The only examples of Glock pistols I have are Gen-3, (2)-9x19mm and (1)-45ACP, I replaced the OEM barrels with KKM produced barrels because of my concerns of shooting lead bullets. For my own personal reasons, I moved on to the S&W-MP9 series but I kept the Gen-3 Glocks to give to other family members.

I shot a practice session this afternoon with a G5 34 with a SRO. By the end, after 300 rounds or so in an hour, the pistol was uncomfortably hot. Thinking about this thread, I decided to check zero at 25 yards, and fired a five round group with the 150 Federal Syntech the pistol is zeroed for, and the same with 115 Federal American Eagle, which is a practice load I frequently use. With the caveat that I was tired, the Syntech was around three inches and the AE 2.5 inches. I often see smaller groups when fresh, but these groups seem acceptable to me. Anecdotes not data.

My preference is Gen 3. I have one Gen 4 from right before things got dumb here in MA. I have Gen 1 and Gen 2 as well. Gen 5, well, I can't has until somebody wins in court.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I think Glock had it right with the RTF2 texturing, but lots of people didn't care for the prickly feel of it, not realizing perhaps that those sharp little spikes might someday be their best friend in a deadly encounter when they might have very sweaty hands.

Or blood, which could easily be present in a self defense shooting situation. Thankfully it seems that the tide is turning from slick “comfortable” pistol grips to ones with some bite. They probably see every Tom Dick and Harry gunsmith texturizing their pistols and have a light bulb go off.

I agree. The rougher grip is locked in to me especially if you are sweating. I was told the reason Glock calmed down the texture is that with LEO’s always having their guns holstered it would quickly wear through their uniform. I don’t know if that’s b.s. or not but it kinda makes sense because the G22 (LEO) was the most common RTFG produced and production quickly reduced shortly after. My G23C RTF sold for $1450 and no one I know has ever seen a G22c RTF for sale so they are definitely collectible.

Yeah, the factory compensated RTF2’s were the least produced and rarest, followed by, IIRC, the 21SF. The fishgill 19’s also fetch a handsome price.

I passed on LNIB 23C RTF2 for $575 about six years ago. Still wish I had picked that one up, but I was dead set on phasing out .40 from my ammo stores. Shortsighted.

My model 17 and model 22 are both gen 3. Not because I liked that generation better but because I got very good deals on both of them.

It's toss up for me. I have a lot of gen 3s. They are all reliable and the early ones are very accurate. The later ones don't seem to be as accurate and then there's the whole mim extractor issue and brass to face that started creeping in the later gen 3s and early gen 4s.
I have some gen 4s. They are mediocre accurate, mostly reliable and I do like the smaller grip and texture better and I like the mag catch better.

The gen 5 seems to be the best of both worlds. Good grip and texture, mag release, accurate, reliable, flared mag well, front serrations on the newer ones. I am waiting to see what issues there are with gen 5s and then I'll buy several.

Are the grip dimensions the same on Gen 4 and Gen 5 Glock 19’s (minus the finger grooves)?

quote:

Originally posted by medic451:
Are the grip dimensions the same on Gen 4 and Gen 5 Glock 19’s (minus the finger grooves)?

Yes, they are.

Now that Gen 5 is doing away with the half moon cut out it is probably my favorite, despite the front slide serrations.

Gen 5 all day. I've been a Glock armorer for nearly 2 decades, and bought my first G17 in 1992 (Gen 2). I've also carried Gen 3s and 4s with great regularity over the last 27 years.

The Gen 5 truly is superior to the previous generations. So much so, that after I just recently completed my latest Glock armorer re-cert, I was so impressed that I immediately took my Gen 4 G19 to my LGS and traded for a blue label Gen 5 G19 without a second's pause. Compared to the troubled Gen 4 roll-out, the Gen 5 roll-out has been almost flawless. It seems to me that perhaps Glock learned from the Gen 4 debacle and corrected it with the Gen 5.

What sold me on the Gen 5 was the Marksman barrel and noticeably improved accuracy. I haven't put my Gen 5 G34 and Gen 5 G19 in a ransom rest yet, but my personal qual scores have improved, as has distance accuracy on steel. The main selling points for me were the inclusion of the new compression trigger return spring and compression slide lock spring. These are game changers for me, as I always felt like the old trigger return spring and slide lock leaf spring were the weak points in an otherwise superb system. The new Gen 5 finish is so superior to the Gen 4 that it's laughable, no matter what Glock told me during my Gen 4 armorer re-cert! It's gloriously reminiscent of the old Tennifer finish and has proven to be durable as hell.

