Glock

Lone Wolf Dusk 19

Ammo for this review was sponsored by our friends over at

Target Barn

  Lone Wolf Arms has been making Glock compatible handguns for years now. They recently introduced their Dusk 19 handgun. The Dusk is their newest generation of pistols with a ton of great features added in. The Dusk 19 line has a bunch of different options, from a “stock” style pistol to threaded barrels with suppressor height night sights. Lone Wolf also has various color options for the Dusk 19. They sent out one with a FDE slide and ⅓ co witness sights for us to review. 

   When I say the Dusk 19 is Glock compatible, here’s what I mean. The Dusk 19 is compatible with G19 parts, and therefore, uses those styles of parts. But, it is definitely NOT a G19. Yes, the size is similar, but that is about it. The Dusk 19 specs are below in the Features & Benefits section, so you can read them there. However, there are some interesting features of the Dusk 19. It uses a Gen 4 magazine release. This gives it the ability to be reversed from side to side. So if you’re a lefty, Lone Wolf has you covered. The Dusk 19 also has Glock Gen 3 parts compatibility. It also uses G19 magazines. I used a variety of mags, including the 2 KCI mags that came with the pistol. They all functioned flawlessly in the Dusk 19. Lone Wolf also gave the Dusk a 19° grip angle. I’m a big fan of the 19° grip angle, as the pistol points really well for me. In addition to the grip angle, the Dusk also includes both a curved and a straight backstrap. I left the smaller, flat one on the pistol as my hands are not giant. If you need to mount accessories up front, the Dusk 19 has a standard picatinny rail. This makes it more compatible with various lights, as well as other accessories. 

  Lone Wolf took the most common aftermarket frame upgrades and included them on the Dusk 19. Not just a few, either, but a whole bunch. The first thing I noticed about the Dusk 19 was its aggressive texture. I love aggressive texture, mostly, and the Dusk 19 did not disappoint. This texture is everywhere. Both on the grip panels, the front of the grip, and on the 2 backstraps. It is also on the frame where you would rest your thumb or trigger finger. I really like this aspect for the ability to “feel” where your trigger finger is when not shooting. A note about those 2 backstraps, they have a place for a spare 2032 battery built into them. That way you can always have a spare battery for your optic. The Dusk 19 also received a decent beavertail to help with that annoying slide bite. The grip has a built-in magwell, not a huge one, but better than not having one. Lone Wolf also put a pretty good size undercut in the trigger guard to help you get a higher grip. Mounted up top the frame is a slightly extended slide release. It's not one of those that sticks way out, but it gives just enough to easily use. Lastly, the Dusk 19’s grip, as a whole, feels very compact in the hand. This grip is fairly short front to back, and not very wide. It even fits smaller hands pretty easily. Lone wolf did a great job designing the Dusk 19’s frame.

  Features still abound on the top side of the Dusk 19 too. The slide has front and rear manipulation serrations. These serrations are deep enough and sharp enough to use in any condition mother nature might throw your way. There’s a textured cover plate. The texture on the plate probably helps reduce glare, if nothing else, it looks good. Moving to the sights, the Dusk 19 has Night Fision ⅓ co-witness irons. The front sight is tritium and has a green ring around it. The rear is blacked out with serrations. In daylight, the green ring helps to focus your front eye on the sight. I really like the Night Fision sights, they work well. Now for the kicker, the Dusk 19 comes cut for mounting a reflex sight with a RMR footprint. I like that Lone Wolf is using an “Industry Standard” footprint for optics and not using a plate system. From the factory, it has a cover plate installed that blends nicely to the slide. Moving up front, the Dusk’s frame also has a spacer in it that can be removed. This spacer is for those that want to run a gen 4 recoil system and slide. There's zero reason to do anything with it on this complete pistol. The fit and finish of the Dusk's slide is fantastic. It is nicely machined everywhere. It also fits the frame fairly tightly. This is not something I usually say about stock Glock pistols. This slide to frame fit will also help in the accuracy department. Hand cycling the slide is smooth like butter. The PVD coating on the slide should give it a long life span, not to mention that it looks great! 

  The only functional part left to talk about is the trigger. The Dusk 19 sports a flat trigger. This flat trigger is radiused on the edges, but not a lot. Therefore the trigger’s face has a lot of flatness to it. Lone Wolf also put a decent, wider than normal, trigger safety. The trigger safety is FDE to match the slide, while the trigger is black. It's sharp looking. The trigger safety also operates super easy, so you don't really even notice it. When I tested the trigger's pull weight, it came in at 5 lbs out of the box. After 1000 rds, it's about 4.5 lbs now. It has a decent trigger pull too, for a glock style trigger. There is very little stacking and it has a clean break. A notable nice feature of the flat trigger is that it breaks at approximately 90°. I was pretty happy with the Dusk 19's overall trigger performance. 

  As with everything, nothing is perfect. I did have a few minor things happen during testing. Most of the testing was done with 124g CCI Blazer Brass 9mm supplied by Target Barn. Around the 250 round mark, I had a stovepipe. No big deal. Then around the 900 mark, I had another one. This second one I attributed to the gun being dirty, since I hadn't cleaned it at all. The trigger also started getting gritty around 900 rds. So I decided the gun needed cleaning. After that, it ran fine again. I ended up running about 7 different types, and bullet weights, of 9mm through the Dusk 19. All of the ammo was brass cased. It functioned great with all the different ammunition types. I figure that only having 2 out of 1000 problems says a lot about how good the Dusk 19 is. 

  I really used the Dusk 19, no easy days for it. It went to a Steel Challenge match and ran better than the shooter, with iron sights. The aggressive grip really lets you get a hold on the gun and helps with managing recoil. Since it fits in G19 holsters, I had plenty on hand to use. I used an OWB for Steel and some drills. Then I install a red dot at the 500 rd mark. Gun still ran great. I ran some training drills using an IWB holster. Then I proceeded to shoot some Dot Torture drills. This gives me an idea how accurate the gun is, and how well I do at speed. Well, the Dusk 19 is pretty accurate, from what I saw. The decent trigger pull also allowed me to get some fairly quick, accurate shots. The Dusk's grip angle also makes it easy for me to pick up the red dot. The gun just shoots great and feels really good in my hands. 

  I also carried the Dusk 19. It carries and hides nicely. But that grip texture can get to your skin after a full day. That's the only flaw I found with the texture. But I'd rather have a decent grip texture, than have a smooth texture that feels nice on the skin. As mentioned, since it fits G19 holsters, your options are endless. Some of the previous Dot Torture drills were done from a IWB carry holster. I have no problem carrying the Dusk 19 since it is a reliable firearm. 

  If you are looking for a pistol that has a bunch of upgrades already done, the Lone Wolf Dusk 19 could be it. Yes it costs a little more than a stock G19, but you don't have to spend money on upgrading it. So you save in the long run. It functions great, has night sights, and just feels good in the hands. It really is a kind of “do all” handgun. Head over to Lone Wolf Arms if you want to check out the Dusk 19.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Compact pistol with lots of options built in

Target Market:

Those wanting a factory compact handgun with included upgrades

Features & Benefits of this product:

  • Reflex Sight Ready (RMR cut) with DUSK optic cover plate included

  • Interchangeable flat & rounded backstraps with 2032 spare battery holder

  • 19° grip angle

  • Stainless steel PVD coated barrel with DUSK profile

  • Flat trigger

  • Undercut trigger guard

  • Front & rear serrations for ease of chambering and press check

  • OAL: 6.95" 

  • Barrel Length: 3.90”

  • Height (without sights): 4.61" 

  • Non-Threaded Barrel Height (with sights): 4.94"

  • Upper Width: 1.00" 

  • Lower Width: 1.14" 

  • Magwell Width: 1.23" 

  • Weight (without magazine): 19.8/oz. 

  • Caliber: 9x19

  • LWA Nitride SS Guide Rod & End Cap

  • LWA Reversible Magazine Release Button 

  • LWA Extended Slide Stop Release 

  • LWA Extended Takedown Lever

  • Night Fision lower ⅓ sights: tritium front, serrated rear

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There are a bunch of styles available - https://lonewolfdist.com/firearms/complete-pistols/dusk-19/

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at LoneWolfArms

An Excellent pistol

The Dusk 19 really elevates Lone Wolf. Likely the most ergonomic frame out there, flawless performance. The trigger is carry-appropriate,

Link to other reviews:

The Truth About Guns review

Price point:

MSRP = $649.95 - $699.95

Retail = Approx $600

I need it now! Availability:

Lone Wolf Arms or your local Dealer

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Ergonomics

  • RMR cut

  • Comes with decent night sights

  • Glock compatibility

  • Grip size

Cons:

  • Couple of malfunctions over 1000 rounds

  • Texture can be rough when carrying

Score: 8.00 Great

Lone Wolf Ultimate Adjustable Trigger

  When it comes to Glock triggers, everyone has their opinion. I personally don’t hate them, but I am always looking for a better Glock style trigger. When Lone Wolf Arms contacted me about doing some product reviews, my first thought was “try one of their triggers.” That led me to the Lone Wolf Ultimate Adjustable Trigger. I’ve wanted to try this trigger out for some time due to its adjustability. 

