Gen 4 Glock 17 range review

[JReedEsq]

Just wanted to chime in on my Gen 4 G17 that I picked up today. There have been concerns that perhaps the 4th Gen 9mms wouldn't be as reliable as the 3rd Gens due to the stouter recoil spring that was developed (so the story goes) to improve the performance of the .40 cals. Just wanted to let you guys know that I picked up my new gun today and put 100 rounds of WWB, and about 50 more rounds that were a mix of115 grain ultramax JHP, 124 grain NATO FMJ, and some 147 grain Hornady JHP. Not one single issue!

Although my accuracy only a little bit better than a good day with my 3rd gen G19, I felt like I was consistantly back on target faster due to significantly less muzzle flip.

Nothing like a little lunchtime shooting a Gunny's to break up an otherwise stressful day. Gotta get back to work now and try to stay off the forum for the rest of the afternoon!

[Guest SUNTZU]

Thanks for the review.

[MacGyver]

Thanks. Can't wait for the Gen4 19 to come out.

[JReedEsq]

Thanks. Can't wait for the Gen4 19 to come out.

From what I heard today, they (19s and 23s) should be available in the next 3-4 weeks.

Edited April 30, 2010 by JReedEsq

[MacGyver]

Sweet. That's sooner than I had heard, and certainly sooner than I expected.

[First Strike]

What about Gen4 G21s?

[Warbird]

Did you use one of the backstraps and what is your opinion of the size of the grip w/o a backstrap compared with the gen 3 grip?

I will wait to see how things go before deciding on any change and no offense to you, but I want to see 5k-10k put through a 17 and 19 gen 4 before I begin to come to a conclusion on the durability or potential issues due to the changes. There will be some tweaking I am sure but, in the end I am sure they will be extremely reliable.

[JReedEsq]

I didn't use either of the backstrap additions so I can't comment on them that much. Without them the gun feels just a smidge smaller than a Gen 3 17. With the Medium added it would be a little larger than the size of a Gen 3 and the I didn't even consider the large.

As for durability concerns, the only functional difference is the new recoil spring, but it's basically a bigger version of the setup that has worked just fine in the subcompacts for years. If there are problems, I'm sure Glock will send out replacement springs. I'm still planning to do some more shooting before I carry it or put it in the quick-safe for things that go bump in the night.

Someone also asked about new 21s. I've not heard or seen anything about new .45s so it may be a while.

Edited May 1, 2010 by JReedEsq

[eapking]

Pics please? Oughta be a pre-req especially on new models. Field stripped too....recoil spring assembly pic? Thanks.

[JReedEsq]

I've not posted pics before and I don't know when I'll have time to figure it out. I'm at the Dr.s office right now with a sick toddler.

[JReedEsq]

Sorry I still haven't had time to figure out how to post pics but I have a question for you guys. I put a few rounds down range at lunchtime today with no issues. I did notice a slight clicking noise when when I put the slide back on after cleaning it. My other Glocks definitely sound smoother when working the slide and I think I would have noticed this before. Do you guys think this is the recoil spring just breaking in? I have been an early Gen 4 adopter based on the assumption that the dual spring is just a bigger version of what has worked well in the subcompacts for years. But now I don't really want to carry this gun again until I sort out this issue. I don't want to take it to the dealer prematurely since the gun still hasn't had one FTE or FTF. Am I over-reacting? Your thoughts? By the way, I took it apart a few times to make sure everything is straight. I also have 2 other Glocks and I clean every time I shoot so I'm very familiar with their take-down and re-assembly.

Edited May 11, 2010 by JReedEsq

[Garufa]

Don't know about the clicking but after reading your OP all I can recommend is never shooting Ultramax ammo again, unless the 4th gens have a fully supported chamber. Even then I would advise to avoid that ammo like the plague.

I narrowly avoided a potential disater with that ammo in my G23 several years ago only by having two .40's at the range one day. Luckily I put the Ultramax in another gun. Was also lucky for the smith at the range who got my $35 for extracting the remnants of the case.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Garufa

[Guest CK1]

Sorry I still haven't had time to figure out how to post pics but I have a question for you guys. I put a few rounds down range at lunchtime today with no issues. I did notice a slight clicking noise when when I put the slide back on after cleaning it. My other Glocks definitely sound smoother when working the slide and I think I would have noticed this before. Do you guys think this is the recoil spring just breaking in? I have been an early Gen 4 adopter based on the assumption that the dual spring is just a bigger version of what has worked well in the subcompacts for years. But now I don't really want to carry this gun again until I sort out this issue. I don't want to take it to the dealer prematurely since the gun still hasn't had one FTE or FTF. Am I over-reacting? Your thoughts? By the way, I took it apart a few times to make sure everything is straight. I also have 2 other Glocks and I clean every time I shoot so I'm very familiar with their take-down and re-assembly.

Weird.

I'd take it down completely real quick and put it back together while verifying that everything looks ok, maybe see if you could get the recoil assembly to make the noise while out of the gun if it's indeed that. If it's the recoil assembly I'd call Glock, and then your dealer where you got it, Glock will definitely get a new assembly out to you unless they really need to take a look at anything else, or just may tell you the clicking is "ok", and maybe your local dealer would give you one to use until yours shows up... don't know.

