PPT Review: Glock 20 [10mm Pistol]
The Glock 20 is a 10mm pistol that lives up to Glock's looks, but does it live up to the company's famous reliability? We test it to find out!
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Glock 20 Pros & Cons
Pros
- Modern capacity
- Great price
- Accurate
- Easy to control
Cons
- Wide grip
- Stock sights suck
The Bottom Line
Glock has produced the Glock 20 since 1991 and has mastered the 10mm fighting pistol. It’s a full-sized pistol that offers shooters a capable, accurate, and reliable gun in a modern configuration. If you need a 10mm and are concerned about its practical application more than anything else, the Glock 20 is the way to go.
Glock makes great guns that are reliable, accurate, easy to shoot, and generally some of the most dependable options on the market…but let’s face it, they’re boring.
That lack of excitement kept me away from Glock for years, and it took the 10mm cartridge and the Glock 20 to pull me into the Glock fold.
The Glock 20 was everything I needed in a gun -- a great price, modern polymer frame with a modern capacity, rail, and widely available holsters. It just seemed to be the most practical 10mm pistol.
Did the boring reliability eventually win me over? Keep reading to see how it has performed at the range and how I use it.
Table of Contents
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Specs & Features
Specs
- Caliber: 10mm Auto
- Capacity: 15+1 rounds
- Barrel Length: 4.61 inches
- Overall Length: 8.07 inches
- Weight: 30.86 ounces (empty)
Features
- 3 magazines
- Interchangeable backstraps
- Rail for accessories
- Captured recoil spring design
- Ambidextrous magazine release
Glock 20: Past & Present
The early 1990s were an interesting time for handguns. Police departments had mostly moved from revolvers to semi-autos, but a few high-profile events had departments rethinking their caliber needs.
The 1986 Miami Shootout created a ripple in handgun ballistics that essentially said that 9mm and .38 Special weren’t doing it anymore. The FBI wanted something more powerful than the 9mm, but still wanted decent capacity.
This led to the first adoption of the 10mm within the FBI. Anytime the FBI adopts a new gun or cartridge, American law enforcement pays attention. With the 10mm in the FBI's hands, more companies were willing to invest in the caliber.
Glock wanted on that train and released the Glock 20 in 1991. At the time, the G20 broke all the 10mm rules by introducing a double-stack handgun. This gave shooters 15 rounds of 10mm ammunition in the most modern platform of the era.
Since 1991, Glock has kept a 10mm pistol in the catalog and arguably produced a very reliable and capable pistol throughout all those years.
What Sets the G20 Apart
The G20 provides an affordable and reliable 10mm option for people who like to deal with a little recoil when they shoot. It’s a great way to get into 10mm and have some fun with it.
For a more practical perspective, the Glock 20 is an outstanding and versatile gun. If you live in an area where you might encounter bears, mountain lions, and similar animals, the 10mm can shut them down with the right ammo. The 10mm cartridge is extremely capable and powerful, and can penetrate deeply into threatening animals.
It’s also a good self-defense cartridge for two-legged vermin. You can simply swap magazines and move from 15 rounds of hardcast 10mm lead rounds to some lighter-loaded 10mm JHPs.
It’s a versatile pistol that can fill many roles. For predator defense, the Glock 20 is tough to beat. You’re getting twice the ammo of a revolver in an easier-to-shoot platform.
Who Is It For?
The Glock 20 will always be the most practical 10mm. It combines a good overall size with reliability, accuracy, modern capacity, and a fair price point.
This gives you a plug-and-play 10mm that’s easy to shoot and well-suited for multiple roles.
Ergonomics: Fit & Feel
The Glock 20 is not an egalitarian gun by any means. It will work for some and won’t for others.
This pistol is wide and has a long reach to the trigger. This means shooters with smaller hands will struggle to get a solid grip. It works best for those with larger-than-average hands. I fit that category so I like it.
