[Eric2340]

Glock 30 (gen 3), 30SF, and Gen 4 G30 trigger observations when using the "-" 4.5 factory connector and NY1 trigger spring and issues


I would like to add some observations I have now made over years of use of the factory "-" 4.5 lb connector and NY1 trigger spring over three G30's (all gen 3), two G30SF's, one Gen 4 G30, one G21 (gen 3) and one G21SF.


** I CAN NOT SPEAK OF THE G36, G30S, OR G41 AS I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THESE MODELS YET, SO THE FOLLOWING MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO THEM **


Over the years now (since probably 2001 or so?) I have now owned three G30's ( all old school gen 3 G30), two G30SF's, one Gen 4 G30, one G21 (gen 3) and one G21SF. I have either used or TRIED to use the Glock factory "-" 4.5 lb connector and NY1 trigger spring in ALL of them. What I have observed over these EIGHT guns (more so with the six G30's of all three configurations, but still somewhat present in the two G21's) is the following -


1. The "short frame" guns (the "SF"s and the one Gen 4) ALL use the redesigned Trigger Mechanism Housings from it's original configuration of the Gen 3 guns to a certain degree to accommodate these shorter frames. I have been told by some people with extended Glock certified armor experience of many years (both LE and non-LE professions) that this somewhat reconfigured the geometry of the trigger components to one degree or another from their original design, possibly causing some of issues I will describe here? Various trigger bars and the Gen 4 "dot" connector have been designed to try and help different trigger and reliability issues in some of these guns and to also help with both quality of trigger pull feel problems, and in some early G30SF's returning to battery issues too.


I have personally found (again mainly in the 30SF and Gen 4 G30 frames) more difficulty in gaining a more "traditional" Glock "-" 4.5 connector w/ NY1 trigger spring feel of any kind of quality (much HEAVIER, STIFFER, and grittier than this setup in either a Gen 3 9mm, .40 Glock) in the four guns I have tried to use this setup in (x2 G30SF, G21SF, and Gen 4 G30). NO non-Glock parts here.

I have now owned 18 Glocks, almost all of them in this set up, all using Glock factory "-" 4.5 lb connector and NY1 trigger springs. I now am VERY familiar with this setup and how it SHOULD feel (to me at least) compared to the standard Glock factory 5.5 connector and coil style trigger spring setup. I have found NO real way to replicate the same feel in these four guns (again, x2 G30SF, one G21SF, and one Gen 4 G30) as I have been able to do so in the traditional, old school Gen 3 - .45 caliber frames over and over again, that being the same basic "feeling" of this setup (4.5 conn w/ NY1) in the described 9mm and .40 frames.


** I have YET to own or try a Gen 4 9mm or .40 gun with the 4.5 conn and NY1, so I can NOT speak of those either!!! **


I AM comfortable though making this statement though of the .45 cal Glocks, after having lived with these eight though -

It is my PERSONAL opinion though based solely on MY observations (granted a still “somewhat” small pool of data and examples) that it is simply more difficult to achieve a trigger pull of any kind of quality with this setup in the SF or Gen 4 frames (??). I very well could be wrong about this and I hope I am missing something big here.I strongly feel it is mainly due to the redesign of trigger components and their somewhat different geometry?



2. The second observation I have made (and again I possibly relate this to the redesign of the trigger components in the rear of the guns to accommodate the SF and Gen 4 frame designs) I HAVE seen in BOTH my G30SF’s, G21SF, AND Gen 4 G30 is this strange “rough spot” or “sticking” when manually cycling the slide on an empty chamber, such as with the mag out of the gun to do a chamber check.

This “rough spot” or “sticking” happens right at the point where the barrel starts to unlock and drop (right at the point you can just start to see the opening between the top of the barrel, the slide opening for the barrel). You CAN pull the slide past this point, it does NOT get stuck there, but it is NOT present in any Gen 3 .45 Glock (NON-SF) or Gen 3 9mm or 40 Glock I have ever owned either? ALL of these other guns I have had, again over 18 of them!!, have NOT done this!! These SF and one Gen 4 .45 guns I have DO cycle and function FULLY when fired, and seem to have NO other issues.

My G21SF does seem to do this a little less or it is at least less present (it also has the best trigger pull of the four guns described with these issues) than the two G30SF’s and the one Gen 4 G30. My second G30SF also had accuracy issues and the WORST trigger pull of ANY Glock I have ever owned, and I could NOT correct it using this setup no matter what I did and well over 1,000 rounds of trying to fix it and “break in” the gun (which I have NEVER had to do with any Glock before either).


