Why build a Glock?

[12pewpew]

Every time I see a Glock frame or slide assembly I think to myself what is the advantage of building a Glock from parts? It's not a cost savings and outside of building it with upgraded parts (which you can just swap out on a factory one) I don't get it.

I understand why people build AR's and the like but do people build pistols just to have the satisfaction of saying they built it?

[Powder_Keg]

Are you talking about 80% Glocks or customizing OEM Glocks?

[plumbum]

It’s all about the paperwork; who gets to keep records?

I personally would love to do an 80% large frame Glock and cut the mag well down to subcompact length. Like a G21/30 hybrid (G30sfxl?)

[003]

I have serious reservations and question whether "upgraded" parts are really any better than fact original OEM. 10's of thousands of Glock pistols in military service around the world, I suspect the over whelming majority are 100% factory stock.

[Maulerrr]

I had fun finishing out a polymer 80 and assembling everything several years back. You're right about the lack of cost savings, you certainly don't come out ahead if you assemble your own. I did it for other reasons though

[JCHavasu]

Well it is a bit of a cost savings overall. I picked up a couple of stripped Glock frames for about $50 used. I used an upgraded barrel, slide, etc and built a gun for my daughter. I have more in it than a stock Glock, but if I had upgraded a new gun I would be in it for at least $400 more and had spare parts. Not that having spare parts is a bad thing.

[Snoopy47]

[SkyHawk]

When you buy a Glock frame or slide you haven't built squat, you are just playing legos and it is fun.

People buy spare frames for customization: stippling, undercuts, grip reductions, grip chops, cerakote, or to run a spare upper they have laying around.

People buy spare uppers for caliber conversions, optics cuts, porting, longer slide etc.

Then later if they find a cheap frame, and it saves them from having to swap uppers all the time on their original frame, then they get it. A spare frame is nice if you have an AA 22LR upper for instance, then you have a dedicated Glock 22LR.

No mystery really.

[200Apples]

I personally push the rules as much as the Glock Match rules let me. It’s still OEM, but I install a (-) connector, Talon Grip tap, and Dawson Target Sights, and it is a WHOLE NEW GUN.

But what do you do about the gawdawful factory trigger?

[johnthomas]

I got a smoking deal on two polymer 80 kits. Complete brand new slides and all parts. They both turned out perfect. Not my CCW but nice to shoot. I cannot wait until I can get back out there to shoot.

[hambam105]

dupe

[hambam105]

Snoopy47

"Frequently non shooters, and non-competitors emphasize the OEM stock bible."

Not True. In practice, it is completely opposite.

First off, non shooters don't know either way what works because they are not shooting. As for the second part...

A big reason why LE and Military firearms trainees have a much steeper learning curve because they do not have the
option of going to the Harbor Freight School of gunsmithing. Thereby they can concentrate on listening to those who
know better thereby increase the chances of shooting better in a shorter amount of time & ammunition expended.

While there are exceptions, learning how get into and stay in the top 10 percent of shooters while at the same time
becoming your own reloader and your own gunsmith is a decades long and flat learning curve.