[anthony.santucci1974]

So I got a couple of Glocks. 31 Gen 4 and 17 Gen 5. One of the main reasons I opted to get into the platform is the huge aftermarket for customization, enhancement, blah blah.
The same reasons I have AR rifles and 1911s.

Enter Glock Talk. After perusing the site, it seems that the standard answer to questions about aftermarket parts not working correctly is "return it to the stock config".

Is the aftermarket really that bad? Or, what's the good stuff?

ETA: Not just here. Other Glock specific sites are the same.

 

[computerpodiatrist]

It's not that the aftermarket parts don't normally work, it's that when people come here with problems then the thing that messed it up is probably the aftermarket parts.

 

[GlockyQ]

Welcome to GT.
I’m not one of those that suffer G.A.P. (“Glock Aftermarket Phobia”) or G.A.D.S. (“Glock Aftermarket Derangement Syndrome”). But I am also fully aware that not all aftermarket parts are create equal. In fact some are low quality junk poorly designed and poorly made, while some are very well designed and well constructed from quality materials. Many are somewhere in between.

I believe if are are vigilant and selective of what aftermarket parts you want to run on your Glock and thoroughly test your modified Glock to ensure its safety and reliability, you can still take advantage of the unsurpassed “customizability” of the Glock platform and the huge selection of aftermarket accessories and parts for it.

Here are the Four Cardinal Rules of Using Aftermarket Parts in Your Glock (that I have created and follow myself):

1. Only use a high quality aftermarket part made by a reputable company and has a good track record.
2. Only install one aftermarket part at a time, and thoroughly range test your Glock after installing each part to make sure it runs safely and reliably.
3. Always use your carry ammo and include one-handed shooting and shooting with weak hand in your range test.
4. Limit the number of aftermarket parts installed on a single Glock, and never combine more than a few.

 

[indivi]

It's a mixed bag, but largely not even necessary to begin with.

I've got not use for these things in any carry Glock or any other gun used for self defense.

The big conniption is those who install a bunch of new parts that cost much more than a Glock part, then ask why their Glock suddenly doesn't work anymore and what can they do to fix it - after having just either changed the parts or mutilated the internals because they don't know anything about Glocks and are horrified of a 5# trigger.

 

[anthony.santucci1974]

Welcome to GT.
I’m not one of those that suffer G.A.P. (“Glock Aftermarket Phobia”) or G.A.D.S. (“Glock Aftermarket Derangement Syndrome”). But I am also fully aware that not all aftermarket parts are create equal. In fact some are low quality junk poorly designed and poorly made, while some are very well designed and well constructed from quality materials. Many are somewhere in between.

I believe if are are vigilant and selective of what aftermarket parts you want to run on your Glock and thoroughly test your modified Glock to ensure its safety and reliability, you can still take advantage of the unsurpassed “customizability” of the Glock platform and the huge selection of aftermarket accessories and parts for it.

Here are the Four Cardinal Rules of Using Aftermarket Parts in Your Glock (that I have created and follow myself):

1. Only use a high quality aftermarket part made by a reputable company and has a good track record.
2. Only install one aftermarket part at a time, and thoroughly range test your Glock after installing each part to make sure it runs safely and reliably.
3. Always use your carry ammo and include one-handed shooting and shooting with weak hand in your range test.
4. Limit the number of aftermarket parts installed on a single Glock, and never combine more than a few.

I'm new to the Glock world. Any recommendations as far as the reputable companies with a good track record?

 

[anthony.santucci1974]

It's a mixed bag, but largely not even necessary to begin with.

I've got not use for these things in any carry Glock or any other gun used for self defense.

The big conniption is those who install a bunch of new parts that cost much more than a Glock part, then ask why their Glock suddenly doesn't work anymore and what can they do to fix it - after having just either changed the parts or mutilated the internals because they don't know anything about Glocks and are horrified of a 5# trigger.

The Glocks for me will be range toys. My SD/HD pieces are already in place, and reliable. Should I just bust out the soldering iron? HAHA!

 

[Butch]

Only install one aftermarket part at a time, and thoroughly range test your Glock after installing each part to make sure it runs safely and reliably.

