[Bob R1]

I just acquired a new Glock 17 Gen 5.
It has the 5.5# Trigger.
It has the Plastic White outline sights.

My Use for the G17.5. This will be a combination Range Practice, Range Loaner, and a Carry Pistol. We are in the process of whipping our Church Security Team into shape. We are divided up into Four Groups for Training Purposes. I normally carry a G37.3 (45GAP) however having a capable Full Size 9mm for Cheaper Practice for me, as well as a Hi Quality Loaner is getting higher on my priority list.

The G17.5 came with Three Gen 5 17 Round Magazines. I have Two more on order from Midway. That will bring me up to Five Total, "So Far". Normally I like to have Eight Minimum. My Pistol Case has slots for Seven magazines plus one in the gun. Eight is a nice round number.

First off I do plan on sending it off to C&H Precision for the RMR Optics Cut. They did a great job on my G37.3 that now has a Holosun 507C w/Vulcan Green Chevron Reticle on it. Totally happy with this combination. I am pretty sure that I will set the Glock 17.5 up with the same Holosun 507C Optical Sight.

I will probably get it up and running with open sights first. I have on hand a Vickers Elite Rear Battlesight. I also have on hand a Green Fiber Optic Front Sight. This should get me up and running for Day Time Range Work until I get the Holosun ordered.

I have on hand a Ghost Grip Plug. Not a big deal, but since I had it in my parts box, I installed it.

The 5.5# Factory Trigger surprisingly is not all that bad. Normally I would be trying to figure out what Trigger Parts to change out to make it better. I have pretty much decided to not work on this trigger on this gun.

At this time I am waiting on a Taper Crimp Die to start reloading. I have on hand a 1991 RCBS Carbide Die Set. I never upgraded my 9mm dies to Dillon until now. I have a set of Dillon 9mm Dies on Back Order. Should have them in a couple months. Mean while I have a Lee Taper Crimp Die on order to get my Dillon 550 up and running loading 9mm. I do have the 9mm Caliber Conversion Kit for my Dillon 550 (Shell Plate, Buttons, and Powder Funnel) on hand from my original Dillon 450 loader. Glad I bought it when it was probably $20 instead of the current $75. My Dillon 550 should be up and running by this weekend loading 9mm. I have 1000 124 Grain Ball Bullets that look like Winchester 124 Ball. I have over 1000 pieces of Range Brass Cleaned, Sized, and De-Primed. I checked a few for crimped primers, so far that is not an issue

Anything that I need to know about Loading 9mm Range Brass? I have not loaded any 9mm since probably 1991 when I got the carbide die set. The last 9mm I had was an SP101 Ruger.

I have never been a 9mm fanboy. I got on board with Glocks with the 40 S&W which I still like a lot. I have owned the G22, G23, G27, and a G35. I am currently down to a single G23.4. I need to pick up a clean G22 while they are still Dirt Cheap. I then discovered the 45GAP. I have a couple G37's and a G38. I believe I may have a G39 located locally, and I will probably buy it. Church Security Training got me to thinking that owning a Full Size 9mm might not be that bad a plan. Cheaper to shoot a lot. No need to try and reclaim my Range Brass, I can always pick up more. I try and not lose 45GAP Brass practicing, even though I have a lot of 45 GAP Brass. Now days I try and not lose 45acp or 40 S&W Brass either. However 9mm Range Brass is everywhere.

Can anyone think of any thing I might need to do to perfect my G17.5?

Bob R

 

[Jason D]

I think you pretty much got everything nailed down.

I separate by head stamp and brass color unless I'm going to let it fly. As long as they are within spec and pass the plunk test, you're good. Chambers do tend to be slightly different depending on brand of gun, so it pays to do the plunk test. The shortest chambered guns I have are 9mm Range Officers. If rounds pass plunk in those, they work fine in everything else.

 

[Supersquatch]

Can anyone think of any thing I might need to do to perfect my G17.5?

How about a holster?

 

[LeonCarr44]

Have you shot the gun yet?

If this is going to be a range loaner gun, I would leave it bone stock except for sights.

 

[Cambo]

9mm is the way. More practice, more confidence.

 

[bigoldbuck]

Look at AmeriGlo for upgrade iron sights to work well with your optic of choice

 

[Bob R1]

I have holsters covered. I have a couple custom Caldwell Gun Leather ones for the Optical Sight. I also have holsters left over from open sight 40 S&W Glocks.

I have started installing the Vickers Elite Battle Sight, and Fiber Optic Front Sight. I have the front sight installed. I need to make a swipe or two on the Vickers Battle Sight with a triangle file. It fits real tight. Per A video on installing the Vickers sight they said to hit it with a file lightly to help it fit better.

So far I have not fired it.