  The Lone Wolf Ultimate Adjustable Trigger is a Glock replacement trigger. It is available for anything except Gen 5’s. I received a black trigger with the trigger bar attached. You can get just the trigger only, if you don’t need another trigger bar. The Ultimate Trigger can also be had in a variety of colors. Because I was looking for a fairly light trigger pull, Lone wolf also sent me some of their other trigger enhancement parts. These included: a connector kit, which includes 3 different 3.5lb connectors and a 6lb trigger spring, their plunger kit, and a lightweight striker kit with a 4lb spring. I installed the trigger and the Lone Wolf 3.5lb target connector.

  As you may have figured out from the name, the Ultimate Adjustable Trigger is adjustable. After installing the trigger into your pistol, you can adjust the pre and over travel of the trigger. This is done to eliminate as much pre and over travel as possible, giving you the shortest trigger pull possible. There are 2 tiny set screws in the trigger itself. These set screws do not come installed. I did install them, with some vibra-tight to keep them from coming loose, and also to be able to re-adjust them later, if needed. Probably one of the coolest things, with the Ultimate Adjustable Trigger, is that you can get to these adjustment screws without taking the trigger out. Just take the slide off and you can get to both of them. Lone Wolf has some decent instructions for adjusting the trigger, so I won’t go over them. You can find them HERE if interested. I was really pleased with how much pre-travel I was able to take out of the trigger. My over-travel wasn’t much anyway, so adjusting it only took out a tiny bit. 

  The Ultimate Adjustable Trigger uses a curved shoe. This curved shoe isn’t just curved, it is also radiused around the face, similar to a factory Glock trigger. The big difference is that the Ultimate Trigger also has a flat between those radiused edges. The Lone Wolf feels better to me. Maybe because it is machined to be smooth? Or, maybe its curve is better shaped? Or maybe its the flat? Either way, it has a really nice feel to it. No, it is not available as a straight trigger option for those who are going to ask. When I went to install the trigger, I also installed a 3.5lb connector. Between the trigger and the connector, the trigger pull weight dropped from 6lb’s to 4.5lb’s. That was with just those 2 parts. The shorter actual pull of the trigger also made it much more pleasant to use. 

  When using the Polymer 80, that I installed the Ultimate Adjustable Trigger in, it just feels better. The trigger was a great improvement over the stock one. I can shoot faster due to the shorter travel. I’m probably more accurate since I’m not fighting a heavy trigger pull. The other parts I installed from Lone Wolf, like the lightweight striker, also help with making the gun even more reliable. I like what Lone Wolf did with their Ultimate Adjustable Trigger, it just works.

  Even though the Lone Wolf Ultimate Adjustable Trigger has been around for a long time, it is definitely worth taking a look at. Especially if you like curved shoe triggers. The adjustments are really what make the trigger so nice. Pair that with a Lone Wolf 3.5lb connector, and you will have a nice Glock style trigger for a reasonable price. If you are in the market for a better Glock trigger, go check out the Ultimate Adjustable Trigger from Lone Wolf Arms.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Adjustable Glock Trigger

Target Market:

Those wanting a vastly improved Glock style trigger

Features & Benefits of this product:

  • 6061 Billet Aluminum shoe

  • Smooth, symmetrical shoe with large radiused edges

  • In-gun adjustability for pre and over travel

  • 2 piece design

  • Oversized safety lever

  • Safety lever is flush to the shoe for more comfort

  • 9/40 versions are intended for GEN 3&4 (DOES NOT FIT GEN5)

  • Comes with or without trigger bar

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Lots of different colors

What others are saying?:

5 out 5 stars at Lonewolfdist.com   

Vastly improved…..

The feel and function of the trigger shoe is a vast improvement over the OEM. The bar, as received, had two burs at the contact point with the connector. Rough and gritty after install. So a few minutes with ceramic stones and polishing, all is well. Together with the target connector and springs the pull is silky smooth at 3lb 4oz. I did not install the take up and over travel screws. Overall well worth it.

Link to other reviews:

TFB review 

Price point:

MSRP = $77.95

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Lone Wolf Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • In gun adjustable for pre and over travel (must remove slide)

  • Good trigger shoe shape

  • Lighter pull weight

  • Comes in color options

  • Available for a variety of pistol models

Cons:

  • No flat shoe option

  • Adjustment takes time

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Lone Wolf TimberWolf TWF-C review  

Tyrant Designs I.T.T.S. Glock Trigger

  Tyrant Designs has come out with their own style Glock trigger system. They call it the I.T.T.S. trigger. ITTS stands for “Improved Tyrant Trigger System”. These triggers can be had for Gen 3-5 and 43,43x, and 48. The one I received was for a gen 3 Glock.

  Tyrant Designs has their own unique style for designs. Most of their products have, what I would call, an arrow shape and/or deep angled cuts. The ITTS is no different. The trigger has a nice line to it. The rear of the trigger is also cut in, giving it a similar look to the other Tyrant designs.

  When ordering one of the ITTS triggers, you have many options. First off, the trigger can be had in six different colors. I chose black. Part of the reason I chose black is the option of a gold trigger safety, which I chose also. The gold on the trigger safety, and the screws holding it in, are actually 24k gold plated. So they really stand out against the black anodized trigger. Tyrant doesn’t just use pins to hold the trigger shoe and safety on. They use threaded pins. A really nice touch that also makes it so much easier to change out the trigger. 

  The ITTS is not a complete trigger assembly. It is mainly a trigger shoe. For Gen 3 and 4 there is an option for a trigger bar. I opted for the trigger bar, but only used it for a short time because I then changed the trigger to a different pistol. The ITTS is a hybrid trigger shoe. What this means is it lands somewhere in the middle between a normal curved trigger and a flat faced trigger. In Tyrant’s case, the top half of the trigger is essentially flat. Then the bottom part has a curve to it. The curve lets me get a consistent finger placement on the trigger. Because of the hybrid design, Tyrant is able to make a longer trigger face, which can help those with larger fingers. The trigger safety extends out a little farther than a factory trigger and it is noticeably sharper. I can definitely feel it until I start to pull the trigger. Then it just kind of melts into the trigger.

  So what is I.T.T.S.? Essentially it is a quicker resetting trigger. Tyrant adds in a 30% stronger trigger spring and possibly does some other magic. This gives the trigger a fast reset without changing the pull weight of the trigger. Mine stayed at 5.5 lbs, both before and after installing the trigger. Yes, you will definitely notice a quicker reset with the ITTS. The faster reset can make for a good EDC trigger. 

  As I mentioned earlier, I did install the trigger in two different guns. The first was a Polymer 80. In this pistol I used the trigger bar provided. It worked well in that pistol, but the finger reach was a little too far for me. The Tyrant ITTS trigger has a longer reach than the standard Glock trigger does. So I wouldn’t always press the trigger safety down. I proceeded to take the trigger off and install it in a Lone Wolf frame. These frames have a much smaller grip and therefore have a shorter trigger reach. It now lives in the Lone Wolf. Once I did that, I didn’t have any more problems with the trigger reach. So if you have larger hands, this might be a great trigger for you. The Lone Wolf is where I primarily used the trigger. I can’t really say that the quick reset made me shoot faster, but I did notice the quicker and very positive reset. The hybrid shoe felt good to me also.

  Tyrant Designs ITTS trigger system is a little different than I was used to. Usually triggers try to reduce the pull weight, but not the Tyrant ITTS. It keeps it the same but increases the reset. That quick reset is actually pretty nice. The trigger face also has a nice shape to it. Go check out the Tyrant Designs ITTS trigger and see if it’s right for you.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Different trigger style for Glock pistols

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a better resetting trigger

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Aggressive trigger reset

  • Screw pins for easy installation 

  • Hybrid trigger face

  • Available for Gen 3-5 and 43 series

  • Stainless trigger safety and pins

  • Screw-in trigger pins

  • Optional trigger bar

  • Longer trigger reach

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different shoe and trigger safety colors

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at tyrantcnc.com

Pretty good!

Initially I was a little worried as the trigger safety felt very sharp and very stiff. After about the 5th pull I really like feel and the look. I would recommend this to anyone.

Link to other reviews:

The Firearm Blog

Price point:

MSRP = $74.95 or $84.95 w/trigger bar

Retail = $70.99 at Gun Mag Warehouse  

I need it now! Availability:

Tyrant Designs or Gun Mag Warehouse

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Fantastic reset

  • Crisp break

  • Hybrid flat/curved trigger shoe

  • Threaded pins

Cons:

  • Doesn’t reduce pull weight

  • Sharper trigger safety

Score: 7.00 Good

Favorite Link:  JSD Supply

Tactical Kinetics Complete G19 slide

  When I think of Tactical Kinetics, I typically think of barrels. After all, they refer to themselves as "the barrel guys." Well, they have branched out into making Glock style slides for gen 3 pistols. You can have these slides either stripped or complete. A complete Tactical Kinetics slide is what arrived in my mailbox. 