My Gen 3 G21 and the three Gen 3 G30’s (ALL non-SF guns) have NEVER had any of these issues, and a decent Glock “-“ 4.5 lb connector and NY1 trigger setup / feel has always been easily obtainable in these guns. Again, this reinforces my theory that the problem lies somewhere in the trigger reconfiguration setup in the rear of the SF and Gen 4 .45 caliber guns? I have not been able to test this theory in either a Glock 10mm SF gun, or another other caliber or size Gen 4 Glock, so it may or may not be an issue with this guns either?


I realize this is not an across the board setup or necessarily popular one either (“-“ 4.5 connector w/ NY1) with everyone across the board, and it also does NOT seem to be an issue in these guns when using the standard Glock 5.5 connector and coil style trigger spring as most people do? The “rough spot” or “sticking” IS still there in the slide in the guns with issues I described, but the heavier, stiffer, and lesser pull quality I found seemed to either go away or lessen also.


I am WELL aware that the use of the “-“ 4.5 connector and NY1 trigger spring does NOT necessarily promote the “best” or triggers or what IS obtainable in a Glock (also NOT that Glocks are known for having the highest quality trigger feels or pulls for that matter either). As one person has put it to me, “you’re looking at the trigger quality of a mass produced polymer gun that has metal parts molded and put into it vs a steel or other framed gun that is machined”, so I am also realistic in what I expect out of this too.


What I DO know though for sure is HOW this setup should normally feel over this many guns, and specifically what I have found in the .45 cal Gen 3 NON-SF and SF / Gen 4 .45 Glocks for sure. In the end I wound up keeping the one Gen 3 G21, and two Gen 3 G30’s and only the one G21SF, as it had the least offensive of these issues, specifically the strange “rough spot / sticking” in it’s slide. The other guns, the two G30SF’s and one Gen 4 G30 were sold or traded as I did not have confidence in them and did not want to “learn to live with” what I felt were lesser quality trigger pulls / feels to the other guns I kept.


Hope this helps someone else -

 

[Eric2340]

PS -

I did not mention the various .45 cal Glock trigger bars and redesigns of them got a reason. After having tried all of them in the guns I have had issues with I do NOT feel or am of the opinion that they are as much of part of what I described and found as were my findings of the redesign of the entire trigger configuration and geometry in the SF and Gen 4 guns.

It is VERY well possible that they (the various trigger bars) COULD very well play a part in this also, but again I do not feel it is the main issue or found that from necessarily changing from one to the other effected my issues and findings one way or another.

I DID find that the 4256-2 trigger bars seemed to give the WORST quality of trigger pulls and feel in my guns, but again I don't think it's the biggest or main issue.


Your results and mileage may vary............................

 

[Overkill338]

I have a 29SF and I do plan to try this setup. I've always wanted to try it and never got around to it.

 

[Eric2340]

I have a 29SF and I do plan to try this setup. I've always wanted to try it and never got around to it.

Please let us know what you find -

Again, my issues have been experienced with and ONLY with Glock FACTORY OEM parts - NO AFTERMARKET PARTS of ANY kind over the four guns I have had in question.

Thanks -

 

[Overkill338]

Do you like the trigger pull with the NY1 & 4.5 connector?

 

[Eric2340]

Do you like the trigger pull with the NY1 & 4.5 connector?

It's my preferred trigger setup (using OEM Glocks parts) in all of my Glocks, but I would not by far say it's the "best" or leans towards being the most "accurate".

My 17 is SUPER accurate with this setup, but I have had some others that were not as so - my G34 and 35 specifically come to mind, but I relate that more to an individual gun thing. I think I just got lucky with my G17 as it as a really, REALLY good trigger in it, but again it's all OEM Glock parts, and I attribute to more luck of the draw parts wise than anything else.

 

[SmokelessPowder]

My 41's are super accurate. My blue label one came "FXD 5.5LB" so I dropped in a 3.5 disconnect and did the fluff and buff while I was at it. I think it's pretty much the same now as the "ADJ 4.5LB" one. I had no issues shooting it before, but I wanted a similar trigger pull.

I had lots of trouble shooting accurately with my gen 3 g20. I upgraded the sights and even tried a laser and still I sucked. Finally I decided to just fluff and buff the trigger parts and that made a huge difference. The trigger always felt kind of rough to me and I tried to work through it but after 1000 rounds I figured it was time for plan b.

I put a Tarran Tactical kit into a gen 3 g23 and it's now super lite but I still couldn't hit anything with it. My friend could shoot it really well but I struggled. Finally I changed the stock sights to a Dawson Precision Fixed Competition Sight Set and now I do pretty good with it.

I have a gen 3 g33 and as far as I know it's stock. It shoots pretty good for me. I also recently picked up a stock gen 4 g30 and it shoots great for both me and my friend which is pretty rare for a stock glock. It's not as good as a 41 but it's a keeper as is.

