[GSSFNewbie]

I’ve watched GT forums from afar and rarely been a participant but figured it was time for me to play “what do I have?”

I purchased this GEN1 17 about 3.5 years ago from someone on my local FTF firearm message board. It is my first and only Gen1 although I’ve been a Glock fan for 30 years since my dad and I purchased a new G22 back in the early 90s.

This was a shooter to the previous owner. He told me the box and mags were not original to the gun. He also included a bag with a polymer guide rod and a different recoil spring which I suspect were the original ones. Also in the bag was OEM Polymer Glock sights (one adjustable and one fixed).

All serial numbers (except box) match with an AR prefix.

Reading some of the other posts got me curious as to what I have and I figured it would be a good time to pull it out of the safe, strip it down to give a detailed cleaning, and photograph all the parts in the process.

I’m trying to decide if I should sell it, search for period-specific box and docs to enhance the value, or just stick it back in the safe and forget about it for a while.

Let me know if you need any specific photos…have about a dozen more I took and hit the upload limit. I look forward the the insight and knowledge you all can impart!

 

[cereal_killer]

First, welcome to the collector’s group!
It’s always great to have new participants.
Your early AR prefix Glock looks to have the original parts & appears to be in very good condition.
That’s a keeper.
I’ll let some of the others comment on making this whole again. That’s going to cost a bit for the correct bullet box Tupperware, 85 manual, weekend sight, & correct mags.
Stay a while & look around. These guys are full of knowledge. I learn something every time I go down the rabbit hole.

 

[glockhoarder]

Welcome to the collector forum!!

Everyone here LOVES new folks to the hobby 😀

You have a great gun!! As CK said, definitely a keeper.

The original box and manual in particular will be expensive. Still, it's a fantastic gun as it is.

Collectors love A prefix guns in general.

The main distinction between early Glocks is whether they're "pencil barrels" or not. Pencil barrel refers to the slightly smaller diameter of the barrel and the hole in the front of the slide for the barrel of the earliest Glocks. Pencil barrels are seen in AA - AM prefix guns. However, only AA (about half of them), AF, AH, AK and AL were imported into the US. The others were sold in Europe only. There are no AI or AJ prefix guns. The early, non-US guns have some important differences and are expensive. They're discussed in great detail in other threads.

Regarding sell vs keep: Ironically, non-pencil barrel Gen 1s are, in general, cheaper to buy totally complete than just the gun and buying the rest separately.

If you really want a complete gun, it will likely be less expensive to sell yours and to wait for a complete, non-pencil barrel gun to show up for sale.

I hope that you stick around the collector forum!

 

[GSSFNewbie]

Welcome to the collector forum!!

Everyone here LOVES new folks to the hobby 😀

You have a great gun!! As CK said, definitely a keeper.

The original box and manual in particular will be expensive. Still, it's a fantastic gun as it is.

Collectors love A prefix guns in general.

The main distinction between early Glocks is whether they're "pencil barrels" or not. Pencil barrel refers to the slightly smaller diameter of the barrel and the hole in the front of the slide for the barrel of the earliest Glocks. Pencil barrels are seen in AA - AM prefix guns. However, only AA (about half of them), AF, AH, AK and AL were imported into the US. The others were sold in Europe only. There are no AI or AJ prefix guns. The early, non-US guns have some important differences and are expensive. They're discussed in great detail in other threads.

Regarding sell vs keep: Ironically, non-pencil barrel Gen 1s are, in general, cheaper to buy totally complete than just the gun and buying the rest separately.

If you really want a complete gun, it will likely be less expensive to sell yours and to wait for a complete, non-pencil barrel gun to show up for sale.

I hope that you stick around the collector forum!

Thanks for the knowledge…very helpful! Do all the internal parts appear to be GEN 1?

 

[L.A.Tactical]

GSSF, at least some of the parts are original—obviously the serialized pieces are correct and your slide has not been “upgraded” so it’s correct. It’s also the correct trigger bar for that gun which is frequently replaced and the old recoil spring is original. The sights and Tupperware are from a much later vintage and it’s hard to tell from the angle of the striker if it’s the early one. A couple of other parts that might’ve been changed are not pictured but are likely original since your trigger is original. Here’s a picture of the ‘92 parts upgrade before and after for reference;

As to what you should do with it; you’ve come to the collector’s forum so, by definition we’ll all advise you to collect it. But to flesh out glockhoarder’s point, as is, I could see your gun bringing $1,000-1500 in an auction. A similar gun that was complete with box and manual would likely bring $2,000 or perhaps a little more. But the cost of a period correct Tupperware box and 1985 manual could easily cost you an additional $1500 so that yours is “complete.”
Personally, I collect them whether they are all complete or not because the price of these early examples just keeps going up!

