Keep the 17 as it is. If you want a shorter grip, just buy a 19. I have both and honestly, there's only about 1/2" difference. I had the 19 first but if I'd bought a 17 first, I may not have even gotten a 19.
What he said. You're just not gaining much even f it works. Then you have an ugly gun that you mad uglier by roughing up the edges. I have a 17 and have shot 19's many, many times. Unless you're going down to sub compact sizes, you're just wasting your time.
I'm bored with my glock 17 already. I think I may grab an extended, stainless barrell for the 17L and add a few things from rock your glock. It's for home defense, so none of the stuff affects functionality or detracts from shoootability.
And engraving this on the non ejection port side of the slide where there is no writing:
Some may say that it's ruining my glock. It's already ugly to me and it isn't a carry piece. I also don't buy into the stuff about lawyers making you out to be a gun crazed psychopath hell bent on killing someone should I ever use it for self defense. I have several lawyers that I work around who agree. But I would love a lighter trigger, the barrel may make it marginally more accurate and the engraving is just cool
to me. I like the custom rear dust covers, but I feel they may distract my sight picture. I realize a Glock is a tool and I'm breaking the "form following function" theme, but hey it's mine and I just want my glock to be different from every other black brick out there.
Either that or I may sell my Gen4 17 (yeah, like anyone wants it) and get the G33 I wanted to begin with. That one I would leave bone stock as a nice summer carry piece.
To each his own, brother! Good luck in whatever you decide to do...