Reading all 7 messages in thread
message board home

9/21/2019 5:23:20 PM

Reply or ReplyNewSubject
Section 8: Handguns
Subject: Glock 17 Swenson slide Msg# 1056299

From:

TJ Parmele

Joined 6/1/2005

To:

Mark Freburg (Read) Forum Manager

Joined 4/3/2000

I couldn't tell you either. The Swenson slide I picked up bare for something like $159 and the Glock Gen 3 build kit for the slide was reasonable. This was part of my non-Glock Glock build. The frame is a heavily stippled Gen 3 17 frame. I put it on this frame to ensure it would fire and it did, with no issues while I waited for my Polymer 80 Frame kit to arrive (they were backordered at the time).

Apparently part of the rush of putting these aftermarket slides and frames together is they use Glock parts and they are seen as improvements on the Gen 3 Glock?
I put together a Polymer 80 pistol just to see if i could and to see how reliable they are. Turns out, it's pretty easy. I used some hand tools and patience to put mine together. Image below from TJ Parmele - Image Title: Polymer 80 "Glock" build
Image Info: Here is my completed Polymer 80 build. This is the finished product from an 80% frame build.

Image below from TJ Parmele - Image Title: Polymer 80 Project
Image Info: This is the standard product coming from Polymer80. This is their version of an unfinished "Glock-like" frame. It takes Glock slides and Glock parts. It comes with the plastic template, drill bits and the internet tells you what needs to be done where.

Image below from TJ Parmele - Image Title: Polymer 80 "Glock" build
Image Info: Here is my completed Polymer 80 build. This is the finished product from an 80% frame build.

I did this mostly as a proof of concept to see if I could pull it off. It's a nice shooter. I purchased the 80% frame from a dealer with cash. No background check was required. The only problem with this is none of the components are cheap. All said and done, it's cheaper to buy a used Glock LE Trade in. I like the pistol and it's fun to shoot. It even takes Glock aftermarket magazines. Just had to make a minor adjustment or two to make it fire reliably.

For reference, the above message is a reply to a message where:
I really don't get why a half dozen (at a guess) aftermarket companies are making and/or selling Glock slides. Do they really offer something one doesn't get with a factory slide? Glock offers ported models, so that can't be it. Is it just Firearms Guys' eternal desire to be the kid on the block with something DIFFERENT from Tom, Dick, and Gaston?

Keep in mind I am an unabashed, unreconstructed MINIMALIST. Growing up in the pre-Kimber 1911 days I was one of the few who never wanted to make every change under the sun to my 1911, just the fewest possible needed--at a time when nothing came on a 1911. So when I got into Glock I was pretty pleased that it really needed very darn little. I ended up buying into a couple things--that the plastic guide rod was a weakness, so I did go with replacement stainless steel guide rods, and I replaced some of the plastic sights with identical-but-steel sights (also from Glock), but the whole idea of replacing a totally functional slide would have been a mind-boggle to me. That's half the pistol, and with a Glock you get that Tennifer (no rust) treated slide. I seriously doubt if any aftermarket slides are Tennifer or any other deep heat treated (Nitrite, etc.)

So yeah, I be puzzled.

Image below from TJ Parmele - Image Title: photos
Image Info: Swenson Glock 17 aftermarket slide on heavily stippled Glock 17

Larger image available! Click image to see it.

message board home