It shouldn't come as a surprise that the US Secret Service choose Glock 19 & Glock 47 pistols after CBP adopted the same guns back in April. It seems that after the FBI's move to the 9mm cartridge and the adoption of the Glock has spurred many other agencies to take a hard look at not only the caliber they have chosen to carry but also the model of pistol.
While many of you have already read the news about the Secret Service's move to Glock, I wanted to spend some time talking to industry contacts to find as much information as possible rather than regurgitating the same information. As a result, some of the information we are going to share with you, while vetted, can not be officially confirmed by the company or Secret Service.
The move away from the 20-year relationship with SIG Sauer is interesting, especially when you stop and think about how many presidencies the SIG P229 chambered in .357 Sig has protected. SIG wasn't discounted from consideration for the Secret Services new pistol, our information is that the SIG P320 was eliminated from selection due to a reason that was not disclosed.
No official word has surfaced since news that the Secret Service choose Glock as their new sidearm. Soldier Systems Daily has obtained information that in an internal memo Secret Service Director James Murray announced the sidearm replacement. SSD was the only source I found reporting that the Glock 26 Gen 5 was also selected and that the acquisition of the handguns will be made through the $85 million CBP contract awarded to Glock in April 2019.
Soldier Systems also reported that the transition from the SIG Sauer P229 to the Glock pistols will be completed by 2021.
US Secret Service Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS
The US Secret Service Glock 19 will be a Gen 5 pistol fitted with the Glock MOS system, giving agents the ability to fit a red dot in the future. There was no red dot specified in the information we were able to gather, more on that in a bit.
As we understand it, the Secret Service Glock 19 will be issued with a Streamlight TLR-7 weapon light, but the issued model will differ from what is on the market now. An unnamed source informed us that the updated TLR-7 switches shown at Warrior West 2019 were developed at the request of USSS. The new switches will address some common complaints about the Streamlight TLR-7 but sadly we were not able to learn when they will be on the civilian market.
Also fitted to the Secret Service's Glocks will BE the same Ameriglo Bold sights found on the CBP pistols. The sights feature a high visibility orange ring around a tritium vial on the front sight and a traditional square notch rear with glare-reducing serrations and two tritium vials in the rear.
I would wager a guess that the US Secret Service will also be issuing the Raven Concealment Perun LC for the Glock 19 / Streamlight TLR-7 combo, it seems to make the most sense in this role. We were not able to officially confirm that detail, but I feel it is a reasonable assumption. With the excellent options for concealed carry like the Tenicor SAGAX LUX and the PHLster Spotlight for TLR-7, it is really hard to make a prediction as to who might fulfill the need for a concealment holster.
US Secret Service Glock 47 Gen 5 MOS
The Glock 19 isn't the only pistol selected, the law enforcement exclusive Glock 47 will also be issued to Secret Service Special Operations. Outfitted much the same as the Glock 19 the Secret Service's Glock 47 will be fitted with a Surefire X300 Ultra, likely the 1,000-lumen model since the older 600-lumen model has been fully replaced.
The Glock 47 was introduced in response to the CBP contract to make the Glock platform more modular. With both the Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS and the Glock 47 being issued to Agents, they will be able to configure the pistol in the Glock 47's full-size configuration, the 47's slide on the Glock 19 frame, or the 19's slide on the 47's frame. The end result is a modular platform that doesn't require a chassis to be removed from the grip.
Sadly the Glock 47 appears to be available for agency purchases only currently. When we checked with a Glock Blue Label dealer, we were told that the Glock 47 wasn't even an option for individual officer purchase like the Glock M series guns.
Again, given the professional attire that the Secret Service wears it stands to reason that the Raven Concealment Perun LC will be the holster of choice for non-operational wear, but the Glock 47's use is likely to be limited to tactical roles. My educated guess on the tactical holster will be some variation of the excellent Safariland 6300 series holster, likely the 6390 RDS model based on current trends in the tactical community.
