Help me kit out a pair of Gen5 G17's for USPSA

[DacoRoman]

On 5/30/2024 at 4:07 AM, Ryan N said:

Sounds like a good plan and in line with what I plan to do.  I've had similar thoughts about LO since I already have a brass magwell.   I too have quite a few gen 3 parts in the parts bin after 20 years of shooting them.  

10-4, it’s good to have someone that is on a parallel track . Good luck with your endeavors! Keep us updated if you can.

I’m getting my Gen 5 set up this week with the new parts and I’m planning on updating the thread, or starting a new one, chronicling my experience with the Gen 3 vs Gen 5… even though the topic may be passé for most Glock owners at this point . 

[Ryan N]

1 hour ago, DacoRoman said:

10-4, it’s good to have someone that is on a parallel track . Good luck with your endeavors! Keep us updated if you can.

I’m getting my Gen 5 set up this week with the new parts and I’m planning on updating the thread, or starting a new one, chronicling my experience with the Gen 3 vs Gen 5… even though the topic may be passé for most Glock owners at this point . 

I'm very interested in following along with that.  If you start a new thread(might be better), please post a link here or PM me.  Thanks.  

[DacoRoman]

On 6/2/2024 at 5:10 PM, Ryan N said:

I'm very interested in following along with that.  If you start a new thread(might be better), please post a link here or PM me.  Thanks.  

You are most welcome and I shall. 

I’m shooting a USPSA match this SA, and I’m planning on using the milled Gen 3 with the 507Comp for the first time - previous matches have been shot with the milled Gen 5 and a 508T.
 

But I just got the additional 507 Comp today so I’m hoping to mount it on the Gen 5 possibly this week. 

I’m hoping that next week I could start doing some comparisons in practice. 
 

[DacoRoman]

A quick update.

 

I put in a TTI spring/connector set in my G17 gen5 and the trigger feels close enough to my Gen3 with it's Zev V4 Race Connector and competition springs.

I did put 5# striker springs in both guns however after getting some light primer strikes with my Gen3 with Magtech 124's and once with a Speer Lawman 124. 

I have done some drills with both guns, and I think that once I put a 507 Comp optic on the Gen 5 (it was delivered but I haven't had a chance to install it), and also Talon Grip Pros like I have on the Gen 3, the guns will feel similar enough that I won't feel much difference between the two. Both have stock recoil springs btw. 
 

I ended up not shooting another match until 2 Sundays ago.

But I ran the Gen 3 and it ran great. To remind everyone, or if I didn't mention it,  I'm now running a Gen 5 ejector in my Gen 3 and while the Gen 5 ejects the brass like at twice the distance, the Gen 3 ejection pattern is pretty darn consistent to the 3-4 o'clock with the Gen 5 ejector, and I'll be keeping it in the gun. 

Anyway, I took 3rd in Carry Optics, (and if I play the "Senior" card, as I just turned 55, I took first in Carry Optics  among the "Seniors").

So my plan now is to definitely just use the Gen 3 for both practice and matches and run that thing until it runs no more, with the Gen 5 as a back up.

Once I actually put the same optic on the Gen 5 and the Talon Grips, I'll do another update regarding the difference between both guns. I'll run some drills too and the one that does best will end up as my #1 with the other as back up.

At this point however, I suspect that there will be no significant differences between the two. 

[Ryan N]

Thanks for sharing your experience with you setup.  And congrats on your nice placement.  I'm surprised to see your running the stock recoil assemblies, I assume your shooting factory ammo?  Good idea about the Gen5 ejector.

Do you run a Thug Plug or anything in the grip? 

 

I did end up purchasing a new G17.5 and sent the slide to Battlewerx yesterday to get milled for the 507Comp.  I plan to get a Carver pure tungsten guide rod with a 15lb spring.  I'm considering ponying up for the Shooting Sports Innovations tungsten plug that adds 4.7oz to the grip.  I like a little extra weight because I think it helps stabilize the gun when shooting distance and also strong hand, weak hand.  

 

As a reminder, my other is a Gen3 34 that is milled for a Holosun 507Comp.  Ghost Rocket connector with heavy trigger spring, OEM striker spring, tungsten extended guide rod and 13# spring.  It's been a great setup and mimics my Limited G34 that's been my "go-to" for USPSA and 3-gun since 2012.  

 

We're also close in age, I'm 52 so no Senior card for me.... yet.  

[DacoRoman]

On 6/26/2024 at 3:27 AM, Ryan N said:

Thanks for sharing your experience with you setup.  And congrats on your nice placement.  I'm surprised to see your running the stock recoil assemblies, I assume your shooting factory ammo?  Good idea about the Gen5 ejector.

Do you run a Thug Plug or anything in the grip? 

 

I did end up purchasing a new G17.5 and sent the slide to Battlewerx yesterday to get milled for the 507Comp.  I plan to get a Carver pure tungsten guide rod with a 15lb spring.  I'm considering ponying up for the Shooting Sports Innovations tungsten plug that adds 4.7oz to the grip.  I like a little extra weight because I think it helps stabilize the gun when shooting distance and also strong hand, weak hand.  

 

As a reminder, my other is a Gen3 34 that is milled for a Holosun 507Comp.  Ghost Rocket connector with heavy trigger spring, OEM striker spring, tungsten extended guide rod and 13# spring.  It's been a great setup and mimics my Limited G34 that's been my "go-to" for USPSA and 3-gun since 2012.  

 

We're also close in age, I'm 52 so no Senior card for me.... yet.  

 

You are most welcome and thank you!

 

Yes I'm shooting factory ammo. I typically use Blazer 124's or Lawman 124's. I just got done trying 1K of Magtech 124's, and now I'm back to Lawman 124's. Magtech primers were a bit harder and I was getting some light primer strikes using a 4.5# striker spring, which made me go to 5#, which resolved the issue. I've decided to keep the 5# striker spring as I can't tell much of a difference between it and the 4.5# spring, and I'd rather have more reliable ignition. 

 

I was running a 15# recoil spring in my Gen5  and at around the 3K-4K mark, I got a failure to go into battery malfunction during a match. Prior to this I had noticed that the gun started having a bit of a difficulty returning to battery from a position of slight slide cock..it would sort of want to hang up on the barrel shroud. 

So I put in the stock spring and I realized that if I keep my structure and grip good, and keep my vision f*#kus intact, I have no issues with the stock RSA. Same for my Gen 3. 

I seem to remember hearing Ben Stoeger saying that he runs OEM recoil springs also, and never changing them out until the gun starts failing, at something like the 50+K round mark or something like that. So that also motivated me to just adapt to the stock springs, as I too would rather not change out the recoil springs until I have to :D. 

 

I  haven't heard of the Thug Plug, is that a weighed Plug? I run a plastic one in there, I forget who made it, but it makes sense what you are saying about getting a heavier one. 

 

Congratulations on your G17.5!  The Battlewerx cuts seem super solid indeed. 

Thanks for describing the accoutrements that you are considering. It makes sense what you are saying about a heavier gun etc.  I'll look that stuff up.

I was using a Jager steel guide rod with the lighter recoil springs, but I'm intrigued about a heavier tungsten rod. What springs are you using? The one that seemed to go weak on me was an ISMI spring I think. 

 

Thanks for describing your Gen3 set up as well. It may come in handy if I want to start messing with my Gen3 some more. 

 

I wouldn't mind rewinding the clock some and relinquishing my senior card, but it's all good!  

I just wish I would have gotten into USPSA like a decade or two ago!