  Speaking of a complete slide. When Tactical Kinetics say complete, it means complete. It comes fully assembled with their slide completion kit, and one of their excellent Glock barrels. Complete slides can be had either with a threaded barrel, or without. This one came with a threaded one, which includes a knurled thread protector. As a finishing touch, the slide also comes with sights. The sights on this slide were standard 3-dot white ones. The sights are made from steel, unlike factory Glock sights. They are nothing special, but having them makes it a complete ready to use product. My only complaint is that the slide is not cut for any kind of pistol optic. 

  The Tactical Kinetics slide also has some features some shooters might want. The slide has some very nice front and rear cocking serrations. They are angled and straight at the same time. What I'm saying is that the top portion of them is angled forward and the lower portion is more vertical. These serrations are cut pretty deep toward the top, and then less deep near the bottom. I really appreciated how deep the cut was near the top. I was always able to get a good grip on them. Having the slide serrations cut deep like this, can help with getting a better grip on them, with muddy hands, or if mud and dirt get packed into them. The slide also has a slightly recessed cut on the sides. This cut probably reduces a little weight, but really it just makes it look better. However, there are some slight machine marks in this area. They won't hurt anything at all, just noticeable up close. 

  The slide is also a "closed style." By closed style, I mean there are no extra cuts for dirt to enter into the internal part of the slide. For a carry gun, I think this style works better. It won't prevent everything from getting into the slide, but it will help. 

  To protect the slide and barrel, Tactical Kinetics nitride finishes them. The black nitride finish is well done and smooth. The slide is also a hardened stainless steel, adding to the durable finish. Between the hardened stainless steel and the nitride coating, the slide should last a very long time. 

  I won’t go too much into the barrel, as there is already a review HERE for one of their G17 barrels. But I will mention that it is a very nice barrel that locks up nicely to the Tactical Kinetics slide. It is made from 416R stainless steel, has a 1 in 10 twist, and is button rifled with 6 grooves. This particular one is threaded ½-28. If you need a stand alone barrel, these are a great option.

  As usual, I used the TK slide on a few different pistol frames. As expected, the slide to frame fit was excellent. I would say almost match grade. It fit very snug at first. Probably taking about 50 rounds, or so, to get it to cycle 100%. It now lives on a Polymer 80 OD frame. The slide works well with the Polymer 80 frame. Plus, it’s lines look good with the Polymer 80 platform. Using an 80% frame and the Tactical Kinetics slide gives you a complete pistol for around $500. The whole combo is quite accurate. I didn’t put it on paper, but on steel it was really good, as one can see the splatter marks from the hits. 

  Tactical Kinetics has done a fine job with this complete slide. It has everything you would want in a basic slide. All you need to do is put it on your frame, and you’re ready to go. Not having an optic cut is a bummer, but that’s the only negative for the complete slide. Everything in and on the slide is top quality and all of it is made in the USA. Go check out Tactical Kinetics for a Glock slide, or any number of their great barrels. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Complete Gen3 G19 slide

Target Market:

Primarily builders of Glockish style pistols

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Front and rear cocking serrations

  • Made from 17-4 stainless steel 

  • Heat treated 

  • Threaded 416 SS black nitride coated barrel

  • Thread protector included

  • Standard 3 dot sights

  • Fully assembled

  • Black nitride finish

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Non-threaded barrel or stripped

What others are saying?:

Nothing found, they are pretty new as of writing

Link to other reviews:

Ditto

Price point:

MSRP = $395.00

I need it now! Availability:

Tactical Kinetics

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Complete with sights

  • Nice cocking serrations

  • Threaded barrel with thread protector

  • Glock Gen 3 compatible

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Machining marks

  • No option for a red dot optic

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Atibal Optics

Freedom Wolf 80% frame

  The 80% frame market is super hot right now. When Lone Wolf came out with their 80% Freedom Wolf frame, I definitely wanted to try building one up. Especially since I am a fan of their Timberwolf frames. The Freedom Wolf frame is noticeably different from other 80% kits on the market. 

  As with most 80% kits, the Freedom Wolf comes with the tools needed to make a complete stripped frame. These include: the “Stencil” or Jig as most call it, Drill bits, front and rear rails, rail caps, 2 backstraps, a magazine well, and adhesive. Yes, that last one is glue, don’t worry, it works way better than I imagined it would. Having a flat and curved backstrap is a pretty nice option in an 80% frame kit, as is the removable magwell.

  There are instructions online on how to machine/assemble the Freedom Wolf. So I’ll give the quicker run down. First, remove the piece of plastic where the locking block goes, just pull it out with pliers. Next remove the 2 tabs, where the locking block goes, with pliers. Then, VERY CAREFULLY, dremel the tabs down flush with the inside of the frame. This was probably the most tedious part for me to do. Now install the “Stencil” and put the whole thing in a vice. Drill the holes as stated. Now dremel out the dust cover pieces and the tabs in the recoil spring area. 

  Now that that part is done, we move onto the gluing of the rails. This is what seemed odd to me, but it worked out fine. There are 2 front rails and 2 rear rails, both with rail caps. The rear rail caps are left and right specific. Now get a small paint brush or 2, steal them from your kids, or go buy some. They will be unusable when finished. Paint some of the supplied adhesive on the rail pockets. Slide the rails into these pockets with the rail facing out. Then apply more adhesive to the outside of the rails, along with some on the rail caps. Push together firmly until the glue sets. Now wait 48 hours minimum before doing anything else with the frame. After that you can assemble the frame. You’ll need a parts kit with a locking block and a gen 4 magazine catch. The gluing is different, but it works well.

  I ordered one of the Lone Wolf parts kits for the Freedom Wolf. It’s just easier since it comes with all the correct parts for this frame. I installed the parts kit and put a gen 3 slide on the frame. Almost every time I would release the slide, the pistol would fire the striker. Or, if I slowly released the trigger, when it hit the reset, it would fire. Not good. I installed a different slide, which made it worse. The Lite Slide from Strike Industries seemed to work the best on this frame. I then tried a different disconnector, that helped a little. Next a different trigger bar. You get the idea. Finally I had figured out which parts worked and which didn’t. After hours, the pistol now functions correctly about 90% of the time. It appears that the rear rails on the Freedom Wolf frame sit up higher than they should. This causes the striker to not be held with as much surface area of the trigger bar. Causing it to fall off when the slide is released. If the trigger housing pin hole had been drilled off, by me, then the housing would set up higher, actually making this less of a problem. I did try to bend the rear rails down slightly, with no luck. But it did reinforce the fact that the adhesive is top notch stuff.

  Even with all of the problems I had, the pistol does shoot well. At least now that I got it to somewhat work properly. The frame is super comfortable. It is much smaller than the Polymer 80 or factory Glock frames. So people with smaller hands might like this better. Of the 4 slides I tried on the Freedom Wolf, all fit snug with very little play. 

  If you really want to challenge yourself building an 80% frame, the Freedom Wolf might be just the thing. I didn’t have good luck with the one they sent out for review. At least we know they didn’t hand pick it. I understand it’s an 80% frame, I was just hoping for something that worked better. Lone Wolf makes some awesome stuff. I love my Timber Wolf complete frame. The Freedom Wolf, not so much. So go check out some of the other great stuff Lone Wolf makes.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

80% compact Lone Wolf frame - “Glock 19” size

Target Market:

Anyone wanting to build their own pistol

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Accepts Gen3 or Gen4 G19/23/32/38 slides (via dust cover adapter)

  • Fits in standard Glock® 19 holsters

  • Extended beavertail designed to disperse recoil impulse

  • Ambidextrous reversible Gen4 style magazine catch

  • Undercut trigger guard for higher grip placement

  • No finger grooves

  • 2 back strap sizes

  • Removable magwell

  • Fixture, drills, glue, and slide rails are all included

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Nothing

What others are saying?:

3 Stars on MidwayUSA

needs a better jig

I bought this because of the slimmer grip and I wanted to see how the build process differed from that of the polymer80. the stencil as they call it, instead of jig, does in my opinion not hold the frame securely enough. as i drilled my holes I could see the frame rocking in the stencil. I can see now that the locking block pin hole is now more of an oval and when inserting a rod through the trigger pin hole I can see it is not at a 90 degree angle to the frame. the build quick. the whole process only took about 10 min. that is mostly due to that fact the you don't need to cut a channel for the guide rod and no cutting off the extra polymer from the rail area. all in all it turned out ok, but should have a better jig.

