Range Report: Glock 17 (gen 4)

Let’s face it, guns are pretty awesome. I don’t mean that they are toys to be played with like in some video game. A gun is a tool; it has a specific purpose to be used for. But like most guys, a good tool is awesome.

A lot of the love affair with guns has to do with the craftsmanship involved. There are so many models and varieties that cover so many aspects. You have everything from high powered pistols great for dealing with a bear on a hunting trip down to small hold-out pieces used as a last line of self defense.
But you don’t always get a chance to try out a wide variety of guns unless you happen to have an abundance of cash. Personally there are only two pistols in my house. One is for self defense in case my burglar alarm doesn’t scare off a criminal. The other is a large revolver specifically for hunting trips. So it is not often that I get a chance to spend time with other pistols for fun. But last week a friend picked up a new Glock 17 (gen 4) and we decided to go to the range and break it in.

Now when breaking in a new gun one of the best things to do is shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. You want to get a lot of rounds through the magazine and chamber to really work those parts in. Plus there is a certain ‘feel’ you get from each gun as you get used to the weight. If you plan on keeping a gun for home defense you have to be comfortable with it and used to it.

There is no point in having a gun around the house if you are not confident with it and have used it a lot. More than likely you will discharge the weapon improperly and hurt someone you didn’t mean to or blow a hole in your flat screen TV. So with that in mind we brought both of my pistols, his new Glock, and a lot of ammo for a few hours of work; albeit fun work.

My friend went with the Glock due to the size, power, adjustable grip, and brand name. It is a very good choice. I let him snap off 4 magazines while just observing before stepping in. The magazine carries 17 so you get a really good feel for it compared to shooting only 8 rounds at a time. Plus the mag release was smooth. My buddy was having a hard time loading clips for me as fast as I was shooting and wanting to change loads.

The 17 fit my hand really well and it was very light compared to what I was used to. The recoil was moderate but with such a smooth firing action on repeated shots was not overwhelming at all (unlike on the .357 revolver). We ended up shooting about 600 rounds without a single failure. The only notable thing was that cleaning the pistol was a bit of a pain. My friend had watched at the shop when they cleaned and lubricated it for him after he bought it and he didn’t think it was that bad. But compared to my two pistols it ended up being quite the chore.

Overall we both loved the Glock 17 and thought it handled well. Hopefully we can get some more range time in soon.

This guest post was written by Nick Adams, a home security expert and a gun enthusiast. He runs a forum for gun lovers and contributes articles for various home and personal security blogs.