The Glock 34 (9mm competition model)
I was now a “shooter” and every “shooter” needs a Glock, or
so I thought. I also liked the idea of an extended sight radius and the better
trigger, plus the hole in the front of the slide looked cool. I put some skate
board tape on the grip and bought a holster and extra mags and some mag
holsters for it, and I set out to do an IDPA match with it. At this point I had
never before owned a pistol of any kind, I had only ever shot one maybe twice,
and I had never hit a target more than 10 feet away with a pistol, so my first
shooting trip and first competition with it didn’t go well. Like, really not
good, at all. I beat two people out of the 89 shooters that day, and I can’t be
sure that wasn’t because the left early, but despite my abysmal display of
marksmanship, I had a great time. The competition taught me how to move and a
basic stance. The other guys on my squad were amazing to me and helped me with
grip and reloads. They all couldn’t have been nicer. After the match I got down
to business and shot the crap out if the Glock. I did several other competitions
with it improving each and every time. It was the gun that popped my cherry. As
for the pistol, it was not as reliable as everyone says Glocks are. In the year
and a half I had it, it had 8-10 weak primer strikes with it and probably 20
fte’s that is out of 3000+ rounds, but I thought it would have been better. I
did in the end sell it when I saw a wanted ad for the exact model offering $150
more than what I bought it for, and it was too good to pass up.
THE GOOD:
I love a lightened Glock trigger, the reset is great, the
safety is idiot proof, and the pull is consistent.
The 34’s weight and balance is really good.
I like the adjustable rear sight. Dot sights are my
preference, but being able to fine tune is really nice.
It was quite accurate even if I was not.
THE BAD:
On extended range visits the trigger safety would rub my
finger raw.
I don’t like the grip angle of the Glock series of pistols.
The mags fed great but would not drop free. Most of the
time, all it needed was a good shake, but it was one more step.
This thing is long, thick and heavy. Not a CCW gun (though I
tried a bunch)
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I liked the skate board tape but now I stipple I like the permanence
better.
The bianche black widow is a very comfortable holster, but
it is not good for competition. (Too hard to holster)
I really like the blade tech holster for most everything. It
holds secure and let’s go great. I had some kidex off brand mag holders I wish
I had not let go with the gun, not sure of the make but I really liked them.
I installed an aftermarket
trigger link, it rocked.
The Glock was a
really good gun all in all; I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone, but
maybe not as a first pistol.
FUNNY STORRY:
I was living in a ghetto area in an apartment, my wife and I
had just gotten married and from time to time druggies would break into homes
in the area, usually late at night. I was always careful, but one day around 330am
I was awoken to the sound of someone knocking on the door. My neighbor had just
been assaulted in his driveway days earlier so nervously I grabbed my glock and
a mag full of hollow points loaded it and approached the door. I yelled who is
it two or three times, with no response, then flung the door open gun pointed
at the gap. On the other side of the door was a very surprised police officer,
who seemed to not be very accustomed to have guns pointed at his head. After a
moment I realized the situation withdrew my pistol and apologized, he extremely
politely and quietly mentioned they had found a very young child on the
sidewalk and he was looking for the child’s family. I told him I had no kids
and said again that I was sorry about the gun; he responded that he didn’t
blame me and he left.
In retrospect I am glad that is how it ended; it could have
gone horribly wrong.
