Glock triggers - help me please.

[vanfunk]

Ok, first, the disclaimer, then the history, then the question:

Disclaimer: I do not hate Glocks; I have three and want to understand them better and shoot them better.

The history: 25 years ago, I bought a bunch of Glocks; I owned the following: 17, 19, 22, 23, 21 and 30. I liked their utility and thought of them as appliances. I never shot them for groups and preferred “combat” shooting of 7 yards or less. I got out of shooting about 20 years ago and sold a lot of guns, including all the Glocks.

Last year, I got back into shooting as I became semi-retired and had more time for hobbies. I re-acquired three Glocks, a 17, a 20 and 21, all gen 5 MOS models and I mounted red dots to them all.

I like their businesslike nature, their reliability, and they are decently accurate. However, I have an unutterable loathing for their triggers. I don’t know how to describe it except that it’s the worst of everything. It’s not smooth, it feels like running your finger over ground clam shells. The “wall” such as it is, is mushy. The trigger feel, with the dangly safety, is deplorable. The pull is too heavy.

I want to like them and shoot them better, I just put Ghost Ultimate connectors in them and have done the $.25 trigger job as described. They’re still horrible. People say to fire them like a double action revolver. No, the trigger in no way feels anything like a double action revolver. I don’t shoot these guns as well as I’d like because of the trigger, so what can I do? Is there any way to make these triggers a joy and not a nightmare?

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[LiveLife]

I re-acquired three Glocks, a 17, a 20 and 21, all gen 5 MOS models and I mounted red dots to them all.

I have an unutterable loathing for their triggers. I don’t know how to describe it except that it’s the worst of everything. It’s not smooth, it feels like running your finger over ground clam shells. The “wall” such as it is, is mushy. The trigger feel, with the dangly safety, is deplorable. The pull is too heavy.

My initial response to the thread under "Handguns: Revolvers" subcategory was ... "Wow, did Glock just make a revolver?"

(Request made to moderator to move thread to subcategory "Handguns: Autoloaders")

 

[Hartkopf]

The only way to get over all of the negative feelings about stock Glock triggers is to shoot nothing but stock Glock triggers. Preferably for a year or two.

There is the new Glock performance trigger for the gen5 you could try. Idk how much better it really is though. Or an aftermarket trigger.

 

[JohnKSa]

Moved to autoloaders...

 

[Hillbilly Hydrographics]

A good friend of mine who is a glock guy and loves the plastic fantastic. He has replaced the triggers in all of his glock pistols with timney alpha triggers and says it's the best parts swap he has ever done for his glocks.

 

[sgt127]

The race has been on, for years, to make a Glock “feel” like a 1911.

Some have gotten close.

It’s now a cocked and unlocked 1911.

If the trigger sucks, buy a different gun.

I had to carry Glocks for almost 15 years. They are tough, reliable guns, with crappy triggers. That’s it. Learn to shoot it or, get a different gun. Since I’ve retired, I have not fired a single round through my Glocks.

 

[InTheSwamp]

Other than a competition pistol, I want all my Glock trigger 100% stock. Practice and they are as accurate as any other service handgun.

 

[Jonny2guns]

Glock triggers really aren't all that bad compared to some auto loading handguns out there. They can be fixed or adjusted if you feel the need. But I.have found that I prefer a stock Gen 3 trigger to just about any other stock trigger. Now that being said Glock was my first self defense handgun, and perhaps after thousands of rounds I just got used to them.

 

[tbs]

I have a 43X that i have mentioned in the past. I hate the trigger as it tears my finger up no matter how I engage it with the tip of my finger. I went ahead and just put an Apex trigger in with flat face and 4.5 lb. pull. I didn't want to do this, but I just couldn't use it as is. Well guess what? It still does the same thing, but the trigger pull is definitely better. I have come to the conclusion that this Glock is too snappy for me. At 70 years old I just don't have the strength anymore to handle such a light pistol.
I may be listing this in the classified if anyone is interested.

