Glock 17 trigger questions

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Waterboy3313

Waterboy3313

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Redding CA
Long story short. I bought a new Glock 17 knowing that I was not going to be happy with the factory trigger. Before I actually shot it I spent a solid week using my strike man laser set up dry firing the living day lights out of it. I probably dry fired it 2000+ times before my first range trip.

My goal was to break in the factory trigger before my first range trip. Fast forward about two months and about 6 trips out. The factory trigger is still a rough factory trigger. I did my version of the 25 cent trigger polish job. My version took several hours of polishing with some fine polish and micro fiber cloth. No Dremel tool stuff here. I watched several videos and read up on it for a while before deciding to this. Results were a modest gain. The trigger feels better but nothing to brag about.

So today I received my ghost 3.5 pound connector and spring kit. I swapped in the connector and springs. For the striker/firing pin I opted for the 4 pound spring. I dry fired it several times and did not like the trigger reset it felt soggy and the reset felt weirdly unsafe. Not going to use this pistol for carry/self defense and I still wasn't feeling good about it.

I changed the striker spring from 4 lb to 6 lb and it definitely feels better. Trigger take up feels a bit shorter than factory the reset feels better and safe but it has a mushy feel when it breaks over now. I'm thinking tomorrow I will break it down again and try the factory trigger spring again with it's current configuration.

I'm on the fence about ordering a drop in trigger if changing springs around doesn't help. Do I need to just get used to the fact that Glock triggers just suck or do I need to drop another $150-200 on a drop in after market trigger?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Waterboy3313 said:
Long story short. I bought a new Glock 17 knowing that I was not going to be happy with the factory trigger. Before I actually shot it I spent a solid week using my strike man laser set up dry firing the living day lights out of it. I probably dry fired it 2000+ times before my first range trip.

My goal was to break in the factory trigger before my first range trip. Fast forward about two months and about 6 trips out. The factory trigger is still a rough factory trigger. I did my version of the 25 cent trigger polish job. My version took several hours of polishing with some fine polish and micro fiber cloth. No Dremel tool stuff here. I watched several videos and read up on it for a while before deciding to this. Results were a modest gain. The trigger feels better but nothing to brag about.

So today I received my ghost 3.5 pound connector and spring kit. I swapped in the connector and springs. For the striker/firing pin I opted for the 4 pound spring. I dry fired it several times and did not like the trigger reset it felt soggy and the reset felt weirdly unsafe. Not going to use this pistol for carry/self defense and I still wasn't feeling good about it.

I changed the striker spring from 4 lb to 6 lb and it definitely feels better. Trigger take up feels a bit shorter than factory the reset feels better and safe but it has a mushy feel when it breaks over now. I'm thinking tomorrow I will break it down again and try the factory trigger spring again with it's current configuration.

I'm on the fence about ordering a drop in trigger if changing springs around doesn't help. Do I need to just get used to the fact that Glock triggers just suck or do I need to drop another $150-200 on a drop in after market trigger?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Glock triggers are just that; Glock triggers. They’re not as light or crisp as a 1911 or a non-striker gun trigger, and due to the apples and oranges methods of operation between a Glock and a non striker gun, they never will be. Can you improve them? Sure.

That being said, I have numerous 9mm Glocks and I have done a couple of things to improve my guns’ triggers over the stock trigger feel. I am leery of tinkering with the connector other than polishing the oem parts where they rub ( like you did ) so I haven’t used a Ghost connector, but many folks do with no issues.

All of my Glocks get a 5 lb striker spring and reduced power safety plunger spring from Wolff. The .5 lb reduction in weight from oem has, so far, been 100 pct reliable with every type if ammo I’ve run and the combo of lighter springs reduces the trigger pull weight a bit. I never wanted a “competition” trigger on my Glocks so they’re lighter, but not feathery.

For my 17L I did an Apex trigger system, as the factory trigger had a protruding safety lever that irritated my trigger finger. The flat trigger made a world of difference for me. Its still “Glockish” because it still has to compress the last of the striker spring during the trigger pull, but the lighter weight and improved trigger feel really makes the gun much easier for me to shoot.

