SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive G19X MOS
Good evening everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the brand new YHM 338 Bad Larry Suppressor. Last week we hit the range at dusk for a bit of flash testing with the SureFire SOCOM 556 RC3 and RC2 suppressors. This week we switch it up a bit with a new GLOCK suppressor host – the G19X MOS with a threaded barrel, an exclusive release from Davidson’s. Why am I excited about what appears to be a few small modifications on a five year old pistol model? Let’s take a look.
More GLOCK @ TFB:
Other gear used in this review:
YHM R9 Suppressor
Trijicon RMR HD
SureFire XH30 Masterfire
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive Release G19X MOS
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive G19X MOS
I have begged the fine people at GLOCK HQ for years to add a suppressor-ready model to the production lineup. Not that I expected any movement on the issue because, first, who the f**k am I to be making model release requests to arguably the most iconic pistol manufacturer in the world. And second, in terms of overall sales, the number of pistols that go on to be suppressor hosts has to be pretty low. And if you know anything about manufacturing processes and assembly lines, it is not a great idea to take machine time away from the best selling models for more niche products that may spend a longer time on distributor or dealer shelves before arriving at their forever homes.
The simple fact is, defensive handguns like the G17 and G19 are popular and in high demand. There is a lower demand for suppressor-ready models..
Lucky for us silencer nerds, GLOCK has worked out manufacturing agreements with distributors like Davidson’s for exclusive release models and configurations that would normally require buying a standard pistol and later buying additional parts to make a specific configuration to meet the shooter’s ultimate needs. It’s not a huge deal when someone only plans to to swap out for custom sights, but adding a threaded barrel can run up to $250, about half as much of the cost of the entire pistol.
The downside is that these limited releases are, well, limited, and once a few thousand are sold from the manufacturing run, they are likely gone for good. Someone reading this review a year from now who then decides that they want to purchase a G19X MOS may be out of luck. However, production models like the G19X and G45 MOS are always entering the supply chain on a regular basis.
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive Release G19X MOS (L to R: G45 MOS, G19X MOS, G19X)
Which brings up one final thought before we head into the review: can’t you just build a suppressor host with a standard GLOCK and some aftermarket parts? Of course, and I have done it many times in the past. But the point of a factory GLOCK host is having all genuine GLOCK parts in a factory tested configuration.
Long story made short, I’m happy that GLOCK and Davidson’s teamed up for this limited release suppressor host, even if they do sell out in a few months.
Let’s take a look at the numbers.
GLOCK 19X MOS – Davidson’s Exclusive
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive Release G19X MOS
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive Release G19X MOS
Let’s get the minor detractors out of the way first. The forward leading nub on the magazine well from the original G19X is still there, which means that it won’t accept Gen 5 magazines without modification. If I was Gaston’s grandson, I would have suggested that this model use the G45 mold and forego the nub and the removable lanyard loop. The saving grace here is that there is almost no reason to not use the +3 = extended magazines included with the pistol – you really aren’t trying to save on size or weight.
I hope the general who suggested the nub (probably to prevent snags) for the MHS submission is retired and enjoying a slightly bitter mai tai tonight.
And the last minor issue I had was with the sight choice. I was happy that they were suppressor height sights, but I like having tritium night sights on my defensive pistols. Realistically, the chance of having an optic go down and not having enough light to get a good sight picture is relatively low, but I do think it’s an important feature. My guess is that it was strictly a cost decision – adding night sights probably would have meant close to adding $100 more on the MSRP.
As you can see in the specifications section above, the area under the MOS plate is PVD coated like other factory MOS GLOCK pistols. There was speculation that the MOS cut was done after production, so I hope this puts those questions to rest. The G19X MOS comes with one MOS adapter plate, the #2 for RMR footprint optics, and mounting screws. Setup is easy – remove the cover plate with the included torx wrench, install the mounting plate with the shorter torx screws, and install the optic using the manufacturer’s instructions.
The barrel is threaded in the standard US pitch 1/2 x 28 and is serialized the same as the slide and frame. Matching serial numbers and a real GLOCK polygonal rifled GLOCK Marksman Barrel were the biggest selling point for me since this is one of the first factory-ready suppressor host pistols from the Austrian powerhouse. A few years ago, a Gen 5 G19 with a threaded barrel, another exclusive/limited release, was brought to market, but it lacked the MOS features. A few of them can still be found on Gunbroker for a slight premium.
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive Release G19X MOS
Years ago there were claims that GLOCK pistols made poor suppressor hosts. The Browning tilting-barrel actions may not be as good as some delayed blowback actions, but I have never had an issue suppressing GLOCKs specifically. With the right ammo (a quality subsonic round), the G19X MOS is hearing safe*, especially in an outdoor setting. Extracting, ejecting, and chambering are smooth processes and there is no blowback of gas or particulates (some pistols can eject some nasty stuff out the back of the slide).
*”Hearing safe is a bit of a misnomer. Wear hearing protection with any centerfire round.
The YHM R9 is right at home on the G19X MOS – it’s a shorter can than most 9mm options, but it suppresses at full-size levels. It’s not the lightest option on the market but it isn’t heavy either. And the price hovers an an extremely reasonable sub-$500 entry point.
SILENCER SATURDAY #316: GLOCK Suppressor Host – The Exclusive Release G19X MOS
Many of you will be happy building a suppressor host with a standard GLOCK and an aftermarket threaded barrel. For someone like me, who has been practically begging for a factory suppressor-ready GLOCK for years, the Davidson’s exclusive G19X MOS is a welcome addition to the lineup. But it is only available for a limited time, so I wouldn’t wait too long.
Thanks for reading, be safe, have fun, and we’ll see you back here next week for another Silencer Saturday.
