Glock Model 26 9mm Pocket Pistol

Glock’s Model 26 has been around for many years now. Commonly referred to as the “Pocket Glock” or “Baby Glock“, it is Glock’s smallest pistol that is imported into the United States. Compact in size, and relatively light in weight, I qualify the term “pocket Glock” with the Model 26 with the prerequisite that the little Glock be carried in a good pocket holster, and not just loose in the pocket. Its short-pull trigger really needs to be covered in a pocket, and a pocket holster also keeps the weapon properly positioned in the user’s pocket for quick retrieval. While it will ride comfortably in a pocket, it is even better suited to concealed carry in a good belt holster. More on that later.

The Model 26 weighs in at about 21.5 ounces empty, is about six and one-half inches in length and four inches high. In overall size, it is about the same as a pocket .38 Special revolver, but offers over twice the loaded ammunition capacity. The 26 holds ten shots of 9mm ammo in its magazine, for a loaded capacity of eleven.

Like all Glock pistols, the Baby Glock is as reliable as a mechanical device can be. They work. Reliability is everything in a defensive pistol, and the 26 is very reliable. The Glock is one of the very few pistols that I would grab and rely upon without extensive testing. They have an enviable track record, especially the 9mm Glocks. The Glock is an easy pistol to learn to shoot well. The trigger pull is relatively easy to learn, and there are no external safeties to manipulate. To fire the weapon, you simply pull the trigger.

The Glock is also easy to disassemble and reassemble for maintenance, without the use of tools.

The Glock 26 shown here has the two-tone finish, wearing Glock’s tough Tennifer metal coating, contrasting with the Olive Green frame. As should any defensive pistol, the Glock shown here is wearing the optional tritium night sights, which allow accurate shot placement in dimly lit situations. The Glock 26 comes in a hard case with two magazines and a magazine loader, which is a welcome tool when trying to fully load the magazine. The frame is contoured and textured for a good hold, even with wet hands or while wearing gloves.

Many folks look with disdain upon the 9mm as a defensive cartridge. I do not. I often carry a 9mm auto pistol. I also sometimes carry a .45, .38, .357 magnum, or a .22 magnum. Like any handgun cartridge, the 9mm is not ideal in a gunfight. I greatly prefer a rifle or shotgun for such matters, but the handgun is a compromise. With any handgun in a fight, you should shoot quickly and shoot often, and make sure that the bullets land where intended. Eleven 9mm hollowpoints will pretty much solve any social situation that can be solved with a handgun.

The shooting world is now flush with small 9mm auto pistols. The Glock is not the smallest nor the lightest available, but it is built to last. Many small ultra light autos are made to carry a lot and shoot a little, and they do fill a role that needed filling, but are not really built for a lot of heavy shooting. The Baby Glock, however, is just as strong and just as durable as the full size Glocks. The Model 26 can be expected to last for many thousands of rounds before needing a major rebuild.

There is one modification that I make to any Glock, and also to many other auto pistols, that insures reliability, softens felt recoil, and protects the weapon from wear. That is the DPM Multi-Spring Recoil Reducer. This is a captured recoil spring and guide rod system that is a drop-in replacement for the stock unit, and it works noticeably well in making the auto pistol both easier to shoot quickly and smoother in function. The DPM simply helps me to shoot better, so I like it. Anything that makes me a better shooter is just fine with me. It also stops the “slamming” rearward of the slide in operation, making things to run smoother, and likely increasing the longevity of the pistol. Watching the video, you can see how smoothly this Baby Glock runs with the DPM installed. It is not bad with the stock spring unit, but the DPM is a noticeable improvement. The unit extends from the front of the slide about three sixteenths of an inch farther than the stock unit, but it in no way hampers the concealability of the weapon.

I’ve been carrying this baby Glock around lately in a new holster made by Bob Mernickle. Similar in concept to a “small-of-the-back” holster, this Mernickle holster is designed to be worn to the side a bit. Centered in the back is not an ideal place to carry a handgun, but does offer good concealment. Just as concealable, but moved to the strong side a bit, the Mernickle holster allows the weapon to be drawn with the shooter's palm facing outward, meaning that the muzzle never sweeps past the owner’s body. It is quick to get into action, easier to reach even while seated, and very well concealed under an unbuttoned shirt or jacket. Bob Mernickle makes top quality leather holsters, and I highly recommend this new design shown here.

Glock now has something like around thirty different models, but the Model 26 remains one of my favorites. It is not the newest, the fanciest, nor the most powerful, but it is one of the handiest and most useful Glock models available, especially for concealed carry.

You can order the DPM Recoil Reducing Guide Rod System at: www.glockuser.com.

DPM Systems Technologies' recoil reduction system is a worthy addition to any Glock.

Jeff with DPM Systems Technologies' Dimitrios Mantas (left) and Eleni Chroni (right) at SHOT 2008.

Mernickle holster is a fine choice for minimalist carry.

Drawing from the Mernickle holster is easy and safe.

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