While I'm a strong proponent of learning to use your Glock well in factory form (you'll be better off in the long run by improving yourself), the suggestion quoted above is a very good one. That way, if you have functional troubles, you'll have a much better idea which aftermarket part (or alteration) is causing the problem.

 

[CSG]

I've never modified a Glock because the reason I bought Glocks in the first place is they work and work well. I have to laugh at so many of the mods I see done to them on this site. But hey, people can spend their money how they want even if they f up their weapon.

 

[cciman]

While I'm a strong proponent of learning to use your Glock well in factory form (you'll be better off in the long run by improving yourself), the suggestion quoted above is a very good one. That way, if you have functional troubles, you'll have a much better idea which aftermarket part (or alteration) is causing the problem.

The better the shooter's skill (ie the more actual, real, training that you can acquire to use these tools properly) , the less the reliance or need to dress up the Glock with "refinements" (or handicap aides).

Yes, ONE can always improve competition times or scores by adding the part that brings you/one to the envelope of performance, but most shooting skills are not up to the level of capability of the gun at the stock level. It's like Golfers/guitar player who buy top of the line, high performance golf clubs/guitar, when the skills are not to the level of using the basic ones. A custom carbon-fiber club will not cure a bad slice. Custom trigger will not cure shooting low-left, or poor fundamentals.

 

[anthony.santucci1974]

The better the shooter's skill (ie the more actual, real, training that you can acquire to use these tools properly) , the less the reliance or need to dress up the Glock with "refinements" (or handicap aides).

Yes, ONE can always improve competition times or scores by adding the part that brings you/one to the envelope of performance, but most shooting skills are not up to the level of capability of the gun at the stock level. It's like Golfers/guitar player who buy top of the line, high performance golf clubs/guitar, when the skills are not to the level of using the basic ones. A custom carbon-fiber club will not cure a bad slice. Custom trigger will not cure shooting low-left, or poor fundamentals.

So let's say one's fundamentals are already honed on firearms other than Glocks. I can say for sure that I have other firearms with superior ergonomics to a Glock, and also with better mechanicals as far as trigger feel and reset. What would be the recommendations to elevate a Glock to better than stock? Is it possible?

 

[GlockyQ]

I'm new to the Glock world. Any recommendations as far as the reputable companies with a good track record?

I think different companies offer different kinds of aftermarket parts… If you ask the forums to recommend your specific kinds of aftermarket parts (e.g., trigger, connector, barrel, sights, etc.), I’m sure you will receive specific recommendations from those who are using those aftermarket parts with good results.
I would also emphasize that it is very important to pay attention to the track record of the specific aftermarket part itself in addition to the track record of the company that is making/selling it.

 

[cciman]

So let's say one's fundamentals are already honed on firearms other than Glocks. I can say for sure that I have other firearms with superior ergonomics to a Glock, and also with better mechanicals as far as trigger feel and reset. What would be the recommendations to elevate a Glock to better than stock? Is it possible?

simple....use those other tools that are better, if that is your assessment. There is nothing that Glock can do that others can't.

There will be no shortage of testimonials from people who claim that their choice of modifications to their Glocks is the best there is (including some from myself).

 

[MarkCO]

So I got a couple of Glocks. 31 Gen 4 and 17 Gen 5. One of the main reasons I opted to get into the platform is the huge aftermarket for customization, enhancement, blah blah.
The same reasons I have AR rifles and 1911s.

Enter Glock Talk. After perusing the site, it seems that the standard answer to questions about aftermarket parts not working correctly is "return it to the stock config".

Is the aftermarket really that bad? Or, what's the good stuff?

ETA: Not just here. Other Glock specific sites are the same.

Some of the aftermarket really is that bad, some of it is not. There is good stuff out there for sure. IMHO, there are three major factors.

1. Cheap parts made by cheap companies trying to make a buck. Sure, there are some "bad" parts from some companies that get out in the marketplace due to sheer ignorance of otherwise good people who just don't know what they don't know.

