I spent a long time living a rather vanilla life with my collection of Glock pistols. I wasn’t interested in adding any frills, and I certainly didn’t get under the hood of the guns for anything beyond normal cleaning. 

What came in the gun case from Glock was all I felt I really needed. Yet, despite Glock’s motto of “perfection” and a solid reputation for reliable guns straight from the factory, there’s some room for improvement. Fortunately, Glocks are some of the easiest handguns on the market to upgrade even if you’re on a budget.

So, do you NEED to upgrade your Glock? Probably not, but you might be missing out if you don’t at least look at what’s available for upgrades and useful accessories. Here are some easy additions.

Table of Contents

Iron Sights
Grip Improvements
Magazines
Pistol Optics
Holsters
Custom Triggers, Springs, Controls
Training Tools
Bonus
Final Thoughts 

Upgraded Iron Sights

Most people I know who routinely carry or shoot a Glock pistol make this upgrade. Glock’s plastic “goal post” sights that come standard from the factory are a bit of a running joke for a lot of shooters. First, they are made from fairly soft polymer that’s just an odd pick for guns renowned for being robust. It’s almost like Glock simply assumed folks would change the sights anyway.

The aftermarket for Glock sights is vast. There’s everything from metal night sights with glowing phosphorus dots and tritium vials to bright fiber optics and raised suppressor/optic-height sights. You can stick with the standard three-dot style or try out something more exotic like a U-notch. 

Grip Improvements

I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head who says they absolutely love the standard grip texture on Glocks. Most people seem to find it good enough, but it’s a relatively easy thing to improve. 

You can add rubberized grip sleeves like those from Hogue or laser-equipped options from companies like Crimson Trace. For more refined texturing, you can quickly and cheaply slap on some easy-to-use Talon grips that are customized to stick to whatever model Glock you own. Different grip backstraps and magazine finger extensions are other options that are plentiful, easy to install, and equally budget-friendly. 

I’ve played around with all the above. Given my larger hands, I occasionally opt for a slightly larger backstrap for my carry Glocks in particular.
 

Magazines

I’m a huge sucker for extra magazines. It’s an issue, and I can admit it. With few exceptions, I demand that I have at least three magazines for all my handguns. But my Glock magazine collection has gotten a bit out of hand between a bucket’s worth or factory magazines and numerous extended magazines from various companies. 

I’ve especially enjoyed the clear ETS mags recently. They’ve worked great and survived several punishing range trips with everything from carbines that used Glock mags to older surplus LEO handguns. Even if you run a 10-round 9mm Glock 26 for concealed carry, there’s no reason you can’t back it up with a spare 15 or 17-round magazine in your pocket. 

Plus, I can attest to the fact that popping in an extended magazine with 30+ rounds is always a fun upgrade regardless of the pistol’s size.
 

Pistol Optics

If you haven’t tried using pistol optics yet, you’re officially behind the curve. Don’t feel bad. I’m a bit behind, too. What can I say? I like my old iron sights, but adding pistol-mounted dots to Glocks is well beyond a trend at this point. Nearly all the regular shooters I know say they shoot significantly better after spending some quality time with pistol optics

Pistol optics are getting more and more affordable and increasingly compact and durable. Heck, Holosun’s micro dots have proven robust enough to find their way onto tactical shotguns now. I have a few that I share between several handguns, but it’s likely just a matter of time before a dot finds a permanent place on my carry gun.
 

Holsters Galore

 Holsters are a no-brainer for upgrades, and we’re lucky enough to live in a golden age of holsters. I find it helpful to have at least one inside-the-waistband and one outside-the-waistband holster for any gun I want to train with and carry.

Custom Triggers, Springs, & Controls

After years of using the same old stock Glock trigger that works fine enough but feels a bit like breaking a matchstick, I finally decided to upgrade my personal Glock 19 Gen 4 with a Zev Technologies flat-faced pro trigger. 

I didn’t hate my stock trigger, but I also can’t deny the upgrade improved my shooting on my next range trip. I was even surprised by how easy it was to complete the upgrade in just a few minutes. Just push out a few pins, pull out the trigger, add the new one, and you’re set. That’s all it took to move from a 6.3-pound pull with a somewhat springy break to a much crisper pull and break that’s closer to 3 pounds. 
 

You can also tweak a lot of other things to customize the controls. Changing the magazine release button and the slide stop are two popular options, but I found I got more shooting improvement out of the trigger and springs. 
 

Training Tools

Ammo isn’t infinite or free. Finding budget-friendly ways to train is a great way to save money over time while still getting your trigger done. I’ve gathered a healthy number of options over the years. 
 

DryFireMag makes a product that resets your trigger after each pull so you can get more reps during your dry-fire training without modifying your gun. I’m also a fan of laser training, whether it’s with a dedicated training pistol like the SIRT 101 or a more affordable laser cartridge. The company Mantis even makes an entire program for laser training.
 

Bonus

If you’re just a true fan of the Glock brand and/or love military gear, Glock actually has a longer history making knives for the Austrian military than it does making guns. I picked one up nearly a decade ago. The narrow, bayonet-like blade has saw teeth on the back spine that cuts with the forward push to maximize your leverage given its size. All in all, it’s an affordable and simple field knife that’s durable and has Glock's distinct flare for simplicity.

You can see Glock’s history with polymer materials in these rather streamlined blades, and Glock offers its field knives in a variety of colors. I’m partial to the green, but you can pick your poison between options in black, OD green, gray, and flat dark earth. Glock even has a line of compact, collapsible entrenching tools if you really want to go full Glock with your gear. 
 

Final Thoughts: Tools

Tools don’t always get a lot of glory when people think about firearm upgrades, but I cannot tell you how many times a sight pusher, vice, punch, or wrench kit has saved me loads of money and time.

Glock’s designs are simple and easy to work on for most normal upgrades. Plus, the guns are so popular that there’s likely a custom tool for almost anything you want to accomplish. So, once Legos lose their appeal – if they ever do for you – Glock’s extensive line of handguns offer a ton of customization options that could easily fill plenty of hobby time.