Glock 21, .45 ACP, sugar-free energy drinks, stopping power, America! The Glock 21 is the ‘thicc’ version of Gaston’s magnum opus. Thick like 27 BMI in a pair of yoga pants that only do squats, hanging on for dear life. Patriotically thick like torpedo-chested pinups who inspired our boys to storm the beaches of Normandy under a hail of 8mm Mauser screaming death as they fly through the eerily calm air on June 5th.
But not just thick. Thick and light. Muhammad Ali, floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee. Big bore rounds in a lightweight package, two-world-wars meets tricked-out Civic. Possibly the most American handgun ever made.
Glock 21 – .45 ACP
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Glock 21 Mos 45 Acp Handgun - Glock 21 Gen 5 Mos 45 Acp 4.61'''' Bbl (3)10rd Black Usa Made | Brownells.com | $ 620.00 |
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Glock 21 Mos 45 Acp Handgun - Glock 21 Gen 5 Mos 45 Acp 4.61'''' Bbl (3)13rd Black Usa Made | Brownells.com | $ 620.00 |
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Glock 21 Gen5 MOS 45 Auto (ACP) 4.6in Black Pistol - 10+1 Rounds - Black Fullsize | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 629.99 |
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Glock 21 Gen5 MOS .45 ACP 4.61 Barrel 13-Rounds | GrabAGun | $ 620.00 |
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Glock 21 Gen5 MOS 45 Auto (ACP) 4.6in Black Pistol - 13+1 Rounds - Black Fullsize | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 629.99 |
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TruGlo Tritium Pro Front/Rear Night Sight Set for Glock MOS 20/21/25/28 Handguns - TG231G2MW | Palmetto State Armory | $ 82.99 $ 66.99 |
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When the Glock 21 is strapped to the hip of a gunslinger, it radiates with the calm superiority of a professional boxer touching gloves with a noddle-armed rank amateur who talks a good game but hits with all the eye-rolling impotence of a soy-fueled blue checkmark finally having to put his money where his mouth is. It’s everything an American needs to stop any thug foolish enough to kick in the door of a trained shooter’s house at two in the morning.
- Because the Glock 21 isn’t just powerful.
- It isn’t just light.
- It’s also reliable to a fault.
Because the Glock 21, like the Glock 17 it originates from, is designed to do precisely one thing: reliably put holes in a target every time the trigger is pulled. It’s a semi-automatic “plan b” quietly sitting on a nightstand that you pray you’ll never need, but know that if you do, it’ll do the job.
But enough euphemisms and metaphors, what exactly is the Glock 21?
The GLOCK 21 Gen 5 MOS Handgun is a semi-automatic, locked-breech, magazine-fed handgun chambered in the greatest caliber ever to grace the Earth: .45 ACP.
SAAMI tells us that ACP stands for Automatic Colt Pistol since the round was invented by John Mosses Browning for his then prototype of what would eventually become the Colt M1911, but I think that’s incorrect.
In my expert opinion, the beefy, 230gr round’s ACP moniker is actually an acronym for American Champion Power – because we won every World War we’ve fielded it in. In the past, if shooters wanted to wield this peerless pistol projectile, they had to choose power over capacity. But the engineers at Glock – in the true American spirit – said the hell with that. They crammed 13+1 rounds of liberty into each steel-lined polymer magazine for the Glock 21 – nearly doubling the round’s original host gun’s capacity.
And if 13 rounds of freedom weren’t enough for you, the latest version of the Glock 21 ships with three magazines in the box. Plus, extended magazines are available for the gun that kick the round count up to 26 and even 30 rounds of .45 ACP!
Glock 21 MOS Gen 5 Features
Although Glocks are known for their simplicity of use, that doesn’t mean the guns are loaded with excellent features. For example, the new Glock 21 ships with three interchangeable backstraps to provide the perfect fit for shooters of varying sizes. And the latest version has the GLOCK Modular Optic System (MOS) and even includes a sight plate with an RMR footprint! The mount is excellently designed, as it doesn’t preclude the use of the iron sights as it’s mounted just ahead of the rear sights.
