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New Glock Project Gun

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BobR1
My local Gun Shop traded for a 2005 Gen 3 Glock 38 with factory Night Sights a while back. The way it looks they traded for it with 2 boxs of Remington 230 Ball. On box is down 8 rounds. I am not sure if it was fired 8 times, or if they were in the spare magazine that they did not bring in with the pistol. So I am not sure if it was fired by the last owner 8 times, or if they are still in the spare magazine. The gun looks new except for very slight finish wear at the break over on the slide at the muzzle and some finish wear on the Slide Release. To me it looks like it was carried in a vehicle in a canvas pistol case some.
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I will be the first to admit that I am a 45acp fan. I have owned several 1911's over the last 42 years. My current one is a Custom Colt Series 80 Stainless Steel Full Size XSE. It has had custom work done by a Gunsmith I would guess 5 times over the years. I have sent it to New Mexico for Checkering, My local Gunsmith did several customizing improvements to it over the years. It is one great pistol that I spent several hundred dollars with gunsmiths getting that way. Over the last 20 years I seem to carry it less and less. It is heavy.
Over that same 20 years I have owned 4 different Glock 21's. Come to think about it, I traded in one of the Glock 21's on the Colt. The Glock 21 is a great gun, IF you have hands like a Gorilla. I have owned multiple Generations of Glock 21's thinking they would cure the 2X4 grip size. Hasn't happened so far.
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Enter the 45 GAP. For the first time I now have a 45 with the same grip size as my beloved Glock 23. To me the Glock 23 is the most shootable compact carry pistol I have ever owned. I expect the same shootability from the Glock 38. Nay Sayers complain about the limited number of ammunition choices. We have Speer Gold Dot ammo in both 185 and 200 grain. No additional choices necessary. I guess if you just had to carry 230's you could carry Federal HST's. Practice ammunition will be supplied by my Dillon 550 reloader. I have a couple feelers out for some once fired brass in quantity. I can always make an order for brass new from Starline.
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My customizing work starts next week. Zach Jones will remove the Memory Bumps from the front of the grip, do the High Grip modification, Scallop behind the magazine release button, round the Trigger Guard, add some border work, and stipple the grip, and pad on the front of the trigger guard, and a second pad underneath it. Unlike my 1911 where every modification requires a gunsmith. This will be the only modifications to the Glock 38 that I do not do myself.
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The 2005 Factory Night Sights are all but gone. After reviewing lots of options I am pretty sure that I will go with the Hackathorn Sight Set with a Black rear combat sight, and the Ameriglo Orange Tritium front sight.
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Next will probably be Trigger Improvements. Nothing radical or expensive. The plan will be for a little reduction in pull weight, smooth up things as much as possible, while keeping the pistol 100% reliable. This will be the fourth Glock that I have done trigger work on. I do not expect any problems.
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After that a holster will be on the list. While the G38's grip size is the same as my G23, the slide width is different. I will probably talk with Shannon Caldwell, a local holster maker about an IWB holster and probably an Askens Avenger style one also. I have one of Shannon's IWB holsters for my 1911. It carry's the heavy pistol well.
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I also need additional Magazines. I have ONE factory supplied G38 8 round magazine that came with the pistol. That will be my primary concealed carry magazine. I will probably purchase another 7 magazines, and they will probably be the G37 10 rounders. Still debating on adding the Glock + Magazine Base Plates to them to add 1 more round for an 11 round reload.
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This will be a good project gun to finish out the Winter. So far I like every thing about the G38. It could hold more ammo, but that is the price you pay for Fat Bullets :).
And the project begins.

Bob R
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BobR1

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Discussion Starter · #2 ·
The purists on here will probably think that I have ruined it with my traction improvements.

Picture 1: Showing The Medium Magazine Button Scallop, High Grip Modification, Removal of Memory Bumps, and Stipple Texturing of the Left side panel.

Picture 2: Showing Stippled Traction Area on the front of the trigger guard. I have shot revolvers for years, and I have always wrap my support hand First Finger around the trigger guard. The factory horizontal grooves give no traction what so ever.

Picture 3: Showing High Grip Modification, Removed Memory Bumps, and Front Panel stippling in pretty much the same area as the Gen 5 front grip traction area.

Picture 4: Right Grip Panel showing Stipple Texturing.

I ordered a Ghost Extended Take Down Bar with my Brownell magazine order. I have added the extended Take down bar to my last 3 Gen 4 glocks. Much easier for me to get a grip on.

The 5.5 Trigger is not all that bad. No plan for work on the trigger at this time, unless I just decide to slick up a few surfaces. (25 Cent Trigger Job)

Now for a supply of brass to get started doing some serious reloading on the Dillon 550. It would be nice if I could figure out how to e-mail 19crew about his brass. I have not figured out how to PM on this site so far.

I will probably end up with another Tool Head, and a second set of Dillon Dies so that I am not readjusting my dies back and forth between 45 acp for my Colt 1911 XSE and 625 S&W, and the G38 in 45 GAP.

I will be patiently waiting on Friday when Zach drops the G38 off so that I can feel his work, and not just look at pictures of it. I have felt this stippling texture on another Glock, and really was impressed with it. Good traction, but not so rough as to eat up shirts.

Bob R

Last edited: 8 minutes ago
See You at the Range
 
BobR1

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Discussion Starter · #11 ·
That is the factory original Magazine Release Button, just relieved.
The work on the G38 cost $100.
The intention was for it to end up looking pretty much like a factory frame, with much improved gripping characteristics.
I think Zach did an outstanding job on the pistol. This is the first one that he has done like this one. His normal work before this one had a lot more art, Stars and Stripes, Snakes, etc. Also a lot more coverage with the stippling.
I am very happy with his work. He lives in Columbia Missouri.

The 45 GAP G38 is a G19/23 size pistol that makes 45acp holes. The only down side is the need to order your ammunition, if you do not reload. I may never fire any factory loaded practice ammunition in this one. My Dillon 550 will make ammo for it in quantity.

Bob R
 
BobR1

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Discussion Starter · #13 ·
tentornado I had not noticed the pin out of place until you mentioned it. Good Eye. Looks like someone has had it apart. I am speculating that the pistol could very well be unfired. It was traded with 2 box's of Remington 230 Ball, with 8 rounds missing from one box. The pistol was also missing the spare magazine, which could very well have had that missing 8 rounds in it. The pistol shows no sign of any internal wear at all.

Bob R
 
BobR1

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Discussion Starter · #15 ·
I took delivery last night. It feels as good as it looks. Not rough enough to eat up cloths carrying it, but a much improved gripping surface. The side panels pretty much look Gen 3 till you feel them. The stippling feels like 80 grit sand paper. Not real rough, but rougher than factory. The front surface of the grip with Memory Bumps removed, and the light stippling feels much improved. I grip the front of the trigger guard with my support hand first finger. I shoot revolvers a lot, and this grip works for me when switching platforms back and forth. The stippling on the front of the trigger guard could have been a little more aggressive. It is much improved over the worthless factory grooves, but even rougher would have been even better. Overall I am very impressed. As soon as I have Shannon Caldwell make me a IWB holster for the Gen3 G38, my Gen 4 G23 will be getting some light tune up work to the Front of the grip and trigger guard areas ONLY. High Grip Modification, Removal of Memory Bumps, and Front of Grip Traction Panel along with a Traction Panel on the front of the trigger guard.

Bob R
 
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