 

[InTheSwamp]

I have a 43X that i have mentioned in the past. I hate the trigger as it tears my finger up no matter how I engage it with the tip of my finger. I went ahead and just put an Apex trigger in with flat face and 4.5 lb. pull. I didn't want to do this, but I just couldn't use it as is. Well guess what? It still does the same thing, but the trigger pull is definitely better. I have come to the conclusion that this Glock is too snappy for me. At 70 years old I just don't have the strength anymore to handle such a light pistol.
I may be listing this in the classified if anyone is interested.

You might want to try the S&W Shield Plus. It's no better, nor worse than the 43X, but the trigger is far better, and it doesn't "bite" your finger.

 

[redneck]

A good friend of mine who is a glock guy and loves the plastic fantastic. He has replaced the triggers in all of his glock pistols with timney alpha triggers and says it's the best parts swap he has ever done for his glocks.

I put a timney alpha trigger in my PSA Dagger. It is an awesome trigger but I consider it a range only trigger. It is about 3lbs and I don't let beginners shoot it now because if you try and stage it like many people do with a typical glock trigger you end up shooting it when you aren't ready. It also says that it only fits gen 3 and 4 glocks so that should be noted for anyone working on a gen 5.

 

[trackskippy]

Ive never found any of the Glock triggers to be bad at all. Different than this or that? Sure, but by no means a bad trigger.

There is a bit of difference in the Gen 5 triggers and the previous Gens. If I had to pick one, the Gen 3/4 would be the one, but there really isn't enough of a difference to mean anything. Just a matter of personal preference, if you want to dwell on it.

The "they are like a DA trigger" thing comes from those who don't understand the Glock triggers. If you're allowing the trigger to go fully forward and "stroking" it each time, you're doing it wrong.

This past fall, being bored, and constantly hearing of all the big improvements you get by doing things like $0.25, etc, I tried polishing a couple. Basically followed Johnny Glocks suggestions on YouTube. Its easy to do too, by the way, if you think its something you want to do. Makes things look pretty anyway, if you like shiney things. If I noticed anything, the triggers were slightly smoother, but no major changes or differences, and I did both Gen 3 and Gen 5 triggers. But, If you're bored, it might give you something to do if you have to go looking.

I also tried switching out the factory 5.5# connectors with a 3.5# connector on a couple of Gen 3 guns since that seems to be a bg thing, and deal for some. The trigger is a tad lighter, but I also think its probably best left to range/games guns. Its to light to my liking for anything serious. For me, the factory 5.5# connector is just right.

I feel the same way about all these other $$$ triggers that are supposed to make the Glock trigger better or something else. If you've got money to waste and feel the need, knock yourself out, but the trigger, and/or the gun are not the issue if you cant shoot it well.

 

[tbs]

You might want to try the S&W Shield Plus. It's no better, nor worse than the 43X, but the trigger is far better, and it doesn't "bite" your finger.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm going to try one thing before I through in the towel. Now that it has a flat face trigger, I'm going try engaging the trigger face at the top instead of at the bottom and see if relieves the bite.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

FWIW, I learned to love the Glock trigger by getting an Advantage Arms .22 LR conversion and shooting it extensively with a laser sight. Once I got the hang of it I stuck with the factory trigger.

I don't actually use a laser sight day-to-day, but it's a useful tool to confirm trigger control since you get immediate downrange feedback on what you're doing wrong.

 

[nevadabob]

Years ago I had a Glock 26 and couldn't hit the target with it. Swore off Glocks and didn't look back until recently when I came across a 26 in the Cabela's gun library. I felt the challenge to try a 26 again. Bought it and have been to the range several times. What a nice shooter (Gen 3) this gun is! Glad I got it! I'm so glad I got it that I bought a 28 (380) which is the same size as the 26. And what a nice shooter the 28 is! I like the triggers on both. I've recently taken an interest in 380's.

 

[a2x4bbl]

Just my opinion , disclaimer out of the way . What you’re describing you don’t like is striker fired pistols in general. You can improve them some , but it will never be what a 1911 trigger is capable of . Or a revolver single action trigger is capable of . Note capable of . The reason is the design of the trigger mechanism . As previously noted you can just practice A LOT ( as in thousands of rounds not hundreds ) lots of dry fire practice and get used to it . A Timney trigger which I have in this 17 Gen 4 makes a dramatic improvement . It does so by changing the mechanism into a sear , kind of . It’s still not a tuned 1911 trigger but close . There is a long running debate that the Timney is not drop safe . I personally could not get mine to fire without pulling the trigger. First I tried a rubber mallet to no avail and finally a 2 x 4 . No I did not drop it on concrete. The plunger in the slide will not let the striker go forward unless you pull the trigger . Connectors and polishing helps , I’ve done that as well but you will never get to the Timney level .
The best striker fired pistol for me is the Steyr A2 series . I’ve heard good things about the Canik but I don’t have one .

