Cheers all Glock owners. I’ve hated Glocks for years! I never had one forced into my hand via military experience where I was brainwashed into becoming “Glock only” fanboys. My experience with shooting a Glock was my father’s G17 many years ago. I couldn’t hit anything with it for the life of me. I immediately began to blame the “frame angle” as it wasn’t steep enough, and I preferred a “1911 style frame angle”. I held to this argument for years and never shot another Glock because it didn’t “fit me”! I never downplayed the handgun because it had it’s place for those who did enjoy them, but it wasn’t for me!
Fast forward many years and I’ve been competing in USPSA in the production class with a FNS-9L. The aftermarket is almost non-existent for that platform but I took the gun as far as I could chasing a trigger feel and poa/poi that I was never able to achieve. In addition I was never that accurate with the FNS-9L. Realize I carry the FNS-40 and have the FNS-9, all using the same frame. I had become obsessed, modifying springs, changing sights (twice), polishing everything I could looking to make the FNS the best I could. So for a long time I’ve been working on my technique, trying to become a faster, more accurate shooter. My teammate competes with a G43 and is extremely accurate! I attributed it to him just being a better shooter, so I continued to try to improve myself.
My FNS-9L started having failure to feed issues and I took the handgun to the range with some friends after changing the springs and followers in the magazines. The problem continued so I got frustrated and put the FNS away, asking my buddy if I could shoot his Gen4 G19. I was aiming at a “Dot Torture” target @ 10 yrds and immediately I was blowing the numbers out of the center! Everything I had been chasing for years was right there in my hands!!! The 6 o’clock sight picture where I could actually see my poi!!!….and OH the ACCURACY! I was touching center hole shot after shot! Rapid fire was pulling a smidge left due to my offhand sliding down a bit on the shorter G19 frame. A quick regrip would put me right back on target.
That night I was kicking myself and couldn’t believe how accurate I was the that G19! So I made a decision, no more trying to modify the FNS to do what the Glock is doing out of the box! My excuse for never liking the Glocks to begin with was revealed as crap because back when I couldn’t shoot my Dad’s Glock, I was a crappy shooter! I’ve been working on technique for years now trying to get better, which my absolute best with the FNS revealed it as a less accurate firearm than the Glock, because now that I’m a better shooter I’m tacking nails with the Glock like I never could before with the FNS!
So I started my research on what to buy and went around to all the local gun stores as well as searching online. I’ll be competing in USPSA Production Division, so immediately I was looking that the G34, however after handling one and comparing it to the G17 I felt faster to target with the G17. So I bought it! A Gen4 G17 (with 2 additional mags for 5 total)….which ironically enough is the same handgun (different gen) that turned me away from Glock all those years ago! I purchased the Gen4 because I find the finger grooves helps keep my high grip purchase high vs the Gen5. I took it to the range today and immediately I was hitting low left….that FACTORY TRIGGER!!! I was jerking it a bit and although my misses were only 1/2″ off @ 10 yards I was very consistent in doing so. I shot about 200 rounds and I did experience some trigger fatigue, which is a new thing to me! No problem though…GlockStore has fixes for that!
I have a bit of experience in tinkering with spring rates, polishing contact points, trigger bars, and other little tricks, so I knew what I needed to get me started off right. Finding parts for this platform is SOO EASY!!!! I also needed some extended parts for easier manipulation, and knew what I would like in my new G17 right away….so I ordered the following from GlockStore.com:
Extended Checkered Mag Catch
Extended Slide Stop
Double Diamond 3.5 lb Connector
Tungsten Guide Rod
Titanium Polished Safety Plunger with Lightened Spring
Competition Spring Kit containing a Lightened Striker Spring and Heavy Trigger Spring
(bought a shirt and koosie as well cause i’m cool now)
I also purchased some Talon Grips, all within the first day of owning the G17. After the parts come in and I install them I’m going to run it like that for a while before making any other changes. I’ll be sure to update everyone though on the improvement progress! Long term goals are milled slides, match barrels, and RMR moving into the Carry Optics division.
Oh, I also like to carry something similar to what I compete with so my ergonomics are similar, which means I have to buy that G19 sometime soon!
Cheers!
-Ken