I carry a 38spl for EDC but I’m looking for a better gun to carry in the woods and keep ready in the house. I’d like to get a 10mm, and wanted something I could attach a light to for multiple reasons. Can somebody convince me which model to go with? I think the 20 would fit the bill well but would be hard to conceal in the event I’d want to carry IWB. The 29 would work well concealed carry but I’m not sure about handling the recoil in the smaller platform (I’ve never shot a 10mm).

If you’ve never shot a 10mm - I’d go with a 9mm instead and get a glock 19.

Not sure where you are but unless you are in grizzly country I don’t see the benefit of a 10mm

If you decide to stick with a 10 I’d go with the Model 20 for maximum shootability

Ive got a 20, 21,30 and a 29. I carry the 20 and 21 most of the time. At restaurants, Church, walmart or anywhere else guns are permitted. IWB and sometimes OWB.
Why couldnt you unless you are a small framed person. My buddys son is skinny and carries a full sized 1911 45 Auto. But he is normal height.

Get a G23, you'll shoot it more.

I love my Glock 20 but it's took big for me to conceal comfortably. When I'm bumming in the woods or on a tractor I have it on me either in a chest holster or OWB carry. For concealed or just hiking I carry my Glock 19.


As to the 20 vs 29 I went with the 20 because I knew I wasn't going to IWB carry it and the full sized grip and gun fit me better.

Maybe I am missing something on carrying the right size gun. Maybe I need to find some tutorial on selecting the right size gun.

The right size gun for me is one that is comfortable in an IWB holster. For me, that gun is not a Glock 20 but it could be for you since you and I aren't the same person.

I'm not small framed either so that's not it, I just didn't care for the size of the 20 IWB in the holster it was in. Since I had a 19 that carried great I'm not spending more money finding a holster to carry the 20.


Maybe if I tried a different holster it would feel better but in my Desantis I did not care for carrying the 20 IWB.

I use an old soft IWB holster I bought years ago for a full sized 1911 stainless. Ive spent money on top of money on holsters and still go back to the soft type holsters. The one I have can be changed to left hand IWB carry too.
I have leather Desantis for the M2/M20 and like them too for OWB.
Again maybe Im crazy or just dont mind slight discomfort. We rode around several hours today with me carrying a M21 with a spare mag. Didnt bother me the slightest.
Plus I had 230 gr +P in it too. Really like that too.

What does “to carry in the woods” mean? Multi day hike/day hike, how do you plan on carrying it? I don’t like IWB for hiking, around town yes. I usually do a chest rig or a paddle when hiking. I’d take a G23 over a G20 and day of the week. The 10mm doesn’t do diddly dooogy for me over a 40 and If I wanted more horsepower I’d carry my 629 Mt gun or abuse a G21. Love carrying a S&W Shield 9mm in the woods. Great semi auto.

My favorite Glock is my only gen 2 model 21. It fits me the best.

Shoot a 10mm, preferably one of each you are considering. If none are available, shoot a G30 and G21 with +:P 45 ACP loads. To me at least, there isn't enough difference in recoil between the 10mm and +P 45 to mention.

No grizzlys but we do have a lot of black bears and I’d love to try deer hunting with a handgun. I don’t see a 9mm giving me much advantage over my 38. I do like the 19s, but I don’t foresee this new gun replacing my 38 for EDC.

There isn't a significant difference in recoil between the 20 and 29. If you plan on carrying primarily OWB, get the 20, IWB get the 29. I just went through this decision process and ended up buying a 29.

“In the woods” for me means a lot of different things. Primarily thinking about scouting in NC or WV when I don’t have a bow or rifle with me, but I’m still walking several miles a National Forest. Also for hiking with my wife and dogs, kayaking in remote areas, working on our cattle farm, various other things. I’m also going to be taking it to Wyoming with me as a sidearm for my hunt next year where I (if I draw) will be in or near grizzly country.

I recently picked up a 29 just because my LGS gave me a "deal I couldn't refuse!" That said, I'm finding that the 10mm is growing on me. The more I shoot it, the more I like it and I'm seriously considering a 40 MOS to do a bit of handgun hunting with. I also agree with others here....a 20 to me would work better if you're wanting to carry OWB....the 29 IWB.

Of the two, it would have to be the 29 for me. A friend has a 21, not a 20, which I've tried to shoot a bit. My stubby fingers won't wrap far enough around the grip to get a good one-handed hold. The 29 isn't good but it is less bad. 1911s suit my hands a lot better. I like 10mm but I prefer it in a revolver.

Tom

The G20. You already have a carry gun and the G29's shorter barrel doesn't allow it to capitalize on the 10mm's full power. I can't stand the short grip either even with a Pearce grip extension on the 29's magazines. The G20 is about the same size as a 1911, though slightly thicker. A fully loaded G20 weights less than a fully loaded 10mm 1911. Additionally if you want to hunt with, you'll need to consider minimum barrel length regulations that exist in many states.

This depends greatly on which generation Glock we are talking about. The grip overal diameter changes. Gen 2 and Gen 3 are the fattest. In Gen 3 there was also a Short Frame version. THe SHort FRame means the grip is smaller from front to back meaning its overall circumfirance is reduced vs. prior models. When you get to Gen 4 in the Models 20, 21, and 40 they are also reduced in grip circumfirance. I believe they are even a little smaller or at least equal to the Short Frame versions. The original Models 20 and 21 were sized for Goliath. THe newer Gen 4 however is fine. Even my wife can grasp it decently.

Mark in GA

The Gen3 SF and Gen4 are the same diameter grip, just a different texture.

