G17 vs G34 for competition for a lefty

[ny32182]

I shoot IDPA and am considering getting a little more serious with some dedicated gear.

For a while I have been shooting my stock G19, IWB, which is also my carry gun. I like the Glock platform and would like to stick with it. I am a lefty. The differences and my initial thoughts about them:

Length of slide (part one): the sight radius is longer. Good for accuracy. Bad for speed? Anyone who has spent time shooting all of the above have a comment on that? My natural tendency is to run too fast and be too many points down. I am almost always more points down than the people around me on the score sheet. Does it take noticably longer to aquire the sights on a longer slide?

Length of slide (part two): The draw. The longer the slide, the longer it must take to clear the holster. Does anyone have evidence of their draw speed changing with slide length?

Extended controls: Especially as a lefty, I don't really see any advantage. I slingshot the slide, so the bigger slide catch means nothing to me. I don't think a bigger mag catch would mean much to me either. If I went with the G34, it is likely I would swap these parts out for the standard ones.

Trigger: The G34 comes with a lighter trigger, but if I decided I wanted that on a 17 it would be an easy drop in, right?

Sights: I don't know anything about the G34 sights.

Any other stuff I'm not thinging of? Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[Jim Watson]

My SSP is a S&W Plastic M&P, about the size of a G17.
I have sometimes wished I had waited for the M&P Pro which has the longer barrel and sight radius of a G34.
One of my club's better shooters competes with a G34 and I have never noticed that it slowed him down on the draw or sight alignment.
But one of our other good shots tried the G34 and stayed with the G17.

So I think it is a matter of personal preference.
I would ask to try out both models. Surely your range has shooters with both, and most competitors are good about helping on such decisions.

 

[ny32182]

I think it really just distills down to slide length. That is the only thing that is not swappable between the 17 and 34. Or is it? I think I read somewhere that they use the same base frame?

 

[R. Deckard]

If you already have a G19 I would go with the G34. There is not that much difference between a 19 and a 17. I think once you use the extended controls on the G34 you will like them better. You are probably going to have trigger work done on either one so that is not an issue. And you are going to want to put some aftermarket competition sights on it also so that is not an issue. One other thing to consider is if you start shooting USPSA you are going to be scored minor with a 9mm, so now you have to think about getting a G35!

Deckard

 

[ny32182]

That makes sense. When you analyze the equipment used at the nationals or other top competition, what do you see? In SSP the G34 would probably be the most popular platform... would that be an accurate statement?

 

[R. Deckard]

ny32182 said:

In SSP the G34 would probably be the most popular platform... would that be an accurate statement?

Yes!

Deckard

 

[fineredmist]

I have shot IDPA for several years and started off with a G17, then I used a G22 and now I use a G23. I carry my G23 so I am proficient in it's use and I know I can hit what I shoot at. The question you need to ask yourself is, "do I want to be a competitive shooter or do I want to be a person who carries a sidearm and is proficient in it's use"? If you want to be the competitive shooter than the G34 (or G35) is the way to go, if not than shoot your carry gun and be confident in your ability.

 

[ny32182]

I think I am moving in the other direction. I have been carrying the G19 and shooting my exact carry setup in IDPA for a while now. I think I do reasonably well all things considered, but am getting kind of bored with not being truly competetive with the best shooters. I'm coming to the realization now that I want to get competetive, and the gear is just one aspect of that, but I do believe it is an aspect that matters.

My club has a less competetive local action pistol match called "CPSL" once a month that I just tried out for the first time (somewhat similar to IDPA, but with a few notable rule differences); I plan to keep shooting my carry setup in that to make sure I am still getting reps with it.

 

[lindzee]

I shoot USPSA matches regularly and the predominate pistol in Production Division is the G34. As for IDPA, the 8 time national champion, Dave Sevigny (http://www.sevignyperformance.com), shoots the G34 in SSP.

If you want a dedicated competition pistol, the G34 is hard to beat and it is ready to go out of the box. However, I would strongly suggest that you change the sights. If you shoot reloaded ammunition (lead bullets), change the barrel. Otherwise there is little else IMO that needs to be changed or can be changed according to the rules.

I own a G17, G19, G21, G23, G34, G35 and G36. Everything is interchangeable between the G34 and G17 (except the barrels because of the length).

 

[ny32182]

Thanks lindzee, and welcome to the forum.

About the G34 sights; what is the story with them? Are they some kind of adjustable "target" sights from the factory, or are the options the same as any other Glock? At this time, I think I would be fine with the regular Glock NS that I have on my other Glocks... of course that could be subject to change at some point.

