G17 modifications question

[glock22.scout]

I am looking at buying a few internal parts and was wondering about spring weights and stuff. For compition shooting what is a good guide rod spring weight (factory being 17#) I'm shooting factory 115g fmj ammo. What are the advantages to a lighter spring? Also looking at the lone wolf pro pick trigger kit, good choice? Last question for now for a production gun am I allowed to change the barrel? Looking at a lone wolf stock length barrel!

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Lighter springs allow you to use reloaded ammunition that may not cycle a factory spring. If your ammo is cycling your gun correctly, then don't change the spring. If you are running mouse fart reloads, your gun probably won't cycle well with the factory 17# spring. I ran a 13# spring in a really light 115 gr load that probably would have never made power factor.

As for the trigger, get the 3.5# connector and do some polishing...watch a youtube video on it. There's tons info out there. Do some work to it yourself before you buy something else. You may get it to where you like it by only spending a little time and elbow grease on it.

You can change out the barrel as long as it is stock length. An aftermarket barrel can save you money in bullet costs if you are reloading allowing you to use cheap(er) lead bullets (no jacket).

[Pro-Pain]

What gun are you running? By your username is it a GLock?

SPRINGS

When a GLock is in battery, the rear spring is trying to pull the gun open. This is negated by the recoil spring, which is pulling with more force to keep the gun closed.

With a Lighter recoil spring, there's not as much force holding it closed. Light enough, and the gun can fail to get into battery (completely closed).

With a Heavier recoil spring, you run the risk of too much pressure trying to hold the slide closed, so when the gun discharges, the slide won't go the whole way completely back, thereby causing possibly extraction problems of the spent casing, or not cleaving the next live round out of the magazine.

Heavier springs also "pull down" the front of the slide, as the slide is closing, with more force, the spring causes the slide to slam forward, sometimes dipping the front sight. Useful on quick successive shots (read: Double-Tap) as the muzzle wants to rise, but not so when trying for single well-placed shots.

Since the springs work against each other, changing one might make you need to change the others. Be aware of this if it's not running right.

TRIGGER

There a lot of cheap or low cost trigger options you have in a Glock. You can buy the kit, or try piece by piece. A good set of springs from WOLFF runs like $6-8 bucks. Extra power spring, and reduced striker/plunger springs. You can also change the plunger, striker, or polish for a lighter feel of pull.

Look at the $0.25 trigger job. Look at the Glock, and polish all the surfaces of metal that come in contact. Striker face, connector, and cruciform parts and trigger bar. Make sure you don't change any angles, just polish to reduce friction.

Find a sweet spot that runs, and feels good for you. If you want the drop in trigger fine, but you might be able to find a nice trigger for a fraction of the price.

BARRELS

KKM and Lone Wolf are the popular replacement barrels. Guns with a polygonal rifling (GLock, Kahr, IMI/Desert Eagle, H&K, and CZ, maybe one or 2 others, I think those are all the biggies) have a hard time shooting lead due to the way the rifling is, pronounced in the Glocks specifically.

you CAN shoot lead, but it could be dangerous, as powder can buildup and be bad.

Switching barrels, as was said, can be used to shoot lead.

It's legal in Appendix D4:

21.3 After-market slides and

barrels – provided they

are the same length, contour and caliber as original factory standard.

SLIDES: Current rules remain in effect – You may

replace the slide with an OEM or aftermarket slide

which is of the same length, contour and caliber as

the original slide for that model of gun.

BARRELS: Current rules remain in effect - you may

replace the barrel with an OEM or aftermarket barrel

which is of the same length, contour and caliber as

the original barrel for that model of gun.

Special Notes/Clarifications:

For purposes of this interpretation, a barrel within

+/- 0.1” of OEM is “the same length”

(My emphasis)

Edited April 22, 2011 by Pro-Pain

[Patrick Scott]

Did you watch my gun at all last weekend? My 34 is running a 14# spring and steel rod because I like the way it feels. I can't tell you if it makes me or the gun any "better" I just like it. As Pro-Pain talked about I had to drop my striker spring down to a 4# to make the gun go into battery like it should. Other than those parts my 34 is not that different than your 17. The 34s do come with the Glock "-" connector which does reduce the trigger pull weight by about a pound compared to your 17(my reduced striker spring drops it a little more). Before you put money into your 17 buying a bunch of after-market parts you should shoot my 34. For about $50.00 you could slick your 17 to equal my 34. As far a barrels go, I wouldnt bother unless you want to shoot lead. For this game, and Production it doesnt make a lot of sense to toss a perfectly good Glock barrel. I know that the Glock barrel shoots better than I, so I spend my money on ammo. I didnt notice what sights you are running, but if they are stock I would ditch those before anything else. Stock Glock sights suck! I like the all black Warren Sevigny Comp sights.

[glock22.scout]

Well I just got me a glock 34!! Think I'm going to like it and everyone needs more glocks!!! Patrick email me about shooting!