What Can I Upgrade on My Glock & Why?

Millions & millions of people have come to enjoy the Glock in all of its calibers. So much so that it is almost a cult like status. People literally have told me that there is nothing that you can do to a Glock to make it better, that it is "Glock Perfection". I disagree because as all companies do, they stick standard parts in & let the aftermarket go buck wild. I'm going to talk about some of the upgrades that you can do to your Glock.

Before we get into the meat & potatoes of the upgrades, you have pay attention when purchasing. Glocks come in many calibers & in 3 sizes. The 3 sizes are Full-Size, Compact, & Sub-Compact. So when purchasing, make sure you choose the version for your Glock size & caliber.

One company, Lone Wolf Distributers, has taken the lead with Glock upgrades because they make quality parts & they can be trusted. But they are not the end-all, a lot of companies make quality parts.

Barrel
Lone Wolf Distributers make several styles of barrels.

1) Threaded Barrels are great if you want to mount a flash or sound suppressor to the Glock.

2) Ported Barrels are great because the external ports will not blacken the front sight & reduce muzzle climb by as much as 50%.

3) Extended Length barrels are at least 6" & they improve accuracy for target or competition.

4) Stock Length barrels are over 9" & the improve on the extended barrels for target or competition.

5) Conversion barrels allow the Glock to shoot a smaller caliber round & use all the magazines from that caliber.

Find them here

Trigger
The Glock trigger can be altered to fit different situations. Ghost inc makes a line of trigger connectors that provide these services.

1) Ghost inc 3.5lb Triggers are great because they reduce the force it takes to pull the trigger.

2) Ghost inc 3.5lb Rocket Triggers reduce the force it takes to pull the trigger by 60%.

3) Ghost inc 5.0 Tactical Triggers are great for self defense because the reduce over-travel. Over-travel is the unnecessary distance the trigger moves rearward after the Glock is fired. The reason this is important is because if the trigger is still moving rearward after firing, then its not resetting quickly. You can only re-fire after the trigger resets.

Find them here

4) Siderlocks are an actual trigger that have a push button safety. The push button can be placed on either side for left or right handed shooters. Find them here

Grip
The Glock has a slippery polymer frame which they have tried to improve on. The problem is if it is raining or your hands are wet, holding the firearm correctly becomes difficult. While there have been a few rubber wrap around grips, most choose to use a form of skateboard grip tape.

1) Talon Grips completely wrap the firearm's grip with either a granulite or rubber texture. They are fairly inexpensive & stick well. They do not leave a residue when removed. Find them here

2) Falcon Grips completely or partially cover the firearm's grip with a granulite. They are fairly inexpensive & stick well. They also do not leave a residue when removed. Find them here

3) Pachmayr Molded Grips are form fitted to the firearm. there is no need to put it on correctly or throw it away when it has worn smooth. They also reduce recoil. Find them here

4) Crimson Trace Laser Grips add the benefit of having an instant on laser. The laser is activated by grabbing the firearm which really is a plus. The grip does allow for holstering but if you pocket carry the width may not be convenient. While they are great, they also range in the $270+ bracket. Find them here

5) Skate board grip tape is extremely cheap & it is easy to make a cut out of the grip sides & back. A 5' roll usually goes for $5.





Magazines
The great thing about a Glock is that the magazines are interchangeable as long as its the same caliber or a different caliber with the appropriate conversion barrel. Glock really came through by designing a multitude of factory magazines. There are a few companies that make them but the majority of quality magazines are made by Glock.

1) Low Capacity Magazines hold 6 to 10 rounds depending on caliber size. These would be optimal for concealed carry situations.

2) High Capacity Magazines hold 11 to 17 rounds depending on caliber size. These magazines are both  standard & a little more for Compact & Full Size Glocks. This could be just the extra magazines that you order for target practice.

3) Super High Capacity Magazines hold 17 to 33 rounds depending on caliber size. These magazines have no functional use except for show & blow. Showing off & blowing stuff away, which is a lot of fun. The 33 round magazine was originally built for the Glock 18 which is a 9mm Full Auto pistol.

4) Mag Wells are an extension to the entrance on the receiver. It bows out like an umbrella to facilitate reloading without looking. If the magazine is anywhere in the general area of the receiver, the mag well will funnel it in.

5) Mag Extenders add 2 rounds by simply replacing the magazine base plate.

