Glock handguns have a worldwide reputation, some people like them and some do not. Yes, I am a Glock lover! I feel there is not a better, more reliable handgun on the market today. They are not the most beautiful handgun around, but if it does everything you need them to, that’s what you want. I know that whenever I pull the trigger it will go “bang” and that’s what I want in a handgun. I have a Glock 26 (9mm), a Glock 30 (45ACP), and a Glock 20 (10mm), and I like every one of them.
When we begin to think about modifications of our Glocks, realize there are many products available on the market today. Just about anything you might like to do with your Glock, someone out there has it to buy. When I consider changing things on my Glocks, I think that Glock handguns are excellent handguns right from the factory and do not need all the fancy bells and whistles to make them better. That being said there are a few small things that if upgraded will make your Glock handguns even better. Let’s talk about those things that I think are important.
Extended Slide Stops
One thing that is necessary for all Glock is to clean your weapon after use. To do that it is necessary to field strip your Glock so you can get to the parts needed to be cleaned. When you start this process you realize that the stock slide stop lever (takedown lever) that comes with your new Glock
makes it very difficult to hold down that lever so you can remove the slide. Trying to dig your fingernails into that little bar can be very frustrating. Installing a new extended slide stop is a very easy and simple modification that you can do yourself instead of going to a gunsmith. Installing this extended slide stop makes removing the slide so much easier. As you can see by the picture
, the original slide stop on top and the new extended slide stop on the bottom is not a lot different in size, only about 4mm different in length. But just that much longer makes the takedown process much easier.
New Sights
As much as I love my Glock handguns, there is one thing that definitely needs to be changed, and that is the sights. I do not like their stock sights! I like either night sights or fiber-optic sights on my handgun. The fact that they are plastic brings 
about the possibility that they can break and a broken sight renders the handgun almost useless.
I found two possibilities that I will try, first there is a fiber optic front sight made by Pro Sight that really seems good and it is specially made for Glocks. I have a front sight like this on another handgun and I really like it. Glock also makes an adjustable rear sight that I will try with the front fiber optic sight. 
It is nice to be able to have an adjustable rear sight so you can easily zero in your handgun.
They were both very easy to install and give a really nice sight picture when using them. I will shoot using these sights for a couple of months and at that time I should be able to see if I really like them.
If they will not work for me, I will try the XS SIGHTS F8 Night
Sights. The reviews on them are really good and I have always wanted to try them out. These are a little different in the fact that it is not a three-dot system. There is only one dot in the front and one dot in the rear and you just line the dots up and shoot, they call it a figure eight. They too are made especially for Glocks and should be easy to install. So at least I have another option.
Pierce Grip Extensions
If you have a full-size Glock you will not need
these grip extensions. But if you have a compact or subcompact, they will really work out nice for you.
The picture on the top right shows a stock Glock 30 with a standard magazine plate that is flat. As you can see there is only room for two fingers on the grip and that limits the handling of your firearm. If 
you add a pierce grip extension to your magazines, like the Glock 30 in the middle picture or the bottom picture in the Glock 26, you can add another finger to your grip, thus making your grip more stable.
They have many styles of grip extensions that work for many different models, some may add additional 1 or 2 bullets to your magazine or it will not add bullets, just a place to
rest your pinky finger. The Glock 30 (middle picture) holds one extra bullet, while the bottom picture shows my Glock 26 with the grip extension that only rests your pinky finger, with no extra bullets. Whether you choose extra bullets or not, having a place for your pinky finger makes a big difference in control of your handgun and it looks pretty cool too.
Adhesive Decal Grips
One other area that needs a little work is the grip texture. The stock grip texture is OK but it really needs to be a bit rougher so it is easier to get a better purchase on the handgun, especially when shooting some heavy loads in a 10mm handgun. Now I could send it to a company to re-texture the grip permanently, but that costs a few extra dollars and would be gone for a while.
There are quite a few companies that have these decal grips but one that I really like is called Talon Grips. 
For about $20.00 and some personal labor, my handgun had better grip texture and is really pretty sweet. The package that you see comes with some great instructions, a pad with alcohol, and the pre-cut grips for your specific handgun. If you order these, make certain that you order the correct one for your handgun, as there are many different shapes available.
The first step is to wipe your grip down with
the alcohol pad to remove any dirt or oils on the grip. Then place the grip in the desired starting place and press down on the decal, pushing the air out as you go. Once complete, use a heat gun or hairdryer to heat up the decal which makes it tighter and finishes the job.
Here is the link for a video on the installation process, it really helps, https://talongungrips.com/installation/
Less Mods Are Better
In the big scheme of things the modifications that I have discussed are not major. But each one has its significance in making the handgun function better. Adding an extended slide stop decreases the frustration that occurs every time you clean your gun. Adding new sights helps your handgun be more accurate and therefore you are a better shot. Adding Pierce Grip Extensions gives you a place for your pinky finger and therefore a better grip on your gun. And finally putting on Talon Grips adds more texture to your grip thus giving you better control of your handgun. If you put those all together, they add a definite increase to the actions of your handgun. So I feel those modifications are well worth the time and effort.
If you have any questions about this post or anything related to Everyday Carry (EDC)/Concealed Carry, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you.
All the best,
Larry
Founder of Everyday Carry Essentials
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for a pretty good price. It was a basic model but it worked fine for me. I went to a gunsmith and had him install an ambidextrous safety, a beavertail grip safety, and polish the feed ramp for reliability. Then I sent my slide to Novak’s and had him install a set of night sights, so it was just as I wanted it for shooting. It shot really well and gave me something I could enjoy for many years.
in a pawn shop, it was also very basic but brand new and was something I could enjoy turning into a gun that I really wanted. I took it to a gunsmith and had him polish the feed ramp and a few other things to make it very reliable. Then I sent it to Novak’s to put on a set of night sights so it would shoot better. I traded the black plastic grips for some better black rubber ones and that made things much better when I shot the handgun.
. I was extremely surprised, I never thought I would see one of those new designs this soon after production. Besides being a beautiful handgun it has all the things I put on my old 1911 and a few more except the ambidextrous safety at a very reasonable price. They had two variations of this gun, one with a 5″ barrel and the other with a 4.25″ barrel. Since I would like to carry it concealed, I thought the 4.25″ barrel would be the best choice. Now the tug-of-war began between buy it now or buy it later. I knew that the way the gun market was at that point, it may not be there if I waited. So I decided to buy it at that time and I did! How exciting!
This is a great compact handgun, very accurate, lightweight but easy to handle. I have added a Pierce grip extension on the bottom of the magazine to aid in better control of the firearm. Getting my little finger on the bottom of the grip gives me better control of the handgun, but it does not negatively affect the concealment. I use a Comp-Tac Infidel IWB holster for this handgun and place it at the 8:00 position on my left hip.
As you can see by this picture, the Glock 30 is on the bottom and the Glock 26 is on top. The Glock 26 is both shorter and thinner and the grip is also smaller. This makes it more concealable and it is easier to carry in the summer months.