My First Handgun

WalzAaronFFG

WalzAaronFFG

Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
269
After many years of drooling over various polymer pistols and 1911s, I finally 'pulled the trigger' on a Glock 17. I really couldn't justify the purchase coming right out of my checking account so I sold some of my prized Spydies to raise funds. Although they didn't all sell, I was able to raise around $450 and put it towards the Glock. I used Davidson's Gallery of Guns and I will definitely be using that service again.

I got lots of good feedback from various forumites, some of whom purchased the blades I was selling to raise funds. I am still open to any suggestions you have regarding mods or anything else Glock related.

Without further ado, here she is. Factory fresh G17

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Congrats!
The G17 has been my daily carry gun for over 10 years now. I love it.
They shoot beautifully and are super reliable. Well done on getting a Gen3 frame, I prefer it to the Gen4.
(I love the way the US ones are supplied with the bicycle lock and fired cases)
Have fun and enjoy............:)

Steven

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Only mod you need is a good holster, even if you don't intend on carrying it's still something good to have. You can have the firearm loaded and still handle safely as long as it's in a good holster. Don't waste money on modding internal parts and such, just use the money to get more ammunition, go shooting, and get more familiar with the firearm.
 
dakine said:
Don't waste money on modding internal parts and such, just use the money to get more ammunition, go shooting, and get more familiar with the firearm.
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Absolutely true. Eventually, if this is a carry gun, night sights might be nice. But that's all. A Glock is a great gun exactly as it is designed and made. It is a much better gun than most people are shooters. There is no need for any "improvements." Spend your money bringing yourself up to the level of the gun.
 
Look at the Glock Sport Holster..while don't own one yet, will..good reviews and inexpensive.

If you don't have a "gun" belt..budget, research and buy it. I like Galco Contour, The Beltman and Wilderness..all with stiffeners. IF you decide to carry your Glock, you'll probably want it high and tight but definitely always want it WHERE you put it..a good belt is a must.

Not a reloader I do shoot a lot..WW white box value pack for practice and Winchester Ranger T 124 gr +P for carry.

Long time shooter but fairly new to Glocks - a 26 w/AA .22 conversion and a 21SF..carry both IWB however live in FL and seldom wear a blazer or suit... one size up short sleeve shirt, untucked , and shorts work for me...AND the good gun belt.
 
Congrats on the Glock. I have been an armorer for them at work for years. Yours came with the 5.5 lb trigger. You do not need to get the 3 lb connector. All you need is range time and as stated a good holster and belt.I switch carry between my Glock 22 and 23. I carry in a crossbreed super tuck holster. In the summer time I can wear shorts and a t-shirt and you would never know I have a full size glock on me. If you did not get it with night sights and plan on using it for home defense get a good weapons mounted light.You want to be able to positively identify your target.Also take note the Glock is the easiest gun to completely break down and I do that to mine and my sons Glocks at least once a year but we shoot a lot of police combat matches.Enjoy only problem with Glocks is once you have one you are always looking at getting another one!
 
Absolute solid choice. That gun will last you until you're not able to shoot anymore, then you can hand it down to your kids! I've carried a Glock in one form or another since 2000 and don't see any reason to change; the things are square revolvers - pull the trigger and they shoot. I agree whole-heartedly with investing in a good holster and belt. I also agree with the "no modding necessary"; to learn your weapon is to shoot, shoot, shoot! When you're not shooting, you should be cleaning and using other methods to reinforce your muscle memory to your gun (fondling sounds a bit too effeminate). Enjoy!
 
Thanks everyone.

Just out of curiosity, would anyone recommend getting the steel guide rod/recoil spring as opposed to this polymer guide rod? I have heard people recommend both leaving it alone and adding this aftermarket part, but I don't know which to go with. The plastic one seems a little cheap to me.

Also, I have noticed that my factory magazines seem kind of "loose" they move side-to-side, front-to-back, and up-and-down a little bit. I also noticed that the spot where the mag release snaps into the magazine to hold it in place already has some of the plastic being damaged. It looks like it could even be what is causing the play in the magazines.
 
