Glock 17 Gen 5 Short Review

[ECVMatt]

I posted this over on another forum, but thought I would add it here for the good of the order:

Well I finally picked up a Gen 5 17 and it was worth the wait. I wanted to wait to have any potential kinks worked out before I picked one up and it looks like they have them running pretty good at this point. I have the current model Gen 5 with FS, no cut out on the frame, BFN, and Ameriglos.

I put 200 rounds through it yesterday with no issues. I realize that 200 is not a lot, but it let me form some initial impressions. First of all is the trigger; all I can say is wow! It pulls straight through and has a very clean break. It is similar to the "-" connector with a NY olive combo that I like but much better. Being a lefty, I love the ambi slide stop/release. This feature alone has drastically improved my reloading. I love being able to put my thumb to use for the first time in 30 years. As far as ejection goes, zero BTF and everything went pretty much to my 2-3 o'clock. My gun has the breech face notch. I love not having finger groves and it feels much like my original Gen 2's that I have been shooting for 30 years. Finally, I find this model very accurate. I have to get used to the Ameriglo's, but I was able to shoot nice, small fist sized groups over and over at 20 yards. I have included a couple of pictures. These are all 10 round groups.

It was pretty hot, about 110, so I only shot for a couple of hours before calling it quits. I am heading back up there next week and plan on leaving the gun dirty and running an additional 500 rounds or so through it. All in all, I find the Gen 5 a vast improvement over my Gen 3's I am currently running. There is enough of a difference in the triggers, that I do have some reservations about switching back and forth between generations. I will post again after the 4th weekend with another update.
Thanks for the read,

Matt

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks for the report. I'm curious whether I could shoot a Gen5 better than I go my olde ones. Any BTF? I can't seem to cure my Gen 3s or 4s of this illness. and I'm wondering why I'm spending so much time and money trying to fix the problem when ZERO other handguns do this to me.

 

[ECVMatt]

Zero BTF's. I have the latest version with the "Breech Face Notch" that is supposed to help with the BTF's.

I was shooting solo, so I couldn't track my ejection. I will be shooting with a buddy next week and we will pay closer attention.

On a side note, I think I am the only one on the planet that dose not get BTF's. I have been shooting Glocks for about 30 years and never really experienced a problem with that.

You should give the Gen 5's a try, they are a nice upgrade over pervious generations.

 

[Peakbagger46]

BTF= brass to face? My duty gun is a Gen 5 Glock 17. Definitely my favorite after being issued Gen 2-4 Glock 22’s... minus the downgrade in caliber. The Gen 4 was really sweet as well though.

 

[JR24]

Nice! I'll freely admit I prefer a hard wall when shooting guns, likely from my 1911 love, and I have a number of Glocks that have a trigger that meets that preference better.

But I'll be darned if I don't just shoot Gen 5s better even with the more rolling break they have, in my opinion. Glad you like yours!

Unrelated but I was just shooting a different gun the other day and was thinking about how all the brass was in a pretty nice pile in the same place, not like my (even Gen 5) Glocks. Easier to pick up.

It was pretty hot, about 110, so I only shot for a couple of hours before calling it quits

Ugh, I'd have made it a couple minutes in that. I was out for an hour at 75 the other day and that was enough. I'd take -20 over 110 every day of the week.

 

[JR24]

Thanks for the report. I'm curious whether I could shoot a Gen5 better than I go my olde ones. Any BTF? I can't seem to cure my Gen 3s or 4s of this illness. and I'm wondering why I'm spending so much time and money trying to fix the problem when ZERO other handguns do this to me.

Just get a Gen 5 for that. I've never had an issue with BTF, other than the occasional random one, with any of my Gen 3 or 4 Glocks, but the 5s are much more consistent (for a Glock) with the ejection pattern.

 

[FFGColorado]

Great initial review. My son has a Glock 17/5 and it's easy to compare to my Glock 17/4...Gen 5 certainly an improvement altho I LIKE finger grooves, he doesn't.