 

[bearcreek]

Is there any way to make these triggers a joy and not a nightmare?

Thank you so much for your help!

Here are 227 threads on the subject. Might find some info to help in one of them.

Search results for query: glock trigger

 

[Zerodefect]

Some people care more about how a pistol trigger feels, than how it shoots.

The most accurate 1911 trigger I ever made, would be called "ruined", by fuds.

Glock trigger is fine, once you source a smooth shoe, and flush cut it.

 

[1KPerDay]

Some are better than others even in factory guns. If you open your mind a bit and think of the trigger break as a process over time rather than an instant class rod snap you can still learn to shoot Glock triggers extremely well. There are aftermarket parts and triggers that can improve it. However if you expand the “snap” to mentally encompass a rolling break over a longer distance you may learn to shoot them well and not hate them.

You can make a Glock trigger feel a little more like a DA revolver by adding the NY+ springs or whatever. But Kahr has the market on that type of smooth DA-style striker trigger.

 

[Zerodefect]

Glocks are made to equip armies rapidly.

Look how every single 1911, 2011, and CZ builder is struggling to produce pistols. They simply don't have the cnc tooling, or the labor force, needed to rapidly spit out quality arms of that design.

A Glock might have extra plastic on the trigger safety due to worries about tolerance stacking, and the guts might just be stamped steel, but with some effort, you can clean that up easy enough.

Damn near every company makes a Glock now, for a reason. And they were all available by the pallet during the last scare. A whole pallet of striker fired pistols, for every single all steel pistol.

It's a wonderful time to be a gun enthusiast.

 

[Zerodefect]

Look at the $300 Stoeger.

Nothing fancy. But if a noob bought that, they'd by 100 times better off, than where I started.

 

[1KPerDay]

Look at the $300 Stoeger.

Nothing fancy. But if a noob bought that, they'd by 100 times better off, than where I started.

My Stoeger STR-9 has an excellent striker trigger but the OP would likely hate it for the reasons he hates his Glock triggers. It’s definitely a rolling break. It’s clean and smooth, but it’s not a snap.

 

[jmr40]

Glock triggers traditionally come with a 5.5 to 6 lb trigger that has a pretty crisp break. That's exactly the same as a typical 1911 that everyone talks about. You can get a 1911 designed for target shooting or modify one to have an even lighter trigger.

I've tried some Glocks modifed with a lighter pull weight, but found them to be mushy even though they broke closer to 3 lbs. I shoot the factory trigger better.

I do have a APEX triggers on 2 S&W M&P pistols and find it to be great. BUT... My Smiths both have the 1911 style safety on them. I'd not want a trigger that light on a Glock with no manual safety. My gunsmith tells me he isn't aware of anything for the 5th gen Glocks though.

I've not had any experience with the 5th gens but by all accounts, they have a better trigger from the factory and are more accurate than previous Glocks.

My advice is to spend more trigger time with what you have. Dry firing is your friend and it isn't going to hurt most pistols. Especially not a Glock.

 

[InTheSwamp]

I'd not want a trigger that light on a Glock with no manual safety.

Same here. A lot cheaper to practice than to "replace" a limb, or worse

 

[berettaprofessor]

The only way to get over all of the negative feelings about stock Glock triggers is to shoot nothing but stock Glock triggers. Preferably for a year or two.

You mean to forget that there are good triggers in the world?

Glock triggers traditionally come with a 5.5 to 6 lb trigger that has a pretty crisp break. That's exactly the same as a typical 1911 that everyone talks about.

It's not the pull...it's the slop and lack of a crisp break. Although my 1911's feel lighter than that but I had never measured, so I just did. My 15 year old Taurus 1911 is 3.5#. My (purchased used) Colt 1991 is 5#.