Last week, our students finished their range week at the academy and 9mm Glocks have now replaced the Gen 3 G22 .40 as the most numerous handgun on the line (thank you, Lord). We had 27 Glock 9mms (mostly all Gen 5 17s, 45 9mms, and 19s); 16 .40s (Gen 4 G22s), and 7 .45 Autos (Glock 21s). The 27 Gen 5 Glock 9mm students shot 1,000 rounds each, or 27,000 rounds in 5 days. I was on the line all week and saw zero malfunctions, zero parts breakage, and improved scoring averages with the Gen 5 9mm Glocks. I was not called upon as an armorer on any Gen 5 9mm pistol during the entire week.

Lastly, an LE trainer friend of mine brought his new Gen 5 G45 9mm to the range. This gun is a game changer. I can't state this enough. I would love for Jerry to test this gun and give a report. I know it's said that a Glock 9mm is a Glock 9mm is a Glock 9mm, but that just isn't so with the Gen 5 G45 9mm. I don't know the engineering or physics behind it, but the G45 9mm is easily the lightest recoiling Glock 9mm I've ever shot, even lighter than my Gen 5 G34, and rivals my SA RO Elite Operator 1911 9mm. It's wickedly accurate, with a pretty good trigger by Glock standards.

jbourneidentity, what do you think of the claim that the gen5 G17 and G19 have a 10,000 round service life and that accuracy of these pistols degrades to pie plate-sized groups at 25 yards, and the gen5 pistols get hotter and all of that?

I love my Gen 3 Glocks. They may not perfect for everyone, but they are perfect for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Texaspoff:
I prefer the most recent revision of Gen5 over the others.

One, for me all my Gen5 have been more accurate than all my previous gens.

Second is the internals being of a more reliable design. Now while I have not had any failures of the older Gen parts, the redesigned parts to improve reliability is a good thing IMO.

No finger groove finally.

Those things cause the Gen 5 to win out over the others for me.



TXPO

Plus no half moon cutout on bottom of the frontstrap on MOS and FS models. Recently swapped my Gen4 19 for a Gen5, very happy.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
jbourneidentity, what do you think of the claim that the gen5 G17 and G19 have a 10,000 round service life and that accuracy of these pistols degrades to pie plate-sized groups at 25 yards, and the gen5 pistols get hotter and all of that?

Whaa?! Where did you see this? The service life is BS as is the heat claim. Accuracy falling off....I doubt it.

I stand corrected, some are reporting more heat than normal during prolonged range sessions. Color me dubious. Havent experienced this with mine.

I think the claims of shortened service life and ever-degrading accuracy are bullshit, to state it plainly. But at this point, I cannot say to a certainty. This is why I solicited the opinions/experience of jbourneidentity after reading his post.

I have a bunch of friends with high round count Gen 5 pistols, and I have not heard a single report of accuracy degrading. I have heard of Gen 5 pistols with the DLc finish feeling hotter than previous generations, and some reports of triggers developing roughness that went away with some part changes.

Is there a specific instance of this accuracy degrading that is linked to this or another thread?

jljones is the source of all this confusion. You'll have to ask him, although, he indicated earlier in this thread that he feels his opinions on the subject will now be discounted, so I doubt he'll be stating anything beyond what he has already.

GJM, you mentioned that your groups opened a bit with your SRO-equipped G34, although this was at the end of a session and you say that this may be attributable to fatigue, but if the gen5s do get much hotter, could these opened groups have anything to do with heat migrating to the mounting plate of the optic?

I can say with certainty (sample size small of course, but multigun 19x and G45,) that accuracy on the G5 guns does not go to sh** after 10K rounds. And I can also say with certainty that in the same sample size that normal IDPA/USPSA/SC/Tactical type matches do not introduce enough heat into the gun to affect the POA/POI of a mounted RMR.
But the heat thing is intriguing to me. Mostly I'm curious how much heat makes it to the optic.
So in the next week or so when I can get free to shoot (currently in day 4 of no power) I'm planning on taking an uber expensive and sensitive thermal camera with me to go shoot my normal Thurday indoor match and measure the glocks. I'm not expecting to find anything meaningful as this won't be a shoot sombies till the gun melts, but a normal 3 mag competition (which probably matches the normal loadout people actually carry). should be informative anyway.