In a previous article I wrote – how to keep your family safe – I covered my Glock 26 and Glock 17. I’ve gotten several requests to do more in-depth reviews of the gear that was discussed. For this article, we will go into a little more detail regarding the Glock 17, the modifications I have made to mine, and the reasons why. My personal Glock 17 is the Talo Edition with fiber optic sights. I’ve used several different handguns in the past—those from Kahr, Kel Tec, Springfield Armory, and several 1911s—but Glock has impressed me over those for several reasons. What I consider the best attribute of the Glock handgun is its simplicity, as it was originally built for combat, not precision shooting.
My Glock 17 is my primary CC gun, and honestly, if you wear the proper belt and a decent holster, it carries really nicely—even under a tee-shirt.
I did make a few minor changes/upgrades to my 17 to suit my personal tastes.
- First and most important are the sights. I do not like the stock sights that come with Glocks. I opted for Ameriglo sights. The rear sight is all black and the front sight is red fiber optic. This makes for a nice, crisp sight picture, and you can locate the front sight quickly. If you could do only one change to your carry gun, then I would replace the stock sights without thinking twice. If you’re an old-school shooter and want all black sights, check out the Ameriglo Defoor tactical sights.
- upgraded the stock recoil spring and guide rod with a stainless-steel set. I like the improved durability, and thus dependability, of the steel rod.
- I added Talon Gun Grip material to the stock grip, a Tango Down slide stop, and beavertail. These three additions give the gun better overall handling. The Talon Gun Grips are by far superior to any other grip enhancers out there.
The advantage of carrying this over my Glock 26 is that it allows me to engage at longer distances more accurately. A lot of shooters get it stuck in their heads that a handgun is a 25-yard-and-in-gun. Not true. With the Glock 17, you can engage and suppress targets out to 100 yards, but at that point you should be running the other direction or transitioning to your rifle. Regardless, the capability is there if you need it. A friend of mine told me this when we were debating on whether to carry the Glock 26 or 17: “Sell the 26 and use that money to get a rifle, then use the 17 to suppress the threat to get to your rifle that’s in your trunk.”
“The world is a dangerous place, be prepared, and stack the odds in your favor.”
-Scott
