If you’ve perused the “Rare Variants List” on my page, you might recognize the significance of this fine specimen: a Gen 2 model 24 with ported barrel. Not only is this one a rare breed, but this particular example happens to be part of the first run of 1,000 model 24s ever made (serial prefix AUT for those keeping track)–making it a double rare bird.

This one came in yesterday from the Rock Island Auction Company and I have to say that I’m continually impressed with what rare Glocks they are able to dig out. While they have no idea about Glock history or “collectability” and make no attempt to promote them as such, it is remarkable that they have uncovered the rare variants that I’ve picked up through them.

During this period of production, the only models that were compensated in any way were the 18C or the 24. If you were part of the competition circuit at that time, there is a good chance you would have been drawn to this model both for power factor score increases and also it being the only compensated production Glock eligible for competition (at least, I’m not aware of any that have full auto pistol classes though I’m sure the 18 would dominate). While I’ve never noticed much difference in “shootability” between ported and non-ported Glocks, the competitors I know do attest to it’s benefits in muzzle flip reduction.

When Glock decided to start building the long slide .40 SW it is interesting to note that they departed from the earlier 17L design in two ways:

• 1. The ports were completely re-designed with a smiley face shaped profile, the addition of a fourth port, and a graduated scale of size as the bullet approaches the muzzle. One can only assume this was in response the failure rate of the 1988 17L ported barrels, but it is a mystery as to why they did not release ported models of the 17L at the same time.
• 2. A departure from the long slide nomenclature–giving it a new model number rather than just calling it the 22L. This has resulted in the 17L being the odd duck out in the family lineup–at least until the 19X released in 2018.

This is my first model 24P but now I have to find it’s brothers. There are two known versions of the Gen 2 ports; this “smiley face” shape and a second version that was more of just an elongated oval. For differentiation, the first is referred to as a “ported” model while the second is called a “compensated.” In 1997, Glock started releasing C models for many of the standard issue guns with the more familiar “snake bite” ports cut in the barrel and slide–the model 24 stayed with the four elongated ovals even after being renamed the “24C.” I’ve yet to be able to determine whether any Gen 2 models were marked “24C” on the slide. For now, this one is going to go into the “museum” safe… never to be sold! Happy hunting to all you fellow collectors out there!

~That “Glock” Guy