Glock build, wish me luck

[Brychan]

Midway has glock 80% lowers on sale for 100 off. As I was looking at these the wife is like go ahead and get what you need to do the whole project. This is to keep busy as I'm medically retired and can work on it when I'm up to it and give her some peace and quiet.

This will be the most ambitious gunsmithing project I've ever tried. Got everything for a gen 3 glock 17.

 

[amickey1979]

Good luck!

 

[Red1917]

I just saw that deal too, pretty hard to pass up so I might end up doing one too. Good luck!

 

[94hokie]

I did one a couple months ago. It's not hard. The only issue I had was having to use a small file on the rear rails to get the slide to operate smoothly. I'm waiting on the v2's coming out next month to do another one in a 34 configuration.

 

[StantonCree]

wow with everything on sale, using the cheapest price point, you can build a 17 for 430 bucks

 

[Brychan]

wow with everything on sale, using the cheapest price point, you can build a 17 for 430 bucks

With sights and a couple of mags it came in just over $500

 

[Alphabrew]

Honestly, even $50 is a lot of money for the first gen 80% lower. Those are essentially worthless compared to the much improved Gen 2 poly 80 Glock lowers that have the metal rails. If it's not too late to cancel the order or return it, I'd suggest doing so. The reason the Gen 1 lowers are being dumped is because the Gen 2 full size are coming out soon.

Sorry to be the skunk at the garden party but that's my honest opinion. I have done both the Gen 1 lower that OP is talking about and the Gen 2 lower, and Gen 2 is the way to go all day long and twice on Sunday.

 

[Stoveman]

I ordered one just for grins and if I Eff it up no big whoop. With the parts kit it was less than a C note and I already have a Gen 3 slide and barrel.

 

[eruby]

Marco from Tropojë says Good Luck.

 

[Brychan]

Honestly, even $50 is a lot of money for the first gen 80% lower. Those are essentially worthless compared to the much improved Gen 2 poly 80 Glock lowers that have the metal rails. If it's not too late to cancel the order or return it, I'd suggest doing so. The reason the Gen 1 lowers are being dumped is because the Gen 2 full size are coming out soon.

Sorry to be the skunk at the garden party but that's my honest opinion. I have done both the Gen 1 lower that OP is talking about and the Gen 2 lower, and Gen 2 is the way to go all day long and twice on Sunday.

For a first time try I would rather screw up a $50 frame than something more expensive.

 

[echo6mike]

For a first time try I would rather screw up a $50 frame than something more expensive.

^^^

This is me, too. The rest of the parts I can reuse, so if I scrap the first lower as a learning experience, no big loss.

 

[Magnumite]

Good luck on your project, OP.

I almost bought a poly80 Glock jig and frame. Brownell's had them marked down to $60. Priced the parts needed to complete it - t'was less expensive buy a good used one. If I knew Glocks better I might have done it.

 

[Brychan]

Good luck on your project, OP.

I almost bought a poly80 Glock jig and frame. Brownell's had them marked down to $60. Priced the parts needed to complete it - t'was less expensive buy a good used one. If I knew Glocks better I might have done it.

Yeah that was my thought as well, but the wife was more interested in keeping me busy and entertained than me having another pistol.

 

[Magnumite]

Yeah that was my thought as well, but the wife was more interested in keeping me busy and entertained than me having another pistol.

Knocks the daylights out of a honey-do list!

 

[echo6mike]

Good luck on your project, OP.

I almost bought a poly80 Glock jig and frame. Brownell's had them marked down to $60. Priced the parts needed to complete it - t'was less expensive buy a good used one. If I knew Glocks better I might have done it.

It's not all about price...

 

[Sewer Rat]

Careful its addictive.... have four gen1/1.5 full sized done, one gen2 full size on order; and two compacts.... even the 15 yr old said I had enough LOL Need to get him away from his mom

 

[Brychan]

Careful its addictive.... have four gen1/1.5 full sized done, one gen2 full size on order; and two compacts.... even the 15 yr old said I had enough LOL Need to get him away from his mom

Did you use a drill press to cut the rails? If not how difficult was it to cut them? That is the only thing that has me nervous, is cutting the rail too deep.

 

[Sewer Rat]

Strongly suggest drill press with an x-y vice. I did try to freehand one and went way too deep. That frame is reserved for the mechtech upper i want to get.

Easier to mill via dremel and sanding wheel though.

 

[Bountied]

Did you use a drill press to cut the rails? If not how difficult was it to cut them? That is the only thing that has me nervous, is cutting the rail too deep.

I used a square gunsmiths file that was the exact thickness for the rail. Take it nice and slow. The issue with using a drill press is that it may not be straight and you may go too deep. You could also try a hack saw blade of the appropriate thickness.

I also completely redid the grip. Took off all the nubs, some of the beavertail, and did an undercut on the trigger guard. I then used talon grips instead of stippling. You get a smaller grip and retain the magwell.

I've only had one issue with my Gen1 and that was when I racked the slide, let it go, and the pistol discharged. Scared the crap out of me. I tried to replicate the malfunction but it hasn't done it again. I'm wondering if it's something I did?

 

[MikeV]

don't mill with a drill press

Did you use a drill press to cut the rails? If not how difficult was it to cut them? That is the only thing that has me nervous, is cutting the rail too deep.

I've built a few of these v1.5 poly80's and haven't used the end mills at all( anybody need some brand new end mills? I have a few...)

--Use a dremel on the front portion of the frame (and then a coarse file followed by a finer file to finish)
--and for the rear rails use a hack saw or reciprocating saw blade to begin the channels. Take it slow and easy, knowing that your're gonna finish with fine jewelers files for the final steps. This is the most time consuming part, but it's worth it to take your time and end up with a perfect fit. Get the small file kit from Harbor Freight or Walmart... around $5

---HINT study the raw frame from the rear above the beavertail. The square portion that is to be the rear rail has a very fine pebble texture from the mold. The sides that are to be "milled" are left smooth from the factory. By noting this small detail, you can see where you need to stop filing the rear rail channels. But ultimately the best fitment will be trial and error fitting of your slide. And if you bought your slide unassembled, leave it that way while you're getting your rails perfect.

I agree that the newer models with the steel rear rails are a superior design! But I'm not all doom and gloom about the longevity of the polymer rail models. My best advice for the cautious is to build it as a 9mm (not a .40 and certainly not a .357 sig) and only fire standard pressure ammo in it. You might get away with some occasional +P but definitely stay away from +P+

I'm closing in on 1000 rounds from one of mine, and it still feels smooth and tight. And that's never a bad thing

I'm waiting for my v2 model so I can Build it as a .357 sig. These guys are addicting!

Have fun!!