Among Glock’s large and varied lineup, one pistol is held up more than any other as the “ideal” Glock and to some, the idea pistol period: the Glock 19. Compact, reliable and with a large magazine capacity, it is the standard by which other high capacity autoloaders are judged. In response to the Glock 19’s reliability, the market has produced several competitors. How do these stack up to the king of the polymer guns?The second Glock to enter production, the Glock 19 is a compact version of the original, full-sized Glock 17 developed for the Austrian Army. The Glock 19 is almost an inch shorter than the Glock 17 and half an inch shorter in height. It is the exact same pistol in terms of operation, and weighs two ounces less due to a slightly smaller magazine (fifteen rounds versus seventeen rounds.) The Glock’s competitors, on the other hand, vary slightly in operating systems, materials, and other features.Springfield XDOriginally developed by the Croatian arms manufacturer HS Produkt and brought to the United States as the HS-2000, Springfield Armory took over distribution and rebranded the pistol the Springfield XD. The XD, “Extreme Duty,” is very similar to the Glock 19 in some ways: a polymer frame, metal slide, striker fired pistol. The barrel length and overall length are identical.The XD differs in several ways. It features a more vertical grip than the Glock, more in line with 1911 pistols. It features a loaded chamber indicator, a larger and more pronounced takedown lever, and a grip safety. The latter prevents the pistol from being discharged unless gripped in the palm of the hand. The XD also squeezes in an extra round, bringing its internal magazine count to sixteen rounds.Sig P229