Gen 3 vs Gen 4 parts?

[Eric2340]

I've always been a Gen 3 guy, it's pretty much all I have ever owned and currently ALL I now own of the Glocks I have (10 or so?).

I am considering picking up a used Gen 4 gun now, given that fact that their prices used are starting to drop now on trade ins.

I already stock and have a considerable number of spare parts for my Gen 3 guns, what parts will NOT work between a Gen 3 and Gen 4 guns other than the obvious of the mag releases and trigger housings?


Thanks -

Eric

[DWARREN123]

RSA, except for compacts? All I can think of.

[fastbolt]

Why not occasionally download the updated armorer parts list from the company website? You can easily check each of the parts and assemblies and see what is intended to be used for which models/calibers.

[Eric2340]

6 hours ago, fastbolt said:

Why not occasionally download the updated armorer parts list from the company website? You can easily check each of the parts and assemblies and see what is intended to be used for which models/calibers.

I was not aware you can even do that off the official site? I'll check it out, THANKS!!!

[fastbolt]

Dude ... https://us.glock.com/en/downloadable-materials

 

Bear in mind that while they seem to have become better at updating it, it might not be updated each and every time some particular part is revised or replaced.

That sort of thing is usually discovered when an armorer calls to ask about a question about an order he/she may be preparing, and they're told one of the parts/assemblies has been discontinued and replaced with another one. Glock certainly isn't the only one who may not be able to keep their website lists current with any daily/weekly/monthly changes engineers make to such things. BTDT.

Edited December 23, 2018 by fastbolt

[Eric2340]

From what I can tell from what digging around I did before your suggestion of looking at the parts list on the website yesterday, it looks like other than the obvious of the mag releases, the majority of the different parts are in the trigger housing area of the gun. This making sense b/c of the back of the guns being redesigned internally for the adjustable back straps.

I've always avoided the Gen 4 guns before this for two reasons - 

1. I was concerned about the interchangeability of parts before with never really honestly looking into it to see the extent it leads too - turns out now after doing so it is no where near the issue I feared it was. Not to mention if I were to need parts for a Glock anyway I'd be looking for the CORRECT factory part number and application before I bought anything anyway, so it's really a non-issue for me. 

2. If you recall the go around I had a couple of years ago with the G30SF and Gen 4 G30 where I just could not get the trigger feel where I wanted it to compared to my Gen 3 G30 and other non-.45 frame sized Gen 3 guns, I feel now it was either more of a .45 caliber trigger bar issue with the # 2 and 3 design bars or just the difference in the redesign of the trigger component geometry in the back of these guns due to their narrower reconfiguration from the Gen 3 guns? I wound up with two NEW Gen 3 G30's out of it (NOT "G30S"'s) and the problem went away? I am hoping in a Gen 4 non-.45 or 10mm gun this redesign/change in trigger component geometry is as different as it is in the Gen 4 .45 and 10mm guns, so hopefully it will not be an issue for "me" again?

Either way I'm ready to come off of my "Gen 3 guns only" thing now and give the Gen 4 guns another chance. The price is dropping on them anyway and they are more abundant now too, so that helps too. Plus I actually DO like the larger Gen 4 mag release design too. 

 

Thanks -

[Valmet]

I understand where you’re coming from OP. I’ve been shooting Glocks since 1998 and it took me 5 years from their introduction in 2010 to finally break down and buy a Gen4 and I don’t regret it. Sure I still own and shoot my Gen3s, but I do like the Gen4. 

I like my Gen5 19 ok but between the mag cut-out, flared well, and how amazing the 19X feels to me, I’m quickly souring on it. 

[Eric2340]

1 minute ago, Valmet said:

I understand where you’re coming from OP. I’ve been shooting Glocks since 1998 and it took me 5 years from their introduction in 2010 to finally break down and buy a Gen4 and I don’t regret it. Sure I still own and shoot my Gen3s, but I do like the Gen4. 

I like my Gen5 19 ok but between the mag cut-out, flared well, and how amazing the 19X feels to me, I’m quickly souring on it. 

 

Which Gen 3 vs which Gen 4 do/did you have? Anything comparable? I ask only b/c of my experience with the .45/10mm size guns in both frames and I find the Gen 3 guns in these sizes work better for me? I already have two Gen 3 G19s and a G26, looking to add more in the 9mm sized guns, why I am curious about the comparable Gen 4 guns in those sizes?

