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Glock 34 or 17 for competition


Fireguy116

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I'm getting into competition shooting at my local gun club. I want to get a 9mm and have it down to a glock 34 or 17. Problem is I've shot both and like both. My plan is to eventually start shooting idpa. Which gun would be better? Again I shot both and shot them equally well. I actually just ran my best match at the club with a 19 my friend let me use. I'm going to the gun shop tomm so just looking for advice.

Thanks Kevin

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Kevin,

If you play around long enough with the search feature you should be able to find what you are looking for. This question gets asked on occasion and has been discussed at length before. My guess is it will be split right down the middle if you count all the votes. But the G34 is literally made for these games. Good luck!

Kevin

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Don't let the delivery time for a 34 be the decision making factor. I have all 4 9mm Glocks and the 34 is my choice for competition. I love my 17. It's the best all around gun in the group. Every time I think about trying the 17 in competition I look at the sights on the 34 and zip up the 17.

Even though the 34 is considerably more expensive, you save more absolute dollars with the GSSF coupon when buying it. You can always find a good deal on a commercial 17. Not so much so on a commercial 34.

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The only tangible benefit of the 34 is velocity, and if you are smart and are gonna keep the internals mostly stock, it already has the right connector in it.

Between the 2 guns, the preference for extra sight radius isn't based on actual results, but more that people know in theory more radius is better, so you must be getting something from the longer slide.

This is a friend's target from 25y.

10434351_10201255685953306_3047762573674

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The only tangible benefit of the 34 is velocity, and if you are smart and are gonna keep the internals mostly stock, it already has the right connector in it.

Between the 2 guns, the preference for extra sight radius isn't based on actual results, but more that people know in theory more radius is better, so you must be getting something from the longer slide.

He is buying a Blue Label G34 which will come with a dot connector. Almost everyone has an enhanced trigger on their game pistols. The extra sight radius does help with the long and more difficult shots.

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I had a 17 and now shoot a 34. I can tell a difference, but it's not a lot. I have them tuned the same with all the same parts, only difference is the sights. 17 has the warrens while my 34 has TTI's.

What I like about the 34 better is the length helps reduce the twisting action in hand, in turn keeps the sights steadier and allows me to see the sights faster and shoot faster. The recoil impulse is slightly smoother as well, both are tuned with 13lb recoil springs and metal guide rods. I have not shot my 17 since I got the 34. I'm just as fast drawing and moving with the 34 but it feels more stable. I'm more accurate with the 34 but that's because I see the sights better not due to the length.

If I was going to do it again I would just get the 34 to start with, but I got a deal on the 17 and so that's why it came first.

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Get the 17 now. Get the 34 later. I did this and am not unhappy or unsatisfied. I cannot for the life of me tell the difference when I shoot them. or in dry fire. Same mags, same sights, dunno but I can't even decide to be honest. Really like them both about the same.

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Performance wise it doesn't matter between the two for idpa. I have both and run a 17. I transition a little faster and shoot better in a classifier with the 17 (idpa clasifier in the 90's). Had the 19 first, then 34, then 17. Actually shoot the 19 better in GSSF matches, but can reload and draw faster with the 17/34.

That being said, since you don't have your own gun, get the 34. It will keep you from second guessing and instead just focus on building your skills. The more you can stop thinking about equipment the better.

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I'm sure with a little searching you can find the actual velocity differences, and if you reload, that means a softer load, fast target acquisition, etc, etc. I use a 35... I love it. I've shot many competitions with my 17... I did fine, but hung it up the day my 35 came in and never looked back.

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The only tangible benefit of the 34 is velocity, and if you are smart and are gonna keep the internals mostly stock, it already has the right connector in it.

Between the 2 guns, the preference for extra sight radius isn't based on actual results, but more that people know in theory more radius is better, so you must be getting something from the longer slide.

He is buying a Blue Label G34 which will come with a dot connector. Almost everyone has an enhanced trigger on their game pistols. The extra sight radius does help with the long and more difficult shots.

Dot connector? Thats stupid.

Also, plenty of people say the extra sight radius provides a benefit. I've never seen anyone actually prove this in some way.

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get the 34. It will keep you from second guessing and instead just focus on building your skills. The more you can stop thinking about equipment the better.

Couldn't agree more. I ended up going with the 17 and even though I know there is not that much of a difference, I still think about the 34.

On the other hand it ended up working out since I no longer shoot that gun in IDPA, I now am looking to turn it into an open gun.

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The 34 is great for idpa, I rarely shoot anything else. That being said, if you think your going to much else with it other than competition, I might lean towards a 17. Either way you cant go wrong.

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If there is a chance of getting into limited I would get it in .40 instead of 9. You can download it to minor but you can't get major with the 9. You can also put a new 9 barrel in it and have both calibers for cheap. I planned on shooting production got a 17 then wanted to get into limited and so that gun hasn't been shot in a while now

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Another vote for getting a G35 because the option of shooting 40 or 9 is really nice. I have a lot invested in my G35, then bought a different gun. I just went back to Minor, and I'm already looking for a .40 conversion for my new one.

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The only tangible benefit of the 34 is velocity, and if you are smart and are gonna keep the internals mostly stock, it already has the right connector in it.

Between the 2 guns, the preference for extra sight radius isn't based on actual results, but more that people know in theory more radius is better, so you must be getting something from the longer slide.

This is a friend's target from 25y.

10434351_10201255685953306_3047762573674

Looks like he blasted this target a 1000 times and then just pasted them all up except for the 5 in the middle....lol

Why do you say the preference for the extra sight radius isn't based on actual results?

Edited by 3djedi
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