Bob R

 

[Julius Seizure]

Change out the pie plate stock sites and sounds like you’re comfortable with an optic. As mentioned, leave everything else bare boned OEM. That’ll ensure reliability and as the pistol was designed to be run.
Prayers to you and your security team, noble mission.

Also agreed that it’s a great time to buy a .40. They’ve fallen out of favor with the “gun community” and it’s an awesome time to capitalize on low prices. I recently picked up a never fired G22.3 and 600 rounds for under 350$. It was a silly good deal and I love that pistol. I also own a 23.3 and love it too.

cheers

 

[Bob R1]

Julius Seizure
Looks like you are a Gen 3 Fan. I have a G37.3 as my current Main Carry Gun with my Holosun 507c with the Green Chevron Vulcan Sight on it. I also have a G38.3 Compact which was my Main Carry Gun until I decided that I could carry the full size Glock with no problem at all. I really like them both. I am an old guy and really like the 45 acp. I have owned a 1911 pretty much continuously for the last 50 years. I currently have a tricked out 1911 Colt Full Size Stainless XSE. I wanted a Glock in 45 and kept trying different G21's. I never found a version I liked the feel of. They were all just a little to big. Then I got my hands on the G38.3. The Sun Came Out, Angles Sang, I wish that I had discovered the 45GAP Glocks when they had first came out. The Glock 37, 38, and 39 Gen 3's are the Glock Perfection they speak of. Great Big Bullet, and a Perfect Size Glock to store them in. To bad Gaston did not market it better. He should have had someone who heard the Angles Sing write about it's merit, and not a bunch of Old 1911 guys.

You really scored on that NEW G22.3 with ammunition with it. I was in the local Gun Shop looking for G17 magazines. We looked through a box of G22 Magazines looking for a G17 Magazine.
When I bought the G17.5 the dealer also had a new Gen 3 Glock 17. I was very tempted to get the Gen 3. I am pretty sure that the Gen 5 will grow on me. I like the Gen 5 Grip a lot. I have had the grips redone and the Finger Bumps removed on all three of my 45 GAP pistols. That saved me $100 not needing the grip redone on the Gen 5. The G17.5 I got was not the MOS version. That was a plus, for the difference in the cost I can have C&H Precision Mill the slide and direct mount the Holosun without a plate. I consider the direct mount to be an improvement. I like the Flared Magwell on the Gen 5. The front slide serrations are also nice. It will be interesting firing the 9mm Glock. Probably hard to believe. I have shot thousands of rounds through several different Glocks over the years. All of that ammunition has been either 40 S&W, 45GAP, or 45acp. I have never fired a 9mm Glock.
Reloading for the 9mm will be a learning experience also. I have not loaded any 9mm ammunition in 35 years. Messing with all the Mixed Range Brass will be interesting. I will probably start my journey today sorting brass.

Bob R

 

[QNman]

Anything that I need to know about Loading 9mm Range Brass?

My experience has been that 9mm brass doesn't reload as many times as straight-wall cases like .45 ACP, 40 S&W, 10mm, etc. Because the case is tapered and that has to be reversed to load the projectile and then re-pressed after. Personally, I quit reloading 9mm, as ammo can be had in bulk at prices that make reloading seem unnecessary.

Can anyone think of any thing I might need to do to perfect my G17.5?

Yeah - shoot it. Being familiar with Glocks, I think you can agree that what a Glock "needs" is an aiming system with which you are proficient (whether irons or red dot), and lots of trigger time.

 

[QNman]

I recently picked up a never fired G22.3 and 600 rounds for under 350$. It was a silly good deal and I love that pistol. I also own a 23.3 and love it too.

Wow! That's a steal! Congrats on that!

 

[Glolt20-91]

Off the top of my head...
How large is your sanctuary?
Balcony?
Who is team leader? Second?
Where are team members placed?
Size of parking lot? Entrances? Hallways?
Longest distance to engage?
Who is designated to protect the preacher?
Is the preacher armed?
Sunday school classrooms?
Church school during the week? Teachers armed?
Who has keys to church and annex buildings?
Off site monitoring security company w/cameras?
Average number of attendees? Greeters?
Number of security team members? How many of these team members have the mindset/training to engage, rapid response team?
Trauma first aid training, supplies for separate response medical team?
Communication needs? Have? Can the sound team communicate directly with the preacher, security team, medical team?
Who liaisons with local law enforcement regarding protective/restraining orders, trespasses? Restricted parents for school student pickups?

Given a mil/LE background (.357mag/1911s), I (retired senior citizen) was drafted to head up our rural church security team. There are a number of "sheepdog" organizations that can assist with church security organizing, that meets the needs of the individual church...including background checks.