C3F175EA-ADDF-438B-883E-AEF5E9A30032.jpeg 7F3CDFFD-7307-4C68-83CE-110F115D76D5.jpeg


For my Gen 3 oem frame/Arm or Ally Glock 17 build I never could get a proper reset with oem trigger parts, so I had to use an Apex trigger system to get it to run properly. These got pricy, so after these two costly must-swaps I took a different tack with my others.

1EE9A7B8-B9A5-4AEA-BA6C-12E03A8A4609.jpeg 4B1023A5-6AD3-4E9D-9DB8-A06E618C5B6E.jpeg


All of my other Glocks but one (19, 19 build, 23, 34, 34 build, 43, 43X, 44, 48) use a Vickers Tactical trigger installed on the oem trigger bar rather than the whole Apex kit. The flat trigger face makes the pull feel much better to me; like the Apex it has a crisper feel and a cleaner break over stock.

0887BB07-F164-4EA3-954B-628DE6905400.jpeg 4422D9A4-5B8D-41AE-9E54-1D0555AD8000.jpeg

The only Glock with the factory trigger I have is a Glock 45. This Gen 5 gun has a great feeling, smooth-faced trigger that didn’t need to be swapped out.

3AF1B21F-96B6-4A21-B855-3B46A93F2BA1.jpeg E618B985-ECF6-4C68-9ED8-33A0DD35063D.jpeg

You may be served well by replacing the existing trigger with a new trigger like the Vickers, which ran me around 33 bucks and took me about five minutes to replace, or you may want to go with the full-monty Apex system at roughly 145 bucks (I got mine on sale) to really improve it.

Stay safe.
 
I don't remember how long ago but I bought one of the first Glock 17Ls to use for USPSA competition. I was lucky enough to meet their armorer and he told me how to polish it and what spring to buy from Ace Hardware. It didn't take a lot of work to get a smooth trigger.

Apex kits are great but if you stick to the .25 cent trigger job you will get a decent trigger.
 
Thanks for the great info. I just got some free time so I am going to mix and match some of the springs and factory connector/3.5 connector to see what might be the best configuration.
 
Tinker Toys for Big Boys

Buy a Glock and spend as much as the gun for changing out parts:)

Trigger, sights ,slide lock lever, barrel to shoot lead etc etc.
Yes, I have two Glocks first thing to replace is a Ghost disconnector, makes a lot of difference for little money.
 
Rule3 said:
Tinker Toys for Big Boys

Buy a Glock and spend as much as the gun for changing out parts:)

Trigger, sights ,slide lock lever, barrel to shoot lead etc etc.
Yes, I have two Glocks first thing to replace is a Ghost disconnector, makes a lot of difference for little money.
Click to expand...
LOL. That seems to be the plan for many. :)

Right now, I have around 25 Glocks, I cant afford all the (usually questionable) "upgrading", so I keep them basically stock. Night sights and maybe some stippling on certain Gens is all I do.

I never found the Glock triggers to be bad at all, on any of them, and truthfully, I doubt I would have bought the (new) gun if I thought it was.

Ive bought a couple of Glocks for a good price that had been "upgraded" that turned out to be somewhat problematic in function, until I restored the non factory parts with factory parts. Problem solved. :)
 
This is my first Glock. I bought it because I know several people that own them and I seem to shoot them better than the owners. I figured if I can shoot it decently I probably should own one. I also got it on sale. I know comparing a Glock to my Kimber 1911 or my revolvers is apples to oranges.

I just got done tearing into it and putting back together about 5 times trying different springs and comparing the original connector to the ghost 3.5 connector. I think I am fairly happy with the feel right now.

The parts I ordered cost me $25 and some change delivered to my door and about $8 of that was shipping. So if you don't count shipping and the metal polish I already had on hand I'm $17 into it. I don't think it really needs anything else. It's probably the least expensive pistol I own. Tomorrow will be a range day and I will get to actually test my work. So far with dry firing and and my trigger finger Dyno I think it will be a much better improvement.
 