Find them here

Magazine Release/Catch
A lot of people dislike how the hand has to move from its ready position inorder to firmly press the factory mag release. Lone Wolf Distributers made a simple & cheap extended mag release which sticks out just enough. They are made in multiple colors & materials to suit shooter's taste. Find them here

Slide Lock
The Slide Lock is what keeps the slide from flying off the receiver when the firearm is shot. It also is part of the disassembly process. The problem is that the factory slide lock is almost flush with the receiver & that you have to pull it down from both sides of the receiver. Lone Wolf Distributers made a simple & cheap extended slide lock which make it easy to pull it down because it sticks out an extra 3mm. They come in black or chrome. Find them here






Slide Stop
The Slide Stop is what keeps the firearm open for inspection or what gets depressed after the magazine har been reloaded. The problem is that a lot of shooters have short fingers & the placement of the slide release is inconvenient. Lone Wolf Distributers made a simple & cheap extended slide stop which make it easy to accomplish these tasks. They also come in multiple colors. Find them here

Conversion
A lot of shooters like to buy multiple Glocks. They'll have a 9mm, a .40 cal, a .357 sis, & a .45. While it would be awesome awesome to have that many Glocks, most of us cannot afford that kind of fun. What us poor folk do have is access to conversion barrels. Depending on which caliber you own, you can change it to a smaller one. If you chave a .40 cal, you can simply put a different barrel in the slide & change it into a 9mm or 357 sig. There are a few companies who make these barrels & there is no real benefit of choosing one over another except that Lone Wolf Distributers & Storm Lake are the lowest in price.

1) Lone Wolf

2) KKM

3) Storm Lake

Also, there is a company called Advanced Arms which makes .22LR conversion kits. These kits are a complete slide & barrel which replace the existing caliber. A full Review of the kit is here





Laser
Lasers can be placed multiple locations on the Glock. They substantially improve target acquisition, especially at night.

1) Crimson Trace Grip Lasers allow one to activate the laser immediately when held. They are fairly expensive & there are knock offs floating around. One benefit of the Crimson Trace models is that you're gonna get top quality, reliability, holster compatibility, & batteries for life. Find them here

2) Crimson Trace Trigger Guard Lasers activate with a press of a button. This laser may makes it difficult to use fitted holsters  & even some pocket holsters. The benefit is that the unit isn't as thick as the grip holster. Find them here

3) Laserlyte Rear Sight Lasers activate with a press of a button. This option will keep your receiver & trigger guard clutter free but it is very ugly & it requires you to remove the factory rear sight. This laser is definitely not on my wish list. Find them here


4) Lasermax Guide Rod Lasers are my favorite because they are internal. There is no bulging grip, sight, or trigger assembly. It comes with its own slide lock which acts as the on/off switch. Find them here








Rail
Compact & Full Size Glocks have a built in rail in front of the trigger. Besides flashlights & lasers, here are some of the many zany things can be mounted to it.

1) Laserlyte Bayonets can come in handy when the zombie apocalypse comes & you run out of ammo. They even come in fluorescent Zombie Green. Find them here

2) Scope Mounts grip the rail & extend over the firearm in order to place a scope. These can even be used to physically attach the Glock to rifle. Find them here

3) RONI Pistol Carbine Conversion Kits hook onto the rail & converts the Glock into a short barreled rifle. (NFA Laws Apply) Find them here


Decorative
Many thing can be put on the Glock that are purely decorative. Sometimes these items are laser engraved with words, mottos, or drawings. They are also made in many colors like pink or orange.
The list is endless but here are some of the parts that can be changed.


1) Slide Cover Plates

2) Magazine Plates can be engraved or different colors.

3) Receivers can come in different colors like pink, for women.

4) Any part of the Glock can be colored with Duracoat or Cerakote.

Links

Lone Wolf Barrels


Ghost inc Trigger Connectors


Magazines


Talon Grips


Falcon Grips


Trigger Job


Siderlock


Pachmayr Grips


Crimson Trace Lasers


Lone Wolf Extended Slide Stops


Lone Wolf Extended Slide Locks


Lone Wolf Extended Magazine Release/Catch


Advantage Arms Conversion Blog


Storm Lake Conversion Barrels


KKM conversion Barrels


Lone Wolf Conversion Barrels


Laserlyte Rear Sight Laser


Lasermax Guide Rod Laser


Glock Factory Magazine Flashlight Holder


Rail Assisted Scope Mounts


RONI Pistol Carbine Conversion Kit


Laserlyte Bayonet


Cerakote


Duracoat


Slide Cover Plates