Confused over Glock 34 vs. Glock 19 accuracy

[Leadingall]

Sounds like squeezing the trigger instead of pressing it. Sights could be off but that's why the G34's come factory with AS. Could be a weak support hand if you're a R handed shooter or not maintaining a thumbs forward grip position but it sounds like you're an experienced shooter. I have a G19 and a G34 and they're both laser accurate, grip is nearly identical, balance and sight picture are a little different. Factory triggers are often a little lighter on the G34 as well.

[rodralig]

The problem I believe was the trigger puller. Find me someone who trains and competes regularly that has this same problem.

With only a few months under my belt, I can't really say "+1," but I guess it has come to the point that I'm quite accurate and can group consistently with any gun aside from my own, particularly for the closer distances of less than 10-yards (farther out, I need a smaller front sight and/or more EYES).

There have been several occasions I've been in group events - I tried someone else's pistols (semi-auto and revolvers, across calibers .22, 9, 40, 45 and 44 mag), and find no problem. A couple (experienced shooters) even commented, "... thanks for showing me how accurate my gun is..." or "... you shoot it as if you own the gun..."

It's all in the fundamentals - sight, grip, trigger, breathing, stance, etc.

PS: I usually shoot 'newer' guns better because the flinch response hasn't been developed yet. Then I would need to do some practice drills to minimize this response going forward, ie., dry practice, ball and dummy, front sight focus, etc.

[Galli1565]

He slight difference in geometry of the 19 frame and trigger pull angle makes it a "better" (subjectively) shooting gun. You're not the only one who shoots the 19 better

[baranski]

He slight difference in geometry of the 19 frame and trigger pull angle makes it a "better" (subjectively) shooting gun. You're not the only one who shoots the 19 better

Nope, I shoot my G19 better too.

[tanks]

...I tend to drift a little to the left when shooting my 19 but the grouping and accuracy is acceptable by my casual shooting standards, but I seem to be all over the map with my 34 including far to the left.

I suppose I just need more practice with the 34 but perhaps I might need some professional instruction to improve upon shooting in general as I've never had any before....

With the 19 you were jerking the trigger a bit. With the 34 you are doing it more. You just need some instruction on pressing the trigger straight back without moving the gun to the left.

There are many, many dry fire exercises you can do to fix this. Get some basic instruction and then dry fire at home about 15 mins/half an hour a day for a while and it will get fixed.

[Che762x39]

Shoot at least 1000 rounds through your G34 and neglect the G19 for awhile. I shoot my G26 usually and when I shoot my G17 on occasion I'm noticeably less accurate with it. When I shot my G17 constantly about 7 years ago the opposite was true. YMMV

I think ian is on to something there. But I suggest 400 rounds.

When I got my Glock 19 Gen 3 after 50 rounds the trigger housing pin backed out to the left. A few other minor issues but after 400 rounds I can run it 100% reliable now with any JHP round and I never fooled around with followers or 25 cent this or that.

Same thing with the Colt Commander I got last year before it felled off the roster. Being a new gun I got a 250 round R-P megapack at Walmart. Off to the range and the first groups, off hand were 8 inches, at about round #100 my groups were 4 inches. When I got to round #200 I am at 2 inch group.

Basically it needed to "set" or get "broken in". The next 100 rounds were WWB and was perfect. Now I shoot it with my handloads and it is good to go.

[Che762x39]

Wanted to get an upgrade over my 1992 Gen2 Glock19 so I picked up a Gen3 Glock34 a few months ago.

... I've shot my 19 for over 20 years and know it inside and out but I was hoping for some decent performance from my "competition ready" 34.

Interesting predicament. We all have different skill sets. Not everyone is a Grand Master shooter. I think most people will be satisfied at Expert.

Anyways something I learned from shooting 1911s. The Colt Gold Cup currently is a $1300 pistol that I shoot exceptionally well with. A $3000 or $4000 custom build will not win be Camp Perry.

So in your case the Glock 19 is your perfect pistol. I have a G19 Gen 3 and I like it a lot. Congratulations on the new born.

[HiND-SIGHT]

One could download the AMU pistol correction target. Each gun handles in the hand differently, so on each new gun I calibrate my grip accordingly. After a while it's just muscle memory.

[Hawkgear]

The G19 is most accurate plastic gun I own and I have some very expensive plastic guns including a Grey Guns P320. Go figure. I'm turning into a Glocktard.

[pointerman]

One thing I've noticed over the years teaching is that some people tend to notice the movement of the front sight with a longer barreled hand gun more than they do with a short one. They then unknowingly compensate by tightening their grip, which makes it worse when they press the trigger. Relax and focus on trigger press.

This post confuses me so much. I have never met an instructor that told anyone to loosen their grip. In general, the firmer the grip the less muzzle movement you will have in the trigger pull. Most of that grip should be support hand.

OP, I would counsel the opposite. Firm up that support grip. Your trigger pull is probably resorting in sympathetic muscle action i your strong hand and causing you to push the muzzle during the pull. Firm up that support grip and it will go away. You will need to practice quite a bit for the firm grip to beco e your new norm. Good news is that can be done at home during dry fire for free.

[stevemac]

Wait, so who's right - Archimedes or Occam?

[threeperreaper]

No offense, but I doubt it's the gun...

Chances are, you aren't privy to the much lighter trigger pull of the 34

I did the SAME thing...I shot a 19/26 for a long time and when I first bought a 34, my accuracy was crap

The trigger on the 34 is lighter and seems to have less of a "wall". So when I attempted to "stage" the trigger, it would go off prematurely...I just wasn't used to how and when the trigger would break

At first, I liked the heavier trigger of the other non "competition" models but after a couple hundred rounds I found myself much more accurate with the 34

If you felt so inclined to try a different barrel, you could rule out the fact that it's the guns fault for poor accuracy...I can't think of anything else that would contribute to that

[MurdaJ]

This post confuses me so much. I have never met an instructor that told anyone to loosen their grip. In general, the firmer the grip the less muzzle movement you will have in the trigger pull. Most of that grip should be support hand.

OP, I would counsel the opposite. Firm up that support grip. Your trigger pull is probably resorting in sympathetic muscle action i your strong hand and causing you to push the muzzle during the pull. Firm up that support grip and it will go away. You will need to practice quite a bit for the firm grip to beco e your new norm. Good news is that can be done at home during dry fire for free.

The phenomenon of noticing yourself shaking more with a longer sight radius, or even more so a scope, is real and distracting to newer shooters. Hearing "I dont like that one, it shakes more" isnt uncommon to hear when comparing, say, a glock 26 to a scoped ruger mkII. The newer shooter then tries to overcompensate, and fight against the shaking, which doesnt work well. To counter that, "relax, dont try to stop the shakes, just shoot between them" usually results in smiles all around

[tanks]

This post confuses me so much. I have never met an instructor that told anyone to loosen their grip. In general, the firmer the grip the less muzzle movement you will have in the trigger pull. Most of that grip should be support hand....

I think what he was talking about was tightening the grip at the same time as pulling the trigger which can cause the rounds to go left for a right handed shooter.

Ask me how I know.

[pointerman]

I think what he was talking about was tightening the grip at the same time as pulling the trigger which can cause the rounds to go left for a right handed shooter.

Ask me how I know.

I get that. Cure is a firm support grip all the time to counter the sympathetic muscle movememt in the strong hand.