For our church setting, I needed to answer the above questions, including providing personal protection due to a personal protection/restraining order, from a man (6'5"/350lbs) who had a very long history of domestic violence. The loadout chosen during this time frame was a Colt Delta Elite 10mm with Double Tap 155gr Barnes all copper hollow point, felt recoil is soft which makes for fast follow-up shots. Given the size of the sanctuary, 90ft is a realistic distance for engaging an active shooter. The goal here is to bring about involuntary incapacitation in the shortest amount of time possible, this ammunition causes a very large crush cavity, barrier blind penetrating heavy clothing and the 1911 is noted for fast split times, plus, the 1911 points naturally.

Another top tier platform/ammunition choice,

This Corbon DPX ammunition is light recoiling (1911, P220, HK, G21, XD), very good penetration/crush cavity combines for fast split/incapacitation times. Of all the platform/ammunition choices I carry, this USP/DPX combination is my personal loadout for church security...and it's carried cocked and locked, it also points naturally.

 

[Bob R1]

One of our Church members is a retired Police Chief. We went through the Academy together back in 1993. He has a business training Church and School Security Teams, as well as advising on Camera Equipment, Structural Improvements, and other things to improve security. One of our main Team Leaders is a retired Master Gunny, who has also been in Law Enforcement. We have three retired LE on our security team. We also have a Semi Retired Nurse.

Lots of good questions listed above. We have been working on most that apply to us.

I got the Vickers Elite Battle Sight installed this morning.

I got a call and my Midway order had arrived at the store. Two additional G17.5 17 round Glock Magazines, one box of Hornady 124 XTP-HP Bullets, and the 9mm Luger Taper Crimp Die to get my 550 Loader up and running.

I got the 550 Dillon set up to load 9mm this after noon. I loaded 10 rounds total. I was using e3 powder which has Zero Book Load Data, so I started on the safe end at 3.6 grains. That load was not nearly warm enough. My other five rounds were with 3.8 grains, still light. I will warm up the loads a little more tomorrow. I may switch to CFE Pistol if the speed does not come up to where I want it with e3.

Bob R

 

[Belkar]

Instead of a Grip Plug I'd go Magwell:

Gen 5/45 , 5/34 , 5/47 , 5/17 (NO HALF MOON CUT) Magwell

slrrifleworks.com

 

[Bob R1]

I switched to a Full House Dose of CFE-Pistol. That would be 5.5 Grains under the 124 grain Bullet. I settled on a COAL of 1.085 Inches. I ran around 60 rounds of this load through the G17.5 today without a hick-up.

What I ended up doing on my reloads.
Sorted out the 9mm Brass.
Cleaned it to a high shine in a Large Dillon Case Cleaner.
I then sized and de-primed the brass.
I then ran it through my Dillon Primer Pocket Swager. ( It would be more of a hassle attempting to sort out what needed swaged vs just running everything through it.
I then loaded the processed brass on my Dillon 550.

After processing the brass it loaded like commercial brass.

One thing I did discover is that I need a lower front sight. I sand bagged the pistol at 10 yards and shot at a vertical Painters Tape strip on a silhouette to determine how much I needed to adjust the rear sight. I used my sight pusher to get a very good Left to Right zero. With the Fiber Optic Dot at the top of the rear sight "U" Notch, it is shooting a 2-3 inches low at 10 yards. I have a TFO front sight on my G23.4. I need to check the height of it. I think that would be a good permanent front sight option.

I hear all the hype about how easy a 9mm is to shoot. Low Recoil, etc. Well I shot my G37.3 45GAP today along side of my G17.5. I am not sure that the 9mm's recoil was not just a hair more snappy than the 45. I shot our Church Qualification Course with both pistols this afternoon. I shot a better score with the 45GAP. The G37.3 has a Holosun 507C with a Green Chevron Reticle. That might have helped the score a little.

Now that it is running just fine. The next thing to address will be the front sight.

Bob R

 

[tomrkba]

I just acquired a new Glock 17 Gen 5.
It has the 5.5# Trigger.
It has the Plastic White outline sights.

My Use for the G17.5. This will be a combination Range Practice, Range Loaner, and a Carry Pistol. We are in the process of whipping our Church Security Team into shape. We are divided up into Four Groups for Training Purposes. I normally carry a G37.3 (45GAP) however having a capable Full Size 9mm for Cheaper Practice for me, as well as a Hi Quality Loaner is getting higher on my priority list.

The G17.5 came with Three Gen 5 17 Round Magazines. I have Two more on order from Midway. That will bring me up to Five Total, "So Far". Normally I like to have Eight Minimum. My Pistol Case has slots for Seven magazines plus one in the gun. Eight is a nice round number.

First off I do plan on sending it off to C&H Precision for the RMR Optics Cut. They did a great job on my G37.3 that now has a Holosun 507C w/Vulcan Green Chevron Reticle on it. Totally happy with this combination. I am pretty sure that I will set the Glock 17.5 up with the same Holosun 507C Optical Sight.