US Secret Service Glock 26 Gen 5
While I hadn't seen anything that suggested that there was to be a Secret Service Glock 26 beyond the mention on Soldier Systems, they are normally very spot on when reporting on this sort of thing.
We suspect that if the Secret Service does adopt a Glock 26, it will be the same one that CBP chose. That means Ameriglo Bold sights, the removal of the "toe" to allow Gen 5 magazine baseplates to be used, and forward serrations.
Where Is The Dot?
I do find it interesting that with the exception of the FBI's Glock 17M, most agencies are adopting a red dot ready pistol but not selecting an optic. I am inclined to think that they are planning for the possibility of approving officers and agents to use an MRDS in the future. There is nothing to indicate that any decision has been made, but after further testing, it stands to reason that a micro red dot of some type will be issued agency-wide.
Regardless of what new information comes to light, we will absolutely keep you as up to date as more information comes available.
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Well you can't say the Glock 19 isn't a VERY WELL TESTED AND PROVEN WEAPON, RIGHT?
Yes 9mm is ho hum but bean counters don't care about that. And the weapon has outstanding reliability. Should do about as good as any other possible 9mm platform. Parts are cheep, easy to maintain, very easy to modify, accurate enough.. just not a 'cool' pick.
Fine with me!
DONT BOTHER HIDING WHAT WE’re packing after the bs they’ve already done
AWESOMENESS MY SISTER •GOD•666•DEVIL• created for us
I'd like to find out more? I'd care to find out
some additional information.
Thank you for the heads up (even though I am a bit late to the party). Personally, I don't like the changes to the grip the CBP opted for in the G26 & G19 because of the way the magazine floor plate tilts. In the G47, like the G17 and G45, you can see how it points up mitigating the extra length of the floorplate in the canted position (imagine orientating the pistol canted on your hip under a t-shirt). This maximizes concealment (when the pistol is canted). Adding just a little length to the G26 and G19 pistols, however, can cause those pistols to print more because their floorplates tilt the other way. I used to use GAP Enterprises floor plates on my G26 & G19 pistols which had a similar effect. Whereas I could easily carry either gun wearing the right clothing with a good OWB holster and flush magazine, the extended floor plate would almost always print, and I don't think the practical aspect of extending the floorplates to rip out magazines outweighs the point of smaller pistols meant for concealment. Personally, I've had Gen3, Gen4 and Gen5 Glock 19 and 26 pistols, and although I prefer the latest incarnation of G19's (with the flush mag plate and without finger grooves or the cutaway in front of the grip), I prefer having the finger grooves on the G26 (with the Gen4/Gen5 grip texture). The finger grooves somehow bothered me on my Gen3 & Gen4 G19 pistols, but they never bothered me on the G26 and I prefer them over them missing on my Gen5. I feel I have a more secure grip on my Gen4 G26 with the finger grooves than I ever did on my Gen5 G26 which lacks them (so much that I sold it).
Gaston Glock had it right 25 years ago (save for the grip texture). Unfortunately, the guy is in his 90's now and it's doubtful he's behind these alterations. If he was magically rejuvenated to his 50's or 60's, however, I don't think he would have eliminated the finger grooves and dimensions of the G26 grip which was perfection in my opinion.
Thanks, Patrick. Please keep us informed if you find out anything new.
Absolutely will! Working on setting up a killer interview with some of those involved, if I can make it work it should prove to be interesting as hell!
Nice article.
Have you confirmed the USSS pistol will have forward serrations? I have not seen that anywhere else.
I think the FBI uses the Ameriglo Agent sights with the "u" notch...the Bolds have a square notch, I believe.
The USSS pistol is being fulfilled as part of the CBP contract which is a forward serration pistol. Unfortunately, USSS would not conform, BUT we did get conformation from the same anonymous source that told us USSS was the driving force for the TLR-7 switch update that they will be FS models.
You are 100% correct, that is an error on my part. The USSS & CBP guns will have the squared notch, not the U notch like the FBI contract guns. A correction has been made, that was my error.