I think it all depends on your expectations. I personally LOVE Glock triggers, yeah I said it. I do a 25 cent trigger job on the the internals with a dremel and some flitz and to me, it's a great trigger. Is it 1911 good? Well no but they're different triggers so its not a good comparison but to me for a striker fired gun the trigger is good, the key is to know the reset point and use that, many who complain about Glocks being inaccurate simply dont know how to use the trigger. Something like a 1911 is very easy to shoot well whereas a Glock does take a little bit of understanding of the trigger system and developing good muscle memory. That said a lot of people think Glock triggers suck and feel the need to replace the trigger for an aftermarket one, to me thats not only a waste of money but would cause me to question reliability as well.
 
I agree with the reset part. I just hate I feel like I have to change my point of aim for my first shot. My first shot is usually high and left. Then after that first shot I'm on or until I do something weird and lose my reset. Hopefully tomorrow will prove to be a good day or at least a better one at the range.
 
I would say focus on your sights and stop worrying about what the trigger is doing.

If you have and hold proper sight alignment through the break, you shouldnt have to change POA between any of the shots.

Ignore the trigger and focus on the sights. ;)
 
I’ve never found the need to do anything other than replace the factory connector, and my current favorite is the Ghost Angel:

https://ghostinc.com/angel-3-0-gen-1-5-x/

It’s a light DA style pull, which for me is the best compromise for a FCG design that needs to tension the striker during the trigger pull.
 
A stock Glock trigger is almost exactly the same pull weight as 90% of the stock 1911 triggers. And most of them are quite crisp. I bought one used Glock that had the 3.5 lb trigger in it and just like you didn't like it. It WAS lighter, but so mushy that I could shoot it better with the factory 5.5 lb trigger. I switched back.

A Glock is a combat pistol and anyone who really wants to learn how to use one can master it. If you're used to something else, it may take more time. Our county PD switched to Glocks in 1994. A friend of mine was the SWAT leader training officer for our county. Prior to 1994 he could carry anything he wanted, and he chose a BHP. Switching to Glocks drove him nuts at 1st. Today he wouldn't carry anything else. He has since retired but is still works part time with another agency.

My advice is to leave it as is and make yourself master the gun if you're using it for SD. If you want a range gun for punching paper some of the aftermarket triggers are pretty good. I put the APEX trigger in a Smith M&P 45. It rivals my 1911 target pistol for both trigger pull and accuracy. But I specifically chose to do it to one of the Smiths that has a 1911 style safety. I wouldn't choose a trigger that light on a gun without a safety if I intended to carry it.
 
SDGlock23 said:
I think it all depends on your expectations. I personally LOVE Glock triggers, yeah I said it. I do a 25 cent trigger job on the the internals with a dremel and some flitz and to me, it's a great trigger. Is it 1911 good? Well no but they're different triggers so its not a good comparison but to me for a striker fired gun the trigger is good, the key is to know the reset point and use that, many who complain about Glocks being inaccurate simply dont know how to use the trigger. Something like a 1911 is very easy to shoot well whereas a Glock does take a little bit of understanding of the trigger system and developing good muscle memory. That said a lot of people think Glock triggers suck and feel the need to replace the trigger for an aftermarket one, to me thats not only a waste of money but would cause me to question reliability as well.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree. I shoot Glock triggers well and love them, and shoot them stock. My favorite mod is 1000 rounds live (and probably 5 times that dry fire).

Funny fact, I bought the wonderful Wilson Combat EDC X9 as my “ultimate” carry gun only to discover, after a few thousand rounds direct comparison, that I just don’t shoot it any better in any carry drill compared to a Glock 19. The Glock is 4 oz lighter and can take a dot so it gets the carry time and the Wilson largely gets to be a range gun.
 
My Glock is going to be strictly just a range toy. My primary carry gun is a M&P shield 9mm (original factory condition). My Kimber 1911 is also not modified but I don't think it needs any extra help it's pretty nice right out of the box.

I guess I'm turning into somewhat of a trigger snob. After shooting a few nice guns that don't belong to me it kind of set me off into a I can make stuff better tangent. Most of my guns that I have installed triggers into or trigger kits I have seen my groups shrink.
 