I will probably get it up and running with open sights first. I have on hand a Vickers Elite Rear Battlesight. I also have on hand a Green Fiber Optic Front Sight. This should get me up and running for Day Time Range Work until I get the Holosun ordered.

I have on hand a Ghost Grip Plug. Not a big deal, but since I had it in my parts box, I installed it.

The 5.5# Factory Trigger surprisingly is not all that bad. Normally I would be trying to figure out what Trigger Parts to change out to make it better. I have pretty much decided to not work on this trigger on this gun.

At this time I am waiting on a Taper Crimp Die to start reloading. I have on hand a 1991 RCBS Carbide Die Set. I never upgraded my 9mm dies to Dillon until now. I have a set of Dillon 9mm Dies on Back Order. Should have them in a couple months. Mean while I have a Lee Taper Crimp Die on order to get my Dillon 550 up and running loading 9mm. I do have the 9mm Caliber Conversion Kit for my Dillon 550 (Shell Plate, Buttons, and Powder Funnel) on hand from my original Dillon 450 loader. Glad I bought it when it was probably $20 instead of the current $75. My Dillon 550 should be up and running by this weekend loading 9mm. I have 1000 124 Grain Ball Bullets that look like Winchester 124 Ball. I have over 1000 pieces of Range Brass Cleaned, Sized, and De-Primed. I checked a few for crimped primers, so far that is not an issue

Anything that I need to know about Loading 9mm Range Brass? I have not loaded any 9mm since probably 1991 when I got the carbide die set. The last 9mm I had was an SP101 Ruger.

I have never been a 9mm fanboy. I got on board with Glocks with the 40 S&W which I still like a lot. I have owned the G22, G23, G27, and a G35. I am currently down to a single G23.4. I need to pick up a clean G22 while they are still Dirt Cheap. I then discovered the 45GAP. I have a couple G37's and a G38. I believe I may have a G39 located locally, and I will probably buy it. Church Security Training got me to thinking that owning a Full Size 9mm might not be that bad a plan. Cheaper to shoot a lot. No need to try and reclaim my Range Brass, I can always pick up more. I try and not lose 45GAP Brass practicing, even though I have a lot of 45 GAP Brass. Now days I try and not lose 45acp or 40 S&W Brass either. However 9mm Range Brass is everywhere.

Can anyone think of any thing I might need to do to perfect my G17.5?

Bob R

I generally do not use random brass I find on the range. I keep mine and track the number of times it's been reloaded. This is as easy as placing the cases into a numbered bucket. I generally load one case five times and then discard it. I've pushed 45 to as many as nine or ten loads, but then I was getting cracked cases. Five also seems to be the limit where I have to start trimming the case. This takes too much time and I throw brass that I bought into the replacement bucket.

I don't modify my Glocks too much. I find the Gen 5 triggers acceptable and save me $35 or so. I always change the sights, either with Trijicon XD sights or at least steel Glock sights. But, if I modify the trigger, I use a Ghost 3.5# connector and NY-1 trigger spring. I find the NY-1 spring to be more reliable over time than the factory spring. It raises the pull weight to approximately 6.25#, but the reset is strong and positive. This was punctuated in a recent qualification where one shooter's Glock 22 trigger spring broke in the first string of fire.

Regarding the Dillon 550: I recommend getting the autoprimer and bullet and case feeders. Buy all the tools and spare parts. All this stuff is expensive, but worth it. They improve your speed while saving your hands. 9mm cases are small and it's very easy to flub putting the bullet onto the belled case. Trust me...pushing through to 1,000 rounds can be a challenge and you'll likely crush a few cases.

I also found that the 550 throws +/- 0.1 grain charges. I avoid minimum and maximum loads because of this. I try to keep the powder charges to 80-90% to allow for this slop.

Slide milling is probably better than using the Glock MOS. I like how it's cut exactly for the optic. I tend not to do this at all since I have had trouble with RDS in the past, so I suffer with iron sights

 

[Bob R1]

No shooting today.
I did raid the gun safe. I retrieved my G23.4, and pulled the TFO front sight. I replaced it with the Fiber Optic sight that I had previously installed on the G17.5. I put the TFO on the Glock 17. I like the look of the TFO sight much better. The dot just looks larger.
It looks like the Tritium has expired on the TFO. Getting old sucks. It seems like I just installed that sight. I wish that I could still buy the same sight. It came from Brownell's. TFO front Sight with a Steel Combat rear sight. It is no longer offered this way. Now you have to buy the complete TFO front & rear set.

Now to see how the G17 shoots with this sight installed.

Bob R

 

[cciman]

Have you guys on the team been to professional shooting schools?