Glock 17/34 question

[tmacie]

I am looking to buy a glock 34, but I was curious if I picked up a Glock 17 that it could be brought up to the standards of the 34 relativley easily. I'm not afraid to get into the gun and polish and change out parts, so that isnt a concern. Just curious what those of you with 17 and 34 experience would say. Basically is the 34 worth the extra $$ initially.....no matter what I buy It will be upgraded sooner or later.



Thanks,
Travis

 

[Onmilo]

If you buy Glock factory parts to do your upgrade work on a model 17, you will end up having just as much money invested in it as you would if you just went ahead and bought the model 34.
I chose the model 34 and have no regrets, it is one of my most favorite 9mm handguns and while they look BIG compared to a Glock 17, the Model 34 is actually exactly the same in height and length as a standard Model 1911 type pistol.

 

[tmacie]

Thanks for your thoughts....The parts will probably be aftermarket parts anyway....decisions decisions.


Travis

 

[BucksDC]

I have a 17. It is my all time favorite handgun. I think the 17 leaves more options. You can conceal it, compete with it or just have fun. I have the 5lb connector, Tungsten guide rod and internals are polished. It has a very smooth crisp trigger pull and is accurate at 25yds. Having said that, I would like a 34, I just can't ever justify when there are so many other guns out there. I find myself buying other models instead. 34's do shoot nicely, but they are too big to conceal and trigger is very light for a glock.
I guess it depends what you will use the gun for.

 

[tmacie]

I'm not to worried about concealment as I have other arms for that, this will be used in range competitions here. Looks like another vote for the 34.



Thanks,
Travis

 

[JeepDriver]

The 34 is a great handgun. I sold my 17 after i bought my 34 and have no regrets.

I personally prefer the longer barrel, I think I shoot better with it out at the 15 and 25 yard marks. I don't notice much difference between 7 and 12 yards.

 

[eerw]

easy to upgrade a G17 to that of a G34..ext mag release, new trigger group, etc.

only thing will be the sight radius..which can be a big advantage at longer distances..

used to have G34 with a Vanek trigger and Dawson sights..fantastic gun for a Glock...if I were going to be shooting competition and it had to be a Glock..it would be the G34/35.

 

[Master Blaster]

34 if its a range gun around here the price difference is $100 more for the 34.
you can upgrade the trigger slide release and sights on a 17 for about $100 but you cant make the slide sight radius, or the barrel longer for that amount of money.

 

[tmacie]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. It looks like hands down the 34 is the one to go with. I'm pretty new to comp, so this advice is very nice to have.



Travis

 

[Joe D]

A lot depends on what type of competition you plan on shooting. I own several Glocks. Two of which are 35s and one a 34 that my wife shoots in IDPA.
The 35 is the most versatile Glock available. You can shoot IPSC Limited, Limited 10 and Production. It can be used in IDPA ESP and SSP. The 34 can be shot in these classes, but will be scored as Minor in Limited and Lim 10.
If you do not reload then go with the 34. I use a cheap 9mm conversion barrel in my 35 for low cost practice using lead bullets.
The 35 will actually shoot softer than the 34 when loaded to the same power factor.

 

[tmacie]

I don't reload at the moment, but more than likley will start sometime soon, as I do more and more shooting.


Thanks,
Travis

 

[Estela216]

The 34 with the third gen. finger grooves is a great way to go. Get some skateboard tape and do a good job between the grooves and on the sides. Get the adjustable sights and if you choose, the ported barrel. You can have a gunsmith MIG weld the lug on the bottom of the barrel to give it a more positive lock up. This set up really creates a dead on tack driver. I have a 3.5# connector on my 17 and it really makes the pistol fly!

Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[tmacie]

I'm new to Glocks, could you explain the lug?



Travis

 

[Estela216]

I believe it is called the lug. It is the on the bottom part of the barrel that fits into the frame when assembled. The MIG welding adds some more body to it and it fits more snug so the barrel has less play when the slide is closed. Joseph's Gun Shop in New Britain, CT does a lot of work on competition guns and they do this service there. Give them a call and they will be able to explain it. Ask for Jody or John. Really great guys that know their stuff.

 

[tmacie]

Ok, makes sense. I'll have to take a looks at it. My cousins live in Southington so I may jsut pay the shop a visit next time I'm down there.



Travis

 

[Joe D]

What a waste of time welding up the lug. The stock Glock barrel returns to the same vertical position every time. Save me from all these Glock experts. :banghead:

 

[tmacie]

Ok, Joe.....can you explain a little more about why/why not to weld the lug? I know you stated why, but could you please elaborate, so those of us not so knowlegable can learn something?



Thanks,
Travis

 

[Estela216]

I'm just reporting what I've seen. Considering this shop that does my work also does the work on a number of the team shooters' pistols (which I won't mention here but you take a guess which team shoots this type of pistol), I'll take their word it improves accuracy. I never said I was an expert, I just happen to shoot and shoot often. I look to see what works and what doesn't. My Glock 17 does not have this MIG treatment but if I were to buy a 34, I'd go this route. Yes, a regular barrel returns to the same position every time. However, apply pressure to the top of the barrel and you'll feel some movement. Just like a 1911, tightness is one factor for accuracy. Looser guns are more reliable but not always as accurate. This makes the gun lock up like a tuned 1911 and perform much better. Waste of time? Depends who you ask and what you are shooting for. Opinions are vary as do positive and negative responses from curious and interested forum members.

