Glock 34 or Glock 17 for IDPA?

[mscott327]

I carry a G30 and I shoot the same gun for IDPA. I'm looking to upgrade my equipment to play the "game" I also heard that the G34 was out of production due to low sales.

Which one would you get and why? The G17 or G34?

[fuse]

I carry a G30 and I shoot the same gun for IDPA. I'm looking to upgrade my equipment to play the "game" I also heard that the G34 was out of production due to low sales.

Which one would you get and why? The G17 or G34?

Probably only the top 5% of shooters can tell a difference.

Also, I doubt the G34 is going anywhere.

[Nephrology]

I shoot with a G17RTF because it's what I have. I don't think a G34 would make my scores go up. Maybe in IPSC with their farther targets.

[jlw]

I shoot an SSP legal 17 in both SSP and ESP. I may get a little better accuracy out of the 34, but I am faster on target with the 17 and run the 17 better at speed.

[mscott327]

I'm leaning toward the more readily available G17, but keep the feedback coming.

[mizer67]

The G34 is a little more forgiving shooting at speed / distance.

You can also use an even softer bunny fart load than in the G17 and make PF, since the G34 will typically chrono a few PF higher due to the longer barrel.

You'll be a little slower on transitions with the G34.

The performance gap is small, if any, shooter to shooter.

[jar]

If I were a Glock guy, I'd go 34. I shoot M&Ps and find the 5" noticeably easier to shoot fast than the 4.25. The 34 shouldn't be that hard to find. Anyone who told you it was going to be discontinued due to low sales was probably trying to sell you the 17 they had in their case.

[DonovanM]

There's a whole 1oz difference between the two, I'd really love to see some hard data regarding people shooting differently between them outside of the benefits of the longer sight radius. I think it's just a matter of expectation.

Anyway, I'd buy the one you're more likely to carry as an alternative to the G30. That's probably the G17 if you're not sure. The only reason I'd recommend someone buy the G34 is if they were really wanting that longer barrel... in which case they'd already be set on the G34. If you're not sure, just get the 17.

[Mr_White]

I've used the Gen3 G17 for a number of years, then recently switched to the Gen3 G34 last year when the opportunity presented itself.

I shoot the G34 better now than I shot the G17 before, but I cannot assign that to the gun because I have been practicing diligently during that whole time, which I would think makes vastly more difference than the gun itself, especially when the guns under discussion are almost identical.

I also haven't run the kind of performance comparisons that might tell me my splits are faster with the 34 and transitions and handling are faster with the 17, which seems to be a recurring theme in other people's opinions, though I don't disagree with them.

The G34 is currently my favorite. It's nothing more than enjoyment and sentimental attachment. I have slightly more faith in the reliability of the G17, but my G34s have been good too (but none of any of them truly perfect.)

Bottom line is that I think it makes little difference.

You might consider which, if either, of the G17 and G34 you might actually carry in daily life. It seems advantageous to use the same gun for training/practice, competition, and carry. If you would do that with the G17 but not the G34, that might be a good reason for the G17. Or, figure out how to carry the G34 all the time.

[Sparks2112]

I'm leaning toward the more readily available G17, but keep the feedback coming.

I dont have a hard time getting either. Gen 4 19s otoh are unobtanium right now.