4 Stars on MidwayUSA

Nice frame, parts support is lacking

The good: I really like the ergonomics and feel of this frame. I really like how it goes together - it is more like an OEM Glock and less like a Polymer 80. I have 2 Polymer 80 pistols and I like this one better. I like the jig. I followed the instructions including use of a drill press and drill press clamp. It went great! I think it will be awesome once I finish it. The bad: I've finished my frame, but I have yet to complete it because I cannot get lower parts. First, the locking block is a special part from Lone Wolf, part number LWD-4361. They are backordered from Lone Wolf and I can't find them anywhere else. A Glock 19 OEM locking block won't fit without modifying the frame in addition to what the instructions say. I emailed Lone Wolf and recommended that I wait for their parts to be available, which might be a couple months. The mag release and trigger housing are Gen 4 parts, while the remaining parts are Gen 3. So, you can't buy a gen 3 parts kit and expect it to work. I am waiting for the backordered Lone Wolf parts kit that I ordered. Once parts are available, I think these will be the best 80 percent Glock lowers on the market.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing Found

Price point:

MSRP = $174.95

Retail = $149.95 at Brownells

I need it now! Availability:

Lone Wolf or Brownells

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Same size as their TimberWolf frame

  • Fits most Glock 19 holsters

  • Drill bits and Jig included

  • Comes with 2 size backstraps

  • Comes with oversized magwell

  • Gen 3 or 4 slide compatibility

Cons:

  • Not 100% Safe

  • Jig doesn’t fit well

  • Needs a drill press instead of a hand drill

  • Glue dries quickly during assembly

  • Waiting 48 hours for glue to fully cure

Score: 5.00 Mediocre

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Angry Bear Arms RMR tall sight kit

  A lot of people are switching to a red dot optic on their handgun. Because of this, they most likely will need a set of back up iron sights that can be seen through the optic. This is where Angry Bear Arms comes in. They make inexpensive sights for Glock and M&P pistols in various sizes from short to extra-tall. The tall RMR set was the one sent to me for review. 

  Angry Bear Arms has quite a few options when it comes to sights. All are made from US sourced steel and made in the USA. The sights have a black nitride coating, so they should last a very long time. What makes the sights stand out, is the $40 starting price for a set. The option I chose for review was the - Glock RMR Cut, Tall profile, Fiber Optic Serrated Sight Kit. Price on it is $45.95 and is from their “Bear Bones” line. This line only comes with the front and rear sight, front sight screw, rear sight set screw, and the red and green fiber pipes. Other kits they make come with a sight tool and/or various front sights of different heights. Those are more geared for someone who wants to get a precise impact point with their chosen ammunition.

  The RMR tall kit is basically for use as a low witness back up for the red dot sight. The sight notch base just barely sits above a recessed mounted red dot. Hence the RMR in the name. I am using a Holosun 507C with them, and it works great. The Holosun is recessed into the slide, and must be for these sights to work. Angry Bear does make a MOS extra tall sight for red dots that are not recessed. 

  Installation is pretty routine. Take out the old sights, install Angry Bear Arms sights. Since these are Glock sights. The rear sight is dovetailed in, so a sight pusher, or some other way of sliding the sight into place, is needed. Angry Bear also has a set screw, that screw down from the top of the sight, to help hold it in place. The sight hasn’t moved on me, or do I think it ever will. The front sight is screwed in from below. I used blue (242) loctite on the screw to help keep it from backing out. As with all Glock style front sights, don’t over torque the screw. Since the front sight is fiber optic, now one must install the fiber rod into the sight. I chose green, they supply red also. Green was chosen because it is not the same color as the red dot optic. Take a lighter, or something hot, and heat the end of the fiber up. Then just press on it a little to swell it out. Slide the rod through the front sight, from back to front. The fiber should stop when it hits the swollen part. Then cut the other end off, leaving a little bit of room to heat it up. Then, when hot, press the end to swell it and hold the fiber in. Angry Bear Arms supplies enough fiber for you to mess up a few times. Now you can go shoot the handgun.

  These sights have pretty much everything I want in a sight. The rear notch is just wide enough to allow the right amount of light on each side of the front post. I really do like the sight picture. Yet the front sight is narrow enough to give good accuracy. I opted for the serrated set, which puts some nice horizontal lines on the face of the front and rear sight. This helps cut down on glare, either from the sun or a flashlight. Yes, it really does cut down the glare over smooth sights. The rear sight has been smoothed out on every corner of it. This is a nice touch for the price and it will keep it from wearing on your clothes. The front side of the rear sight is straight and flat. This would give you a good purchase to rack the slide off of something like a table, etc. This would only work if there wasn’t a red dot in front of it. The front sight is nice and square, giving a really good sight picture. One can’t really dehorn a front sight like you can the rear. I definitely would use these RMR tall sights without an optic. They are a nearly perfect sight picture for my taste.

  If you're in the market for a quality, inexpensive sight set, go check out the Angry Bear Arms sights. I could not be happier with the form and function of the set I received. Next time I get a new slide, I definitely know where I’m headed to get some sights.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Tall sight for use with recessed red dot optic

Target Market:

Those needing a back up iron sight for use with a red dot

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Serrated front and rear sights

  • Fiber optic front

  • Red and Green fiber included

  • 0.305” tall front sight

  • 0.310” tall rear sight

  • All steel construction

  • Black Nitride coated

  • Made in USA

  • Available for Glock and M&P

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different heights, non-fiber optic, kits with 3 front sight options 

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Black Diamond Guns & Gear on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $45.95

Retail = $35.95

I need it now! Availability:

Angry Bear Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Good sight picture

  • Fiber Optic front with Red or Green fiber

  • Inexpensive

  • Serrated for glare reduction

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Not always in stock

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Favorite Link:  Gun & Gear Cult

Swampfox Wolverine slide and Justice red dot combo

Written by: Rusty Odom

This review is on the new Swampfox optic Justice 27mm red dot pistol sight and the Steel City Wolverine combo. Let me start by saying I am an average Joe shooter with a huge interest in firearms. I am always looking for the latest greatest item or something to improve on an older firearm to make me a better shooter. For this review I chose a Glock Gen 3 model 22 in .40 S&W to convert to 9mm. The firearm was purchased some years ago for around $295 and it was a local police trade in. I tossed it in the gun safe, knowing one day I’d do something like this to it. 

The Swampfox Justice red dot and Steel City Wolverine slide combo. The slide is in a distressed green pattern and is available for the Glock 19 and 17 Gen 1-3 only. The slide comes with the channel liner already installed and with suppressor height fiber optic sights. They are in the combat configuration (rear sight in front of the optic), the slide is smooth with no machine marks on the outside, except in the area of the optic cutout. The threads on the mounting service were nicely tapped and debured. When mounting the optic it is a nice snug fit. It also comes with 3 sets of screws and Allen keys to mount the optic. The slide has great machining in the front for a good grasp to reload with wet or sweaty hands. It’s texture is just the right combination of aggressiveness, not to be uncomfortable when sharply grasping the gun. It has a lightning cut above the barrel, I assume to reduce weight. I have a concern of dirt or debris getting into it and causing issues in a real world situation. 

The optic is clear and crisp, it has an 27mm window and is made out of 7075 aluminum. There is a Liberty version that has a smaller window of 22mm. These are duty rated and have a new and improved hood over their last model. It has a top load battery that takes the CR1632 battery. Not Chad’s favorite. It weighs 1oz without the battery, its height is 1.04”, length 1.78” and width 1.24”. It has the normal parallax free, fog proof and ruby coated lens. 

It claims to have a greater battery life and new and improved shake a wake motion sensing illumination. The slide and optic are both for the RMR mounting option. Assembly of the slide is straightforward, just like your normal Glock slide would go together. A Brownells Glock completion kit was used for final assembly. 

The initial sight in was done by co-witnessing the dot and the front sight post. Once the impacts were on target I did a ⅓ co-witness, raising the dot above the front sight post to declutter the sight picture. The slide had a few failures to feed, but after some lubrication and some dry fire, it ran flawlessly. The optic is easy to pick up, with some practice, for someone that is new to the red dot game. So far I have fired 350 rounds of 115 grain 9mm with no problems after the initial FTE. I was able to keep all the rounds in the 10 ring at 10 yards. Even with astigmatism the dot was clear with some adjustment of the intensity level. 

In my honest opinion I do believe that this will make a great setup for someone that wants to put an optic on their Glock and doesn’t want to have their slide cut, or wants the benefits of having one frame with two different calibers. After my initial testing and what I know of some of the other optic I own from Swampfox, this appears to be a quality red dot. The slide is nice and clean, the battle worn or distressed coloring gives it some character. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

A quality optic red dot with a standard RMR footprint, with a cost half the price of others. An improved hood to protect the glass, as well as shake awake technology. It claims to be rated for law enforcement and duty use. 

The slide is well textured, nice smooth and rounded corners. Assembly was simple, machining was good. 

Target Market:

People who want to get into the red dot game and not have to have their original slide machines. Also those who have a .40 or .357 Sig that want to convert it to 9mm for cost reasons. 

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Ease of assembly 

  • Clear optic

  • Battery life one year. 

  • Great light intensity of dot 

  • One year warranty 

  • 1500G’s rated

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There is a smaller Liberty optic available. 

The slide as of now comes only in distressed green 

What others are saying?:

So far the only reviews are on the Seampfox instagram page. All the once noted were high reviews including my own.  

