View Full Version : Glock 17: to Gen4 or not to Gen4? That is the question...
s0nspark
11-09-2011, 08:59 AM
I am about to purchase a Glock 17 or 19 for carry purposes (after reluctantly admitting to myself that I just don't shoot my Glock 30 well enough to carry it) and I am on the fence regarding whether I would be best served by sticking with a Gen3 or going with a Gen4.
I should say: I very much like the polymids on the Gen4 based on gun store handling and like the idea of the double recoil spring assembly but my primary concern must be reliability. I do not want to have to monkey around with this gun (once I have it set up for my tastes, of course) to make it run. Internet horror stories have me slightly second guessing myself. ;-)
Given the initial issues (that may be resolved now) is a Gen4 still a "gamble"?
Thanks for any thoughts!
LittleLebowski
11-09-2011, 09:05 AM
Hate to say it but if you haven't read my blog....:D and you primary concern is reliability, go Gen3. No question about it.
s0nspark
11-09-2011, 09:30 AM
Hate to say it but if you haven't read my blog....:D and you primary concern is reliability, go Gen3. No question about it.
Reading now... :-) Thanks!
Given the initial issues (that may be resolved now) is a Gen4 still a "gamble"? I've been toying with the idea of a Gen4, but I'm holding out for a gun with the new ejector.
LittleLebowski
11-09-2011, 09:55 AM
I've been toying with the idea of a Gen4, but I'm holding out for a gun with the new ejector.
Let me know what you're looking for and I'll watch the gunshop down the street for you.
Let me know what you're looking for and I'll watch the gunshop down the street for you.17 or 34, leaning more towards a 34.
LittleLebowski
11-09-2011, 09:57 AM
17 or 34, leaning more towards a 34.
Gotcha. Will keep an eye out for ya.
Gotcha. Will keep an eye out for ya.TY.
s0nspark
11-09-2011, 10:07 AM
I've been toying with the idea of a Gen4, but I'm holding out for a gun with the new ejector.
How is the new ejector identified? I will be ordering from Ed's Public Safety (since there apparently isn't an LEO dealer in my neck of the woods anymore) and if I bravely go the Gen4 route I'd like to know what replacement part I may need to order ;-)
I'd like to know what replacement part I may need to order ;-)You can't buy it, yet.
http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?1720-New-Glock-Gen-4-ejector
Just received a box back from Glock, where they did the Gen four upgrades to 3 17's and a 22 (new ejector, new RSA, dot connector and inspect extractor fit). Two of the 17's eject great, so far, and the third 17 dribbles cases out, but hasn't yet had a stoppage. Bill Rogers says their school Gen 4 17's have run since he modified the ejectors back in the spring. Randy Lee from Apex isn't sure the new ejector will solve the problems universally.
I like the ergos of the Gen 4, but wish we knew for sure how they will run. Odd state of affairs where you want a Gen 4 G17 for accuracy, and an M&P for ergos and reliability.
This is all clear as mud.
David Armstrong
11-09-2011, 03:01 PM
Personally, I'm still waiting for them to work the bugs out of the Gen 3 enough for me to give up my Gen 2s!:D
F-Trooper05
11-09-2011, 07:53 PM
Personally, I'm still waiting for them to work the bugs out of the Gen 3 enough for me to give up my Gen 2s!:D
That's why I only shoot black powder guns. The whole Browning locked-breach thing seems a little sketchy to me.
We (me and my 2LT) have had nothing but wonderful results with four Gen 4 9mms across 18K rounds but if I had to only pick one it would be a Gen 3 RTF2. The super aggressive grip treatment is that good IMO and the Gen 3 triggers are easier to tune up or down.
Long tom coffin
11-09-2011, 11:54 PM
Hate to say it but if you haven't read my blog....:D and you primary concern is reliability, go Gen3. No question about it.
I would stress to buy a PRE 2010 Gen 3. Or, failing that, immediately purchase a LWD extractor. My 2011 Gen 3, which just hit the 3000 round mark today, just shit the bed in truly spectacular fashion. "Erratic" ejection doesn't even begin to describe it. I had casings bouncing off my head, eyepro, down my shirt, off my arms, flying straight up in the air, I even had one go forward of the gun. My Gen 4's are now (at least for the time being) more reliable than my Gen 3. That is so very, very sad.
The worst part of this was prior to this point, the gun was absolutely flawless. I haven't had the opportunity to strip it yet, but when I do I'm going to take a magnifying glass to the extractor. I've never seen ejection that bad before.
I have 2 or 3 late 2010 guns, Gen3s, and they run fairly well. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.
"Erratic" ejection doesn't even begin to describe it.....
My Gen 4's are now (at least for the time being) more reliable than my Gen 3.
.
Why is erratic ejection being equated to an unreliable gun? I understand that the change is concerning, but still...
I have to admit, I don't care and don't look where mine ejects, as long it is not in my face. During a recent class, a fellow student noted that my 2009 G19 ejected some of casings over the top of my head. This gun has not had a malfunction once in almost 14,000 rounds.
Long tom coffin
11-10-2011, 12:49 PM
Why is erratic ejection being equated to an unreliable gun? I understand that the change is concerning, but still...
I have to admit, I don't care and don't look where mine ejects, as long it is not in my face. During a recent class, a fellow student noted that my 2009 G19 ejected some of casings over the top of my head. This gun has not had a malfunction once in almost 14,000 rounds.
It is being equated to unreliability because the change occurred with all types of ammo. When this started happening, I was running Win Nato 124 gr, S&B 115 gr, and I shot several boxes of my carry ammo, as well (124 gr +p Gold dot). My Gen 3 and Gen 4's have had occasional issues with erratic ejection with range ammunition; generally speaking it didn't hit me in the face or head, so as you say, it wasn't really of concern. I never had problems while shooting my carry ammunition prior to this, but as of yesterday, after about 4 boxes of GD through my Gen3, I had been pegged in the head/face/neck area with hot brass at least a dozen and a half times. The majority of those either hit me directly in the face or bounced off my eyepro. I still have several nice little red streaks on my face where I got burned. One of the casings actually managed to make it down the front of my shirt. COnsidering I had my shirt tucked in at that point, I had to unload the gun, set it on the bench and then untuck my shirt and fish the brass out. It is a reliability issue because I can no longer trust the extractor to be reliable enough to not eject hot brass in my face or eyes during a real life or death encounter. If this were an issue with only range ammunition, I really wouldn't care. But since it is happening with what is supposed to be high quality carry ammo as well, it is a real problem.
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=92447
Link to Randy Lee's analysis, with different theory of what is causing the problems.
TheLaw
11-17-2011, 05:27 PM
I won 5 GLOCKS and will purchase another one soon. They are all Gen 3 guns. I purchased a Gen 4 G19 a while ago. I took it on a weekend trip with the family. Sitting in the hotel, I decided to dry fire and after clearing the weapon, I pulled the trigger and the slide almost fell off. The slide lock spring had broken and this allowed the slide lock to fall out of the firearm. GLOCK fixed it of course for free, and I live close enough I was able to swing it by for the repair but I also had to go the rest of the trip and the entire ride back with no firearm.
If you need the adjustable backstraps, the larger mag release etc, then maybe the Gen 4 is for you. For me, I'll stick with the Gen 3s, and hopefully, I can keep getting new Gen 3 GLOCKS that were made before they switched to the new finish and bad ejector. :)
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