Glock 44 range reports

[echo5charlie]

Meh. Not impressed. Not pissed either, it's actually what I expected. It is a semi .22 and as such can NEVER live up to centerfire Glock reliability. It's not a knock, it's a fact. Don't get me wrong, if it requires CCI MiniMags to attain near-100% reliabilty I will run that. It's a .22, sometime that's what you have to do.

"The G44 was thoroughly tested with a wide variety of ammunition to ensure maximum performance and redefine what small can do." - Glock

If the G44 will require MiniMags to keep that near-100% reliability then Glock has not redefined anything, they just hit the status quo for semi auto .22s.

Well, I've been running CCI Mini-Mags since that post. 5,000-ish rounds and not one failure (inc. misfires & duds) - and I have one of the early models to boot and (as I take another bite of crow) it is proving 'Glock reliable'. So I am happy.

[SW CQB 45]

Without going thru 34 pages

I just finished instructing police academy cadets for 9 days straight (firearms). Handgun, Shotgun and Patrol Rifle.

The cadets are getting smaller, hands are smaller and small females these days than 5, 10, 15+ years ago.

There was one (had a heart of gold and wanted to learn) but had the smallest hands ever than I can recall.

The academy uses G17 G4s and she had to roll both hands forward around the grip, especially the trigger hand to put sufficient trigger finger on the trigger.

Luckily, I had a personal Gen 3 or early Gen 4 G17 that I sent off for some minimal frame mods and it came back with a complete frame redo which made the frame slimmer.

I put a - connector and she used that Glock to shoot and qualify. I called her agency who issues Glock 17 and explained her hand size issues with the Glock. They will try to accommodate her.

My other issue was another small handed female who completely understood the fundamentals of marksmanship and could shoot, but very slow. When time was a factor, all marksmanship skill was thrown out the door and it was machine gun fire with a lot of misses.

This caused problems as the focus was on a couple of students instead of the entire class.

Here is my G44 questions.

Is a Glock 44 using quality ammo like CCI mini mags have the ability to run 300+ rounds without cleaning?

Am I able to change the factory sights from something other than plastic (metal/durable)?

What mods need to be done to make it more reliable? (hoping several hundred rounds of light kicking will give cadets confidence to work on skills/time and then return the Nina back to them)
Gun issues will slow the class down.

Is there another .22 LR I should look at that has decent mag capacity and is reliable? (I am thinking Glock 44 since they will qual with G17s unless they bring their dept issued firearm)

thanks in advance

[Duelist]

Without going thru 34 pages

I just finished instructing police academy cadets for 9 days straight (firearms). Handgun, Shotgun and Patrol Rifle.

The cadets are getting smaller, hands are smaller and small females these days than 5, 10, 15+ years ago.

There was one (had a heart of gold and wanted to learn) but had the smallest hands ever than I can recall.

The academy uses G17 G4s and she had to roll both hands forward around the grip, especially the trigger hand to put sufficient trigger finger on the trigger.

Luckily, I had a personal Gen 3 or early Gen 4 G17 that I sent off for some minimal frame mods and it came back with a complete frame redo which made the frame slimmer.

I put a - connector and she used that Glock to shoot and qualify. I called her agency who issues Glock 17 and explained her hand size issues with the Glock. They will try to accommodate her.

My other issue was another small handed female who completely understood the fundamentals of marksmanship and could shoot, but very slow. When time was a factor, all marksmanship skill was thrown out the door and it was machine gun fire with a lot of misses.

This caused problems as the focus was on a couple of students instead of the entire class.

Here is my G44 questions.

Is a Glock 44 using quality ammo like CCI mini mags have the ability to run 300+ rounds without cleaning?

Am I able to change the factory sights from something other than plastic (metal/durable)?

What mods need to be done to make it more reliable? (hoping several hundred rounds of light kicking will give cadets confidence to work on skills/time and then return the Nina back to them)
Gun issues will slow the class down.

