Glock 47 Review (Gen 5): Reliable, Ergonomic, & Good Value

In today’s review, we are taking a look at the Glock 47 9mm pistol. The Model 47 is a full-size 9mm pistol that uses Glock’s striker fired and polymer framed design. 

Glock 47 Background

The Glock 47 shares a great deal with the G17 as I mentioned, but it also shares some features of the equally popular G45. This curious coupling is not by accident, as the G47 was designed for that very purpose. The development of the G47 was done in an attempt to get US Border Patrol and Customs a pistol that would share parts and compatibility with both the G17 and G19 that were in use with the agency. 

The slightly shorter frame of the G47 is the same length as the G19, causing the slide to extend slightly past the end of the frame. The G17 sized slide gives the power and operation of the longer barrel and slide. The G47 also incorporated the larger grip of the G17, holding the larger 17-round magazines. This allows the user to use the shorter G45 slide and barrel if desired, while still having the larger capacity of the G17.

This basically gives the agency using the G47 the ability to inventory a parts and service regimen for all three pistols without having to double up on many parts. And for the end users of the pistols, you get familiarity and compatibility regardless of which of the pistols you are issued.

Glock 47 Features:

1 Full-Sized Frame

Allows use of 17 round magazines and for larger hands. The accessory pic rail is shorter but still long enough.

2 Optics Cut MOS Slide

Mounting a red dot is done using a corresponding adaptor plate.

3 Ambidextrous Slide Release

For right or left-handed use.

4 Gen 5 Backstrap

Allows you to change the grip fit to your hand.

5 Undercut Trigger Guard

For tight gripping comfort regardless of hand size.

6 Front Slide Serrations

For better charging capabilities.

7 DLC Finish

For long lasting durability.

Other Glock 47 Models

There’s not a huge selection of G47 models, searching the internet to purchase one shows that the Gen 5 seems to come in at least a few different colors. Including gray and green polymer frames, as well as a complete FDE option.

Glock 47 Shooting Review

Shooting the Glock 47 was an outdoor adventure, my children and I went into the open country of the nearby mountains. I took several hundred rounds of ammunition of various types, as well as a few different magazine options to see how the G47 functioned. 

The plan was to run through all the ammo, and get a good feel for how the gun draws, points, cycles, and reloads. Running through both 17 and 19 round magazines the G47 never skipped a beat. I regret that I was unable to get a red dot mounted during the review. It’s a shame the Glock doesn’t have the optics mounting built into the slide, like so many others have done. 

But we still ran the G47 through quite a bit of shooting. I like shooting single rounds loaded in each mag over and over. It helps build muscle memory for reloads, and it also gives each magazine an opportunity to fail locking back the action. All three magazine types used worked great in that aspect. 

Drawing and shooting the G47 from my holster felt natural and smooth. Reinforcing the excellent grip angle and point of aim of the G47, the whole experience was pleasant. This of course came as no surprise since I quite enjoy shooting my G17 clone.

Shootability

The G47 has the Gen 5 features that many shooters enjoy, the removal of the finger grooves on the grip area make it a little more universal-fitting. The texture on the grip allows good purchase, though I feel like I prefer the more aggressive grip of other brands. 

The sights are typical Glock sights, which in my experience are great for getting a quick sight picture. Again, I would have preferred a red dot though. That said, I had no issues hitting what I aimed at. 

Adding a slightly flared magwell made it even easier to load magazines, not that it’s hard to hit them without it. The polymer frame makes it easy to drop and insert mags quickly while keeping eyes on the target. I found the grip to be more than adequate as is, but it’s nice to know that you can change the backstrap out to custom fit your hand. 

The controls on the G47 are very Glock, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. They are exactly where and what you’d expect, making for smooth reloads and operation. The large grip area gives lots of room to hold on, keeping the gun secure through recoil impulses. 

Ergonomics

Glock pistols have almost always seemed a little “no-frills” to me, the huge stippling aftermarket seems to support my theory. That said, the G47 is comfortable to hold on to. The large grip area and beavertail give very adequate hold of the pistol. The undercut trigger guard allows you to keep your fingers mostly together while gripping the gun. 

The magazine release seems pretty low profile, staying out of the way while shooting and carrying. But it’s in just the right spot when the time comes to use it. And speaking of controls, the ambidextrous slide release must be great for the lefties out there. 

The customizable backstrap is another great feature for those who need it. Adding both the ability to thicken the grip size, as well as add to the beavertail thickness should you desire. 

Reliability

You’d expect a pistol from Glock to have legendary reliability. After all, that is what has made Glock the choice of countless law enforcement agencies and militaries. During the course of our shooting, the G47 performed flawlessly. No failures to fire, eject or any other flaws were experienced. The closest thing to a malfunction was when I found myself dropping the slide too early, but this is of course poor operation and not a malfunction. 

All three different magazine types we used worked well with the G47. As did most of my G17 accessories. The G47 fit perfectly in my Safariland holsters bought for the G17. This is excellent news for G47 owners because the compatibility with its G17 sibling gives you many options. 

Accuracy

With handguns I often feel a little out of place when it comes to accuracy. As a rifle junkie, shooting pistols accurately isn’t exactly my forte. And I’ll admit that using red dots has become something of a crutch for shooting more accurate shots for me.  With all that said, I still found it easy to hit my targets with the G47. The sights’ vibrant contrast against the black pistol made them easy to pick up and center on the target. I’ll also mention that the G47’s trigger felt great, and its consistent break also helped shoot more consistently. 

Value

It seems that the street price for a new G47 hovers around the $630 mark at the point of writing this. That’s honestly a pretty fair price in my opinion. Looking at the plethora of Glock clones out there, the competition has gotten stiff. The G47 seems to function as well and shoot as reliably as my Shadow Systems DR920 which costs around $200 more, though I do prefer the vibe of the SS over the Glock. 

And there are also much cheaper options, some better than others. You can get a BCA Grizzly 101 for under $300, which for some people is enough to make the difference. I guess I would say that bottom line, if you just want a gun that shoots those options will do. But if you want Glock perfection, the price of the G47 is fair.

Glock 47 Gen 5 Pros and Cons

My Preferred Ammo

For testing purposes, we shot MWLP Trailforger 115 grain ammo, as well as PMC Bronze 115 and 124 grain ammo. All of which functioned perfectly. For defensive purposes I would use the Hornady 124 grain Flexlock Critical Duty.

Glock 47 Accessories

Red Dot DeltaPoint Pro		I would definitely add a few things to this pistol to make it better fit my preferences. First up, would be a good red dot. Whether it be an RMR or a DeltaPoint Pro I would get one worth having. This would of course also require getting an appropriate adaptor plate.	See Price
Weapon Light Surefire X300		See Price
Good Holster Safariland LAS		A good holster is a must when you have a good pistol. For that I really like Safariland LAS holsters. I have two of them that fit the G47, and I love using them together with the gun.	See Price

Important Links and Manuals for Glock 47

Are you looking to pick up a Glock 47 Gen 5 but need a bit more info?  Or maybe you’ve just misplaced your user’s manual?  Either way, check out the links below.

• Caring for your Glock 47 Manual
• Glock Warranty Form