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP -

Wolverine slide $349

Optic $249 to $259

Combo $599

I need it now! Availability:

Swampfox Optics

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Optic has a good design

  • Improved hood

  • Ruby clear glass

  • Good light intensity 

  • Ease of adjustments of dot

  • Shake a wake feature

  • Slide has great texture 

  • Channel liner already installed 

  • Good machining with limited tool marks

  • Nice tall  fiber optic sights preinstalled 

  • Great customer service 

Cons:

  • Does not have the time on market as other manufacturers so durability is a concern 

  • Lightening cut in the top of slide

Score: 8.50 Great

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Tactical Kinetics G17 Threaded Barrel

  Tactical Kinetics, commonly called “The Barrel Guys”, makes rifle and pistol barrels. These barrels are 100 percent made in the USA. I was in need of a Glock 17 threaded barrel, so I asked if they would send one for review. Here we are, G17 barrel in hand, with many rounds down range.

  Since I had previous experience with a Tactical Kinetics’ rifle barrel, I expected the same quality. I was not disappointed. The threaded G17 barrel was beautifully made, inside and out. It came in a Black Nitride finish, giving it a smooth dark finish. Plain stainless steel and titanium nitride (TiN) are also available. This particular barrel was engraved with the “TK” logo on the hood, and the model/caliber (17 - 9x19) on the exterior side of the chamber. Amazing to me, was the ability to get a non-logoed version, with no markings at all for the same price. It made me think, “they are in it for the barrel”, not just to show off. 

  The specifications on this 9mm barrel are pretty standard for replacement barrels. It starts out with pre-hardened 416R stainless steel. Pre-hardening the barrel makes it less susceptible to becoming flawed during the hardening process, thus making a more accurate barrel. It does use a SAAMI spec chamber. The barrel is button rifled with 6 grooves in a 1 in 10 twist ratio. The button rifling lets the shooter shoot every type of bullet, from cast lead to copper jackets. A feature that a polygonal rifled barrel will not let you do. On a side note, the rifling is just beautiful. The 1 in 10 twist rate will let the barrel shoot heavier bullets, better. Bullet weight didn’t seem to matter much, in the way of accuracy, for me. Lastly, it is immaculately threaded the standard ½-28 for compensator or suppressor mounting.

  I installed the barrel in a Freedom Flag Products G17 slide. I proceeded to then install that slide on a Lone Wolf TWF-C frame. Everything fit together great. The barrel had a very good lock up with the slide. Better than a factory Glock barrel, for sure. So, I took it to the range, many times. As expected, it worked like a champ. All different types of ammunition cycled. I don’t remember ever having a failure to feed or extract from this barrel. The polished feed ramp probably helped this, as it is really smooth. 

  What would a barrel review be without some sort of accuracy testing? Probably not a review. So off to the range I went with a handful of different 9mm ammunition types and manufacturers. I measured out 15 yards from the shooting bench, and posted up some targets. I then proceeded to rest the pistol on my shooting bag. I know, not the best rest, but suitable for real world accuracy testing. Here are some of the 5 round groups I shot. They are all good representations of the specific loads tested. My best group was Sig Elite performance 115gr at 1.10”’s.

  • Freedom Munitions Hush 165gr - 2.26”

  • Corbon +P 115gr JHP - 2.18”

  • Federal Champion Brass 115gr - 3.22”

  • Blazer Brass 124gr - 2.21”

  • CCI Lawman 124gr - 1.68”

  • Sig Elite 115gr - 1.80”

  I would have no problem putting the Tactical Kinetics barrel up against other manufacturers barrels. You can’t beat the price at $105 plus $18 for a thread protector. It shoots well, has good lock up, and is completely manufactured in the USA. What more could anyone want in an aftermarket Glock barrel. If you’re in the market for a barrel, go check out the Barrel Guys at Tactical Kinetics.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Glock replacement threaded barrel

Target Market:

Anyone wanting or needing a threaded barrel that fits “Glock” style slides

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Completely made in house by Tactical Kinetics

  • 6 groove Button Rifling

  • 1 in 10 twist ratio

  • SAAMI 9mm chamber

  • 416R Stainless Steel

  • Polished feed ramp (before coating)

  • Target crown

  • Black Nitride coated

  • With or without TK logo

  • Threaded ½-28

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Stainless or TiN

What others are saying?:

Tom at RainierArms.com

Excellent drop in threaded barrel

Machining, fit, and finish are excellent. Drop fit nice and tight in a Swenson slide w/Burris Fastfire cut. Shot 100 rounds each of Rem and Win 115gn, and Armscorp and Browning 147gn, largest group at 25 yds was just larger than my palm. Groups better than my Glock factory barrel. Threading for an Omega 9K was excellent, cycled with no issues. Cleaned up with just a few patches after 400 rounds

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP = $105.00 and $18 for the thread protector

I need it now! Availability:

Tactical Kinetics or Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Less expensive than competitor’s barrels

  • Quality

  • Made completely in house

  • Made in USA

  • Polished feed ramp

  • Black Nitride finish

Cons:

  • Lack of options (fluted, colors, etc)

  • Thread protector is extra

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Gun and Gear Cult

Timberwolf TWF-C frame

  Lone Wolf Distributors has released their new Timberwolf “Glock” style small frames. I like to call these Version 2, as they have been completely redesigned. They have large and small frames available. The large frame is the .45/10mm, and the small frame is 9mm/.40/etc. This review is on one of the small frame versions, the TWF-C

  Timberwolf frames come in 4 available options. The “TW’ in the part number is, as one would guess, stands for “TimberWolf.” The “F” or “C” stands for full size or compact, either in the frame or the slide. The first “F” or “C” is the slide length you would like to use. I chose the TWF-C, which corresponds to a “full size slide”, so G17 length or longer (think G34), and a “compact” grip frame. This is only a complete frame, so one must supply their own complete slide. Other options are the TWF-F, TWC-F, and TWC-C.

  The new Timberwolf frames come with a lot of options. First off, they are a serialized firearm, not an 80%, so they come fully assembled with Lone Wolf parts. Second, they come with a curved and flat backstrap. Third, it has a removable magwell. Fourth, an undercut trigger guard. Fifth, Gen3 or Gen4 slides can be used. Sixth, they fit in standard Glock holsters. Seventh, an accessory rail on the dust cover.

  Unlike standard style frames, the TWF-C is small. Even though the width is the same, the circumference is way smaller. This is great for smaller handed shooters. For example, my Polymer80 measures at 5-¾” circumference, while the TWF-C measures 5-¼” with the flat, and 5-⅜” with the curved backstrap. I can definitely tell a big difference. In fact I ended up using the curved backstrap because the flat one is too small for my hand. The grip angle on the Timberwolf frame is also more 1911 style, than Glock style. A good thing for me, as the Glock grip angle never worked well for me. 

  For those of you who like larger magazine wells, the Timberwolf has you covered. It comes with a removable magwell adapter. I found it to work decently well for its size. The frame has a lip that the magwell just slides over, then the magwell pins at the rear. The design makes it super easy to take it on and off. I leave mine off, as it interferes with my grip on the pistol. It only covers up about 3/16” of the grip, but it reduced the grip enough for me to notice. When the magwell is off, there is still a lip, at the base of the grip, that sticks out a little. Having the option of a removable magwell, is a pretty slick idea.

  Now that we understand the TWF-C frame, let's get into how it performs. First things first, I chose the TWF-C because I wanted the shorter frame with a G17 slide. Mainly as a carry gun. The Timberwolf did not disappoint. Since it fits in standard glock holsters, it’s easy to find a carry rig. But, I don’t own any actual “Glocks”, so I used a modified Poly80 holster. It carried better than my compact Polymer80, mainly because the grip on the TWF-C is much more rounded. At the range, the Timberwolf performed flawlessly. It just shoots and shoots. I even used two different aftermarket G17 slides on the frame. One was compensated, one was not. Both served the TWF-C frame well. I did feel like the compensated slide was a bit too long for the compact frame, but that could be just me. The trigger supplied is, so to say, blah. It’s essentially a Glock feeling trigger. But, aftermarket Gen 3 triggers will go into the Timberwolf frame. I might want a more textured frame, but the texture is fine, especially for a carry gun. Smooth frames are also available. Other than that, I really like the Timberwolf frame.

  If you're looking for something different in a Glock style pistol, Check out the new Timberwolf frames. Lone Wolf has you covered in the frame option department, with four different ones available. If you have small hands, but want all the options everyone else has, pick up one of these new frames, and feel the difference. Definitely go check out Lone Wolf, for their complete frames and complete slides, you can get a complete TWF-C pistol, if that’s your thing. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Compact pistol frame that takes G17 slides

Target Market:

Those wanting a small length grip frame with a longer length slide

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Gen 3 or Gen 4 compatible

  • Frame comes complete and assembled

  • Flat and Curved Backstraps

  • Removable Magwell

  • Undercut frame

  • Textured or smooth grip

  • Beavertail

  • Light rail

  • Gen 4 style magazine catch

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

TWC-C, TWF-F, TWC-F

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Tactical Outdoorsman on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $224.95

I need it now! Availability:

Lone Wolf Distributors

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Small grip

  • Works with Gen 3 or Gen 4 slides

  • Removable magwell included

  • Backstraps included

  • Undercut trigger guard

  • Comes complete

  • Fits standard G17 holsters

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Lip around bottom of grip

  • Magwell makes grip slightly shorter

  • Needs more texture on grip

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Gun & Gear Cult


Kagwerks Extended & Raised slide release

 One thing that has plagued me and plenty of others with the Glock brand of pistols is the slide stop placement. The guns just don’t lock back on the last round for me all the time. For some people, they never lock back on the last round. I’ve had plenty of shooters, albeit none with much training, tell me I need to change my grip and that will solve the problem. And that is true, I could alter my grip to a less optimal one for shooting but more optimized for getting lock back. I suppose if I wanted to compromise my ability to get first second and third round hits in order to perform a reload better 17 rounds later I could do that. Those people apparently don’t really understand the concept of “most likely to least likely”. That is if I did find myself in a situation that I needed to employ deadly force are the first few hits more important or that sweet IG video like sub second reload more necessary? Obviously the former is better so maybe my grip is fine.