Is there another .22 LR I should look at that has decent mag capacity and is reliable? (I am thinking Glock 44 since they will qual with G17s unless they bring their dept issued firearm)

thanks in advance

It is my opinion that one of the best uses for the G44 is exactly what you describe: training new shooters in the use of a service pistol by emulating the exact dimensions, sights, and trigger of a G19.

Yes, you can change the sights.

[spyderco monkey]

Without going thru 34 pages

Here is my G44 questions.

Is a Glock 44 using quality ammo like CCI mini mags have the ability to run 300+ rounds without cleaning?

What mods need to be done to make it more reliable? (hoping several hundred rounds of light kicking will give cadets confidence to work on skills/time and then return the Nina back to them)
Gun issues will slow the class down.

I'm at 1050rd from my G44, using Aguila Super Extra HV, plus 150rd of CCI and Aguila subsonic. Zero malfunctions using either the the factory 10rd mags or Promag 18rd mags loaded to 15rd; only 2 dud rounds.

To max reliability I broke in the gun by hand racking the slide 300x (in sets of 50) then leaving the slide locked back for a few days to help soften up the recoil spring. Gun was then field stripped, sprayed down with Hornady One Shot Dry lube, and racked another 50x.

Mags were hand cycled up and down using the load assist tabs 50x cycles per mag, then left loaded over night to help soften up the springs.

Using this break in method and Hornady One Shot, my G44 (sample size of 1) has been the most reliable .22 I've ever used. Recoil is pretty peppy (for a .22) with the Aguila Super Extra HV.

I shoot sessions of 250rd, then clean it by wiping off the carbon with baby wipes + scraping carbon by extractor with wooden skewer, then re-lubing with Hornady One Shot. I see no reason based on my testing why it wouldt go 300+ between cleaning.

[BillSWPA]

Without going thru 34 pages

I just finished instructing police academy cadets for 9 days straight (firearms). Handgun, Shotgun and Patrol Rifle.

The cadets are getting smaller, hands are smaller and small females these days than 5, 10, 15+ years ago.

There was one (had a heart of gold and wanted to learn) but had the smallest hands ever than I can recall.

The academy uses G17 G4s and she had to roll both hands forward around the grip, especially the trigger hand to put sufficient trigger finger on the trigger.

Luckily, I had a personal Gen 3 or early Gen 4 G17 that I sent off for some minimal frame mods and it came back with a complete frame redo which made the frame slimmer.

I put a - connector and she used that Glock to shoot and qualify. I called her agency who issues Glock 17 and explained her hand size issues with the Glock. They will try to accommodate her.

My other issue was another small handed female who completely understood the fundamentals of marksmanship and could shoot, but very slow. When time was a factor, all marksmanship skill was thrown out the door and it was machine gun fire with a lot of misses.

This caused problems as the focus was on a couple of students instead of the entire class.

Here is my G44 questions.

Is a Glock 44 using quality ammo like CCI mini mags have the ability to run 300+ rounds without cleaning?

Am I able to change the factory sights from something other than plastic (metal/durable)?

What mods need to be done to make it more reliable? (hoping several hundred rounds of light kicking will give cadets confidence to work on skills/time and then return the Nina back to them)
Gun issues will slow the class down.

Is there another .22 LR I should look at that has decent mag capacity and is reliable? (I am thinking Glock 44 since they will qual with G17s unless they bring their dept issued firearm)

thanks in advance

With the factory slide, my gun has been completely reliable with factory 10 round magazines.

Although it is possible to install metal sights, I would strongly discourage installing a metal rear sight. Dovetail sights are designed for an interference fit. When installed in a metal slide, the softer metal of the dovetail will deform as the sight is squeezed into the dovetail. With a plastic slide dovetail, the slide will deform rather than the sight. Your best case scenario is never being able to change the sight again. The worst case is ruining the slide.

The best solution I have found is an Ameriglo black front sight with a narrow width of about .110 if I recall correctly to better fit within the narrow rear Glock notch. I also replaced the plastic adjustable sight with a Glock plastic fixed sight with the white outline covered by black Sharpie.

