[Ashcroft]

A couple of weeks ago I took a trip down to my local range to test out all their 9mm handguns and see what I wanted. That set me onto the Glock 19. It felt best in my hand and I got the best grouping with it.
Now about a year ago I built my first Ar15 and had a great experience, so i went shopping around and found that a stock G19 in my area will run you about $650. So I set a price range of $700 for parts.
But what I'm really wanting to know is if its worth it? With the AR I ended my build with a weapon of much higher quality components and fit than if I had paid the same for a finished one.
Would it be the same for a glock? Is it worth all the part hunting and pricing? And will I be able to get a better quality gun for only $50 more than a stock one?

Thanks

 

[Ashcroft]

One more thing I forgot to ask.
The G19 I test fired was a Gen 4, but the 80% lower I'm looking at is Gen 3 only. Will I notice a big difference in the feel of the gun? Are there any major differences between the gens?

Sorry about the long post and all the questions.

 

[Rockets]

Gen 3 would require some Gen 3 or before parts, many are different.

I personally like Gen 3 better.

On a first Glock I would not do a build. Easier to replace a few parts, if no night sights modification parts will likely result in a more dependable firearm and should come in at around $50 if even needed.

But then that's my opinion and I don't know your skill level, it will be interesting to see what others think.

 

[Butch]

Welcome to GlockTalk!

The price you quote for a G19 is BIG...you're in a big city area I'd guess?

If your hands are not smaller than 'normal', the Gen3 will likely work just fine for you.

I would urge you to simply buy one and 'learn' it first, rather than build one. As simple as Glocks are, lots of folks have a LOT of trouble with them when they are only altering the factory gun. They replace parts and polish parts attempting to make the gun better, and then come here asking how to fix it because it doesn't work. Reinstalling the factory parts is the usual fix.

 

[Taco Junkie]

Welcome to GlockTalk!

The price you quote for a G19 is BIG...you're in a big city area I'd guess?

If your hands are not smaller than 'normal', the Gen3 will likely work just fine for you.

I would urge you to simply buy one and 'learn' it first, rather than build one. As simple as Glocks are, lots of folks have a LOT of trouble with them when they are only altering the factory gun. They replace parts and polish parts attempting to make the gun better, and then come here asking how to fix it because it doesn't work. Reinstalling the factory parts is the usual fix.

You're $100 high on the price. You can get them cheaper.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/644317087

 

[Ashcroft]

I live in a relatively small town about 2 hours north of Seattle. The price is just a mid way with all the prices ive seen. Almost all being about $650. Though the only range near me is selling new ones for about $590.
My build skill level is equal to have only ever built one gun, and the Ar was pretty simple. I'm not sure how complex a glock is. Though one of the biggest parts of building my own that I like is that at the end I have a relatively in-depth knowledge of the inner workings of my firearm.

 

[SJ 40]

What Butch said in post #.4,Glocks in my area run 459.oo to 549.00. SJ 40

 

[Ashcroft]

Not to hit the paranoid button to hard but if I build it from an 80% frame I don't have to register it with the federal or state government. Which always sounds good to me.

 

[Ashcroft]

What Butch said in post #.4,Glocks in my area run 459.oo to 549.00. SJ 40

I wish they were $459 around me. That would be amazing.

 

[greg vanstralen]

"I wish they were $459 around me. That would be amazing." Now that the passes are open, you can do MUCH better on the Eastside. Wenatchee (several shops) has MANY Glocks in the $450-$550 range. Call Hooked on Toys or Stan's Merry Mart. Is long as you have your CCW, you're good to go! Something like a G19, one or another should have used. I paid under $400 for my G22, police trade in!

My mistake: North Cascades is still snowed in. Steven's is open.

PS: Frame would have to be registered unless you made it yourself.

 

[Superzuki]

I just started to 'build' my own Glock, too. I'm not new to the handgun game. I was a police officer for over 20 years, we started with S&W M66 - .357Mag. The best auto was a 1911 of course. I built myself a 1911, Essex frame and National Match slide.
Now I have a G19 frame on the way. I need to get a Gen3 slide yet.
I know I could probably by a good used Gen3 or Gen4 for less, but I will have my own G19.
I have both Gen3 and Gen4 pistols there are minor differences but the actual shooting is pretty much the same. The Glock barrels and after-market barrels fit both Gen 3&4.

 

[Ashcroft]

Wow, $450 might just be worth the trip over the mountains. Though getting time off work would be impossible right now. Owners just made me shop Forman so I am now needed here every single day. If it was $400 I could buy it next month rather than in 5 months though.... Haha

 

[Wake_jumper]

The Gen 4 grip is different from the Gen 3. You might not like or shoot as well, with a Gen 3 grip. I prefer the Gen 4.

I personally would not build a Glock and I have successfully built (assembled) AR's. Glock is all about reliability. I would not be confident that a cobbled together example would be 100%.

Since this is your first Glock, just spend the money and get a new one.

 

[arrtvandelay]

Umm...find a local FFL to receive a g19 ordered from buds, etc for $500 plus transfer fee?

 

[TK-421]

$650 for a Gen 4 Glock 19? Ouch, that's rough. They're only $539 for me from my local shop.

I wouldn't bother building one, I'd just buy one. It'll be cheaper and easier, especially if you're starting with an 80% lower.

 

[Ashcroft]

Ok, I'm about convinced to go and buy a new one. Especially if I can find one in the $450 price range! Plus new ones come with 3 mags. So thats nice.

Thanks for all the replies. Youve helped me out alot.

 

[Handy]

AR15 prices are artificially low because of military contracts. No other firearm product is going to benefit from such a glut of discounted generic parts. You will pay more to build and may not end up with something that works.

I also wouldn't necessarily say that aftermarket are always "better". Most aftermarket Glock parts are designed to be different, not better.

 

[Borg Warner]

I think it's a good idea for a range gun, but not for a home defense or carry gun. Glocks are incredibly durable and reliable but when people start customizing them a modifying them that's where people run into problems.

My Glocks have had trigger jobs done to them by a very good gunsmith who is a certified Glock armorer and knows what he's doing and I've fired a lot of rounds through my guns since he's done the work and they're 100% reliable.

On one of the guns when he was finished with it I thought the trigger was too light so he adjusted it for me until it was exactly the way I wanted it to be. And with both guns he test-fired them himself before he was satisfied that they functioned reliably.

People have been building ARs for several years now and all the problems have been worked out. But with Glocks it's a different situation and no one knows yet what the weak points of the different 80 percent frames are and how well they interface with standard Glock parts and how long they will last. Over the years there are Glock that have been used as range guns and have hundreds of thousand a[of rounds run through them. But this is not true yet with any of the "Home-made" Glocks.

Building your own Glock is worth a try as long as you realize that there's a chance that it might develop problems and then you'll have to deal with those problemds as they come up. But you don't want those problems to come up in a life an death situation.

 

[Mike-M]

Not to hit the paranoid button to hard but if I build it from an 80% frame I don't have to register it with the federal or state government. Which always sounds good to me.

So...you wind up with a gun that is unknown to the government and that does not work.

Welcome to Glock Talk.

 

[WD8T]

Glock built my G23 in 2005 and it's still shooting perfectly with all original parts after all these years