Maryland State IDPA 2014 using the Glock 34, Next Steps

Really great match, fun to shoot, great facilities, great weather and great group of guys in Southern Maryland, Lexington Park, MD. (Sanners Lake)

I was fortunate to get 1st place SSP Marksman, so got the match bump I was hoping for. I was 20 seconds faster than the 2nd place person. I shot my Gen 3 Glock 34, used Jack Ross 9mm-147gr (checked every round and found no problems in 250 rounds, which is all I checked.). The 34 has the ZevTech IDPA legal drop-in trigger, and a KKM barrel. I used authentic Glock magazines (3ea gen 3 and one gen 4), having found the KCI Korean ones were causing double feeds. (Anybody want them?)

I have to admit I am really impressed with the Glock platform: simplicity, sight radius, relative accuracy, handling and reliability. One of the things I still dislike is the large trigger guard gives me a serious case of "Glock knuckle" and I am not sure I could shoot the Glock continuously for this very reason. I know one person who grew a cyst on his middle knuckle after shooting for many years. Another thing is getting my Glock to run reliably took some replacement parts, and a different recoil spring. I also had to do some dremel work on the mag release (sharp edges). Dirty mags also caused reliability issues. Once I got all those issues solved, it is 100% reliable.

I got the ESP match bump to Sharpshooter using my CZ Shadow last year at the Liberty Match. My strategy is to move back to my CZ Shadow and shoot ESP Sharpshooter and work on the Match bump to Expert. Based on how many more people are competing in SS, I expect to work harder and and take more practice to make Expert. In order to get a match bump it is my experience that I actually need to be shooting at the next class level in order to win a match bump. (I call this "out-sandbagging" the other sandbaggers)

A friend asked me if I wanted to move to CDP (45cal) and try for a match bump to SS. But I don't really have a decent 45cal, and ammo is more expensive, so I think I am going to stick with the 9mm divisions for now. I own a Tisas 1911 (http://www.trabzonsilah.com/eng/inde...ancadetay&id=9), but no holster, mag holders, extra mags, etc. Any thoughts on using this "as-is"? The one I have has nice grippy G10 grips on it. Any thoughts on moving to CDP before moving back to ESP?

Thanks,
Cody

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Originally Posted by cclaxton

One of the things I still dislike is the large trigger guard gives me a serious case of "Glock knuckle" and I am not sure I could shoot the Glock continuously for this very reason. I know one person who grew a cyst on his middle knuckle after shooting for many years.

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I round the bottom, right edge of the trigger guard on my most frequently shot Glocks. It was particularly helpful with the .40s, less so with the 9s.

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Another thing is getting my Glock to run reliably took some replacement parts, and a different recoil spring. I also had to do some dremel work on the mag release (sharp edges). Dirty mags also caused reliability issues. Once I got all those issues solved, it is 100% reliable.

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It took replacement parts to make your OEM-configuration G34 to run reliably, or your G34 in its customized form?

What was happening with your mags, and how dirty were they?

The trigger safety was catching on the OEM trigger. The OEM striker was having light strikes. I installed the ZevTech extended firing pin striker and zero problems.
The mags fall in the dirt...they were just dirty.
Cody

Isn't that the gun you got second hand, and it had work done to it?

Was the striker area clean and dry when you had light strikes?

JV, yes. It had a trigger job done to it according to the previous owner. I thoroughly documented the issue I had with the OEM trigger safety totally unrelated to the trigger job. That was a mfg problem. It is hard to say whether the striker channel was an issue as well. I did have an issue with a dirty striker channel and I think I had solved it, but only put another 50 rounds down the pipe before replacing the striker with the ZevTech.

Sometimes more than one problem exists to create a malfunction.

I have seen and heard and read of a number of people having problems with Glocks when they are new, and this was my experience as well. Once the issues are resolved they seem to run reliably. That is my current impression of Glocks from a reliability POV. I have not shot the Glock enough to know how well mine would hold up after thousands of rounds.

I was trying to complement the Glock platform and the Glock 34...and give my overall impression. I would absolutely use my Glock 34 to work on getting Expert in SSP...as long as my Glock knuckle can handle it.

I would not consider shooting a Glock 21 to shoot 45cal. Any comments on going to CDP to compete with a .45cal?

Cody

If you are not a 1911 fan, I suggest going into CDP with a Smith and Wesson M&P. You can get it with or without thumb safety. With the Apex comp. kit, you get a 3 lb. trigger pull and a GREAT handling weapon (one of the softest shooting .45's ever).
I just used mine to take 2nd in the Maryland State IDPA SS class. It was the first time I had ever even used the gun in a match.

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Originally Posted by gunslinger2250

If you are not a 1911 fan, I suggest going into CDP with a Smith and Wesson M&P. You can get it with or without thumb safety. With the Apex comp. kit, you get a 3 lb. trigger pull and a GREAT handling weapon (one of the softest shooting .45's ever).
I just used mine to take 2nd in the Maryland State IDPA SS class. It was the first time I had ever even used the gun in a match.

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Thanks. That is quite a good performance for a new gun in a match. FYI, I saw a guy running a new Sig 226 crash and burn on my stage. He had feeding/extraction issues, then finally got a round stuck in the chamber which took three big men to get the round out. (One guy held the gun while another guy slammed his elbow....multiple times.) THAT problem seemed to be a bad casing. But, I mention this to contrast it with your experience with the M&P. I found the grip on the M&P difficult for me, at least with no stippling or grip tape. The polymer was just too slippery. I have seen some new grips with aggressive stippling and grip tape that would probably cure that problem for me. In chatting with another group of regular shooters they told me they are seeing the M&P's wearing out prematurely after 5000 rounds or so. This is anecdotal, so I don't necessarily extrapolate that into a general problem...that is just their experience.

I carry a 1911, and I like them when they are reliable...hate them when they are not. You shouldn't have to be a master armorer to get them to run reliably. If I was going to go to CDP I would probably find a reliable 1911.

All that said, I have finally decided to stick with ESP/SSP to work on making Expert. I still don't think I am *done* with my Glock experience, so I will be running the Glock 34 at Shoothouse Shootout and Tidewater 3Gun. IF I get metalform mags (backordered) by May 18, I plan to run my carry gun, a Kimber 9mm CDP Ultra II, for the BUG match at Lower Providence in PA. Then probably back to the Cz 75 Shadow for The Carolina Cup and Beast of the East.

Thanks,
Cody

I would just file the trigger guard to prevent teh Glock knuckle. I did the mod here and it is not noticeable, but feels much better.

http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/v...7670C633B1.jpg



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