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Charlie Moore said:
Great choice. A pretty pistol is what you show to your friends - an HK is what you show to the bad guys.
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Fixed that for ya. But Glocks are great too. Fine choice for a handgun. I may not be particularly fond of them because they feel bad in my hands, but I can appreciate the reliability of a fine pistol such as the Glock.

For guide rods, I can't help you there, but if I were to replace a guide rod on a Glock it would only be for the Laser Max guide rod. It is a guide rod with an internal laser actuated by a replacement take down lever. For defense purposes, you can't beat a laser for quick target acquisition. People may laugh at you in the range if you use a laser because they assume you're a new guy, but for defense, you can't beat them IMO. I'm an iron sight guy all the way, but a laser has its place.
 
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sorry to disagree on not needing anything (I shoot Glocks in competition) but unless you get factory steel tritium night sights, Glock plastic sights are terrible...invest in a set of good fixed sights like Heinies, and a butt plug to keep junk out of the frame....I use a non captured stainless guide rod... I've seen some of the polymer ones get pretty beat up....

keep with the factory magazines...there are about 4 generations of them... the latest have the metal exposed for the ambi mag catch on the front edge, just above the mag catch notch... don't worry about a little peening of the polymer.... it doesn't seem to hurt

most of the competitive shooters use the BladeTech dropped offset holster (DOH)
 
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Les Snyder said:
sorry to disagree on not needing anything (I shoot Glocks in competition) but unless you get factory steel tritium night sights, Glock plastic sights are terrible...invest in a set of good fixed sights like Heinies, and a butt plug to keep junk out of the frame....I use a non captured stainless guide rod... I've seen some of the polymer ones get pretty beat up....
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Wasn't gonna mention the sights since I don't own/shoot one often, but the few times I've handled them I always thought the plastic sights left a lot to be desired.
 
Great choice.......CONGRATS!! My CCW is a 2nd Gen G23 .40.

Mods:
Hogue grip, Trijicon Nite Sites, Steve Bedair full length stainless guide rod, Wolff 22lb extra power recoil spring, Wolff trigger spring/3.5lb disconnector spring, extended mag release and slide latch, polished feed ramp. Carry system consists of a Galco C-1 Belt (1 1/2in tall, .25 thick, contoured), Blade-Tech IWB Kydex holster (lefty), Blade-Tech dual mag pouch on the weak side. I rotate between my S.O.E. Gear Riggers Belt and the Galco......depends on what pants I'm wearing.

When you start looking for gear to carry your Glock.....don't skimp. Do your research and buy good gear. I've had my Galco belt since the early 90's, and it's still going strong. They're expensive, but they last. Same goes for the Kydex.....Blade-Tech is all I use in Kydex gear. I do have a few Galco leather holsters, but my kydex sees the most use.

I'm currently looking for a 3rd Gen G20 10mm to play with.

Sorry about the crappy cell phone pic.

-Michael

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Yeah i'm really happy with it. I bought some snap caps today so I have been dry firing and doing Tap/Rack/Ready's till my fingers got sore. The place I was going to shoot fell through for today so I am hoping to go tomorrow. I am not a member of the NRA yet and all of the indoor ranges require it around here. I don't have any problem with the NRA or their members, but I am not really ecstatic about lobbying groups in general. It is such a sad reality that the only way to influence legislation in this country is with money. I don't want to start a big political debate about this issue or anything, I certainly understand the need for the NRA and that the NRA does lots more than just lobby on behalf of gun owners, but I just am still somewhat uneasy about contributing to this sort of political climate.

I really prefer to shoot outdoors anyway. I love setting up my own targets and just relaxing by myself (or with friends) in the middle of nowhere. You would think that WI would be ripe with cheap outdoor shooting rangers, but no such luck in my area.

Anyway, Gander Mountain had a decent deal on some Blazer CCI 115grn FMJs. $89 for 350. I can find much better deals online, but I am going to try and shoot this weekend still so I couldn't wait for the ammo to arrive.

