If you’ve been around a military or law enforcement armory lately, chances are you’ve heard people talking about the Glock 47. This full-size 9mm semi-automatic pistol has been getting plenty of attention since it debuted with U.S. Customs and Border Protection—and now that it’s available to civilian shooters, it’s making waves in both tactical and sport shooting communities.
The Glock 47 did not magically appear. It was a product of necessity, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection needed a new sidearm to replace their venerable HK P2000s. They required a modular, reliable, and affordable option. Glock’s response was to take the top-selling parts of its most popular pistols—the Glock 17, Glock 19, and Glock 45—and combine them into one fewer design to simplify parts, maintenance, and logistics.
What makes the Glock 47 stand out is its modularity. You can compare it to the Swiss Army knife of duty guns. It has a full-frame size with a 17-round magazine and a 4.49-inch barrel—the same as the Glock 17—for rock-solid accuracy and control.
But the dust cover is a bit shorter, so you can swap it in a slide from a Glock 19 Gen 5 or Glock 45 Gen 5 without a problem. For large agencies, this sort of parts compatibility simplifies dealing with fleets of pistols considerably, saving money and facilitating repair.
The specs are all that a modern service pistol requires. It is offered in a steel-reinforced polymer frame, a corrosion-resistant nDLC-coated steel slide, and Glock’s Marksman Barrel for better accuracy. The MOS model is optic-ready, so it’s quick and easy to mount a red dot sight.
Ambidextrous controls, backstrap interchangeability, and a flared magwell make it comfortable and adjustable for shooters with smaller and larger hands and shooting styles.
On the range, the Glock 47 performs exactly how you’d expect from a pistol built for America’s largest law enforcement agency. Recoil is easy to manage, accuracy is dependable, and the Gen 5 trigger offers a smooth pull with a crisp reset. Whether you’re running defensive ammunition or just training, it stays consistent and reliable, even in rough conditions.
Relative to the Glock 17, the likenesses become obvious—they share the same caliber, same magazine capacity, and are the same basic size. But the Glock 47 has a secret up its sleeve: it will accept slides and barrels from other Gen 5 models, including the Glock 19.
That makes it more versatile than the Glock 17 can be, enabling you to configure it for multiple uses without necessitating a whole new gun.
To police, that same flexibility means they can reduce inventory complexity, reduce training complexity, and reduce maintenance complexity. To civilian owners, especially those who are already Gen 5 Glock owners, it means an opportunity for customization for competition shooting, home defense, or just the fun of having a pistol that is good at a few things.
The Glock 47 is not merely another full-size 9mm. It’s an adaptable, rugged platform with duty and everyday carry in mind. It combines Glock’s proven reliability with the versatility today’s shooters demand, making it a good idea whether patrolling the streets or shooting a Saturday at the range.