Glock 17 vs SIG P320 — Which Should You Carry?

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Carry the gun that matches the mission, not the marketing slogan. Glock 17 and SIG P320 both shoot 9mm fine. They do it in different ways. One choice favors proven simplicity. The other favors modularity and factory features.

Size, capacity, and concealment

The Glock 17 is a full-size service pistol. Expect 17+1 capacity, a longer slide, and a taller grip than most compact pistols. That length helps accuracy and recoil control, but it prints under clothing and sits heavier on your belt. The P320 family is modular — you can run full-size, compact (M18/Compact), or subcompact configs. For real concealed carry, a P320 Compact, or the P320-M18 if you want military spec, beats a Glock 17 every time.

Reliability and real-world abuse

Glock built its reputation cleaning guns out of mud and putting rounds through them until they laughed. Simple design, fewer fiddly bits. That matters if you carry daily and don't want to babysit your pistol. The P320 had a public stumble years back. SIG fixed it and improved the design, and modern P320s are reliable in competent hands. Still — when the chips are down, I trust the Glock's track record more.

Trigger, ergonomics, and shootability

SIG ships a better-feeling trigger out of the box. Break and reset are cleaner than a stock Glock. The P320 grip shape works for a wider range of hands. Glock's stock trigger is serviceable and predictable; aftermarket parts can make it better. If you want a gun that feels great out of the box, P320 wins. If you want a gun you can train endlessly on and modify easily, Glock wins.

Optics and accessories

This is where marketing talks loud. Some Glocks require adapter plates to mount micro red dots; plates introduce another failure point if poorly installed. Newer Glock models and aftermarket slides mitigate that, but it's still a consideration. Many P320 models come optics-ready from the factory. If you plan to run a red dot without swapping slides, the P320 often gets you there faster. For holsters, magazines, and parts, Glock still has the ecosystem advantage — decades of support, cheaper mags, and widely available accessories.

Maintenance and mags

Both are easy to strip and maintain. Glock magazines are everywhere and cheap. SIG magazines are fine but not as ubiquitous. If you're prepping for a worst-case where you might need parts on short notice, Glock is the safer bet.

Which one should you carry?

My read on this is simple: pick by role. If your carry profile is concealed daily — shirt, jacket, or warm weather — don't force a Glock 17. Buy a compact platform: Glock 19 or P320 Compact/M18. If you want a factory optics-ready option and modularity for multiple roles, P320 is the smarter pick. If you want unbeaten simplicity, parts availability, and a proven workhorse for vehicle, duty, or home defense, Glock 17 is hard to beat.

What this means and what to do about it: Rent both. Run drills. Draw from the holster, reload under stress, and carry each for a day with your rig. Buy a quality holster, two magazines minimum, and train 300 rounds to a standard you can repeat under stress. Don’t chase shiny features or marketing. Choose the platform that fits your body, your carry method, and your training plan. Train like your life depends on it — because it does.

— Reed Calloway