Speaking of which, the Glock 21 still ships with the same post-and-notch white outline and white dot polymer sights that Glocks are known for. Are they precision bullseye sights? No. They’re hard-use combat and defensive sights for hitting man-sized targets.
But that doesn’t mean the gun isn’t accurate, far from it. In my testing, the Glock 21 made a ragged hole at 15 yards when fired from a rest with irons. When I installed a Trijicon RMR, I could reproduce these results at 25 yards.
Other notable features include a dust cover with a horizontal cut for installing a tactical light or laser and an aggressively textured grip that provides a solid purchase on the gun, even when it’s wet or oily. Lastly, the Glock 21 uses the same safety trigger that all Glocks have, further simplifying its employment when a shooter needs it most.
Reliability
You can go ahead and skip this paragraph if you want. Spoiler alert: the gun just runs.
I fired a mix of 500 rounds of 230gr American Eagle FMJ, Hornady Critical Defense, Golden Sabers, Federal Hydrashoks, and even vintage wadcutters through the Glock 21 without a single malfunction.
If the AK-47 were chambered in .45 ACP, it would be the Glock 21 – yes, it’s that good.
And while I limited the majority of my shooting to realistic defensive distances, I also punished some steel targets from ShootSteel.com at 100 yards off-hand. The only difference in shooting at that distance versus close range is aiming toward the top of the target since .45 ACP is the ballistic equivalent of a thrown ashtray.
Verdict
Do you love America, liberty, and the 1911 but want more than seven rounds in a magazine? Buy the GLOCK 21 Gen 5 MOS Handgun. Equipped with proper light, defensive ammo, and a spare magazine, it’s the perfect home defense tool. You might disagree, but that’s fine. This is America; you’re entitled to be wrong.
Glock G21 Gen 5 MOS Specs
- Product Name: GLOCK 21 Gen 5 MOS Handgun
- Brand: GLOCK
- UPC: 764503054419
- SKU: PA215S203MOS
- Action: SAFE ACTION
- Barrel Length: 4.61in
- Caliber: .45 ACP
- Capacity: 13 ROUNDS
- Finish: BLACK DLC
- Weight:1.81 LBS/29.81oz
- MSRP: $750.00 (less money online $$$)
You can find User Manuals, Warranty Forms, and Preventive Maintenance Instructions at US.Glock.com.
About Jim Grant
Jim is one of the elite editors for AmmoLand.com, who in addition to his mastery of prose, can wield a camera with expert finesse. He loves anything and everything guns but holds firearms from the Cold War in a special place in his heart.
When he’s not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, their sons, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country.
Didn’t we just have this article recently? Hmmmm!
I’ve shot thousands of rounds through my Gen 3 G21 with no failures. Ever. That includes USPSA Production Division. Every brand and load of ammo you can imagine. It just runs and runs and runs.
That is already reality here in Washington
state not far from your habitat. Luckily, as far as magazines go, I have enough of enough mags that were grandfathered in and I have as yet, not EVER worn a good one out.
Living in PDRO (People’s Democratic Republic of Oregon) must be like parachuting behind the lines in WWII.
The Glock 21 is a marvel. It’s one of the most rugged pistols ever made. There used to be a blog in which the author did something horrible with his Glock 21 every week: theow it out of a plane, drive over it in a truck, etc. He said the most it ever needed to fire was to be rinsed out. That being said, it feels literally like I’m holding a 2×4. I’m cursed with shorter fingers, although I wear a large glove, thanks to hand exercisers. The S&W M&P fits my hand well, but the magazine capacity is smaller.… Read more »
I have the Gen 2 version with Ameriglo’s, Wolf t.b., and Talon grip pads. Still banging every time.