If you “might” hunt in grizzly country won’t you have a rifle? You should just get a 44 Magnum or 454 Casull? If you want a 29 by all means get one you can never go wrong with a new gun! I hunt and hike in Black Bear country and would shoot one with a 5.56 62 TSX or a 9mm with 147 grain bullets and lot God sort the good from the bad. But get the 29 if you want it or a 27!

Only thing I don't like about my 29 is the availability of good factory ammunition. Most offerings are loaded pretty mildly, but you can find something hotter. Just be prepared to order it or have a local store order it for you.

The 29's size is convenient and recoil is manageable. No firsthand experience with the 20, but I'd imagine it's easier to shoot. My pinky hangs off the bottom of the 29 (nothing an extender couldn't fix).

29 is much more shootable with full house loads than I’d have thought especially with the pinky extension.

I’d base the answer to this question on how you dress and how concealed you’re going to need it.

He should buy both. Shoot them enough to make a choice and then gift the other to a friend.

I’m thinking in an emergency when my rifle may be strapped to the pack such as on a hike in or out or while carrying meat. I think I could get the pistol out of an OWB holster faster than I could get my rifle off my pack. A big revolver makes more sense probably, but I don’t own a semi auto yet

JJWise,

The G20 & 21 are the same frame just 10mm vs. 45, same goes for the G29 & 30... again 10mm & 45.

I've had the G21, 29 & 30. Only have the G30 now. I've set my G30 up for 45 Super, which recoils a bit more than the 10mm.

1.) Hold them at your local dealers; the G20/21 are still what I consider too bulky in my hand, shootable but they never felt 'right' (even the SF and Gen 4). While the G29/30 feels great.

2.) The G29 10mm, is one damned loud gun/cartridge... shooting any gun in a confined space (referrring to home defense) is going to problematic for your hearing, the G29 much more so. It's a loud bitch at my uncovered range.

3.) If you go for a G29/30, put pearce grip extensions on the magazines, makes a big difference in the grip (and recoil management)... as my pinkie hangs off of the grip with the factory mag's.

4.) Recoil and controlability of the G29 is nothing to get excited about (as long as You have the pearce grip extensions on the G29/30). Much less than than from a 44 mag.

5.) Like you I (sometimes) will take a pistol hunting, not necessary but I like handguns... usually my G30 because it is the lightest and I feel the ammunition is easier to manage in a magazine (vs. a revolver). Unless I am backpack hunting where unnecessary weight is a major concern.

6.) I use an OWB holster for field carry, IWB for my body type is not confortable with the G21/29/30, also it's not necessary in the woods.

YMMV,

Jerry

Can't see why choose the G29 over the G20 if I was going to add grip extensions that make the height about the same AND then complain about recoil and blast from a shorter barrel. Plus, loose magazine capacity. Especially since it's carried OWB anyway.

" the G20/21 are still what I consider too bulky in my hand, shootable but they never felt 'right' (even the SF and Gen 4). While the G29/30 feels great."

Jerry

The 29 is just as thick around as the 20.

Yes... And when you add a magazine extension to make it long enough to hang the pinky on, the 29 grip is as long as the 20. Doesn't make sense to me, but it doesn't have to I guess.

I understand where you’re coming from about the Glock 29/30 feeling better than the 20/21. I think some of it has to do with the shape of the back of the grip. The 29/30 has a palm filling bulge located “just right”, while the 20/21 does not - the bulge is located further down the grip, contacting the heel of the hand. The difference in feel is similar to the Glock 26 vs. the 17, and to some extent the 19 vs the 17. The 26 and 19 just feel better to me compared to the 17 due to the location of the bulge (that’s what she said), even though the circumference is the same.

Yeah, I prefer the grip on my 29 as the bottom of my palm can wrap underneath it a bit. In that way, it is effectively a smaller grip.

I own a G20 G3 SF with both 4.6” and 6” bbls; a G29; & a G40. All have KKM barrels. I also have a 6.3” bbl long-slide Dan Wesson Bruin 10mm.

I bought the G20 first as it preexisted the other three. The G20 now serves a decent roll in the main-floor safe in the kitchen as nice a self-defense tool.

Last week, I went out to my land in Colorado and camped there with a bunch of relatives, including children. There are tons of black bear poop everywhere on there. There also are big mountain lions. I recently found a dismembered deer near where we camp.

I brought the DW, which is the most refined and most accurate of the bunch, but because of fire restrictions, we couldn’t target shoots.

When I carried concealed (sometime I had to go to a town), I carried the G29 (which I can pump out 700 ft-lbs through UW ammo). When I carried open, I carried the G40. I never thought I wished I had the G20 for any reason. I didn’t have it. Didn’t’ want it. I have all three.

I wonder how many who prefer the G20, own the G29 or G40.

If I only owned the G20, I can see being seemed biased in favor of it. But I own all three. The G29 is far more concealable, and still crazy powerful. The G40 is far better than the G20 for open carry for sure.

I own both the M20 and the M29. Really like the 10MM BUT i carry a M21 45 Auto.and not my M30 45 Auto. Isnt it funny how people are. Cant really figure them out. They amaze me everyday.

I've had all three. Never really cared for the compact, in either 10mm or 45, they were fine for slow fire but gave up quite a bit to the bigger guns when trying to send more than one shot in a hurry. I still keep a 20 and aftermarket long slide 20 (what we had to buy before there was a 40) because they both have their uses.

The 29 with a pinky extention is still significantly shorter in the grip than the 20.

The 29 is great for CCW and both powerful and accurate.

After shooting 21's, 20's, 29's and 30's over a few years I found that the 10mm was consistently more accurate than the .45's in the guns I used, about 6 or 7 in all.
John