 

[jmorris]

The 34 is the one I use most for gun games. Every now and then I'll run a 17 but I "feel" better with the 34. I use Dawson (black) adjustable on the rear and a .125" fiber optic on the front.

 

[jmorris]

Otherwise there is little else IMO that needs to be changed or can be changed according to the rules.

You can change a lot inside but only grip tape, slide release, mag release and sights on the outside.

Some springs and polish, relocate a hole, and two set screws can turn the sponge like trigger into one that is fit for a competition pistol. I wouldn't mess with that at first though, it seems that most people that modify glocks just make them so they won't run.

 

[iblong]

I personally shoot a 17 faster and more accurate than a 19,I like the 19 but the longer sight radious,less recoil and fullsize grip are much better for comp.shooting IMO.
And if need be you can carry a 17 IWB with the right holster/belt.

 

[lindzee]

As jmorris states, there is a lot you can do internally. As he also states, if you don't know what you are doing you will just screw up an otherwise very reliable pistol. I know this from direct experience.

My modifications to the G34 are limited to a little polishing of internal parts to smooth up the trigger action, new sights, 12lb recoil spring, 4lb striker spring, 6lb trigger spring, grip tape and a whole lot of practice. This ensures the pistol remains reliable and I learn to shoot the pistol. Replacing the springs is only necessary if you reload and you want to tune your pistol to the load and/or change the recoil characteristics of the pistol, otherwise the stock springs will do.

As for the sights, unless you are one of the wise or lucky who have purchased a Glock with metallic sights, most Glocks purchased have the plastic sights. These sights are very fragile and will break off, especially the front sight. Most competitors will replace their sights with metallic sights. Glock does offer an adjustable rear sight but, it also is plastic and very fragile. I broke these plastic sights shooting through a portal in a barricade at a match.

I am fortunate that I live and compete in Georgia. The Glock shooting team (Dave Sevigny, Jessie Abbate and Randi Rogers), the Army Marksmanship Unit and other top level shooters will compete at many of our local matches (USPSA, IDPA and Steel Challenge). I get to speak to them and see what and how they shoot. You will be surprised to learn that they do not do much to the pistols they shoot in USPSA Production Division and IDPA Stock Service Pistol division. The pistols they use and the modifications made for the other divisions is a different story.

Another thought for your consideration, if you can't decide between the G34 and G17. Buy one and then buy a replacement slide and barrel from Lone Wolf for the other configuration. That way you can switch back and forth to your hearts content. I sometimes shoot the G17 at indoor matches because I will need to transition between targets faster and the longer sight radius of the G34 provides no advantage at indoor distances.

All of us have advice to offer. My advice is shoot what ever gun you purchase as it comes from the factory, after a while you will figure out what you like and don't like. Then build and tune the pistol to your liking.

The pistol you have now may be good enough. I believe that Dave Sevigny started competitive shooting in IDPA and achieved Master designation shooting a stock G23. Proving that ultimately its the shooter not the pistol.

 

[ny32182]

I buy my Glocks with the factory (metal, as far as I can tell) night sights. I don't have any complaints about them so far. I don't like the regular plastic factory sights though; neither the construction, nor the "dot in a box"... before I started shooting Glocks I was shooting pistols with three dots, and just wanted to stick with that from the start.

But anyhow... I now believe it would be entirely possible to make master with the stock G19. On my good days I will shoot on the EX/MA line. That is not consistent though, and I've also never been close to competetive with our top shooters (Morgan Allen, Mike Sexton, occasionally Gary Byerly... in GA you may have seen them at a state match or something). They are MAs, but not near the minimal MA line.

To this point I have not done any practice. I intend to work with our better shooters to get my gear straightened out, and just as importantly (if not more), to get on a practice schedule as well. Morgan especially has been pretty open to offering advice. What really pushed me over the edge was shooting the state match last weekend... except for one completely blown stage (total brain-fart on my part: skipped a couple targets entirely) my score would have been just a hair off from the top of EX. At a club match I would have thought nothing of it, but at a state match I was pleasantly surprised with that result, considering the total number of MA and EX shooters there. As it were, I won SS and was officially bumped to EX. But that match has given me the confidence to believe I can press on into MA if I get a little serious about it.

 

[lindzee]

Sounds like you've got the skills, equipment, motivation and now a plan. Go for it and good luck!

I am certain you will reach your goal.