glock 23 gen 3 vs gen 4

[jrbaker90]

I was in a pawn shop sat and saw a brand new glock 23 gen 3 and it was a lot cheaper then I thought and it has me wanting one I been wanting a pistol for sometime and I could afford it and I was wondering what would be the difference between the gen 3 and 4 ad far as shooting it I know the gen 3 has the dual recoil spring and the backstrap but as far as shooting it would therr be any different for one to the other is the gen 4 worth the extra money? Thanks

 

[rbernie]

The most noticeable differences, other than the backstraps, will be the surface texture and the larger mag release button of the Gen4. You have to decide what that all is worth - to me it is, but to you it may not.

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ETA - Spats reminded me, via his response, that the Gen4's came with 3 mags and the Gen3's came with two. Assuming that a given example of a used pistol conveys all of the kit with which the pistol was originally sold, the Gen4 should always be worth $25 more just due to the extra magazine.

 

[tarosean]

is the gen 4 worth the extra money?

The entire reason for gen4 was to fix issues with previous generations 40SW.
Not so they could be a "day late and a dollar short" on replaceable backstraps. So yeah it is kind of worth it when talking specifically 40SW Glocks...

 

[JTQ]

...I know the gen 3 has the dual recoil spring and the backstrap...

I'm sure this must be a typo, since it is the Gen 4 that has the dual recoil spring and extra back straps.

As tarosean said, the entire reason for the entire Gen 4 family of Glocks was to fix problems with the earlier Gen .40S&W Glocks. If buying a .40S&W Glock, I'd buy the Gen 4.

 

[Spats McGee]

Don't forget to ask how many magazines come with each. To me, that's also a factor in answering the age-old question, "is it worth it?"

 

[alleycat7002]

Gen three my opinion lot better..mine is flawless..

 

[1KPerDay]

Gen 4s feel cheaper to me. The finish of the slide also seems not to be as durable (though the actual steel below is not compromised at all). I like my Gen 3.

 

[JTQ]

Hilton Yam has a handful of Gen 3 vs Gen 4 articles on his Modern Service Weapons page.

Here is the most recent http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=16459#more-16459

 

[edmo01]

I have a Gen 2 and Gen 4 G23. The Gen 4 is my favorite... I'll use Gen 2 in my comparison since it differs from the Gen 3 in minor things not related to my choice.

I do like the Gen 4 better. The Gen 4 grip without any backstraps fits my hand better and is easier to hold onto with the increased texture. Also, for me the Gen 3 grip points slightly higher than the Gen 4 without a backstrap. I've grown accustom to the point-ability of the Gen 4 models.

I also find the dual recoil springs of the Gen 4 absorb the recoil impulse a little bit better. Not much, but just a bit.

Additionally as mentioned above, the Gen 4 does come with an extra magazine (3 vs 2).

My listed differences are so small and irrelevant that either version of this great pistol will serve you well.

As an aside, I also have a Gen 3 and Gen 4 G19 and tend to carry the Gen 4 G19 more than any of them. I'm able to shoot the Gen 4 G19 more accurately and faster due to the 9mm's lighter recoil.

Edmo

 

[Flfiremedic]

I prefer Gen 3s.