I see that type00rev has the Houge rubber grip addition for the glock. Would you reccomend it? They had it at Gander and I almost grabbed it. Unfortunately I am tapped out until I sell another blade. $550 for the gun, $90 for the ammo, and $15 for the snap caps. It has been an expensive couple of days for me.
 
Good on the snap caps. When you dry fire, try to move the gun as little as possible when you pull the trigger. You can even put a dime on top of the muzzle, behind the front sight and pull the trigger. If the dime drops, you know you're moving too much.
 
I love Glocks. I am a 1911 guy through and through, but I got into Glocks about 8 years ago. I like the Glocks for EDC, because you don't have to worry about them. They don't rust, and even if dirty they will still function flawlessly.
So far I have a 21, 19, and my EDC for the last 5 years has been a 36...
'It didn't fit my hand well, so I did some mods to it. I got rid of the trigger guard hook,and raised the rear of the trigger guard so I could get my fingers a little higher. I also reshaped the thumb recess because I have big hands. I also radiused the finger grooves on the front strap a little. Now it fits like a glove.

They only mods internally I did was to just do a cleanup trigger job. Got rid of any edges and polished everything up. It made it smoother, and crisper, but is still around 5 pounds pull. I prefer triggers around 5 pounds for carry. Not a fan of 2-3 pound triggers on a carry gun.

I wouldn't worry about changing any parts. Just shoot the heck out of it. I have put thousands of rounds through my Glocks and have never had a failure to cycle.
 
Snap caps are good to have not only for dry-firing (though a Glock should have no problem with that) but also as an exercise tool. Mixed in randomly with live rounds, they simulate a misfire so you can practice responding to that. Glock owners especially need that as the dang things misfire so infrequently; if you want to practice that, you pretty much have to cause it.

As far as after-market stuff, grips, etc., put your wallet away. Work with the gun as-is for a while and see how it goes. Once you get a membership at a range, you can talk to the people you'll meet there, many of whom will be Glock owners. Many are typically happy to let you try their gun for a few rounds and so you can see what they have and actually try it out.

Out-of-the-box the Glock is probably (given that this is your first handgun) a better shooter than you are. There is no need for any "improvements" to the gun; it's not the weak link in the chain. Spend your money bringing yourself up to the level of the gun. Yes, the competitive shooters of do a lot of tweaking to their guns. But they are just that, competitive shooters; they have brought up their skills to the point where the gun is becoming the weak link in their chain and so, to get to "the next level", they do need to elevate the gun. When you get there, then you can start tweaking your gun too.

When you look at the ranges in your area, see if they offer classes. If you can find a good class to take, that would probably do more to improve your shooting and be a better use of your money than soft grips.
 
WalzAaronFFG said:
I see that type00rev has the Houge rubber grip addition for the glock. Would you reccomend it? They had it at Gander and I almost grabbed it. Unfortunately I am tapped out until I sell another blade. $550 for the gun, $90 for the ammo, and $15 for the snap caps. It has been an expensive couple of days for me.
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Some people love the Hogue sleeve, some hate it. For me, for this Glock (pre-finger groove Gen2), I love it. There are other grip options for the later generation Glocks with the finger grooves. I'll update this post with a couple links.
 
I wouldn't worry about the recoil spring assembly, they're rated for 10k rounds and i've used one for 3 seasons in uspsa matches 3 matches a month, plus practice sessions. no issues. you can pick up a spare for around 7.00 online.

you can get the glock sport holster or the glock duty holster for 20.00, i've seen them used in matches and they work. think of a holster like a sheath for a fixed blade. IMO i would get that before getting any extras. especially if you plan on using for home defense and having it loaded with one in the chamber or not.

you don't have to spend money to become more familiar with your new gun. take it apart, put it back together. field strip, then when you're more comfortable detail strip. learn the parts, what they're called. go on glocktalk, watch youtube videos, read firearms blogs. get as much info as you can. try some malfunction drills, clearing stovepipes, failures to feed.

above all else do it safely, follow the 4 basic safety rules and you'll be fine

-sorry rant over:)
 
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