Glock 20 experts

[Dirty_Harry]

I am looking to trade my 29 towards a 20. I really just like the bigger gun better, and the 20 seems like the perfect gun for the Michigan woods.

I have a couple deals on the table. One is for a Gen 2, with a 100 rounds of ammo, 4 mags, NDZ stainless guide rod with 17# ISMI spring and a holster. (I would have no money out of pocket on this deal) The other is for a brand new Gen 3 (I am pretty sure its a gen 3) for $517. I would have to come up with some cash.

Is there that much of a difference between the Gen 2 and 3? I know about the finger grooves and rail, but is there anything else?

I am not a Glock expert, but I am leaning towards the Gen 2.

Thanks.

 

[Dan-O]

I'd go gen 2 all the way. And you might as well pitch that 17" spring. Way under sprung for any glock, let alone a 10mm.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Buy the new gun.

 

[The_Shadow]

Many are having issues with the G-20 Gen 4's, although some are working well. The G-20SF seems to be the better option and the route I and a few other have taken...My SF has been 100%

 

[Dirty_Harry]

The new one I am looking at is a Gen 3.

 

[jmr40]

Both will likely be fine, I'd expect both to be equally accurate and reliable. I like the finger grooves and being able to mount a light on the rail is a big plus for me. I'd buy the Gen 3.

 

[Theohazard]

I'd go gen 2 all the way. And you might as well pitch that 17" spring. Way under sprung for any glock, let alone a 10mm.

Also make sure to get rid of the aftermarket stainless guide rod. The original guide rod is plastic for a reason: It's designed to be able to flex under recoil, especially with the extra recoil of full-power 10mm loads.

 

[bamaranger]

G20 by default

I've got an early G20, no grooves, a Gen 2 I guess. I answered an ad for a Delta, and it was gone, but the guy had a G20 for the same price, so I bought it. And it serves exactly as you mention, as a full house woods gun. Powerful, rugged, flat and easy to tote. Lots of rounds on tap too.

The early Sigs have the Glock metal treatment that is so highly praised. Sorry but the dang term evades me just now. The newer treatment in the G 4's is not so well thought of by some in terms of corrosion resistance.

I am actually not a fan of the finger grooves on the later models. What if your hand does not like/fit the grooves? My G20 responded well to a new connector and has a very sweet trigger. The gun is easy to shoot well, I make hits with it on shots that I really don't think I earned! Reliable as a brick too.

Oddly enough, bamaboy has actually shot the gun more than I have. For about a year, as an early teen, we handloaded the 10mm down and he shot it in our local club IDPA matches. Dang well too. When it was apparent that he was gonna stay in the competitive shooting bit, we got him a G17, much easier to feed. But the G20 chugged right along with loads of about .40 S%W power and the factory recoil spring.

The only negative thing was that to get on target with the fixed sights,: point of aim/point of impact, even with the full power ammo, I had to install a different rear sight blade, the pistol was shooting high (I think,its been awhile).

 

[Hunter0924]

If your guide rod is flexing you have a whole heap of troubles beyond which pistol to choose.
This is a first for me to hear but I am confident a guide rod should never have to flex and if it is you have spring bind which is also a much larger issue.
I disagree with that completely.
If you think I am off, then flex plastic for a while and watch it turn white at the weak point and then break.

 

[Theohazard]

If your guide rod is flexing you have a whole heap of troubles beyond which pistol to choose.
This is a first for me to hear but I am confident a guide rod should never have to flex and if it is you have spring bind which is also a much larger issue.
I disagree with that completely.

I'll admit that I'm not a Glock 20 expert. But I've worked with several people who were: The gunsmiths at my last job -- who were all Glock armorers -- are the ones who first pointed out to me that aftermarket stainless guide rods in Glocks are a downgrade, not an upgrade. And I've seen more than one customer who had an aftermarket stainless guide rod in his Glock 20 and had issues as a result: When they went back to a plastic guide rod it worked just fine.

