Glocks tend to run great out of the box. They are reliable, and accurate. I have a friend who shoots a lot of 3 gun and IDPA with a completely stock Glock 17 with the plastic sights, and does it well. Some folks like to simply change out of the plastic “filler” sights that come stock, for aftermarket sights such as 10-8’s.
I like my Glocks a bit more modified. Above is a brand new Gen4 G19 that is a recent acquisition. The gun shot great out of the box, but there are changes that I like to make for my own benefit.
The first thing that has to go for me is the serrated trigger and trigger bar that come standard on compact and subcompact Glocks. After a few hundred rounds down range, the serrated trigger becomes bothersome for me, so I just swap it out for the non-serrated full size trigger.
The next thing I like to change is the connector. While the stock connector, or (-) minus connector can be shot well, I like the addition of the Ghost Rocket 3.5 “Deluxe”. Across the dozen or so Glocks that I own, the trigger pull across the board with the Ghost Rocket and factory trigger return spring lends a pull of about 4.25 to 4.5 pounds. But the reduction in poundage isn’t the reason I like them. I like them because I can get a smooth prep shot to shot, even at four or five shots per second. The factory connectors tend to wind up with a little “pressure wall” at the end of the trigger stroke, when can disrupt the sights just a bit at the time of ignition.
Moving onward, I add an extended slide stop to my G19’s. While I don’t like them on the G26, G17, or G34 (or the .40 caliber counterparts), I do like the extended slide stop on the G19.
A good set of sights. I like and advocate 10-8’s. I also have guns set up with Trijicon HD’s, and Scott Warren’s. The thing I’ll caution people to is that you do need to research the particular sights before you purchase them, if you intend on shooting the gun past conversational distances. A lot of the sighting systems out there will cause the point of impact to be above the point of aim on Glocks. It is the nature of the beast.
I like the “butt plug” on the Glock, and have used them for years. On the Gen3’s I used mainly the Jentra, but this round I bought two or three and tried them out. I use them for an aid on the reload, and the Pearce seems to work the best for me.
Rounding the gun out with an Apex FRE, some spare recoil springs, a few plus two extensions to play with and 20 new G19 factory magazines, and this is going to probably be my primary training and teaching gun for 2014.
Glocks run fine out of the box. If you like a little modification, like I do, they run a bit better!
Jerry – well said, sir. Thanks for the tip on the Ghost connector, I have been having the devil of a time trying to avoid front sight “jump” after the striker releases, especially shooting SHO. I’ll try one out!
Are you running a Gen 3 or a Gen 4?
I’ve heard the Apex extractor was beneficial on the Gen 4 guns, but I’ve never felt the need for them on any of my Gen 3 Glocks.
Plenty of Gen 3 guns have benefitted from Apex’s extractor, the ejection/extraction problems were not limited to gen 4 glocks.
I have run out of OEM 3.5 connectors, and I am looking for a high quality brand for more G19’s so thiis helps reading about GHost. thanks
Glock factory minus connectors are quite easy to find – try Glockstore, Glockmeister, and I have even ordered a pile off Amazon.com.
Don’t all GEN4 guns come with the Dot connector?
Yes, but the “dot” connector is not the minus connector, if that is what you are asking. The “dot” gives a different break that is a bit snappier but often heavier, depending on the trigger bar and frame dimensions. The Dot connector was meant to bridge the difference in pull weight between the Minus and Standard connectors.
Jerry, great article. Especially salient point regarding sight choices, as Glocks tend to impact differently from gun to gun. I find most Glocks shoot high at 25-yards with the factory plastic sights (though I hesitate to call them as such as they are so crappy.)
My partner and I got Glock 41 and took them out to the range. Both shot high at 25 yards with stock sights. He went to Tru-Glo I switched to 10-8 sights and both are shooting just right from 25 yards.
Jerry great write up. I noticed you don’t have any backstraps on your Gen 4 in the picture. How do you shoot with the gun without any backstraps. I like the feel of it but tend to shoot left and I sometimes engage the slide stop during rapid fire. The med and large backstrap cure this but I still like the feel of the Gen 4 without any.
I’m not Jerry but here’s the deal. If you’re shooting left you need to work on fundamentals. If you’re engaging the slide stop during recoil you need to adjust your grip.
Sorry Tim. With the smaller grip I tend to choke up and get too much finger on the trigger. Something to work on.
Too much finger is not the problem folks think that it is. The manner in which you are applying pressure is the root of your problem. Try some ball and dummy drills to observe how you are moving the gun during the trigger break.
Ok. Thanks for the tip.
Would love to see a similar style article with other guns. Specifically the S&W M&P line.
I find it ironic that the glock, known for it’s out of the box usability, is starting to become more like the 1911, with more stuff available and being modded on the pistol. Hopefully this will not lead to an adverse situation where because of variations in parts and designs from various companies cause the design to lose reliability.
One of the biggest downfalls of the 1911, in my view, is that so many people rushed to modify, change, tighten, rebuild, and otherwise mess with the original design that a vast array of new parts and services of varying qualities basically lead to a gun “Class”, if you will, that really doesn’t run right without a lot of individual attention.
The Glock has been in production since 1982, and is one of the most successful and prolific pistols of modern times. Aftermarket parts have been steadily trickling onto the market since the 90’s, and you can pretty much set up your Glock any way you want these days, reaching a state much like the 1911 had already achieved since in the 90s’. It is possible to ruin a Glock through mods, I have seen it plenty at matches and classes. The mods we suggest in this article and others on this site are quite conservative and only serve to improve reliability rather than detract from it. For direct comparison, most of the Glock mods we discuss here are simple end user parts swaps that can be reversed in a few minutes. The systemic changes on the 1911 pattern pistols are often ones that happen at the manufacturer level, and are sometimes beyond the end user to correct. Tweaking Glocks can be like building Legos (“can be” because you can get way past the parts swap level). Tweaking 1911s is like building a hot rod on a Model T.
Oh, i don’t disagree. I was just musing since I consider it’s a bit ironic in ways. You know we’ve gone back and forth on the topic a lot, and I’m slowly warming up to the glocks. You’ll never get my 1911s completely, but I might just keep a few glocks around.
ROBAR agrees with this assessment. Glocks run better after being modified the right way. Keep up the great writing.
I dumped Vickers gear all over my G19: LAV baseplates, magazine release, and slide stop. Added Ameriglo Hackathorn sights, a Surefire X300U, did an extremely slight undercut to the trigger guard and stippled the finger bumps and support thumb position. Everything you need and nothing you don’t in my opinion.