Very un-Glock-like if it's indeed the new recoil-assembly f'ing up, I'm still not sold on the Gen4's.

[JReedEsq]

I did take it apart and put it together again slowly. Still makes a noise but it's pretty quiet. It may be normal but I think I'll have the dealer look at it later this week.

[Guest FiddleDog]

i've actually had people refuse to sell me Ultramax ammo, because of what it does to your firearms...

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

Honestly, I'm no Glock expert, but I have heard and read this: Glock retooled their manufacturing line for the 4th Gen to make the .40 Cal the base, instead of the 9mm (Gen3) and this is why people have been coming up with the "issues" for the 9mm. I know the 3rd Gen was based from the 9mm model, and now they changed it to make the 4th Gen based from the .40 .

[JReedEsq]

I was trying to get lots of work done today and forgot to call Glock. I think I call them when I'm in the office tommorrow. Update to follow.

[JReedEsq]

Just got of the phone with Glock. They were very friendly. We discussed the issue in detail and discussed that everything else appeared to be in working order. They seem to think the spring just isn't broken in and it should be ok. They prescribed an additional 200 rounds and if it doesn't smooth out by then, they say they will "get me taken care of one way or another." Sounds good to me. The noise is there, but I think their response is reasonable given that the gun hasn't actually malfuctioned at all. I explained that I just want to be cautious since it is a firearm, after all. They agreed and said don't hesitate to call back. I'll re-post either way since I know some of you guys may be dying to tell me I'm drunk on the koolaid and shouldn't have been so quick to jump on the Gen4 bandwagon.

[JReedEsq]

Here's the follow up as promised. My work took to Blount County today so I stopped off at Gunny's and put 150 rounds through the gun pretty quickly. Not one FTE or FTE. After the first 2 mags I stepped out of the range, took off the hearing protection, worked the slide and it already sounded like it was smoothing out. After a very quick cleaning the spring noise is now so quiet that I can only hear it if I work the slide very slowly and listen for specifically for it. The gun has at least 300 malfunction-free rounds through it so I'm starting to think it was fine all the time and that the new spring just makes the cycling sound a little different.

Almost like you can hear the spring decompressing if you listen closely enough. Can you blame me for being overly cautious with a carry gun? (I consider all my handguns as potential carry guns).

The odd thing is that I think the noise was more noticable before I shot it today. Again, no malfunctions and Glock says they noise will likely go away (and that they will send me a new recoil assembly if it doesn't) so who am I to complain? It also feels like it is sprung just a tiny bit stiffer than my 26 or 19 but I'm really not seeing a downside since it seems to make the recoil softer. It has almost no muzzle rise and I shot it more accurately than any gun I've ever fired. Some of my shooting today was fairly quick, but when I slowed down I was happy to get 2 10 round groups in the 8 ring at 10 yards. I'm still fairly new at this so I was pretty happy with that. Finally, I shot all Walmart Federal today.

Edited May 14, 2010 by JReedEsq
added details

[Guest 10mm4me]

All Glocks "squeak" until about 500 rds downrange. This feature is how I judge round count on a used gun. If someone tells me, "Oh just a few rds down range" and that squeak ain't there, I know there lying. That "click" is the slide lock engaging. Everything sounds normal to me.

[Guest excatm76]

I believe Larry Vickers posted something about it being a good idea to leave the slide locked back for a few days on the 4th gen 9mms. There was a thread about it on m4carbine.net you may want to check out.

[JReedEsq]

All Glocks "squeak" until about 500 rds downrange. This feature is how I judge round count on a used gun. If someone tells me, "Oh just a few rds down range" and that squeak ain't there, I know there lying. That "click" is the slide lock engaging. Everything sounds normal to me.

Awesome! Why didn't one of you really experienced guys tell me that before??? I guess I just didn't notice any "break-in" noises with my G26 or my G19 because I had nothing to compare them to. I bought the G19 last August as a first handgun to basically learn how to shoot. Perhaps I was a little paranoid about the new 17 since my G19 and G26 are broken in and feel a little smoother by comparison.

[Kevo]

If you seperate the slide from the frame, and look at the piece of alloy the barrel lugs make contact with you might see wear marks on the top. That may have been the sqeaking, the alloy being slowly worn down. That happened with my toddler G23. No wear at all on my ancient G19.

Also when you reassemble the slide onto the frame. It is completely normal to hear clicks. That your Glock saying LET'S ROCK!

Also, maybe a fellow TGO'er could send you an old fullsize recoil spring, and you could see if that changes anything....

--- Ooops, being the know it all that I am, I will state that since there are no pics of this "alleged" gen4 G17, it doesn't exist... Therefore my attempt to foil your ruse failed. Well played sir;)

Edited May 15, 2010 by Kevo
I was wrong.... AGAIN :)

[JReedEsq]

The opening at the front of the slide has to be larger on the Gen 4 to accomodate the dual spring. This of course, renders it incompatible with the older recoil springs. The more folks I talk to, the more I think the noise was probably nothing to worry about and will probably go away completely. It's not "Glock-like" to have a break-in period. However, it still is at zero failures, which seems pretty Glock-like to me. Overall, I'm happy with it and would buy one again.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Glad you got it all worked out Josh...have you fired the new Shottie yet?