Glock made the 19L concept gun official on Wednesday by releasing the new G49 Gen 5 MOS model to the commercial market. 
 

What is a 19L?

The so-called Glock 19L, using the compact G19 grip with a full-sized G17-length slide and barrel, has been a thing for years, with folks typically hacking a Glock 17 grip to make it a 15-shot capacity pistol that accepts G19 mags. Others used a standard G19 frame with an aftermarket G17-length slide that was compatible with the shorter frame. 

The benefit was that, for many, the G19 is considered easier to conceal with its shorter grip/height than the G17, while the longer barrel and slide give the user a longer sight radius. 

The Glock 49 Gen 5 MOS was first leaked back in May 2022 by Vickers Tactical in a post that had over 3,000 likes and comments. A popular rumor on Glock groups at the time was that it was a spinoff of the company's large 2019 CBP contract that saw the federal agency purchase $85 million worth of pistols including the crossover G47, which was 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. 

Now, the G47 allows the user to make a more or less OEM 19L pistol, by swapping a Gen 5 slide and barrel from a G19 over to the G47 frame. 

For instance, take a look at this:
 

Meet the Glock 49 Gen 5 MOS

As noted by Talo Distributors, who broke the news of the gun's official entry to the market this week, the G49 MOS is essentially a G19-size grip frame with a G17-size slide, "taking advantage of the proven carry frame size with a longer barrel and sight radius."