I am going to agree with some of the others here who go with the stock trigger and a .25 cent trigger job. I have an Agency Glock 30sf and I have messed with some other triggers including the Ranger Proof trigger. They do improve the trigger pull, but it is not worth the trade-off in safety for me. My Ranger triggers were just barely drop proof. I believe in the Glock system and don't like to mess with it. Anyways I shoot the stock trigger pretty good and am happy with what I get from the factory in terms of reliability and safety.

I do replace the triggers in my rifles and work on the actions of my DA revolvers to improve the trigger pull so I completely get it. I also set up a very nice and light trigger pull on a buddies Glock 17. He was able to use it to win the the Top Gun trophy for his class at the police academy but once he began to work it was back to the stock trigger. If you are set on a drop in, I would recommend you take a look at Agency. I know the guys there and they make nice stuff.

Let us know what you choose.
 
Waterboy3313 said:
.....I'm on the fence about ordering a drop in trigger if changing springs around doesn't help. Do I need to just get used to the fact that Glock triggers just suck or do I need to drop another $150-200 on a drop in after market trigger?
Click to expand...
At the risk of over generalizing, messing with aftermarket connectors, springs, firing pins, polishing, etc. will not get you a better trigger than a Timney Alpha. And with a Timney, you won't experience primer ignition faults. A Glock with a Timney is no less safe than a CZ Shadow 2 or Tactical Sport, (neither of which have firing pin blocks). But I will admit that the vast majority of shooters lack the competence to run 3 lb. triggers.
 
I prefer to buy what I like rather than buying something and hoping I can make it into what I like. I don't necessarily love Glock triggers but they're fine as striker fired go. I do own a pretty big pile of Glocks. I have a Walther P99 that I loath the trigger on. All my Taurus revolvers have pretty crummy triggers. The best I own is probably my 500 magnum.

I will say that my Gen 4 G43 has a noticably better trigger than any of my Gen 3 guns. Haven't tried a gen 5 yet
 
I tried out my ghost trigger parts today. Just wanted to remind everyone here this is being used as a target/plinker not for self defense. Using the ghost 3.5 lb connector, springs 4 lb striker, reduced plunger spring and the .25 cent polish job.

It felt pretty good. I busted clays on the berm out to about 40 yards and shot somewhat consistently on paper out to 50 yards. I only put about 100 rounds through it today. The only problem I had was the 4 lb striker spring caused 3 light strikes.

The first thing I did when I got home was change the spring out to the 6 lb spring. With the 6 lb spring the trigger feel ok but I definitely like the feel of the 4lb spring better but If it's going to give be light strikes I won't use it.

I guess I will learn to like it or send it down the road and replace it with something that isn't a striker fire.
 
Try putting the stock 5.5 pound firing pin spring back in or go with a 5 pound firing pin spring.

I have never had luck with a 4 or 4.5 pound firing pin spring, they always caused light primer strikes for me.

When it comes to connectors, I prefer either an OEM Glock "minus" connector or a "minus" connector from NDZ. To me they are better than any of the Ghost 3.5 pound connectors I have tried.
 
OP, or anyone else who may be curious, here's what I've found satisfactory to me for my Glock triggers (I'm assuming the OP has a G17gen3 as he's in Calif.):
-either stock, unmarked connector, or a Glock-brand "minus connector". The minus connector will drop the trigger pull down to ~4.5 pounds from ~5.5 pounds.
-the 25¢ trigger-job, mainly to clean-up/polish the trigger bar-to-connector interface, but will touch upon the firing pin safety to trigger bar's upward extension, too.
-of personal preference, I'll replace the trigger shoe with one from Kineti-Tech:
https://www.kineti-tech.com/glock-triggers/

Once or twice, I've replaced the trigger mechanism housing; and I've also replaced a pair of firing pin spring cups. Occasionally, these polymer parts might be "rough" even though brand-new.

This has been my experience with approximately 15-20 Glocks over the last 27 years.

Don't forget to lube between the connector and trigger-bar, btw.:)
 
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