Bigger is Better: Glock 40 GEN4 MOS 10MM

Love the long slide? Than this is the GLOCK for you.

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Bigger Can Be Better

Make no mistake; this gun is full-sized. The buzz for the last few years has been around small, concealed carry pistols. The GLOCK 40 GEN4 MOS 10mm is not a concealed carry pistol. However, it is something very special. A powerful gun suitable for serious hunting and self-defense in the back country from both 2 and 4-legged predators. On the range, with the correct load and an optic installed, this could be a serious competitive handgun.

GLOCKK 40 Specs.tiff — Big. Heavy. Impressive. No hiding these simple facts.

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A Caliber I Can Learn to Love

This gun comes to you in the neglected caliber of 10mm. Shooting it with 10mm American Eagle 180 grain FMJ, the recoil is less than the snap of the GLOCK 22 in 40 S&W with a comparable load. Changing rounds to something like oh… I don’t know, the Hornady 155gr XTP (leaving the muzzle at 1250 FPS), you now have a handgun for serious purposes. One more ammo change to Cor Bon 200gr RNPN hunter loads and even black bear begin to get scared. Without going to a revolver, I have trouble finding another round that can deliver all this. Did I mention that each of the magazines pack 15 rounds of your choice? Compare that with 13 rounds 45ACP for the GLOCK 21 and you’ll begin to see the potential.

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Two cases in the air, and two shots on target. The GLOCK 40 can be both fast and accurate.

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The Difference at the Range

I loaded the gun with the American Eagle 180 grain FMJ and fired 6 rounds at 7 yards from a two-handed stance and was rewarded with a 1.22” grouping. I was not only impressed with the precision of the GLOCK 40, but how soft-shooting and controllable the pistol was. I had no problem delivering “A” zone hits with splits within 2 tenths of a second. This gun will fit in the IDPA box and will make a solid competition gun.

The placement of the rear sight allows for an optimal placement of the MOS plates. You don't have to lose the rear sight to add a red-dot. — The placement of the rear sight allows for an optimal placement of the MOS plates. You don’t have to lose the rear sight to add a red-dot.

I asked experienced shooters to take a turn on this blaster and–without fail–they all noted the manageable recoil and how fun the gun was to shoot. There was a necessary adjustment to the size of the gun but this passed quickly once the brass began to fly.

There is recoil, and the gun is prone to muzzle-rise and torque. If you don’t have a solid grip, the barrel end rises significantly and twists counter clockwise (from the 12:00 position to the 10:45-11:00). Hold it firmly, though, and the recoil is as easily managed most compact autos.

Modular Plastic

The box I opened was a veritable shooting smorgasbord. First, the obvious: Generation 4 comes with 5 back strap possibilities. I quickly found that the medium back strap with a beavertail was perfect for me. As the grip is housing 15 rounds of 10mm, having some way to adjust girth is a real bonus. You will find that the grip is big, regardless, but it is manageable.

And the sights are a step up from what you typically find on a GLOCK.

Next: the factory adjustable sights. Great feature for a handgun whose load versatility will have many different points of impact. The rear sight hangs off the back a bit, which doesn’t inspire confidence–though the style has been thoroughly tested and holstering and other abuses don’t seem to shake it.

Saving the best for last, the plate in front of the rear sight is removable. Remove the plate and choose from one of the 4 interchangeable mounts. This is the Modular Optic System (MOS) of the title. These allow installation of your favorite red dot optic. You can choose optics from DOCTER / INSIGHT / MEOPTA/ TRIJICON /LEUPOLD. You can add tall sights to co-witness the optic, providing backup in case of optic failure.

All in all, the GLOCK shoots incredibly well out of the box. With the MOS system, and the incredible diversity of aftermarket sights, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to tailor this gun’s sight system to your exact needs.

A Hunting Pistol

We haven’t gotten too deep into the intended purpose of this gun. Competition, yes–but that may be a bit of a long shot. The 10mm round is expensive, and could be overkill for most pistol shooters. Then there’s the obvious potential for self-defense. If you don’t mind carrying around this hunk of steel, than this would be an ideal self-defense gun. But it won’t be as fast from the holster as lighter, smaller GLOCKs, and it won’t be easy to conceal. So who will the 40 appeal to instantly?

The GLOCK 40 just screams to be taken to the field. Loaded with the Buffalo Boar flat point heavy bullets, any self-respecting Razorback boar is sure to fall out of respect for this hog hunter. I am already planning on adding a reflex sight. This should extend the range out to most shots found in the wooded hills of the Ozark National Forest. With a rig to carry the gun, and magazines for the hunt, I will be good to go. I am thinking the Galco Great Alaskan Shoulder System or maybe a Kenai Chest Holster from Gunfighter, Inc. Both of the images below show revolvers, but the G40 is an automatic that could rival the terminal ballistics of the big wheel guns, and smoke them when it comes to capacity.

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The Great Alaskan has the benefit of being worn over outerwear, which means no fumbling for the gun under a coat on a cold weather hunt.

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The Kenai, like the peninsula itself, appeals to fishermen. The high-up placement keeps the gun out of the water for those who want or need to wade.

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The Big Bottom Line

This gun is one that stands out in the sea of black plastic for good reasons. I only gave the G41 a yawn when I took a turn on it following its roll out. The G40 is packed with the right set of options, full of real potential for the range and woods. The thing you have to know is this is not a concealed carry gun for most folks, as it is big, wide and heavy. It can be done but most will not put out the effort.

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The G40 is a beast. Up against some of the other GLOCKs, the 40 shows its size.

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And this is how it shoots. Keep in mind that we haven't tested our typical varitey of loads, or matched a bullet shape to the gun for performance purposes. This is what we got on our opening warm-ups. — And this is how it shoots. Keep in mind that we haven’t tested our typical varitey of loads, or matched a bullet shape to the gun for performance purposes. This is what we got on our opening warm-ups.

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This is that one special occasion gun that will shine where your EDC gun will be found lacking. The GLOCK 40 is a pricey plastic pistol. New, it has a $700.00 price tag (plus another $700.00 to add a Trijicon RMR). You could save some on the optic if you choose. Finally, don’t forget the ammunition. 10mm is getting easier to find, but it is hardly ubiquitous. I laid out $100.00 on 3 boxes (the only boxes in-stock at my very well stocked FFL). So when you consider the cost, consider what you’ll need to both maximize its potential and keep it running.

The lingering questions

We’re thrilled to get the GLOCK 40 in hand. Unlike a lot of the pistols we get in, we all fought over this one. Not only is it a GLOCK (a brand that has earned our respect), but it is a 10mm–and that’s a round that stirs up some debate. It is a hard hitting round, when done right. But most of the off-the-shelf 10mm seems to be seriously anemic. The muzzle velocities are almost shockingly low. Why is that? Is the honest-to-God, Real-Deal-Holyfield 10mm so big and bad that we couldn’t handle it? Why dumb it down? I thought that was the whole point behind the very existence of the .40 S&W!

Well we intend to find out. After feeding the GLOCK 40 some over-the-counter 10mm, we sought the hard stuff. Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore have sent up a couple of loads that should really push the limits of the gun.

So we’ll be back soon with some big-bore gel destruction. Stay tuned. And we won’t stop there. All you Arkansas fans can holler Woo-Pig-Sooie all you want, but there are some razorbacks that are about to be guinea pigs. And keep all your judgmental bullshit to yourself. We’ll be hunting in the name of science. Very tasty science.

And we’ve got red-dots in-bound, too. So once we know what the 10mm is capable of producing, we’ll see how the optics stand up to the abuse.