard-capacity 17-round magazine. Despite its large size, the Glock 17 weighs right at 25 ounces loaded, less than many of its steel-framed predecessors’ unloaded weights. Perhaps most importantly, the Glock 17 cemented Glock’s reputation as the ultimate in reliability; the pistol seemed to run and run and run no matter what was thrown at it.
With its light weight, high magazine capacity, and enviable reliability, the Glock 17 paved the way for a number of other Glock models. The Glock 19, a compact pistol, is worth mentioning here, as well. With about half an inch removed from both the grip frame and the barrel/slide, the Glock 19 was another instant hit. Citizens interested in concealed carry, plainclothes law enforcement officers, and even militaries flocked to this compact Glock, which was a direct spinoff of the infinitely popular Glock 17.
Glock 47
The Glock 47 was designed at the request of the United States’ Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and introduced in 2019. It wasn’t available to the public, however, until 2023. At a glance, the Glock 47 looks almost identical to the Glock 17. It has the same 4.49-inch barrel and a full-size grip frame that accommodates a standard-capacity, 17-round magazine. It does have one major difference that makes it attractive to some users, however.
The Glock 47 frame has a shorter dust cover and uses a Glock 19 recoil spring. This means that the top-end of the pistol can be swapped out for a shorter Glock 19 slide and barrel. For most users this will make very little practical difference, but for some this modularity does make sense. This allows the owner to have a full-sized, Glock 17-style pistol for duty use, but swap the slide out for a shorter, Glock 19-sized slide for concealed carry.
Obviously, this requires the purchase of a second slide assembly, or the purchase of another pistol (a Glock 19). If you purchase a Glock 19 you effectively have four pistol formats: a full-size duty pistol (full-size slide and frame of the Glock 47), a compact pistol (compact slide and frame of the Glock 19), a Glock 45-like crossover (short slide of the Glock 19, full-sized frame of the Glock 47), and a Glock “19L” (compact frame, full-size G47 slide). This versatility allows you to customize your pistol to mission requirements.
Glock 17 vs Glock 47: Similarities
Both the Glock 17 and Glock 47 share a lot of similarities. We’ve already discussed the size, with both sharing the same external dimensions. Weight is just over an ounce different with the ’47 being slightly heavier, but the difference is miniscule. The Glock 17 and Glock 47 share the 9×19 chambering. This cartridge is the de facto standard caliber for law enforcement. As a result, this is the most affordable and widely available ammunition out there, and development of defensive/duty ammunition tends to focus on the 9mm.
Both pistols share the same standard-capacity, 17-round magazines, and both can use Glock’s 19-, 24-, 31-, and 33-round magazines, as well. Both also have the Glock accessory rail for the addition of a weapon-mounted light. Though the Glock 47 hasn’t been around nearly as long as the Glock 17, there’s no reason to believe it won’t share the same ridiculous reliability with its older brother.
Both the Glock 17 and Glock 47 are available with Gen 5 features, the latest set of improvements to Glock pistols. Both have the non-finger-grooved grip, the same Marksman barrel, and interchangeable backstraps. They both have an ambidextrous slide latch and a reversible magazine release for use by southpaws. The G17 and G47 have a flared magazine well, and both have forward cocking serrations for speedy reloads. Holster compatibility is 100% between the two pistols, saving the law enforcement agency or individual Citizen the cost of new carry gear. And sadly, both come out of the box with Glock’s standard, plastic sights. These guns are really, really similar, so are there any real differences? It turns out, there are.
Glock 47 vs Glock 17: Differences
One of the biggest differences between the venerable Glock 17 and the latest-and-greatest Glock 47 is the various versions the 17 is available in. While The Gen5 improvements are widely lauded as the latest in a set of continuous evolutions improving an already excellent pistol, some folks like the legacy models. The Gen3 Glocks are probably the flagship of this phenomenon; some people just love the Gen3 look and feel. Some even claim the Gen3s were the most reliable generation, and Gen3s probably enjoy the most aftermarket support (though no Glock pistol is left out in that department). Several other models of Glock 17 are available but marked as “Law Enforcement Only” through Glock’s website: the Gen4, Gen4 MOS, and Gen5 MOS.
Meanwhile the Glock 47 only comes in one flavor, and that flavor is Gen5 MOS. This, however, is the flavor that the vast majority of Glock owners will want: it is the most updated. And, non-law enforcement users, is the only Glock 17-sized, 9mm pistol that is available with a factory cut for a pistol-mounted optic. With the proliferation and increasing popularity of such optics, this is a pretty big market differentiator, and it seems that Glock is nudging users in the direction of the new Glock 47.
And the reason they may be doing so speaks to another important difference between these two pistols: modularity. Today’s service pistols and concealed carry handguns are become increasingly modular. Purchasers – civilian, law enforcement, and military alike – are gravitating toward pistols that can be quickly and easily modified into a smaller or larger form-factor. While this requires the purchase of additional parts (slide assembly and barrel), this is no different than other families of modular pistols.
So…Which Is Right for YOU?
The choice between the Glock 17 and Glock 47 comes down to just a couple of factors. First, if you absolutely demand an older, Gen3 or Gen4 pistol, the Glock 17 is your only real option. We imagine this is probably a pretty small minority of readers. For most, the Glock 47 seems to be the gun of choice. Not only it is available with the latest raft of Gen5 features, it is also available with the MOS cut. Even if you’re avoiding the transition to pistol-mounted optics, getting a gun with the cut would be a good idea for future-proofing (trust us, your eyes will age!) or for better resale value.
But the biggest feature in favor of the Glock 47 is its modularity. If you already own a Glock 19, the purchase of the Glock 47 would turn your two pistols in four form-factors, offering incredible versatility. You can tailor the gun to fit the mission at hand, something no Glock 17 is capable of doing. At the same time, you still get legendary Glock reliability, holster and magazine compatibility, and the same familiarity…but with a bit more flexibility. The Glock 47 seems to be the way head for full-size Glock pistols. This seems to jive well with the widespread law enforcement transition to the Glock 45 that is currently underway.
On the other hand, there are a lot of police trade-in Glock 17s out there, many of them for sale on Gunhogz.com. These offer a tremendous value – providing an excellent pistol at greatly reduced price. A tight budget shouldn’t prevent you from owning a proper defensive handgun. The bottom line is that it’s hard to go wrong with a Glock pistol, period, and you will be well served and strongly defended with either the Glock 47 or Glock 17.