If you really want metal sights, I suggest an aftermarket slide such as Nelson Precision. You are likely to wait months for it. When you get it, it will not have quite the same reliability as the factory slide, but will work reasonably well with at least some ammo. Mine also has a Swampfox Liberty optic.

With significant patience, I was eventually able to purchase a complete set of internal parts for the Nelson slide. I can now switch between slides without taking either slide apart.

[echo5charlie]

Without going thru 34 pages

I just finished instructing police academy cadets for 9 days straight (firearms). Handgun, Shotgun and Patrol Rifle.

The cadets are getting smaller, hands are smaller and small females these days than 5, 10, 15+ years ago.

There was one (had a heart of gold and wanted to learn) but had the smallest hands ever than I can recall.

The academy uses G17 G4s and she had to roll both hands forward around the grip, especially the trigger hand to put sufficient trigger finger on the trigger.

Luckily, I had a personal Gen 3 or early Gen 4 G17 that I sent off for some minimal frame mods and it came back with a complete frame redo which made the frame slimmer.

I put a - connector and she used that Glock to shoot and qualify. I called her agency who issues Glock 17 and explained her hand size issues with the Glock. They will try to accommodate her.

My other issue was another small handed female who completely understood the fundamentals of marksmanship and could shoot, but very slow. When time was a factor, all marksmanship skill was thrown out the door and it was machine gun fire with a lot of misses.

This caused problems as the focus was on a couple of students instead of the entire class.

Here is my G44 questions.

Is a Glock 44 using quality ammo like CCI mini mags have the ability to run 300+ rounds without cleaning?

Am I able to change the factory sights from something other than plastic (metal/durable)?

What mods need to be done to make it more reliable? (hoping several hundred rounds of light kicking will give cadets confidence to work on skills/time and then return the Nina back to them)
Gun issues will slow the class down.

Is there another .22 LR I should look at that has decent mag capacity and is reliable? (I am thinking Glock 44 since they will qual with G17s unless they bring their dept issued firearm)

thanks in advance

1. Yes, if properly lubricated. I have run mine well over 1,000 rounds with zero PM but starting with proper lube, YMMV of course.

2. Yes, but the rear dovetail is polymer so you *need* to be slow and sure when installing a rear.

3. Shoot it. Stick with CCI Mini Mags. At this point I would have no doubts signing up for a weekend 1,000 round class and use my G44 with Mini Mags.

[Navin Johnson]

Ammo selection and keeping it clean and lubed will be the biggest factors in reliability as with any 22

I use some CCI shit at 1200 fps.....don't remember last time I cleaned it......If it was a defensive tool it would be maintained more but....it's a 22

Other than for a beginner I fail to see it as a training tool as it has zero recoil and the transition to a 19 from the 44 screws up timing dramatically. And the ammo that makes the gun run good is almost as much as 9mm

Don't get me wrong I put a couple hun through it at the range last week. Two two's are super fun. They make you feel like a hero.

[SW CQB 45]

My mind was clouded when I typed my original post.

for academy guns, I put metal sights for one hand clearance drills.

a .22 trainer Glock will only be used to get new shooters the confidence to step up to the real McCoy.

the .22 will never be used for clearance drills therefore plastic sights are a go.

I will change to a plastic fixed rear sight.

We oil every morning.

I will tell the director to break out the $$ for quality ammo. Not .87cent (50 rnds) Kmart Yellow Jackets! (ok, dreaming 1988)

thank you all for the info.

[lwt16]

I have used my G44 to correct a ton of issues in new shooters. I definitely wouldn’t change the rear sight but would reverse it or sharpie out the white part.

Mine is completely reliable with Federal automatch 40g and other high velocity 40g ammo. I have found that tossing in some known unreliable rounds helps teach malfunction clearing.

Biggest negative to me is the weight. It’s nowhere near the weight of its center fire counterparts.

[SW CQB 45]

Is the lower a true Gen 5 set up?

meaning I can change components for a lighter/smoother trigger press.