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  4. A Closer Look at the New Glock 47 MOS 9mm

Glock came to SHOT Show in Las Vegas last month with the new commercial variant of the G47, and we snagged one for a better look. 

A pistol that debuted a few years ago but wasn’t available to the public, the G47 came as part of an $85 million/10-year contract with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2019. With more than 45,000 sworn law enforcement agents and officers, CBP’s mission includes security through the U.S. Border Patrol as well as customs and counter-smuggling operations at over 330 ports of entry. It is the largest federal LE agency inside the Department of Homeland Security.

The contract included not only the G47 but compact Glock 19 Gen 5 models and subcompact Glock 26 Gen 5s, all in 9mm. Keep that in mind moving forward.

 

Glock 47
The standard CBP contract G47 is slightly different from the commercial variant, using elongated magazine floorplates for more purchase on stuck mags in sandy conditions on the Southern border, and DHS-CBP slide rollmarks. Likewise, CBP went with Ameriglo BOLD sights. 
Glock 47
The commercial variant of the G47. Note the "chopped" dust cover leaving an exposed chin on the slide, the standard fixed polymer sights, and the optics plate. No DHS rollmarks or longer mag baseplates, sorry. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Glock 47
Roughly the size of a Gen 5 G17 (we will get into that more in a second) it takes standard flush-fit double-stack G17 mags. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

 

Why is the new G47 special?

 

The G47 isn't a "game changer" but it does have a few little things that are interesting about it. 

The easiest way to describe what the G47 boils down to is that it is designed to run a shorter Glock 19 recoil system in a Glock 17-sized slide and barrel with a slightly shorter dustcover on the frame. The slide and barrel are the exact same length as those seen on the G17 (7.32 inches and 4.49 inches, respectively), but with a shortened dust cover on the frame, thus keeping compatibility with the G17 Gen4/5, G19 Gen4/5, G19X, and G45. This makes it modular, say for if you wanted to go from a full-sized pistol to a compact and back again via an easy field strip and swap. Here you can see the reasoning behind the contract with CBP, with uniformed personnel carrying the larger pistol and plainclothes using the smaller variant. 

The crossover nature is similar to the G19X, which uses a G17 frame and a G19 top half, or the G45, which does much the same as the G19X but in black with front slide serrations and no lanyard loop. 

 

Glock 47
The height (5.47 inches), trigger distance between the back of grip and front of the trigger (2.76 inches), overall width (1.34 inches), and sight radius (6.65 inches) is exactly the same between the G47 and G17. Thus, the G47 should fit in just about every G17 holster on the market. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Glock 47
The G47, right, is seen above compared to the crossover G19X, which is the same height and roughly the same frame but with a G19-length slide and barrel. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

 

If you have a Glock 19 Gen 4/5 and want to put a G17-length slide and barrel on it, then picking up a G47 is ideal. This also lets you move a G19 slide and barrel to a G47, to make a sort of G19L (G1947).

 

Glock 47
And, showing off that modularity, I give you the "you got chocolate in my peanut butter" that is the G19X and G47 MOS with swapped uppers. Both guns shoot and cycle fine. You could do the same between the G47 and the G17 Gen 4/5, G45, and G19 Gen 4/5. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Glock 47
Unfortunately, it is only modular with Gen 4 and 5 guns, so my well-worn and gently modded G19 Gen 3 can't swap slides with the G47. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Glock 47
Further, the G47 as released at SHOT Show this year is only available in a Modular Optic System, or MOS, standard. The cover plate is also now plastic rather than steel. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

 

Whereas Glock pistol models in standard MOS configuration previously came with four numbered DLC-coated steel adapter plates and hardware in a blister pack, newly announced MOS series guns – the G20 Gen5 MOS, G21 Gen5 MOS, and G47 MOS –  will only come with the No.02 plate that will fit Trijicon, Ameriglo, and Holosun (except 509) pattern red dots. The others will be available from Glock for about $10 each. 

 

Glock 47
It runs forward slide serrations in addition to the standard rear serrations. The shortened dustcover gives it a G34-like appearance. The hole in the bottom of the slide is so you can insert a tool to change the front sight post, btw. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Glock 47
Weight, fully loaded with 18 rounds of 124-grain Speer Gold Dot and no optic mounted on the slide, works out to 34.5 ounces. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

 

In our first 100 rounds of testing thus far, the G47 has lived up to Glock's traditional reputation of reliability and had no issues. The G47, as it uses the compact recoil system of the G19 in a G17-length frame coupled with the larger, fuller grip of the G17, has a recoil impulse that feels like the crossover G19X or G45, guns I personally love.

There is a minor change in velocity and sight radius when stacked against a G19, and we'll dig deeper into that when we come back with a full review in the coming weeks.

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