P30L to G34?

[DickPR]

I currently own a P30L V1 Light LEM in 40SW. I am contemplating trading it in for a Gen3 Glock 34. While I love the ergos of the HK, I am not shooting it nearly as well as I would like. I have ~500rds through the P30 and the trigger is still frustrating me. I owned a Glock 34 Gen 3 in the past and I was easily the best with that pistol. The Glock trigger just seems more natural for me. My only reservations are the "stories" I hear about Glocks these days. Am I safe with a Gen3 Glock made in later 2011? The use of the HK and possible 34 is EDC and HD. I carried a 34 in the past and found no issues. Really I'm just looking for an all clear on the later Gen 3s. Thanks in advance.

[will_1400]

I'm no expert, but I would imagine comparing a .40 S&W to a 9mm would be apples to oranges. AFIK, earlier Gen 3 Glocks are still considered good quality and its the Gen 4s and late Gen 3s that have been acting up more often than they should.

[DickPR]

I do not want to compare 9mm to 40 (way too many threads already exist). Is there anything I should specifically look for on a late(mid 2011) Gen3 34?

[will_1400]

This is where I'm out of my depth and I'll defer to the more knowledgeble members on here.

[CK1]

A Gen3, even a late one, is still a fairly safe bet... you may get one with a shitty extractor that throws brass at your forehead now and again, but even if you get one like that: it'll still go bang nearly all of the time, easy/cheap spring and connector swaps will let you find a trigger that's decent enough (as good or better than the LEM), and just dropping in a different extractor so it kicks brass right is still kind of within the realm of not really being "tuning" IMO.
Even though Glock has made a few head scratchers lately with the Gen4 debacle and the iffy MIM extractors, in all fairness, it's still way more likely with the Gen3 guns that you'll get one that runs fine than not (not so with the Gen4's from my experience).

I've had a few different P30's, and IMHO, awesome-feeling grip aside, with their in-the-way levers and crap triggers, the Glock is still a better mousetrap.

I love the build-quality of the H&K's, I don't dig their lame triggers and overly large and/or odd controls... to me "ergos" means the whole layout, more than just the grip... If I could take a P30, gut it, and then drop in a Glock's internals (including Glock mag button and slide-stop/release) in place of a P30's over-complicated clockwork, weird mag release, and huge and in-the-way slide-stop/releases (JMHO), I would...

Don't mean to bash the P30's, lots of guys love 'em, guess I'm just a fan of the less-is-more approach.

[TAZ]

Personally I wouldn't think that 500 rounds is sufficient to learn the LEM and jumping ship may still be premature. If you love the egos of the P30 I'd give it some more time and dry fire the crap out of it till you have learned the LEM and then put another case down range to make sure. It took me a LONG time to get a good handle on the LEM and get as good with it as I was with a standard v1 trigger.

You may also want to consider shooting a G35 to eliminate the caliber as your culprit. Of its the caliber and you really do like the ergos of the P30 maybe switch to a 9mm P30.

Don't get me wrong, I like my Glocks but before you switch platforms make sure that you have properly identified the problem. Nothing is more frustrating than thinking you have solved and issue only to find that you didn't. Been there done that and it's a bitch of a let down.

[jetfire]

I'll trade you my G34 for your P30L. One, I want a P30L, and two I have such a boner for .40 S&W that it's painful at times.

ETA: I'm not actually serious, I love my G34 like Ron Burgundy loves San Diego.

[JV_]

Personally I wouldn't think that 500 rounds is sufficient to learn the LEM and jumping ship may still be premature.I agree, I waited 10X as long.

[JonInWA]

I think that you'd be fine with a Gen 3 G34; the most likely "worst case" would be having to replace the extractor with either an "old stock" Gen 3 LCI extractor, a new "corrected"/non-MIM Glock LCI extractor, or with an older Glock non-LCI extractor (but if you do this, you'll also need to match it with an appropriate extractor/depressor/plunger assembly), or with and appropriate after-market extractor and /or extractor/EDP assembly combination.

Best, Jon

[DickPR]

Personally I wouldn't think that 500 rounds is sufficient to learn the LEM and jumping ship may still be premature.


I think you are right and have decided to wait. No reason to discard such a well built gun after such short a time. Sometimes I have silly ideas.

[DickPR]

edited by ToddG

[jetfire]

edited by ToddG