 

[Eric2340]

My 41's are super accurate. My blue label one came "FXD 5.5LB" so I dropped in a 3.5 disconnect and did the fluff and buff while I was at it. I think it's pretty much the same now as the "ADJ 4.5LB" one. I had no issues shooting it before, but I wanted a similar trigger pull.............. I also recently picked up a stock gen 4 g30 and it shoots great for both me and my friend which is pretty rare for a stock glock. It's not as good as a 41 but it's a keeper as is.

Glad you like it and it worked out for you. (PS - the gen 4 G30 he speaks of is my old one he just bought from ME. LOL

I'm not a fan of the SF and Gen 4 frames after trying them (SF's are too small, and I don't like the Gen 4 grip texture), but I'd have to give the 41 a serious look if I did not already have two perfect 21's.

 

[Eric2340]

* UPDATE * -

I THINK I may have found somewhat of a solution to some of the issues I've been having with G30 triggers for anyone who's been following this thread or previous ones I made regarding G30SF and Gen 4 G30 trigger issues I've experienced the past couple of years with newer models.

I now believe the problem is not so much the dreaded "bump" on the .45 trigger bar (as the "bump" has been there since the get go with .45 and 10mm trigger bars from Gen 1 and on from the get go). The problem seems to be more so once you get past the original 4256-1 trigger bar, which was known for feeling great, but replaced by the 4256-2 trigger bar, which was designed to give firmer primer strikes that the 4256-1 was rumored to not be giving in some cases. The 4256-1 gave a great trigger pull when using a factory "-" connector and NY1 trigger spring, but there was a supposed risk of FTF due to a possible light primer strike. The 4256-2 fixed this (supposedly) but gave a HORRIBLE trigger pull in pretty much any configuration.

Enter the 4256-3 trigger bar - this also supposedly fixed the possible light primer strikes of the 4256-1 bar, but definitely fixed the 4256-2 trigger pull. The 4256-3 is good, but still does not give quite the feel that the original 4256-1 did. I went through both my current late production Gen 3 G30s (not "G30S" models, but regular old school, fat, Gen 3 G30s) and hand polished all the guts on both of them, doing everything I could think of and have ever done to any other Glocks I have had trying to give them the same traditional "-" factory connector and NY1 trigger spring I am used to and have reproduced in I don't know how many 9mm and .40 Glocks, not to mention my original Gen 3 G21 and G30 I had way back when they were issued with 4526-1 trigger bars.

I decided last week to see what the newer factor "dot" connector would do and if it could help improve things? Well I can now tell you that it DID seem to give at least a little bit better pull than the "-" factory connector and NY1, and a little sharper feeling breaking point. It's still not perfect and not as good as I remember the old 4256-1 bar and the "-" factory connector and NY1, but it does feel at least a little better to me.

I have previously fired only one of these two late production old school Gen 3 G30s (again, NOT G30S) with the 4256-3, "-" factory connector and NY1 in it, so today will be the first chance I get to try the second one with the same setup but with "dot" factory connector in it. Hopefully this will work, and while not being the old school "-" factory connector and NY1 I am chasing, it will give me at least enough of this trigger feel I am after with all I have been through trying to accomplish this in the bast couple of years.

I'll write more once I get back this afternoon -

 

[Eric2340]

Ok so for anyone following, I just got back from the range.

The good news -

YES, the "dot" factory connector and the NY1 DOES seem to make the trigger feel better (at least in these two Gen 3 old school fat G30's (agian, NOT G30S), smoother with less tension on the take up to the break, and then a definite firmer, crisper break. Again this is with the .45 4256-3 trigger bar that is safer to use in these .45s supposedly (can't speak for Gen 4s, but is supposed to be the end all to be all in Gen 3s - **G30SF and G30S users double check your info before using!!!!!** ). Gun function flawlessly in this configuration.


The BAD news -

(....and this is probably more "Indian than the arrow" ) I think I am so used to the heaver/stiffer pull of the factory "-" connector and NY1 that I was shooting tighter groups with my other Gen 3 G30 (I have two currently) than I am with the second one (this one) with it's less tension on the trigger and firmer breaking point. It seems the lighter pull up to the breaking point has me anticipating the break more, and making me jerk my shots and opening my groups up.


I need to take this second Gen 3 G30 and switch the connector back to the "-" factory one and try it again, as this one did always feel as if it had the better trigger overall of the two, and this was also the first time I had shoot it too.

I'll report more when I try again, as my struggles with the standard old school, fat Gen 3 G30 and the 42563-3 trigger bar continue.


Thanks -

PS - A bad day at the range is also still better than a good day at work though.