Photo from Kagwerks

 I’ve always worked around it and never really considered it a problem as if I don’t get lock back, I’d get a click and tap/rack,  then it’s locked back so it’s reload time. Or, if able to recognize that I’d been on the gun for more than a few shots a “click” means that mag gets dumped immediately and a new one goes in. A quick overhand rack and we’re back in business.

 Neither are perfect but there is really no other solution, or is there?

 Enter the Kagwerks extended slide release. When I first saw this I thought “neat, maybe one day i’ll check it out” and thought no more about it. That is until I saw all the hate it was getting from internet operators. Everything from “a solution looking for a problem” to “it’s a slide stop not a slide release” , and my favorite “shearing forces could cause that to break”. These claims seemed unfounded at face value and it appeared no one making them had any time with the product.

 So I reached out to the company and they were happy to send one out for review. I needed to see what the hate was about.

 Spoiler alert: I have no idea what the hate is about. I love this thing.

 It is installed easily, like any other slide stop but the company recommends a gunsmith do it. One can only assume this is for liability reasons.

Photo from Kagwerks

 I had no fitment issues with any holsters I have, so that was nice. After some dry practice it was off to the range. Long story short, it works as advertised. I had zero failures to lock back. One benefit I noticed that I hadn’t thought of is it puts the release back just enough that it’s a tad more intuitive to hit. There was very little learning curve and I don’t recall ever “missing” on a mag change. I did, however, inadvertently lock the slide back a few times during administrative racking. This gave me cause for concern so I spent a good portion of my next training session on malfunction clearances. The “problem” didn’t manifest itself at real speed in real time once. Despite operating the slide several different ways this only time I unintentionally locked the slide back was during administrative tasks that arguably I should have done anyway or should have done at full speed for positive reps. Personally I’m chalking this up to a nonissue, but your mileage may vary.

Overall the Kagwerks extend slide release gets a huge two thumbs up from me and I just can’t wait for the gen 5 version to come out as I’d like it on both of my carry guns for commonality.

Photo from Kagwerks

Do you need this? Well, probably not. For the casual plinker or ccw’r its likely to never be a problem if you don’t have this, unless it is. A buddy of mine who is a patrol cop,  who trains regularly and shoots competition told me after using one for a while “I like the concept it’s just not worth the thousands of reps to retrain myself on something radically different to maybe shave 1/10 off my reload” he also went on to say he fails to get lock back only about 10% of the time and uses his support hand to release the slide. I use my primary hand thumb to release the slide and saw very little learning curve so there could be something there.

I suppose if the gun always locks back for you it’s not for you either, got it. But, if you do experience failures to lock back from your Glock, I would encourage you to take a good look at this product. I also would really like to see a g42/43 version as the problem is much more common for me in the single stack glocks.

FIREARMS INSIDER REVIEWS - 8 KEY POINTS

CLAIM TO FAME:

Solves lock back issues for gen 3 and 4 double stack glocks in 9mm, .357sig and .40 S&w

TARGET MARKET:

Glock shooters that have a high grip or big hands or anyone that doesn’t get lock back on the last round

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT):

Moves the slide stop up and back

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE?

Any color you want as long as it’s black

What others are saying:

They are saying a lot. Nothing I found in written review form. A few YouTube reviews are available.

Price point:

MSRP - $45

I need it now availability:

Kagwerks

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Works exactly as advertised

Cons:

  • It’s expensive for what it is


Score: 9.0 Amazing

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Glock 19 Gen 5

 Written by Zane M.

  In case you haven’t heard the worlds most perfect pistol just got an upgrade. That’s right perfection has been perfected. In all seriousness glock has released their gen 5 line of g19 and g17 guns and people seem to have mixed emotions.

  Being a fan of glocks, I was naturally curious and later reading a few write up and internet scuttlebutt I definitely wanted to get my hands on one.  It worked out well because a friend called saying he was getting one and did I want to check it out.

  I drove out to his house and picked up a brand new g19 gen5. “Bring it back sometime next week” he said. I also had an alert from UPS letting me know I had a case of ammo on my doorstep, how convenient.

  The new finish on slide looks very nice, it looks a bit darker and is more subdued. A blacker black if you will, and not as shiny as my gen4 and gen3 glocks. The gun lacks finger grooves, a welcomed change from most people I know, but so does my gen4 thanks to a dremmel. The barrel on the gen5 uses traditional rifling instead of the polygonal rifling glock has previously used. Probably the most notable difference aside from the lack of finger grooves is the ambidextrous slide release/stop. So if you’re wrong handed, glock thought about you. One change I was most interested in checking out was the Flared magwell. I was underwhelmed by it at first glance but it definitely grew on me. Glock is still using those plastic atrocities they call sights but this gun had already had them replaced with some fiber optics. The biggest thing I noticed is still no front cocking serrations. Come on, glock, get with it.

  The gun came to me with one magazine through it but was otherwise brand new. In the box there were three mags and mag loaded tool, Cleaning rod and brush, cable lock and manual. I took the gun to the range as it came to me with a few hundred rounds of ammo.

The trigger is a glock trigger, it seemed a bit smoother than my gen 4 and gen 3 but lighter than the g42 I used to have. The take up did seem bit stiffer but I’ll take that for the seemingly more consistent “push” if you will through the “wall” The gun handled and fired like a glock. The flared magwell did grow on me with every reload. In 300+ rounds of two hand, primary hand and support hand only shooting. I had no malfunctions to speak of aside from three failures to lock back on the last round. These were completely shooter induced and occurred with a 19, 17 and magpul 21 mag. It’s also worth noting this is a problem I have with all glocks because my support hand contacts the slide release.

  Holster compatibility was something I was curious about so I tried the gun in several that I had laying around. The starboard side slide release dragged on two of them, touched one, and worked fine with four. Two of those were home made by yours truly and the other two require the use of a weapon mount light. Overall it seemed to work in many existing holsters and with some quick modifications I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in most all of them.

  Final thoughts: I like it. For an out of the box carry/duty gun, it’s hard to beat save the sights. However, if you’re going to modify or send it off, I’d probably just save the little extra and go gen 4

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

It’s a glock, not much else to say. It’s been upgraded

Target Market:

Law enforcement, security and law abiding citizen looking for a reliable, ambi pistol. And glock fanboys like myself

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • glock reliably

  • ambidextrous slide stop

  • flared magwell

  • lack of finger grooves

  • new more durable coating

  • replaceable back straps (not new)

  • traditional rifling

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Too New

Link to other reviews:

Concealed Nation

Price point:

MSRP = $629.00+

Retail = $559 at Brownells

I need it now! Availability:

Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Works like a glock

  • flared magwell

  • pleasing to shoot

  • smoother trigger

Cons:

  • Still no front serrations

  • sights are still terrible (not a big deal to me)

Pros/Cons: You Decide

  • lack of finger grooves

  • ambi slide release

Score: 8.5 Great or slightly better than the gen 4

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SGM Tactical Glock Drum Magazine

SGM Tactical 50 rd Drum

You don't have to be a mathematician to know 50 is better than 33, 17, 15, or even 10. That's the simplest reasoning you need to pick yourself up a 50 round drum magazine for your Glock pistol, Keltec Sub 2000 Glock model, or your AR15 chambered in 9mm that accepts Glock magazines. When I first learned that SGM Tactical was importing these polymer drum magazines, I had to at least get one. Luckily, they were only about $69.00 at the time. That must have been an introductory price, because lately the price for these on retail shelves has almost doubled do to demand. Who doesn't want an entire box of 9mm cartridges loaded and ready in a single magazine?
Well, those who don't like the magazine weighing down their firearm down like a brick tied to the wrist. At least it gets lighter as you shoot, sort of countering the fatigue you may start to feel holding up the additional pounds. For pistol users, the drum obviously presents a holstering issue, unless you wear suspenders. Also, loading all 50 rounds into the magazine is a longer process.... more of a sit down, and make small talk to pass the time away experience. The ratcheting lever makes it easier, and with practice you could speed up the pace quite a bit. Be aware though if you ratchet too far and carelessly drop a round in the stack improperly it can end up backward to perpendicular. All and all aside from the unconventional nature of its shape, size, and weight, what's not to love!?! Firing a 50 round volley of finger-numbing of freedom is some of the funnest and most expensive time you can have at the range.

