Choosing a Glock 17 or 34

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johnandersonoutdoors

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I have been thinking about getting a Glock for a while, as I desperately want to add a gun to my collection for which it is easy to acquire parts. It will be used for competition and will share competition time with my current platform, the m&p9.

Saw the MidwayUsa 33% off Glock mag sale earlier this week and I have 10 mags coming my way for a g17/34. So, in the next few days I will be buying either a 17 or 34.

Please share your thoughts on choosing between the two.

Thanks!
 
I have a 34 that I shot IDPA with and I liked it. All I did to it was put in a
better trigger. It's an O.K. gun. There are better but this one doesn't jam.
It's accurate enough to get the job done. When I got the 34 I unloaded
my Glock 17.

Zeke
 
I have the 17 and the 17L. Both are exceptional and accurate. Both share the same holster(the L sticks out) and I IWB carry one or the other daily. I won't let either one get away. Next up will be a 19. :)
 
The only reason to choose the G17 would be if the particular competition you're interested in doesn't allow the G34, or perhaps handicaps the G34 in some way.
 
If buying it for competition definitely get the 34. Longer sight radius, extended mag and slide release, and a better trigger. I believe they also dont come with Glocks absolutely horrible cheap plastic sights.
 
C-grunt said:
If buying it for competition definitely get the 34. Longer sight radius, extended mag and slide release, and a better trigger. I believe they also dont come with Glocks absolutely horrible cheap plastic sights.
Click to expand...
Eh. What? Better trigger? What's different about it?

EDIT: Oh nvm. A 4.5 lb pull instead of the usual 5.5 lbs.
 
Glock 34, just be wary of the extended slide lock. I switched mine for the standard slide lock.
Also I like the beveled front of the slide.
 
Thanks for the replied all. It is a tough choice for me. The 17 is closer in size to my M&P 9s, so I might like it better for that reason. But of course the even longer sight radius on the 34 could help me excel even more. I do know one thing....I am not a fan of the slide cutout on the 34, but I shouldn't really let looks play a part in this decision.
 
I wouldn't pay more for the 34 because you will probably be changing sights , trigger , mag. and slide release anyway , so just do it to the 17 that doesn't cost as much .
 
but I shouldn't really let looks play a part in this decision.
Click to expand...

:confused:

We are talking about glocks right?

My $ I buy a gen3 34. esp if gaming is your intention.

Only reason I've kept my 17 is because it's a gilled version. Otherwise it would be gone as it offers nothing over a 34
 
It sounds like the extended slide lock get in the way and/or some folks may be used to the smaller version. Which is it for you guys?

I am going to have to handle a few more guns and pay attention to the differences.

Why the recommendation for gen 3 version, tarosean? Grip texture?
 
johnandersonoutdoors said:
It sounds like the extended mag release and slide lock get in the way and/or some folks may be used to the smaller version. Which is it for you guys?
Click to expand...
I like the extended mag release as my grip doesn't inadvertently activate it. For table starts, I don't apply downward pressure to the frame while picking it up.

The extended slide lock was, for me, a solution looking for a problem. I don't use the slide lock much as I never use it to release the slide
 
P5 Guy said:
Glock 34, just be wary of the extended slide lock. I switched mine for the standard slide lock.
Click to expand...
I did the same, and liked the handling much better. Bending a sharp bump into a thin piece of metal does nothing to make it more comfortable.
 
I like both the extended slide stop and the extended mag release. Of those choices I'd get the 34. If you like the glock ergos.
 
johnandersonoutdoors said:
Why the recommendation for gen 3 version, tarosean? Grip texture?
Click to expand...

Better triggers. gen4 triggers cannot be tuned as good, even aftermarket as they changed the angles to accomidate the backstraps. Regular recoil spring/guide rod that can be tuned easily without a conversion kit. Tons of options for mag releases, etc. etc. etc.
 
For 9mm Glocks, the 17 holds little interest for me. I have multiple 19's, a 43, one 17, and a pair of identical 34's. I only keep the 17 because it has the integrated laser, only one I have with it, and I have effectively no cost into it, as a student gave it to me as payment in exchange for handgun classes several years ago. I competed with it, spending a lot of money rebuilding it, until I bought a 34.
 
For a purely competition gun, as 9mm espoused, there is no difference. Same height, capacity, lower frame, competition division, and but a half inch difference in length. Let your heart decide and don't look back.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I think I am going to go with a g34.

I don't really know anything about tuning a glock or other semi-auto. I have been running a couple of stock M&Ps since getting into semi-autos.

I do plan to keep the glock stock for a while, but will get to tinkering down the road. Can you guys help me in understanding what is possible with tuning? Looking around for glock factory parts, sometimes I see things labeled as gen 3 or 4 but sometimes it doesn't specify. Would those one be interchangeable?

I look forward to getting the gun. However, I know the grip hump will bother me. At least it did about 5 years ago when I picked the M&P over a Glock (shot g17, g19, g26, m&p and others that day). One major change that I am already certain I will undertake, after a while of course, is a grip reduction.
 
I don't like artificial (self imposed, made up) dilemmas so I bought two of each (a Gen3 and a Gen4).
 
johnandersonoutdoors said:
Can you guys help me in understanding what is possible with tuning? Looking around for glock factory parts, sometimes I see things labeled as gen 3 or 4 but sometimes it doesn't specify. Would those one be interchangeable?
Click to expand...
Not many parts are interchangeable between the gen1-3 and the gen4. there are far more aftermarket parts for the gen1-3 than 4's.
As for tuning... lots of people do polish jobs, change connectors, or use drop in triggers to make glocks triggers better. If you were to do the exact same things to a gen 3 gun vs. gen 4. the gen 3 will always be better.
In addition, Gen4's come with captured recoil spring and guide rod assembly. earlier versions (gen1-3) come with a standard setup so changing spring weights to match your ammo and style is much simpler and cheaper. the gen4 RSA requires a conversion kit to change spring weights.
 
Thanks again for all the help guys.

I did see a Glock 34 gen 4 adapter for $10 that would enable the use of gen 3 recoil spring assemblies.

If I had to get a gen 4, I think my preference would be to get the adapter (which I believe is metal and snaps into the front of the slide assembly on a gen 4 and reduces the hole so that gen 3 guide rods fit property). Then I could get a non captured metal guide rod and simply replace the spring as needed. Long term, I think this would be more economical than replacing gen 4 dual spring assemblies. Is that correct? Also, can anyone speak to the reliability aspect of this plan, including if a weapon light is introduced?
 
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I use the 34 for 3 gun. My G17 is for training only, as the G17 is my issue handgun at work. My preferred carry piece is the 19.
 
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