Stock Glock vs Polymer 80

Dizzle · Sep 9, 2019

Reliability?
Ergonomics?
Price/Value?
Gen 5 vs Gen 3?

Also looking into companies who sell complete kits if I went the way of p80. I have seen problems with tolerances if piecing them together. Maybe some information on this situation would be helpful as well.

GuitarmanNick · Sep 9, 2019

In my experience, P80s are as reliable as the parts used and the quality of the 20% of the work needed to complete them. I have used all Glock internal parts in my frames and slides. This has given me 100% reliability on them. I have used Swenson slides on all of them and rifled barrels from different manufacturers. Some fitting may be required but most will just drop in depending on tolerances. So far, they eat anything and always go bang!

As for ergonomics, the versions currently being offered seem to be comfortable enough when shooting. I have one of the early versions of the G17 and have modified the grip extensively to get it to feel right when shooting.

As for price/value,... well that will depend upon your perspective and motivation in most cases. You will likely not save any money by building.

I can not provide any input about Gen 3 vs. anything else as all of my builds are Gen 3.

Purchasing a complete kit may be more costly than sourcing parts independently even when separate shipping charges are included in the comparison. Recently, I have seen some ads that look like good values for complete kits on sale on gundeals.com.

As for companies that sell frames, I can say that Polymer80 has great customer service from my experiences with them. I was gifted a P80 AR lower. Upon finishing it, I discovered that it was out of spec and would not attach to an upper without force. I sent them some pictures of the problem areas and was instructed to cut it in half and send them a picture of the destroyed lower upon receipt of which, they would send a replacement. It was received in just a few days and went on to be successfully completed.

erwos · Sep 9, 2019

I've built three.

Reliability: Two (PF940v2 and PF940SC), as far as I can tell, are as reliable as my factory Glocks (a 17 and two 34s). The third (PF940C) is not (about 98% with the right ammo), but it's also got a compensator, so you kinda get what you get with those - and I'm not done tweaking it yet. Keep in mind that when I talk about reliability, I'm not talking plinking at the range, I'm talking high round-count day long classes - I ran mine at a Modern Samurai Project class.

Ergos: Way better than factory Glock frames.

Price/Value: Generally pretty good. I feel like you don't wind up a lot cheaper, but wind up with a much better gun. HOWEVER: strongly recommend you only use Glock parts kits to start. I had some issues with the LW trigger when I built my first one. Glock trigger assembly fixed it.

Gen3 vs Gen5: gen5 is better, but it's not so much better that I'd take it over the improved ergos of the poly80 frame. (My lefty son would probably have different thoughts when he's old enough to shoot them.)

byf43 · Sep 9, 2019

I've built a couple of the P80 and have a large frame (G20 build) to do.

Price: You can actually buy a GLOCK for less $$$, with all things being equal.

All of the internals that I use are OEM Glock.

The NG-17 (Not a Glock 17) has a Brownell's slide w/ all other parts being Glock, including the barrel.
The slide was TIGHT on the frame rails, but, I lapped the slide/rails and now the slide feels like it's running on ball bearings.

The other builds are 100% Glock slide assemblies.

Accuracy: The NG-17 is a tackdriver.
The NG-22 sits, unfired, so far.

Ergonomics: I’m ‘ham handed’ and the NG-17 frame fits me and feels really good.
Really like the way it fits.

GSXR750 · Sep 12, 2019

can't go wrong with stock glock, yet the poly80 seem to be extremely reliable if you are meticulous and exact about your build. if it doesn't malfunction in 100rds, you should be good to go for relying on it for personal defense.

lazarus · Sep 12, 2019

I have a 1.5 G17. Took some doing to get it to run right, but it had little to do with the frame for most of it. I eventually got it to 98% reliability. About 1 in 50 the slide doesn’t quite get all the way in to battery and I have a light strike. Got a 3rd gen frame. Only put 100 down range, but it was 99%. One wolf steel cases round jumped up, which I had on rare occasions with the polymer 80 also. Zero failures to return fully to battery and fire. More time will tell if the difference in frames are what it is. I did accidentally over bore the trigger pin by drilling straight through, but it seats firmly.

For ergos, I like the flared magwell and size of the polymer, but the finger swells and general shape of the gen 3 frame fit my hand a little better and I get a little better control with it.

I spent about $350 originally getting all of the stuff on sale. Another about $50 on parts to get it to run right (ejector wasn’t working right and had to swap to a gen 4/5, bashed the slide stop putting it in backwards for the first few hundred rounds. New SS recoil rod and 18# spring).

Trying out the latest generation of polymer 80 G17 and 19 frames I like the design better than the gen 1/1.5 17 frame. Be closer to a toss up on which I prefer. Between the early gen polymer 80 17 frames and a real gen 3 Glock frame, its a real gen 3 Glock frame for me.

Stock Glock vs Polymer 80

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