SGM Tactical 50 rd Drum

For carbine owners who insisted on having a platform that takes advantage of the abundance and quality of Glock magazines in the world, this SGM Tactical Drum Magazine is a little black treasure. Both the Keltec Sub 2000 9mm Glock model and various AR-15 platforms that accept Glock mags are what the SGM drum was designed to shine in. The stick portion of the magazine that goes in the magwell is about the same size as a 17 round magazine, so it will fit the Sub2k well, and protrude a bit low on AR15 platforms. That may be a turn off for those who dream of Lone Wolf G9 carbines or other builds such as DDLES, but thats the nature of the beast. Any shorter and you'd be getting less rounds, to a point where the tried and true 33rd "happy stick" would be a better option.
The only other Glock compatible drum magazine on the market is the Beta C-Mag, which is twice the size and over twice the price of this drum. I would recommend finding one of these Korean made drums at a good price and at least getting one or two just for an investment, if your current state of residency allows it.

Firearms Insider Reviews – 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:  The only 50 round drum magazine available for Glocks and Firearms that accept Glock magazines.

Target Market:  Glock owners, Keltec Sub-2000 owners, 9mm AR-15 owners

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Finger lever moves the follower down and takes up tension
  • 50 Rounds
  • Polymer construction with steel internals
  • Fits all Glock 34, 17, 19 & 26 models, all Generations
  • Made in Korea (imported by SGM)

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: Black Only

What others are saying?:

"I received this drum mag on Saturday and I have to say, WOW! It is well-built, doesn't feel cheap and the built-in loader is great! I am very impressed with this mag. I have cycled it in my G19 and KT Sub2K with no problem. I got it from Mississippi Auto Arms for $69.99 (email flash sale), they have since gone up to $129.99 but Bud's has them for $89.99." Glocktalk.com Review

"Ive put around 500 rounds through this magazine with no issues. The quality and value of this drum magazine seems to be exceptional. You might not want to use it for military applications... but for range use, screwing around or for a truck gun, this is a good option" Military Arms Channel

Price point:

I need it now! Availability:  Readily available online at Brownells or locally.

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • No winding
  • Ratchet lever makes loading easy by taking tension off the follower
  • Polymer construction makes it light as possible, still pretty rugged

Cons:

  • No windows for bullet count
  • If bolt is not open you will damage the locking slots on the drum tower
  • No steel feed lips
  • No bolt hold open when empty due to roller style follower
  • Made in Korea

Score: 7.0 Good

 

 

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Glock 30S Review

  Glock 30S - 2

 

By Troy Clopton

The Glock 30S is one of the latest offering in Glock’s Compact 45 ACP Pistols. Introduced in Shot 2013 it was wildly popular within the Police and Conceal Carry Glock community.  The genesis for the Glock 30S is people found by taking the slide off the G36 and mating to the G30 SF (Short Frame) lower they could reduce the slide width and the weight yet still having the (10) + (1) capacity of the G30 SF lower. In addition the G30S will accept the G21 (13) round magazines and those could be carried for back-up.

It was known on several popular Glock blog sites that this could be done with a little bit of gun-smithing but when special unit of the LAPD requested a thinner Glock .45 for their detectives, without losing capacity. After Glock tweaked the recoil spring system and cleaned up the design they decided to release this little monster on the public.

My experience is as follows.  Right up to the arrival of the Glock 30S, I have been carrying the G30 Gen 2.5 as my daily carry gun. I carried it with (2) G21 Magazines most of the time in a hybrid IWB holster.  So it was a very comfortable transition to the G30S. I noticed the weight reduction immediately when you carry a gun daily it is very noticeable. At the range it was a shooter right out of the box, and felt comfortable enough with it that it replaced the G30 after 2 weeks of practice. The first thing I did as I do with all polymer lower guns was to order a set of rubberized Talon Grips to keep a good secure grip.Glock 30S

The great part about switching from the G30 to 30S is since the lower frame is the same all of the holsters fit and so did my spare magazines. I also moved the reliable and compact TLR4 over from my G30. I moved over my extended Slide release and slide lock release and then promptly sold my beloved G30. The newer Glock models already come with the loaded chamber indicator; I had bought a new extractor/indicator for the previous G30.

In the end, this gun has performed flawlessly for me over the last 3 months and I have well over 1,200 rounds through it. It is accurate, controllable, reliable and light for a 45 ACP. If you like the power of a 45ACP and the ability to carry 11 rounds of reliability this may be the guns for you.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: “Built on the G30 SF frame, the G30S combines the full capacity .45 AUTO round count with a slimmer slide. This pistol offers a lighter, more easily concealable option for Law Enforcement and legal concealed-carry enthusiasts. Built in conjunction with elite law enforcement, the newest edition to the GLOCK product line brings a venerable history of consistency, dependability and safe performance in the powerful .45 Auto round.”

Target Market: Law Enforcement, military, concealed carry holders and gun nuts alike.

FNB's (features and benefits of this product):

  • Capacity: 10 + 1, Glock 21 magazine 13 + 1
  • Weight (empty): 20.28 oz, weight (loaded) 30.36 oz
  • Width: 1.28 inches
  • Height: 4.8 inches
  • Overall length: 6.97 inches
  • Barrel Length: 3.78 inches
  • Finish: Polymer with Tenifer coated slide
  • Trigger: Safe-action with  5.5 pound pull

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?:  Only offered from Glock in black, but there numerous companies on-line that offer a vast variety of options to dress up your Glock.

What others are saying:  “For me, the gun was accurate and fast out of the box. If I were to use the 30S for conceal carry, I would personally opt to change out the sights for night sights (such as Trijicon 3 dot tritium) or other low light sighting system, swap in a lighter recoil spring, and put in a crisper trigger (such as The Glock Store’s Fulcrum trigger) to bring the trigger pull down from its stock 5.5lbs down to around 4lbs, a common conceal carry weight.  All in all, I really like the Glock 30S and it’ll be interesting to see if it’s successful.”

By Chris Cheng Top Shot Season 4 champion

Price Point:

Our Rating:

+ Slim and lightweight for a double stack + Reliable and durable + Reasonable pricing for pistol and accessories + Able to use full size Glock 21 magazines for spares

Score: 9.0 Amazing90

 

Glock 42 Review

glock42 Quite possibly the most anticipated firearm of SHOT Show 2014 and perhaps the whole year, is the Glock 42 .380 auto. Of course the number 1 comment about the pistol is what it isn't - a 9mm single stack pistol. Glock claims "Years of requests across market groups for a super-concealable, reliable single-stack .380 GLOCK pistol prompted extensive research and development to bring the GLOCK customer the G42." I would question if the majority of those customer requests were indeed for the .380 chambering. Despite the caliber controversy, the handgun itself is a new generation in the Glock family tree. The frame has been reduced, simplified, and altered in minute ways, making the G42 Glock's answer to the pocket pistol market, which has seen a flare up in the last 5-6 years as other manufacturers have released offerings in single stack, slimmer framed pistols that are better suited for concealed carry.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a G42 from a buddy at local gun shop High Mountain Hunting Supply. The loaner came with limited ammo, and literally every source in town had sold out of .380 auto except for costly self defense flavors. While my range time was somewhat brief due to ammo availability, I was able to really embrace the size and shape of the gun. I found not only the frame to be pleasingly slimmer than every other Glock I've held, but the contours of the back and frontstraps to be more comfortable. The G42's trigger doesn't have the ridges on the trigger like other Glocks, and the blade is also narrower. Thats about where the positives stop for me, as everything else about the G42 I found unsatisfactory.

G42-1

 

photo 3The trigger was a beast, feeling closer to 8-10lbs than the advertised 5.5lbs. It was stubborn, requiring much more pressure to achieve the break. I cannot say if this can be said for every G42 or just this one, but it was very unpleasant and made accurate shot placement difficult. The recoil itself felt about how it should with round nose 90 gr rounds. I did have some feeding issues, but again with limited ammo for the session I wasn't able to diagnose whether it was a magazine issue, an ammo issue, or a gun issue. In reading other internet review, it seems the feeding issues aren't uncommon. Most armchair Glock experts will snap "You're just limpwristing" or "You're thumbs are touching the slide, interfering with recoil." I suspect it's the dual recoil springs (sound familiar, Gen 4 owners?) or ammo, or a combination of both.

I brought along a G26 Gen3 for comparison as the previous flagship subcompact of Glock. The 42 is skinnier in the width department at 24 mm / 0.94 inches, but is still slightly wider than a Keltec P3AT or Ruger LCP. The grip of the 42 is about the same length of the grip on the 26, which still may leave the pinky finger hanging out in the wind for fellow medium-size mitted shooters. The barrel is 3.25" , and the capacity is only 6 rounds with the standard factory magazines, which is fairly common with pocket pistols of it's class. The frame's concave thumb recesses have been redesigned as a simple small ledge instead, and I found that with the smaller frame it made sense and still felt like I was able to get a good purchase every time.

With the trigger and feeding issues with the G42, I was still able to shoot better with the G26.  But that can be chalked up to time spent behind the trigger.

