Glock just quietly released yet another pistol, albeit with a catch — the company’s latest offering is exclusively available to US Customs and Border Protection, and will not be available on the commercial market for civilians to purchase.
This new pistol was announced as part of an $85 million dollar contract signed with the CBP which will see the largest federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security shed its current standard sidearm, Heckler & Koch’s P2000 in .40 S&W, for a trio of Glock pistols chambered for the 9x19 mm Parabellum round.
Officially designated the Glock 47 (or G47), the gun is a functional blend of a few of Glock’s other products which the company hopes will give CBP agents a distinct advantage when in the field, should they need to draw and fire their weapons.
The G47 uses a 4.5 inch barrel, the same used on the company’s first full-sized pistol, the Glock 17. It can feed from a standard G17 double-stacked magazine with a capacity of 17 rounds, or from G19X, G34, and G45 magazines should the need arise.
According to The Firearm Blog, although the G47 uses a G17 barrel, the G17 slide is not compatible with the new gun. However, the end user can swap the G47 slide for the shorter G19 slide on preference.
TheTruthAboutGuns.com additionally noted that the G47 uses the same frame found on the compact crossover 9mm Glock 45.
G47s come standard with Ameriglo Bold sights, and the ability to field an RMR sight depending on the needs of the end user. G47s will feature a 100% parts compatibility with the G19 Gen 5 MOS pistol which CBP will also be picking up, which ultimately saves the agency money and hassle in the long run.
Currently, CBP’s goal is to phase in the G47 and the G19 as their agents’ standard duty weapons over the 10-year period of the multi-million dollar contract. It’s highly unlikely that the G47 will ever be sold to civilians, but then again, the market for such a pistol is already dominated by some of Glock’s other products.
Ian D’Costa is a correspondent with Gear Scout whose work has been featured with We Are The Mighty, The Aviationist, and Business Insider. An avid outdoorsman, Ian is also a guns and gear enthusiast.