If you think I am off, then flex plastic for a while and watch it turn white at the weak point and then break.

The frame of a Glock is plastic, and it flexes every single time you pull the trigger. I've seen plenty of Glocks with tens (and sometimes hundreds) of thousands of rounds through them, and I've never seen any parts of the frame that turned white and then broke off.

 

[Uncle Malice]

This picture is a slow motion of a 9mm Glock and you can see how much it flexes. I've seen a more head on video of a 45 Glock which flexes substantially more, I just can't seem to find the video right now.

This is normal, and the idea that the guide rod needs to flex with it is not misplaced.

The 'turning white and breaking' flex that you are referring to is on cheap injection molded, low strength plastics. This is high strength polymer, not being flexed beyond it's elastic limits.

Credit for this image goes to http://www.thefirearmblog.com

 

[Dirty_Harry]

I ended up with a gen 2. The pistol is in great shApe and the trigger is really nice. I will let you guys know how it shoots.

 

[Dirty_Harry]

Another question. I bought some Buffalo Bore 180 Gr JHP. Being a Gen 2, do I need to worry about it going kaboom in my hands? I am planning on buying another barrel with a fully supported chamber eventually, but I am going to be shooting this gun Sunday. Funds dont allow for a barrel purchase at the moment. Should I be worried?

Also, the Buffalo Bore 180 JHP, is that round sufficient protection on things up to Black Bear? I bought this gun primarily as a woods/camping gun.

 

[bedlamite]

I'm just going to piggyback on this thread ...

My Glock 20 is going to serve as a carry gun in the woods, and I'd like a lower holster that gets the gun just below my jacket, but all the thigh holsters I've seen are crap. does anyone make a decent one?

 

[Dirty_Harry]

I would also like to know of a good hip holster.

 

[Uncle Malice]

I'd like a lower holster that gets the gun just below my jacket, but all the thigh holsters I've seen are crap. does anyone make a decent one?

Safariland ALS?

You can get them with a drop or thigh rig too I believe.

 

[Nail Shooter]

I installed a 20 or 22# spring to help with recoil on my G20--to do that you'll need the steel rod.

I also installed an aftermarket barrel (KKM) because I reload and wanted to be able to reuse the brass. My gun is a 3rd gen and the brass came out all swelled up when running the Glock barrel.

My gun is 100% reliable with those two changes that greatly enhance its shootability.

 

[WESHOOT2]

guessing, from here

Another question. I bought some Buffalo Bore 180 Gr JHP. Being a Gen 2, do I need to worry about it going kaboom in my hands? I am planning on buying another barrel with a fully supported chamber eventually, but I am going to be shooting this gun Sunday. Funds dont allow for a barrel purchase at the moment. Should I be worried?

Also, the Buffalo Bore 180 JHP, is that round sufficient protection on things up to Black Bear? I bought this gun primarily as a woods/camping gun.

BuffaloBore ammo is safe and fine.

For black bear, many prefer a solid bullet of 200g or more.
What WILL matter more is YOUR ability to accurately deliver those 180s to a proper (and successful ) location.

 

[Dirty_Harry]

BuffaloBore ammo is safe and fine.

For black bear, many prefer a solid bullet of 200g or more.
What WILL matter more is YOUR ability to accurately deliver those 180s to a proper (and successful ) location.

Thanks.

Practice makes perfect.

 

[Bart Noir]

The early Sigs have the Glock metal treatment that is so highly praised. Sorry but the dang term evades me just now.

The finish is called Tenifer (one "n") and the early SIGs were known for thin blued finishes that rusted too easily. They certainly were not Tenifer. I do not believe they have ever gone to Tenifer.

And Tenifer is not a finish, it is a metal treatment, over which a dark finish is applied. A well-used Glock may expose what looks like bare metal, but it is really Tenifer treated metal, and that Glock is just as protected as when it was an all dark gun.

Bart Noir