 

[GSSFNewbie]

GSSF, at least some of the parts are original—obviously the serialized pieces are correct and your slide has not been “upgraded” so it’s correct. It’s also the correct trigger bar for that gun which is frequently replaced and the old recoil spring is original. The sights and Tupperware are from a much later vintage and it’s hard to tell from the angle of the striker if it’s the early one. A couple of other parts that might’ve been changed are not pictured but are likely original since your trigger is original. Here’s a picture of the ‘92 parts upgrade before and after for reference; View attachment 1040582

As to what you should do with it; you’ve come to the collector’s forum so, by definition we’ll all advise you to collect it. But to flesh out glockhoarder’s point, as is, I could see your gun bringing $1,000-1500 in an auction. A similar gun that was complete with box and manual would likely bring $2,000 or perhaps a little more. But the cost of a period correct Tupperware box and 1985 manual could easily cost you an additional $1500 so that yours is “complete.”
Personally, I collect them whether they are all complete or not because the price of these early examples just keeps going up!

Good information…thanks for sharing! Considering what I paid for the gun, I’m not eager to go spend that kind of money on Tupperware and a manual to make it complete.

I’ll have to give some thought to whether I want to hang on to it or part with it. The only Glock I won’t sell is my first Glock.

 

[PillowGlock]

Random question, I've always wondered how the polymer feels on an old Glock. Does it feel brittle or still lots of life left?

 

[GSSFNewbie]

Random question, I've always wondered how the polymer feels on an old Glock. Does it feel brittle or still lots of life left?

There isn’t a lot of texture on the frame but it doesn’t at all fee brittle. I’m sure it will last a good while longer as long as it isn’t subject to UV rays and harsh chemicals.

 

[GSSFNewbie]

GSSF, at least some of the parts are original—obviously the serialized pieces are correct and your slide has not been “upgraded” so it’s correct. It’s also the correct trigger bar for that gun which is frequently replaced and the old recoil spring is original. The sights and Tupperware are from a much later vintage and it’s hard to tell from the angle of the striker if it’s the early one. A couple of other parts that might’ve been changed are not pictured but are likely original since your trigger is original. Here’s a picture of the ‘92 parts upgrade before and after for reference; View attachment 1040582

As to what you should do with it; you’ve come to the collector’s forum so, by definition we’ll all advise you to collect it. But to flesh out glockhoarder’s point, as is, I could see your gun bringing $1,000-1500 in an auction. A similar gun that was complete with box and manual would likely bring $2,000 or perhaps a little more. But the cost of a period correct Tupperware box and 1985 manual could easily cost you an additional $1500 so that yours is “complete.”
Personally, I collect them whether they are all complete or not because the price of these early examples just keeps going up!

Here are a few more pictures of internals along with the magazines that are not original.

 

[L.A.Tactical]

That’s a mixed bag then, which is a little strange. Normally, you would find them all original or all upgraded. You have a newer striker and newer extractor (although this older than current with the lci) but the slide, trigger bar, and firing pin safety are originals. If you enjoy the gun, it’s definitely a keeper!

 

[Foolthrottle]

Heres my worthless gen 1 serial #CX

 

[matyoka]

Heres my worthless gen 1 serial #CX

You guys should swap boxes...

 

[Foolthrottle]

Why would he want an original box that has no value?

 

[L.A.Tactical]

Foolthrottle, does yours have a matching label? If so, that might be the latest observed serial number prefix that still has tupperware with the bullet holders. They transitioned to the fourth version of box during the C letter run.

 

[Foolthrottle]

No labels, when I bought my pistol in 1987 there was no thought of collectability or preserving labels. based on the features in my box, it is the third variation. I used the warranty card for a book mark for years

 

[L.A.Tactical]

Probably original if you bought it that long ago though… there isn’ta definitely cut off off when they transitioned.

 

[Foolthrottle]

I got interested in the boxes after hearing about accidental discharges in the first ones. A person would or could place a loaded gun in the box and the round peg that fits inside the trigger guard would allow the trigger to compress and fire, sometimes with serious results. My box comes with tabs on the box trigger post to prevent a ready to fire gun being placed in the box