Travis, when you go, tell them Kevin from Bristol sent you. They'll take care of you and you'll have a new favorite store/custom shop.

 

[tmacie]

Thanks Kevin, Always nice to have another shop to talk to.



Travis

 

[Navy joe]

I dunno, anyone who wants to MIG on a barrel lug as opposed to TIG ain't much of a welder, so right off I suspect their gunsmithing. Why go through all trouble? A stock G34 is very accurate, I find better than the 17 just due to sight radius. Want more? Fix the trigger up, put some real sights on it or fit a Bar-Sto barrel into it.

How accurate do you need? I can keep 90% of my shots in the black at 25 yds on a NRA B-6 25yd bull. That is better than minute of steel plate accuracy.

Now for my 17/34 opinion. Get both, just get the 17 first. I have 2 17s and I prefer them because they are Gen IIs with no stupid finger grooves and big frame rails. The 17 for me points better and controls in recoil better, it will move for me striaght up, straight down. With the 34 ( I have one) I get kinda a little figure 8 track to the front sight when shooting fast. What I'm saying is a little muzzle heavy and I don't like the grip. The 17 you can conceal a little better, and that is about it. FWIW, I killed a frame rail off on my 34 after 35K rounds, it was one of the ones subject to the recall.

Whichever one you get, change the sights, grip tape it up, clean up the trigger and shoot it til it smokes.

 

[tmacie]

Thanks for your input Navy Joe. I'd buy the 17 hands down, but the 34's sight radius is very enticing. I need all the help I can get, LOL.


Travis

 

[Joe D]

Travis, I have several Glocks. I have worked on and set up hundreds for IDPA/IPSC competition. I am a "voice crying in the wilderness" over on the Glocktalk forum when it comes to match barrels. My wife shoots a G34 and I have a couple of G35s that I shoot. We both shoot IDPA and IPSC.
Her G34 has shot a 5 round group at 25 yards that could be covered with a nickel. Yes, I even have witnesses. My two 35s will shoot 1 1/2" groups or less at 25 yds all day long. How much better accuracy do you need?
These Glocks have stock barrels.
The least influencing accuracy factor on any gun, whether a 1911 or Glock, is slide to frame fit. Let's use a little common sense. Something that is sadly lacking these days I might add. If the barrel locks up in the slide at the same position every time who cares if the slide is a little loose on the frame. The sights are on the slide, not the frame. The only time this fit is important is if the gun is fired from a Ransom Rest.
I do not like the stock sights. I have a drawer full of Glock adj. sights that I have taken off. I usually toss them in the trash can. What do you need adj. sights on a hand gun??? I happen to like the Novak rear with either a Hi-Viz molded fiber optic or a steel white dot front. The Heinie rear sight is soft and will shoot loose in the dovetail.
HTH

 

[tmacie]

So the lug welding improves slide/frame fit, not Barrel/slide fit, correct?



Travis

 

[Navy joe]

Welding the lug would make it contact the locking block sooner which would force the barrel up, pressing it harder into the fully locked position with the slide which would then push the slide up causing it to pull on the frame rail inserts, making slide to frame tighter when the gun was locked up. A similar concept is where 1911 gurus mess with barrel link pin to pin lengths in order to force the locking lugs more positively into the slide. Many other guns have had similar things done to them, and it is a valid procedure, just not really for one you depend on to go bang every time when you really need it. I doubt much improvement with a Glock, matter of fact I'd want to see a side by side shoot of two identical Glocks by the same shooter, without the shooter knowing which was which. I would be looking for a significant difference before I fired up the welder. (And yes, I is a certified metalsmith and welder who fixes his own guns. )

Best accuracy mods for Glocks are shootability mods that I and others have mentioned. Sights are #1. I use stock rear sights with fiber/tritium fronts. I actually got by with an adj stock rear for about a year on the 34. I thought my extensive Beretta shooting had ruined my ability to group shoot at longer ranges with the Glock, I was all over the place. Then one day I grab the gun and the whole sight falls off, turns out it had been a little loose.

#2 Favorite accuracy mod. I whip out a sharp knife and cut the front of the trigger safety off. I actually usually reshape the whole trigger front so that it is flat. That way the curved points of the trigger don't poke my finger. The trigger safety depresses flush with the front of the trigger when pulled, so it is not sticking up, trying to wear a hole in my finger. Safety is still fully functional. I smooth everything on the trigger face out with fine sandpaper. That quick fix is the difference between a horrible flinch and none after several hundred rounds have been fired.

 

[tmacie]

Ahh so it "improves" the fit of all three. I can see where if many hours were spent tuning, that could be advantageous for accuracy without compromising reliability, but short of those many hours the difference may not be worth the effort. Sights will be tops on my list, if not already installed when the gun reaches my hands. #2, always gotta love free mods!!!



Travis