Thanks -

 

[Valmet]

I have a Gen4 19 and a Gen4 21 (and their older brothers in Gen3). The textured frame has really grown on me as I have larger hands and I like the large mag release. Admittedly, my Gen3 21 also has a Hogue sleeve on it, making a large frame even larger for me and it fits me perfectly. 

[Eric2340]

3 minutes ago, Valmet said:

I have a Gen4 19 and a Gen4 21 (and their older brothers in Gen3). The textured frame has really grown on me as I have larger hands and I like the large mag release. Admittedly, my Gen3 21 also has a Hogue sleeve on it, making a large frame even larger for me and it fits me perfectly. 

 

You are in the same boat as me then as these are the main two I am concentrating on possibly moving to Gen 4 platforms, plus I also run the Houge grip sleves on ALL my .45/10mm frame size guns (a G21, G21SF, two G30's, and two G20's). Again I have NOT been a fan of the G21SF, G30SFand one Gen 4 G30 I had. I also DO run the NY1+factory "-" connector in all my guns, so I understand this may be part of my issue with the larger (.45/10mm) guns between SF and Gen 4 frames too - or so at least it seems to have been?

Again why I am curious to see how that particular setup runs in the 9mm sized Gen 4 guns in relation to how the trigger housing area/geometry of those size guns are effected compared to my particular experiences with the larger framed guns?

 

Do you find any kind of strange difference between you 9mm Gen 3 and Gen 4 guns?

Thanks -

[Valmet]

No strange difference. My two main concerns were BTF and the poor(er) finish, by comparison. My Gen4 19 is ZRD90X (June 2015) and I haven’t been disappointed. 

[Moshe]

I think the only Gen four's around here are two G-19's.  I always wait several years for the bugs to get out of the next generation, before jumping.  It took some effort to go from Gen 3 to Gen 4.

[Eric2340]

2 hours ago, Moshe said:

I think the only Gen four's around here are two G-19's.  I always wait several years for the bugs to get out of the next generation, before jumping.  It took some effort to go from Gen 3 to Gen 4.

That's the point I have been at for some time and now am only looking to do so as people are bailing on them now for Gen 5's and the Gen 4's are so abundant their used prices are dropping through the floor on them. Gen 3's are still out there, but are getting harder to find used as everyone seems to be holding on to them.

The parts thing was the real thing holding me back for so long, but I again never really looked into to see that it's not the issue I feared it was (compatibility with the Gen 3s).

My only REAL reservation was the trigger feel of the smaller frame and the NY1+the factory "-" connector as have used in all my Gen 3 guns, after poor experience with that setup and SF and Gen 4 .45 sized frames.

 

I'm hoping Gen 4 9mm guns will NOT give me the same problems as the larger frames did.

[Moshe]

Yes, there aren't a lot of .45 style pistols around.  I think that has to do with people who are going only 9mm, for whatever reason.  My favorite round for people stopping is the .45 ACP.  It is not like you can't find it and it won't break the bank.  It used to be firearms manufacturers had a set type of firearm, and their weren't so many brands popping up, by different names/manufacturers.  Ten years ago, I could walk into a Pawn Shop and identify every firearm there.  Now, everything is trends.

[Eric2340]

16 minutes ago, Moshe said:

Yes, there aren't a lot of .45 style pistols around.  I think that has to do with people who are going only 9mm, for whatever reason.  My favorite round for people stopping is the .45 ACP.  It is not like you can't find it and it won't break the bank.  It used to be firearms manufacturers had a set type of firearm, and their weren't so many brands popping up, by different names/manufacturers.  Ten years ago, I could walk into a Pawn Shop and identify every firearm there.  Now, everything is trends.

 

I narrowed down my calibers I kept on hand years ago when I dumped all my .40s then and just moved to strictly .45 and 9mm guns. I prefer the larger .45's w/ over 13 rounds or more (my G21s) for home defense use, and my 9mm's for carry, only because I can easily pocket my G26 w/ 10 rounds and easily carry a fifteen round G19 mag more than comfortably. I don't realistically think I'll ever need 25 rounds or more on me while out and about carrying, but I've also never known anyone to say, "gee, I wish I'd had LESS ammo on me" either when something bad has happened.