Which Generation of Glock?

and recoil spring assembly. The Gen 4 has a dual spring.

The general recommendation is if in 9mm, which ever grip you prefer. If you want a .40 S&W, get the Gen 4.

I prefer Gen4 only because the magazine release is reversible. If I were a right hander, I wouldn't mind a bit to buy Gen3.

There are a few differences. Replaceable backstraps, different grip texture, reversible magazine release, I believe the RSA is different as well. Not sure of others, I'm kinda forgetful

The grip on my G19 Gen 4 without any backstraps added is slightly smaller than the G19 Gen 3, and my personal preference is the Gen 4. I do think the texturing on the Gen 4 is too aggressive, but I'll take it over the Gen 3 because of the way the grip feels. I also think the finger grooves are more muted on the Gen 4. (This may account for at least some of the difference in feel.) I think the trigger is better on my Gen 4 sample of one than on my Gen 3 sample of one.

Hold and dry fire them both before deciding. The model gun you pick may make a difference as well.

Gen 1-4, when I'm shooting them, I can't tell the difference. If you have abnormally small or large hands, or are a lefty, you may want to go gen 4. Otherwise, I'd say save the $50 or so difference and get a gen 3, or a used gen 1 or 2.

If looking at a Glock and choosing between a Gen3 and a Gen4, which do you prefer and why? Is the only difference between the two the backstraps on the Gen4?

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Which model(s) or is this a general question?

OK, with the limited info from the OP, a later Gen4, now that the bugs have been worked out.
(For the Glocks I've got, I've got both a Gen3 and a Gen4 in each model.)

I want a new 17M without the finger grooves, if its real and not just internet gossip

Gen4, for the back straps and magazine release.

I want a new 17M without the finger grooves, if its real and not just internet gossip

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If you're talking about the new Glock they are making for the F.B.I. and some municipal police departments, you need to do a search on it and educate yourself on the problems they are having with these guns. I doubt if you'll want one after you read a few reports on it.

I have both a Gen3 and Gen4 Glock and cannot tell the difference.

I don't understand WHY people get so upset over the finger grooves on the Glock grip, I find them fairly comfortable.

stchman said:

I have both a Gen3 and Gen4 Glock and cannot tell the difference.

I don't understand WHY people get so upset over the finger grooves on the Glock grip, I find them fairly comfortable.

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I have giant hands and the finger grooves do not line up with my fingers on the grip.

I shoot a G23 gen 3 and a G27 gen 4. I like the feel of the gen 3 grip as the ergonomics are good for me, and I have the medium backstrap on the gen 4 so the grip size is very similar. The mag release on the gen 4 is larger than on the gen 3 and that's a welcome change. The double spring (std on the G27) is said to reduce felt recoil some with the .40 but it isn't really an issue in my opinion. The texturing difference on the grips isn't an issue for me either since I have Talon grips on both. So the differences I can see are the double recoil spring, the size of the mag release, and the grip sizes and texturing. Hold one of each and you'll know what you want.

I prefer the grip of the gen 4. I also feel that the recoil is managed better. Not that 9mm recoil is bad, but the gen 4 stays on target in rapid fire better for me.

viking499 said:

If looking at a Glock and choosing between a Gen3 and a Gen4, which do you prefer and why?

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I've owned Glox in gens 1,3 and 4, and I much prefer early gen 3's (as in very early 2010,at the latest). As I understand, some of the parts were of lesser quality after this (but still not a huge issue), but primarilly because these were the last ones to use the Tenifer metal treatment on the slides, which I'm a big fan of.

I chose a Gen4 G17 because it fits my hand better than the Gen3 version. I don't use any of the backstraps.

The Gen 4 19 without a backstrap is the first Glock I have ever held that actually felt pretty good in hand. I don't have tiny hands, but I generally prefer a smaller grip to a larger one.

I'm holding out for the Gen 5. It will have even more perfection than the first 4.

Gen 4.

I prefer the texture and mag release. Also I have more issues with "glock knuckle" with Gen 3 frames.

Also, for the bigguns (Glock 20, 21) the Gen 4 frame with no backstrap feels juuuusstttt a bit smaller than the Gen 3 SF and fit my hands better.

All that said, I like my Gen 3's just fine as well.

What you want is one of them good ones with pre-MIM parts (pre 2008 if I remember correctly) with that "non-stick frying pan shiny finish".

viking499 said:

If looking at a Glock and choosing between a Gen3 and a Gen4, which do you prefer and why?

Is the only difference between the two the backstraps on the Gen4?

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Gen4

Better grip texture

PabloJ said:

What you want is one of them good ones with pre-MIM parts (pre 2008 if I remember correctly) with that "non-stick frying pan shiny finish".

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I wasn't exactly sure where the cut-off point was for pre-MIM parts, but I'm pretty sure the Tenifer "finish" went on till very early 2010 (though conflicting info still pops up now and then, that seems to be pretty close).

You can certainly get the non stick frying pan shiny type slide finish as late as 2009.

Warp said:

You can certainly get the non stick frying pan shiny type slide finish as late as 2009.

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Yeah, I know, the 'conflicting info' I referred to pertained to reports I've read of some later guns being produced with Tenifer treated slides (particularly some Georgia/USA-made pistols). And I know I've personally seen them with ser.#'s that date them as being made in early 2010.

Does that keep 'em from getting sticky, if you leave them lying in the sun?