2. Ignorance of basic operation of the components.

3. Incompetence of folks doing home gunsmithing.

Tolerance stacking, improper installation, cutting corners, etc. all come into play. I had highly customized Glocks for competition long before any of the "current" companies even existed. Matt from Custom Glock Racing and I used to talk all the time about this kind of stuff. He was probably the most cutting edge, and smart, when it came to Glocks built for high speed shooting. He no longer messes with the masses when it comes to Glocks BTW. A lot of the designs out there today came from "copying" things that Matt and other competition shooters did with an eye on the $. Some really pushed past reasonable and some pulled it back to make designs and parts that were suitable for the masses.

For all the folks that respond on a GT thread on the topic of aftermarket mods, many are parroting what they heard from whatever source they like. Many are saying what they "feel" without any basis for those feelings. A small subset really understand the issues and write out good responses, but those are still seasoned with their personal perspective, bias, experiences.

There is a pinned post put together by some members here on GT that is worth a read.

 

[MarkCO]

So let's say one's fundamentals are already honed on firearms other than Glocks. I can say for sure that I have other firearms with superior ergonomics to a Glock, and also with better mechanicals as far as trigger feel and reset. What would be the recommendations to elevate a Glock to better than stock? Is it possible?

If your fundamentals are "honed" on another platform, sell the Glocks and use those. Seriously.

Unless you are at a USPSA M level or better, it is pretty difficult to swap platforms and maintain a high skill level.

Better than stock is subjective. Reliability, really, nothing. Sport shooting...speed, accuracy...yes, there are parts that help, but again, the Glock is NOT the best canvas to use for that. Glocks and reliability is the marriage that works and for most, why they have them. Not to race them.

 

[BillG174]

I have three Glocks and the only aftermarket part that I have installed are Dawson Precision fiber optic sighto. I personally see no reason to change out any other parts. I would be very selective on any aftermarket parts that I would install in a carry gun.

 

[MarkCO]

The last Glock I "bought" was a G20SF. Put better sights on it, 3.5 pound connector and an overtravel stop. For a woods carry gun, that is as far as I wanted to go and adds some benefit in terms of ability to shoot more accurately faster without a reliability compromise. $100 in parts.

 

[jonb32248]

Why not try some mods to your gun and see how it goes you can always return them back to stock and try something else. They are your guns so go for it. Just sounds like a lot of discouraging advice here.I don't know what you have in mind but who cares. I have a G19 and changed the stock sight to night site and installed a 3.5# connector and that's it. That's me, you might want more.Have fun since these are range guns.

 

[indivi]

I never had much luck or good results with too extensive of mods. A lot of wasted money on slides, parts, triggers. It's a crap shoot, really.

Even two Alpha Wolf aftermarket stainless slides, with Glock parts and on Glock frames, did not function properly.

Also had issues with extractors (9mm) being out of spec - claws that sat so high in the breechface they would not hold the case. Also had things as simple as spring loaded bearings being unnecessarily long and putting too much tension on the extractor.

Bought a Glockstore pyramid trigger a couple of years ago. Would not even release the striker. On a loaded round, you could pull the trigger straight back and it would still be under spring tension from the firing pin spring if you let go and then spring forward - would not release the striker. I've also had doubles with other triggers. Not sure if they were trigger related or connector related as both had been changed.

Recoil springs, some of those steel recoil springs, I had jam up in the slide recess and stick or fall out of the locking lug completely. I have had no issues with DPM springs, I will say that.

I see a lot of people using those extended mag releases, and if you've ever had or seen one pop loose in the holster you'd realize what a terrible idea it is for carry use.

I've still got a few that I left with minor mods, plus a couple of P80's (one of which cannot run with anything except FMJ). But they are mostly keepsakes and rarely get used, but when they do it's just for targets.

 

[Jed Cooper]

Deleted

 

[BamaTrooper]

The question is- What are you trying to accomplish with the aftermarket “upgrades”?

People make trigger changes to get smoother trigger shoes, shorter pretravel/over travel, crisper break, all sorts of things. Other internals changed for the same reason. Some folks change slides, pins, slide cover plates, etc… aesthetic reasons. Sights get changebecause folks just like other styles or something works better for there eyesight. Barrels get changed to “improve” accuracy.

Glocks and their performance fit a certain box. Chasing improvement to put them in a better box can an adventure. Glocks aren’t bullseye target guns, their triggers aren’t 1911. Trying to make them so is a fruitless endeavor.