(***Update***) Just picked up my Glock 17, now what?

[BIG45-70]

I'm finally bought my new Glock 17 (I'm a Canadian Citizen so I'll be able to pick it up in a few days when its registered in my name) and I'm saving my pennies for a pistol course run by Texas Defense Shooting Academy at my range.  Being the type of person that is never satisfied and like a good consumer looking for something else to purchase what kind of cool tacticool range toy do I pick up for my glock?  Glock tool?  Grip Space plug?  Flash light?? What now??

[Eric R Shelton]

Ditto on the sights.  A Glock tool isn't bad, but may get you into trouble...  lol.

[BIG45-70]

I've been looking at some different sights, I don't mind the factory setup only because they're are exactly the same as the sights on my ISSC M22 that I now have thousands of rounds threw.  I'm also don't want to send it to a smith, (some pretty long turn around times up here) at least until I have a backup pistol to bang at the range with.

HOWEVER Since its brought up,  how much better do a set of night or big dots point then the factory Glock?

[Eric R Shelton]

I don't think night sights or Big Dots make an appreciable difference on a Glock.  It's more about having steel sights as opposed to plastic, imho.

[BIG45-70]

Interesting,  I never though if that!  Thank you sir,

[Hk940]

Well first thing order a lonewolf catalog.
Consider a trigger job
G18 mags
Olympic arms 9mm that takes block mags
AAC suppressor in 9mm
Good holster
Glock 19.

[Devereaux]

?Suppressor. ?In Canada. Heck, I thought they barely allowed you to have a firearm.

[Devereaux]

RECON -

Explain "Doesn't capture the spring" please. ?Are you talking about something that isn't full length.

[Devereaux]

OK. I understand now. I'm not a Glock type, so I was unfamiliar with their springing. Danke.

[BIG45-70]

Thanks for all the great suggestions I decided to forget about sights and spare parts and just get some stuff with punisher logos on it and a few punisher stickers for my 94 Grand Marquis.


.........(j/K)

I picked up some extra mags,  I'm going to get a steel guide rod and recoil spring,  a Glock tool and I'm going to start looking at sights and see what I like. 

Just a question about the spring,  what weight do you guys put in or what weight are the factory recoil springs rated at?

[joesxm]

You probably ought to get a few extra magazines.

+1 on the idea to get a good holster and a good solid gun belt.  I just got one from www.thebeltman.net.  Before I did this I did not realize that the belt I bought at the local gun store was crap.

[lee n. field]

Glock tool?  Grip Space plug?  Flash light?? What now??

Glock armorer's tool.  Extra magazines.

And shoot it.

[Pocono]

You probably ought to get a few extra magazines.

+1 on the idea to get a good holster and a good solid gun belt.  I just got one from www.thebeltman.net.  Before I did this I did not realize that the belt I bought at the local gun store was crap.

Here is a photo of a 3 month old belt I purchased from thebeltman.

[BIG45-70]

I finally received my pistol today after about 2 1/2 weeks wait and took it too the range.  I put 700 rounds of factory reloads through it for a break in.  Its truly a sweet pistol.  I did have one failure to feed (stove pipe) at around 550rnds but I'm going to chalk it up to the ammunition.  Towards the end of my range session i did start flinching,  I was constantly shooting about 3 inches low at the 7 o'clock position.  With a few dry fires I could see I was pushing the muzzle down and slightly to the left.  Practice makes perfect and I am extremely happy with my purchase.  Now for some new sights and mags and I have some Winchester Ranger 147grs SXT coming in to test feeding!

[Gunslinger]

Don't waste your money on Stainless steel guide rods or any of this hokey shit.   Change the sights, break it in and learn to shoot it.

[Matt G]

I finally received my pistol today after about 2 1/2 weeks wait and took it too the range.  I put 700 rounds of factory reloads through it for a break in.  Its truly a sweet pistol.  I did have one failure to feed (stove pipe) at around 550rnds but I'm going to chalk it up to the ammunition.  Towards the end of my range session i did start flinching,  I was constantly shooting about 3 inches low at the 7 o'clock position. 

I'd start flinching after 700 rounds also.   easy big fella!

Matt G

[SteveZ]

Don't waste your money on Stainless steel guide rods or any of this hokey shit.   Change the sights, break it in and learn to shoot it.

for someone with only two posts...your comment wins as the best advice so far!

[Gunslinger]

Don't waste your money on Stainless steel guide rods or any of this hokey shit.   Change the sights, break it in and learn to shoot it.

for someone with only two posts...your comment wins as the best advice so far!

Haha thanks but I'm only repeating what a good friend of mine who happens to be ex-SAS and has done tactical training with Deltas and other special forces teams has taught me. 

[Gunslinger]

Has anyone had a factory Glock recoil spring guide rod break on them?  In my time working with Glock pistols, I have seen hundreds.  Usually with military grade 9mm ammunition.

Without intending to impugn the gentleman who was formerly SAS, I ask this,  How long has he been an EX-SAS operative?  It seems the longer the timeframe that someone has been an "ex" something, the more likely their experience seems to lose relevance.

I am an ex-child.  Does that mean I have full insights and knowledge of children today?  Or, does it really mean I have a frame of reference?

If a person is an ex-LEO, from 25 years ago, they may have a frame of reference, but are not likely up to speed in the modern technique and therefore not a credible source in many topics.

The logic of learning to shoot the new Glock is right on.  Does it need to be backed up with the second hand advice of an ex-anything?  Could it not just stand alone as sound advice?

There is a TV personality who also claims to be a firearms instructor. When queried about his credentials, he claims to be a former LEO.  When investigated it turns out that the sum total of his LEO experience from over 10 years ago is less than 2 years in a small, low budget department.  Sure, he is an ex-LEO;  what has he done lately other than work with his publicist?

Some important things to remember:

1. Being a former LEO does not automatically make one a credible source for information or training.

2. Being former SF, SEAL, CAG or other form of SOCOM does not qualify a person to teach self defense shooting.

3. Taking a course or having received training does not make a person a credible source.

4.  Everybody in the gun business is trying to sell you something.  If not a tangible item for which they receive monetary payment, they are selling you on themselves so they receive payment for their ego.

Your point stood well without your claims of knowing some guy who used to do something.

We would all be well served by listening with a more critical ear and questioning the source much more frequently.

In all my time spent around Glocks, I've never seen a malfunction with the stock guide rod and apparantly neither has my friend.  Gaston Glock knew what he was doing and would have it made it steel from the factory if it would serve it's purpose well.  What they don't tell you is that the guide rod is plastic for a reason. I tried a steel guide rod once. Every time the slide would cycle, the hole on the slide would scrape against the underside of the guide rod and make an awful squealing sound. After a while, it was actually wearing down the metal guide rod. The plastic is meant to reduce friction and bend slightly.

I understand your point about not putting all your eggs in one basket from a person who used to be LEO, Military, etc... but this guy is what drove me to learn about and shoot firearms and every bit of advice he's given has been pretty sound.  

And frankly, it doesn't take someone with extensive firearms experience to know that all the cool little accessories in the world isn't going to make you a better shooter.

[cornmastah]

Lol, here is one of my favorite glock "accessories..."

http://www.lonewolfdist.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=1805

with a couple of these added:

http://www.topglock.com/item/42680_Glock_High_Capacity_Magazine_Glock_MF17033_G17_Magazin.aspx

I just finished putting it together this last month (mated it with a rock river quad rail 9mm upper), and man is it a fun little gun to shoot.