GLOCK 21 SF (Short Frame)

The Glock 21SF Overview

The Glock 21SF (Short Frame) Gen 3 chambered in .45 ACP combines Glock perfection with a large, man stopping round proven by over 70 years of use by the military. Relied on by police all over the world, the Glock design has changed how we look at pistols since their introduction in 1982 as the Austrian Army’s service pistol.

glock 21sf vs glock 21

Glock has a well-established world-famous reputation for being utterly reliable, durable, and accurate. It’s no wonder why more law enforcement, military, and lawful citizens rely on Glock to protect themselves and their loved ones than any other pistol. Get yourself a Glock 21 SF today and experience for yourself why they call it “Glock Perfection”. Remarkable for its accuracy and light recoil, the GLOCK 21 SF delivers the legendary stopping power of the .45 AUTO round with a 10/13 round magazine capacity. Countless law enforcement units swear by the G21 pistol, and that’s why this powerful, lightweight, all climate workhorse is a standard issue from the North to South Poles. The SF model reduces the circumference of the receiver at the back strap, offering increased comfort and control, especially for shooters with smaller hands. Fixed sights. Two 10-round magazines included.

Dimension

*FOR GEN4/GEN5 MODELS: Check out the Gen5 and Gen4 Technology area for medium/large backstraps.

Difference between the Glock 21SF and the original G21

The big difference between the Glock 21SF and the original G21 comes in the ergonomics category. The frame is just enough smaller that it fits everyone a lot better. Lots of small-handed shooters have passed on the G21 because they couldn’t get a proper firing grip on the large gun. The newer Glock 21SF fits smaller hands much better.

The first change from Glock 21 to Glock 21SF is the ambidextrous magazine release. While we are not design or mechanical engineers, never really thought that this would be a hard thing to do. Glock did it, though, without making it a lever that’s pulled down to achieve magazine release. To top it off, Glock also had to redesign their magazines to address the differences between the original G21 and the Glock 21SF. Their new magazines will function in both designs, but the old magazines don’t have the necessary cut out in the front of the magazines to function in the new weapon. The magazine capacity didn’t change: you still get 13 rounds of .45ACP in the mag, plus one more in your chamber.

glock 21sf magazine

The second design modification is the size of the grip frame. When first handled a Glock 21SF, you don’t immediately notice a difference, but when you have the chance to handle a Glock 21next to a Glock 21SF side by side, the difference became obvious. This is definitely something you need to feel to appreciate. That 13 rounds of .45ACP fit into so comfortable a grip and one so slim is amazing to me. Part of the difference in size is easily observed when you look at the grip frame from the bottom. The dead space behind the magazine well is much smaller on the Glock 21SF than it is on the G21. That isn’t the only change, though there is also a noticeable difference in the thickness of the grip frame on either side of the mag well.

The third design modification is the inclusion of a full MIL-SPEC 1913 Picatinny rail system on the dust cover. If you compare the photo at right to that of the standard G21 below it, the difference in the rail mounting system is easy to see.