Posted: 3/14/2009 6:53:53 AM EDT
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I own an older G17 pistol. I looked up the serial number on an online chart, and it dates to September 1986.
Still has the old parts in it, has never had Glocks six part upgrade. I'm fairly positive the parts are original, they are still black colored, and not the silver upgrade pieces. I even pulled the internals out of my old Glock, and compared the parts with online pics of the upgrade parts and old parts. Obviously old parts subject to the upgrade replacement. I personaly replaced the recoil spring assembly, and the mag catch. The old recoil spring was used up, and the guide rod was broken(still worked ok), the mag catch was just worn. This old Glock is working perfectly. Passes a safty function check. I took it to a Glock armorer to have the slide notch recut, which fixed the guns only issue(not locking back when empty). I expected the gun would come back with the old parts upgraded, but nope! The Glock armorer left the old giblets in, stating that the pistol passed the safty checks, must have had the new parts installed already. 
I had mentioned the Glock upgrades when I took the gun in, but the fellow just had a blank look on his face like he knew not what I talked about! The Glock armorer dude did a nice job on the slide notch, that working perfectly now, where it almost never locked back when empty before. I'm happy with that aspect of his work. But why didn't the armorer install the much bally-hooed upgrade internal parts? 
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You know the answer to your question.
He was either too lazy to order the parts, didn't remember what he had been instructed or didn't care. The factory would see potential liability in not upgrading a gun sent to them and would make sure it was sent back meeting current safety specs. The armorer saw no such liability or didn't care. |
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If at this point you still want to upgrade and not have to pay the expense of shipping to the factory you can order the parts from:
http://www.ombexpress.com/c_207.aspx Brownells |
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I did the factory upgrade less than a year ago on my ancient (SN:WMxxx '88/'89??) G17. Glock replaced several parts including the frame (now Gen2). It had always been functional w/o issue prior to the factory upgrade. Apparently, one of the failure modes with the original parts is "slam-firing". One trigger pull and two (or more) bangs can draw unwanted attention. That was enough to scare me into upgrading even though it had never happened to me. $20 (shipping) and a few weeks later I got my upgraded G17 back from the factory. Still rocks. I had asked some Glock armorers about the upgrade and they had never heard of it. I saw that same blank look - too funny. I called the factory and they said "just send it in". |
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During my short, underpaid LEO career, several of us attended a Glock sponsered class concerning G17 pistols, use and safty there-of. An interesting course mainly because the guns were new then, and not nearly as common as now. That was probably 1990 or 1991 when we attended the Glock training/safty class. I didn't use a Glock at the time, and never did as an LEO. I think that was before any upgrade was in place, although I'm not for sure on that.
I remember it was a bit odd the instructor claiming minimal maintenance, excepting the slide internals. The instructor stressing the firingpin and safty plunger/spring must be dry and clean. You can read much the same info online concerning keeping those parts clean. The Glock guy's contradictory statements on cleanliness were funny I recall! He basicaly implying none needed, then saying must keep this and these clean! That's a long time back though, I wouldn't want to mis-state anything heard during a lecture I likely slept partway through 
My take on the parts upgrade being that these parts are replaced along with the other upgrade parts as a set to reduce the sensitivity of these earlier guns to dirt/oil accumulation causing slamfires and other reliability issues. Doesn't sound like a bad upgrade to me. I guess if I decide to upgrade, I will just buy the parts and install them myself. I don't think I want to ship the pistol to Georgia. I may check another Glock armorer too. I know where one other is at fairly local. |
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Quoted:
You know the answer to your question. He was either too lazy to order the parts, didn't remember what he had been instructed or didn't care. The factory would see potential liability in not upgrading a gun sent to them and would make sure it was sent back meeting current safety specs. The armorer saw no such liability or didn't care. Yes, Probably right about that. The guy just might have blown it off, figuring the thing "was working, why jack with it?" "I'll ust blow smoke up the customers ass!" A shame because I'm quite pleased with his work on the slide. Was thinking about having him stuff on a set of Glock night sights. The sights on my old G17 are sort of improvised. I received it with what looks like a aftermarket 1911 style fixed rear, and a worn off front Glock factory nub! |