If you don’t mind Glock’s generic board-like grip, you won’t mind the Glock 20’s. It does have the dreaded Gen 4 grooves. Most of us can’t stand them, but you can learn to deal with them. If you absolutely hate them, you can opt for the Glock 20 Gen 5, which ditches the grooves for a flat grip.
The G20 is a tough gun with a solid finish Glock is known for. It’s nothing to brag about, but it’s simple and functional.
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How Does the Glock 20 Shoot?
Shooting what’s essentially hot .357 Magnum and low-powered .41 Magnums through a gun, you worry about recoil impulse.
With a lot of 10mm guns, the recoil is snappy; not so with the Glock 20 which feels less snappy that competitors. My theory is that the wider-than-average grip creates a more comfortable 10mm experience.
While companies like Sig Sauer offer a polymer frame 10mm with a thinner grip, those thinner grips tend to concentrate the recoil over a smaller area. This leads to less control and a snappier feeling.
The Glock 20’s wide grip helps keep it centered and easy to shoot.The front sight settles back on target fairly quickly, which leads to fast and accurate follow-up shots.
Reliability
The Glock 20 works like every other Glock…reliably.
It works with the cheap Herter’s ammo and PSA’s surprisingly hot 10mm load. The G20 even feeds Federal Hydroshok hollow points. It runs whatever you put through it.
When testing the G20 out, I scored a sub-3-second Bill Drill with the G20 from concealment. Sure, it was barely a sub-3-second, but you know what a 2.97 Bill Drill and a 2.2 Bill Drill have in common? They are both sub-3 seconds.
No issues here.
Accuracy
With a solid two-handed grip and stance, I can fire two shots in less than a second from the low ready, with less than a finger's length apart.
Using nothing more than stock Glock iron sights, I can consistently hit an IPSC-sized steel target at 50 yards with a second or so between rounds. At 25 yards, I can run a gong rack from side to side. I’m hitting 8, 6, and 4-inch gongs consistently, with the 4-inch obviously taking the most time.
A red dot on this thing would absolutely rule!
By the Numbers
Accuracy: 4/5
The gun’s only limitation is the substandard stock Glock sights. If I were to purchase the Glock 20 again, I’d choose the MOS option.
Reliability: 5/5
It’s a Glock, so it runs and runs and runs.
Ergonomics: 3/5
It’s great for me, but I understand that my hands are larger than most. I think this gun is worth handling in person before purchasing to make sure the large grip fits you.
Customization: 4/5
The Glock 9mms are five out of five, and the Glock 20 is a close second. It doesn’t have the same aftermarket as other Glocks, but it’s close.
Value: 4/5
I’m sure there are cheaper 10mms out there, but I’m unsure if I want a cheaper 10mm. The Glock 20 will hold up to much abuse and do so for a great price point.
Overall: 4/5
Upgrades for the Glock 20
Ameriglo Protector Sights
Swap those crap-tier Glock sights for the Ameriglo Protector sights. You get a blacked-out rear sight and a high-visibility front sight that’s easy to see and track. Plus, they are metal!
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Streamlight TLR-1 HL-X
If you’re using the Glock 20 for defensive purposes, you need a light, and the Streamlight TLR-1 HL-X is an affordable and very powerful option that snaps right on your rail. The TLR-1 HL-X welcomes some awesome quality-of-life features to the TLR-1 platform, making it one of the most user-friendly lights on the market.
10mm Ammo
Of course, if you're picking up a 10mm, you're going to need ammo.
Meet the Experts
Leading the research and testing for this review is Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike. Travis spent a lifetime shooting and hunting before joining the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman. Travis is also an NRA-certified instructor and concealed carry instructor in the state of Florida.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers and edited this review. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.
Final Verdict
The Glock 20 is the most practical option for a 10mm pistol in the modern era. It’s not too big or expensive and gives you all the modern features you expect.
If 10mm is on your radar, look no further than the G20.
Rating score
What do you think of the Glock 20? Let us know in the comments below! For more Glock magic, check out our round-up of the Best Glocks!
Latest Updates
June 2025: Full rewrite with all new information based on more testing.