I have a 17L, can't use it in competition (I wanted one forever, got one of the last ones made supposedly, a 3rd gen.) It sports Truglo adj. night sights and the 25 cent trigger polish. Careful polishing though, you don't want to change angles or remove material, just polish it. I use a hone stone first to even up the surface, then hit it with a cotton drum in a dremel tool, polishing paste if I have it, bore polish if I don't. Works real nice, so nice I did it to all of them (works GREAT with the NY orange trigger --still real stiff, that is the point, but much smoother).
I disagree on the connector, but that is just my opinion. I like the 3.5 Glock connector once it has been polished up. But once you polish it and oil it, it won't be 3.5 anymore, more like 2.5-3 on a trigger scale (makes a standard one about 4.5-5, depending on the pistol).
The only aftermarket part I use is the guide rod. I like to be able to change springs for different loads. I have a bunch of these, but I tend to use the stainless one for target shooting for weight (tungsten might be better) and I like those titanium ones for carry. The plastic one actually work better and are quieter and cause less friction than any of the metal ones, but I've had 'em break out of the blue. Usually the end pops off (the big end, not the small end, which wouldn't take the pistol out of service).
This pistol will chew the center out of a target at close range. One ragged hole. I love it.
On the G34, is the inside of the slide milled out (a slot)? The 17L has this along with the cut in the front of the slide to reduce weight. Feels about the same as the 17, very well balanced, just longer.
