by Larry Vickers
Vickers Tactical, retired US Army 1st SFOD- Delta combat veteran

Hey folks, Larry Vickers here. If you’ve been following my take on the Glock world, you know I dropped some thoughts a while back on what a Gen 6 platform could look like – straight from a rock-solid source, mixed with a dash of rumor, a heap of my battle-tested hopes, and yeah, a few gripes I’ve carried since the early days. That piece hit on everything from triggerless takedowns to finally fixing that pesky front-strap finger radius that’s been bugging right-handed shooters like me for decades. Go give it a read here and it’ll set the stage for what I’m about to lay out today.

The firearms grapevine has been lighting up like a full-auto demo at the range. Just when we were all chewing on those Gen 6 whispers, Glock drops a bombshell that’s got the whole community buzzing: they’re streamlining their lineup hard. Starting November 30, 2025, Glock will stop shipments on all Gen 3, Gen 5, and Gen 5 MOS except for the 43, 43X, 43X MOS, 48, and 48 MOS – we’re talking over 75 pistols is you’re covering all generations, including most of the Gen 4 and Gen 5 staples – are hitting the brakes. That’s right, the G17, G19, G22, G23, all those duty-proven workhorses? Phased out. Long slides like the G17L Gen5, oddballs in .45 GAP, .357 SIG, and .40 S&W that never quite caught fire with civilians or LE? Gone. Even some slimline contenders are getting the axe. The only holdouts in the immediate crosshairs? The G43, G43X, and G48X – those slim, concealable 9mms that keep selling like hotcakes to the everyday carrier crowd.

Full List of Discontinued Glocks

This isn’t some quiet sunset; it’s a full-on purge to “focus on innovation and growth,” as Glock’s putting it on their site. And they’re swearing up and down they’ll keep servicing those discontinued models – parts, support, the whole nine yards – just like they did with the Gen 3s when we waved goodbye to those. Smart move, because nobody wants their investment turning into a paperweight because the factory decided to tidy up the catalog.

But here’s the meat of it: those outgoing models aren’t vanishing into the ether. Glock’s teeing up replacements with their new “V Series” – think V for “Victory” or maybe “Vanguard,” but whatever the branding, these are dropping in December 2025. Early word from distributors and insiders is that the V lineup kicks off with core players like the G19 V and G45 V, sticking to familiar frames but with some under-the-hood tweaks aimed at one hot-button issue: blocking those illegal “Glock switch” conversions that turn a semi-auto into a machine pistol. We’re talking redesigned triggers or internal baffles to make full-auto mods a non-starter – a direct nod to the lawsuits piling up from places like California, Chicago, Baltimore, and even Jersey. Newsom’s AB 1127 just cranked the pressure by banning unmodified Glocks in the Golden State come 2026 unless they get this switch-proof glow-up. Glock’s playing defense here, folks, and it’s a savvy one if it keeps the lawyers at bay while keeping us shooters in the game.

Now, let’s tie this back to that Gen 6 chatter I stirred up before. Remember how I said my source was golden on the platform shift? Well, this V rollout smells a lot like the front end of that evolution – not a full-blown “Gen 6” badge yet, but the kind of iterative leap we’ve seen from Glock before. No more rotating barrels like that short-lived G46 experiment; I’m betting they stick to the tilting-barrel gold standard that’s locked up accuracy and durability for over a century. The Gen 5 grip texture? That no-finger-groove sanity? Those ambi slide stops and reversible mag catches? Expect ’em to carry over – why mess with a good thing when it’s dominating LE bids and range days alike?

That said, I’m still holding out hope for the fixes I called out last time. Triggerless field-stripping? If the V series nails that without adding a bunch of complexity, it’ll save some greenhorn’s bacon – or at least keep the lawyers from circling newbies who forget to unload. The stock trigger? Glock’s got to step it up; it’s safe as houses, but it’s no match for the crisp pulls on modern competitors. And don’t get me started on the MOS system – if they’re redesigning for optics anyway, fix that clunky plate setup or at least keep non-MOS options alive for us purists who mill our own slides. Magazines stay the same? Praise be – those OEM steelies are tanks.

Look, the Gen 5s are the pinnacle so far – reliable, shooter-friendly, and battle-ready out of the box. This discontinuation shake-up? It’s Glock pruning the deadwood to make room for what’s next, not torching the orchard. Short-term, grab what you can before November 30 if you’re building a collection or outfitting a department; prices might spike on the secondary market. Long-term, the V series could be the bridge to true Gen 6, with those anti-switch mods paving the way for broader tweaks like better ergonomics or even integrated lights that don’t scream “afterthought.”

We’ve seen Glock weather storms before – from import points to caliber wars – and come out swinging. This feels like the same grit. What do you think, team? Are the V Models a welcome evolution, or just lipstick on the same pig? Hit me in the comments; I read them all and reply as much as I can. Stay safe out there, keep training, and remember: it’s not the gun, it’s the shooter. But a better gun sure doesn’t hurt.

Stay safe out there,

Larry Vickers

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