Comparison between the Glock 26 and the Glock 42

 

Slide comparison between the Glock 26 and the Glock 42

Frame width comparison between the Glock 26 and the Glock 42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, I think the Glock 42 is a good concept that should have been tested and developed further to iron out some of the issues that many others are claiming. Perhaps pressure was high from the sales/marketing departments for a 2014 SHOT Show release, leading to the questionable "perfection" of this model.  Regardless, the G42 will fit a niche that seems to be growing each year as CCW permit holders increase and the market shifts to more comfortable single stack CCW-centric models. The buzz has brought .380auto shortage, becoming just as scarce as .22lr at this time in my area, I still would prefer to hold out for a single stack 9mm personally.  However for the time being, the G42 is hard to pass up, and I would encourage everyone to try it on for size. Just beware of its shortcomings, lower your expectations for the initial performance and maybe, just maybe, the one you take home will work like it should.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: Made in the USA, the G42 is the smallest pistol GLOCK has ever introduced, making it ideal for pocket carry and shooters with smaller hands.

Target Market: Concealed Carry, Range Shooting, Law Enforcement Backup weapon.

FNBs (features & benefits of this product):

  • It's a Glock!
  • Gen 4 Grip Texture, but not as aggressive/raised
  • Dual Recoil Spring
  • Subtle design changes in grip and trigger
  • Same internal safety features standard in Glock pistols
  • Same Tenifer finish
  • Skinnier than previous Glock subcompacts in slide and frame width, grip depth and width

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: Good ol'd Glock Black

What others are saying?: 

  •  "I bought a G42 and have had nothing but problems. When firing Federal FMJ 95 grain, 980 FPS the slide locks to the rear on the second round as if the mag is empty. When firing JHP, the extractor fails to remove the spent casing from the chamber. I sent it back to Glock and they very quickly sent it back with a note that it was within factory specs. I took it to the range and experienced the same issues. I just sent it back for a second time and will see if they actually corrected the problem this time." User comment on The Gun Writer
  •  "This gun is a failure. A 380 in this small of a package is designed strictly for defense. A defensive gun that will NOT shoot defensive ammo is a failure. That is an inarguable fact... To the guys having problems with the gun, it's NOT you, it's the gun. I too have had the same problems. BS on the your limp wristing it, you're a newbie, it's the aftermarket magazine (there aren't any right now sport). The likes of Jerry Miculek, Hickok45, et al, are having the same problems that you are. Glock needs to cut there losses and recall them and fix the problem. I have 6 other Glocks, the 42 was my 7th. It went back to Glock for repair twice. They are sending me a different model entirely, a 26 to be exact. Glock failed on this one I'm sorry to say. Good luck to you guys having problems. Again gents, it's not you." User comment on The Gun Writer
  • "Great little gun. Recoil is... nonexistent!!!!! Kicks way less than my previous .380 (Bersa). Not small enough to call it a micro, but tiny anyways and easy to conceal (not to mention that it's super lightweight). Took it to the range after a good cleaning and it proved to be very accurate. Reliability is outstanding as well. I shot 200 rounds of Aguila HPs, had no malfunctions whatsoever and many groups consisted of all shots touching (7 yds).Budsgunshop.com review

Price Point:

I need it now! Availability: Local Gunshops or Online Dealers

Our Rating:

  • The smaller length of the .380 cartridge allows for a shorter grip depth, which lets the shooter's hands wrap around the gun further and absorb recoil much better than with other 9mm Glocks.
  • More easily concealed when carrying in pocket, bag, IWB holster, belly band, or baked goods.
  • Pretty much the G19's little brother
  • The aggressiveness/height of the Gen 4 grip texture was subtly reduced on the G42, without sacrificing friction.
  • High demand means if you don't like it, someone out there will take it off your hands for you.

  • Feeding issues widely reported, possibly related to dual recoil spring or ammo.

  • It doesn't go "bang" as reliable as the existing tried and true Glocks are known for.

 FI 7.0Score: 7.0 Good

 

 

Glock 20 Gen 4 10mm Auto

Glock 20 Gen 4 10mm

By Reed Snyder

I have always been a Sig Sauer enthusiast. When my sights strayed from the line of pistols that were my first love, they never fell on polymer pistols. I have however always been curious about the 10mm cartridge. Along my travels, I then developed an appreciation for the .357 Sig cartridge, a distant cousin to the 10mm. When Glock began phasing in the 4th generation of pistols, I found myself drawn to the G20. My desire to acquire a polymer pistol I once scoffed at was again strengthened as I discovered the range of aftermarket barrels that could be installed in the G20. The available barrels allow for the chambering of the .40 S&W as well as the venerable .357 Sig. I was sold, I had to own one. I began my search and failed to find an internet source that priced the pistols anywhere near retail. I was shocked to not only find one in stock at my Local Gun Store, but I found one that was priced to sell at the MSRP. I took my pistol to the range and I was very impressed with how the G20 tamed the 10mm cartridge. Glock and its products have earned a reputation for reliability and simplicity, and justifiably so. The G20 Gen 4 does not disappoint in this regard. The G20 is only slightly larger than the G17 in most of its dimensions and is not all that different in its handling. I am growing fonder of the polymer pistols as I spend more time with the G20 and make no mistake about it, I love my G20. However, I am reminded that the money I saved by buying a polymer pistol may have been in part due to the simplistic standard sights and the rather rough factory trigger. The aftermarket parts arena makes provision for a number of upgrades that can easily take the edge off my dissatisfaction with those two items. After spending time on the pistol, I would heartily recommend the G20 to anyone interested in the 10mm cartridge or a Glock enthusiast looking to complete their collection.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:  Reliability and Simplicity

Target Market:  Hunters and Enthusiasts

F&B's:

  • Key Features
  1. Polymer frame.
  2. Aggressive stippling on the grip
  3. Glock’s “Safe Action”® System.
  4. Dual Recoil Spring Assembly
  5. Modular Backstrap System
  6. Enlarged Reversible Magazine Catch.
  7. Loaded chamber indicator
  • Key Benefits
  1. Light and durable
  2. Design and construction reduces felt recoil
  3. Easy to take down and service

Does it come in black?:  Aftermarket parts are widely available as are aftermarket barrels.  Examples of where to find them are listed below.

What others are saying?:

Price point:

  • MSRP = Glock Site - MSRP is not readily available
  • Retail = The G20 Gen 4 is a little hard to come by.  Retailers are selling the Gen 3’s as fast as they can to clear inventory, so availability of the Gen 4’s is spotty.

I need it now!:  Gunbroker.com is the place with the most access to available G20 Gen 4’s.

Our Rating:

+Recoil from the 10mm cartridge is tamed +Simple controls and manual of arms +Reliability, reliability, reliability. +Reasonably priced

-Standard Glock sights -Unsatisfactory factory trigger

Score - 8.0 Great80

Reed Snyder

Host - AR-15 Podcast.com

Glock 17 Gen. 4

Mikes-Glock.jpg

Mikes Glockby Mike Emert Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points Claim to Fame: Its superior reliability and simplicity Target Market: Law Enforcement, Competitive Shooters, Homeowners, Target shooters FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product) Key Features:

  • Polymer frame.
  • Aggressive stippling on the grip
  • 3 safety features including Trigger safety, Drop safety, and Striker safety.
  • Upgraded recoil spring
  • 17 round magazine capacity with optional 19 or 33.
  • Ability to modify the magazine catch to left hand shooter.
  • Adjustable grip size.
  • Loaded chamber indicator.
  • 5.5 lb. trigger.
  • 4.5" barrel.

Key Benefits:

  • Light and durable
  • Heavy trigger pull for high stress situations
  • High magazine capacity
  • Easy to take down

Does it come in black? Yes. And many options for customization. Lone Wolf Distributors Glockmeister What others are saying? Most people who shoot the G17 love it! The Truth About Guns Guns and Ammo Price point (MSRP versus actual retail)

  • MSRP = $549 (Must go through a dealer)
  • Retail = Buds Gun Shop offers them for $539 with a cash discount

Used = Gun Broker has had them as low as $440 I need it now! Availability: You can get the G17 Gen4 at virtually any local gun shop or online retailer. Our Rating: You can’t go wrong with Glock. It’s a versatile platform which is easy to learn and easy to operate.  Their reputation proves they are reliable and there really is no good argument against that. + Reliable, reliable, reliable! + Light weight + Minimal amount of parts + If there is a function or feature you want changed, it’s easy to do it. + 17 round magazine - Ugly (But I can get past that). - Some have experienced spent brass hitting them in the face. Score 9.5 Amazing!Amazing

Mike Emert Firearms Radio Network This Week In Guns

What do you think? If there is someone who doesn’t like the G17 Gen4 for some other reason than personal preference then I sure would like to know why.  I understand some people may not shoot Glock as well as they shoot another gun due to their body type or their personal mechanics.  The G17 Gen4 has really set the bar high as far as reliability goes, and you can’t get any more simple in the operation of the gun.  It’s rugged and trusted by law enforcement agents worldwide.  Popularity is not always the best way to determine a product’s quality but when lives are at stake, popularity is probably the biggest factor to consider.