The new G41 Gen4 pistol gets everything out of the .45 ACP cartridge, and then some.
Not long ago, a pal of mine got hold of a G41 Gen4 to evaluate as a duty sidearm, and when he showed the pistol to me, I have to admit I was intrigued. It looks like a Glock. It functions like a Glock. It has that low slide profile like a Glock. It’s a Glock!
Ahhh, but it shoots like the proverbial house on fire. Get used to the trigger and pretty soon you’ll be bouncing a tin can around at 25 yards with 230-grain ball launched from a pistol that holds 13 rounds in the magazine. That is darned near twice the capacity of the original Model 1911, and find yourself in a gunfight and you‘ll definitely like that math.
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Some folks have said this is a lot like a longer-barreled version of the G21 Gen4, but that’s not entirely accurate. It definitely has a thinner profile, and I like that.
I seriously tried to screw with this pistol by using all kinds of ammunition, which it cycled without fail.
The rounds I finally settled on for the range evaluation performed without a hiccup. By the time the dust had settled, I had a new respect for a sidearm that is very likely going to find its way into duty holsters all over the landscape. My guess is that the G41 Gen4 is going to acquit itself rather well on the mean streets.
Unloaded, this pistol weighs 27 ounces and loaded, it hits the scale at 36 ounces. Now, here’s where the longer barrel and slide profile make a real difference. There is more weight forward that balances well against a fully-loaded magazine, which makes for a better feel in the hand, improved recovery after each shot for quick follow-ups if necessary and the 7.56-inch sight radius contributes to more consistent accuracy.
Glock 41 Review: In the Hand
Recoil is extremely manageable, thanks in large part to the weight and to the double recoil spring setup. That soaks up a lot of punch, and your hands will benefit as a result. The polymer grip frame is textured all the way around, even in the front finger grooves.
Translate this to a positive hold even in a Pacific Northwest rainstorm, which is what I shoot in more often than I care. That’s one thing about Washington, if you want to test a gun in the rain, you’ll get the chance. Just go outside and wait.
According to Glock’s website, this pistol has a 5.5-pound trigger pull with a 0.49-inch travel, but it also has a very short reset. I found this rather appealing and managed to plug a couple of targets repeatedly before turning my attention to some broken chunks of clay targets, turning a few of those into even smaller particles.
Stripping down this pistol goes like it does with every other Glock. Clear the chamber, drop the magazine, check clear, press trigger and move the takedown control and off comes the slide. A good aerosol cleaner will get the Glock clean inside and then you can quickly reassemble for a return to shooting action.
Added Features
Like so many pistols today, the G41 Gen4 has an accessory rail molded into the polymer frame ahead of the trigger guard. One of the main reasons this pistol got my attention was because it comes with interchangeable grip adapters that may be installed to let users tailor the pistol to their hand size.
To install, simply pop out the small pin at the top of the grip backstrap, slide on one of the four adjustment sections and then tap in a longer retention pin to hold the additional piece in place. The whole operation takes less than a minute.
Two of these grip adjusters have full beavertails and two do not, sized instead to marry up to the backstrap below the top rear of the frame.
In addition, the pistol comes with a magazine loader, rugged case and lock, and a synthetic cleaning rod and brush. It’s an impressive package.
Ammo Test
Out of the G41, the Black Hills 230-grain FMJ scooted across my chronograph at an average of 760.9 fps, a bit on the slow side, but not so much that I’m going to be concerned, though it did prove to be the slowest round of the bunch I chronographed.
Next up, Remington’s UMC 230-grain leadless range ammo clocked at 787 fps, and it was a consistently accurate round. Coming in next was the Remington 230-grain Golden Saber JHP with its brass jacket. This load averaged 829.9 fps, which is right in the ballpark for any bullet of that weight. I carry Golden Sabers occasionally in my personal .45, and have never had a concern about their performance.
Winchester’s 230-grain JHP Personal Protection load averaged 854.9 fps, and that’s not bad for a hollowpoint, either. The G41 seemed to like this cartridge, it fed well and I broke up a couple of busted clay targets at 25 yards off a makeshift rest, so it’s going to deliver the goods if you do your part.
For those who like sizzle, Remington’s 185-grain JHP zipped out of the muzzle at 1,047 fps average. It got my attention, and the 185-grain pill out of any .45-caliber semi-auto I’ve ever fired turns in impressive ballistics.
Now, for those who like a rugged, reliable striker-fired pistol in .45 ACP with a long sight radius, serious firepower and the capacity to digest every kind of ammunition on the shelf, I think you will be pleased with the Glock G41 Gen4. It is a pistol that has a bright future in dark places.
Glock G41 Gen 4
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 13+1
Magazines: One 13-round
Barrel: 5.31”
Sights: White dot front, white bracket rear
Frame: Matte polymer
Slide: Tenifer
Length: 8.9”
Height: 5.47”
Weight: 27 oz. unloaded/36 oz. loaded
Options: Interchangeable backstraps, magazine loader, cleaning rod and brush, case
MSRP: $775
This article is excerpted from the May 15 2014 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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This guy seems to be doing alright with the 41 at 100 yards. It isn’t the gun normally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95YAUBUK4rA
i would just like to remind the comment guys that XDM and M&P are both clones of the first reliable and accurate polymer hand gun the Glock pistol was the one that really started it all,(not to discount the H&K VP70 just not as popular). research Smith and Wesson and there first polymer clone of a Glock. As for the accuracy im sure its about the same as the rest of them standard battle sight accuracy and that has alot to do with the guy pulling the trigger.
Glocks are nice guns. It is good to see their “unique reliability” mantra has company and forced their evolution. Seems like someone got the memo and created an XDM or M&P clone.
Anytime you see a test of a full size pistol tested at only 15 yards instead of 25 yards that’s a dead giveaway the accuracy of said weapon sucks.
Well, ‘bhpo,’ I shot at targets at several different ranges during my evaluation. The image of my 15 yard target just happened to be the one we used in the review, so for the sake of accuracy, I said so in the caption. I bounced a 16-ounce tin can around at 25 yards, and that’s a lot smaller than the paper target you see in the image.
Considering that the average gunfight distance is SEVEN yards — a mere 21 feet — I’d give this Glock pretty good marks.
BS. NOBODY shoots defensively at 25 yards; therefore, WHY train or test a handgun at that distance?
Have you ever shot a GLOCK 41 before ? This gun can shoot at just about any distance you want it to ! 5 ft. to 400 yards & counting, I know because I’ve seen it done before . The GLOCK 41 will put your D*** in your watch pocket ! Nuff said !!