BTW-between the 2 of us and probably 2000 rounds, neither of us has had any failure of any kind using any ammo we can find..even some steel, when there was nothing else available..

 

[JR24]

neither of us has had any failure of any kind using any ammo we can find..even some steel, when there was nothing else available..

Gen 5 Glocks do have the tighter chamber and can have some issues with wide meplat bullets. I know both of mine would give light strikes with 147 grain flat points loaded to 1.13". My Gen 4 26 also did not like that particular load either. I'm sure shortening the overall length would have fixed it, but those were loaded perfectly for my 9mm 1911.

Switched to 124 grain round nose and they run perfect, as well as with any factory HPs I've tried.

 

[Pat Riot]

What is “BTF”?
Is this a term from some other forum - tribal language?
Is this a real technical abbreviation?

 

[ECVMatt]

Sorry, BTF is Glock Speak for "Brass To Face". Lots of Glock users get hit in the face or forehead with hot brass. For some reason, the only time it happens to me is when I am shooting indoors and the brass hits a partition first. I guess I am lucky that way.

On the Gen 5's they worked hard to alleviate this even going as far as cutting a small notch in the breech face.

 

[FFGColorado]

Sorry, BTF is Glock Speak for "Brass To Face". Lots of Glock users get hit in the face or forehead with hot brass. For some reason, the only time it happens to me is when I am shooting indoors and the brass hits a partition first. I guess I am lucky that way.

On the Gen 5's they worked hard to alleviate this even going as far as cutting a small notch in the breech face.

Yikes, here we go again..I have 3 Glocks(17, 26, 42) One son has 3(45, 48, 43) other son has 2(17, 43) and none of has gotten the BTF...

YMMV, I guess...along with 'Glock leg'...

 

[amd6547]

Neither my G26 nor G17, both gen3, BTF...through thousands of rounds. My latest is a police surplus G22 gen4...I’ve only shot about 200rds, no problems.
I really like the Gen 4 grip texture, and find the grip with no backstrap fits my hand better than my old Gen3...
And, I’m finding I really like the .40. I only bought it because it was cheap ($300, like new with night sights), but it quickly became my go to house pistol.

 

[JTQ]

On the Gen 5's they worked hard to alleviate this even going as far as cutting a small notch in the breech face.

Yikes, here we go again..I have 3 Glocks(17, 26, 42) One son has 3(45, 48, 43) other son has 2(17, 43) and none of has gotten the BTF...

YMMV, I guess...along with 'Glock leg'...

Considering the G42, G43, G45, and G48 are all essentially Gen 5 guns ...

Whether or not you had a problem, as ECVMatt points out, Glock made quite the effort to fix this issue. It would seem like if it wasn't an issue, they wasted a bunch of time, effort, and money on the project. From all reports I've read, Glock was successful fixing the problem with the Gen 5 guns.

 

[CDW4ME]

I prefer no finger grooves (protrusions) like on the Gen 2 and Gen 5 Glocks.
My Gen 3 & 4 Glocks have the finger protrusions removed.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Ahh... Brass to Face. Interesting, I’ve never had an issue with any generation of Glock doing this.

The really funny one at the range is BDB (brass down bra) but is usually the result of the person shooting to the left of the “victim” and not a result of an erratic ejection pattern.

 

[JR24]

Only one of my Glocks have brass to the face (or top of the hat actually) and that was/is my GEN 4 21 and only when using weak range 185 grain ammo.

230 or hotter loaded 185s (or 200s or 255s) give me no issues.

None of my 9mms have any issues.

 

[FFGColorado]

Considering the G42, G43, G45, and G48 are all essentially Gen 5 guns ...

Whether or not you had a problem, as ECVMatt points out, Glock made quite the effort to fix this issue. It would seem like if it wasn't an issue, they wasted a bunch of time, effort, and money on the project. From all reports I've read, Glock was successful fixing the problem with the Gen 5 guns.

My G17 is Gen 4, my G26 is gen 4...

My point is another urban 'legend', like 'Glock Leg'....but no surprise.