Glock 20 Gen 3SF or Gen 4?

kreane · February 18 2015 04:43:12 PM MST

Are the bugs worked out of the Gen 4 Glock 20's? Might pick up a Gen 4 for the slimmer grip. I just know that the Gen 3 is proven...

GPG · February 18 2015 04:55:04 PM MST

see if you can find a shop with both. I searched until I did and was very glad. I have medium-size hands and the G4 was very uncomfortable. Unless you have baseball mits for hands, you may find the G420 too big a grip. I have had the G3 SF for 3 months now (1500+ rounds) and absolutely love how it feels.

4949shooter · February 18 2015 05:07:32 PM MST

No issue with my Gen 4, but I use the 24 pound RSA from Glockmeister with Underwood ammo.

chucky2 · February 18 2015 05:51:35 PM MST

All the bugs worked out of Gen4 G20? No. If you want the most reliable G20, Gen3/Gen3SF is the way to go. Gen4 is certainly not worthy of "Glock Perfection" label...

ShadeTreeVTX · February 19 2015 01:55:09 AM MST

I agree with chucky2 G20sf Gen3 Glocks best 10mm - next is the G29sf Gen3.

Doug

cwall64 · February 19 2015 08:51:38 AM MST

Gen4 since I am left handed, no problems with it in stock configuration with Underwood ammo. I did get a Brass Stacker 22# RSA just to test out and I like it, so switching between the two RSAs currently...

chucky2 · February 19 2015 11:11:12 AM MST

And that really is the problem with Gen4: Using full power/max power ammo, you might get one that is reliable each time you pull the trigger, and you might get one that's not. The incidence rate for Gen3/Gen3SF was much less when I was researching prior to buying my Gen4, and in the cases where people did have problems, they almost always were able to cure them. With Gen4, if you have a FTF w/ real power 10mm ammo, Glock's official cure (after you escalate to them, and spend more of your $ shipping the firearm back to them, perhaps 2-3x), is: Well, we can give you a Gen3SF.

Your choice is this basically: Take a gamble on Gen4, or, take far far less of a gamble on Gen3/Gen3SF.

redbaron007 · February 19 2015 01:06:00 PM MST

It appears Glock has cleaned out the cobwebs for the G4 G20. There was an initial issue with the earlier models, but since they changed the RSA, no more issues than a G3.

My G4 G20 was test fired 1/2014....I've have been shooting different loads, from target to Underwood/Buffalo Bore, and have had no issues. I have the stock barrel and a 6' KKM, no issues with either barrel.

When you purchase the G4 G20, just check the test fire date; if it is before 1/2014, you may want to verify with Glock it has the correct RSA.

chucky2 · February 19 2015 02:35:22 PM MST

What is this RSA business redbaron007? The only thing I've heard Glock say, through people on this site, never Glock officially direct to their customers, is we should be using the #4 followers (which I've tried to obtain 3x from them...never came ((and yes I asked nicely and was polite))). You're saying they have a new updated RSA for Gen4 G20's?

redbaron007 · February 19 2015 02:46:41 PM MST

Quote from: chucky2 on February 19 2015 02:35:22 PM MST
What is this RSA business redbaron007? The only thing I've heard Glock say, through people on this site, never Glock officially direct to their customers, is we should be using the #4 followers (which I've tried to obtain 3x from them...never came ((and yes I asked nicely and was polite))). You're saying they have a new updated RSA for Gen4 G20's?

Here's the link the G4 RSA recall; http://us.glock.com/customer-service/recoil-spring-exchange. Although it says before June 2011; I've been told the G4 G20s have had some issues prior to the 1/2014 production.

The followers is a hit or miss from what I have heard. I've got about 10 mags with different followers, they all seem to operate fine with my gun. Most G4 models before 2014 may need to have their RSA replaced. 1

chucky2 · February 20 2015 08:33:05 AM MST

I actually had seen that but didn't think Gen4 G20's were even available before then. I ordered mine in like Jan 2014 and got it in March 2014 (GSSF purchase)...there weren't too many on the web that had Gen4 G20's at that point in time. When I paid (a good sum of money) to send my pistol back to Glock, they shot it with 200gr Blazer ammo and pronounced it Glock Perfection...they didn't replace anything in it. Certainly if anyone has a Gen4 G20 made then they should send in for the RSA, but, I don't think Glock has a fix for Gen4 G20 at this point in time (RSA, #4 follower, or otherwise)...so many customers pistols just remain broke. Can't count on broke...

redbaron007 · February 20 2015 09:37:23 AM MST

I ordered mine too through the GSSF purchase program. Mine was order in Feb/Mar 2013, I took possession of mine in Mar 2014. Mine was test fired in Jan 2014. When mine came through the LGS, which is a LEO supplier, they had not received any G4 G20, mine was their first. Subsequently, they have had several come through over the last year; none, to their knowledge, has had any issues. The gunsmith there is a Glock Armorer, as I was until last year. He had heard of some concerns for the G4s including the G20, but had not ran into anything with them.

From what I had heard, anecdotal, there were a few things happening, but all were very inconsistent. The followers seemed to reduce most of the issues, but the RSA still seemed to be suspect, at least in the first run of them. Since receiving mine, I've had zero issues. I know several of the range personnel at the BPS pistol range and have asked them to track any of the G4 G20 issues they hear about. So far, the only thing they have run into is a couple have been limp-wristing. The range personal would shoot the same ammo and mag in the same gun and have no issues. They even videoed one person with their iPhone in slow mo to show what was happening. Other than that, that is it.

chucky2 · February 20 2015 10:12:14 AM MST

But are any of these folks using real power 10mm ammo? I can shoot mine with bulk .40 with my KKM conversion barrel and almost never have an issue (and when I do I don't get mad, that's certainly not a supported configuration). I can shoot mine with .40 S&W powered 10mm and almost never have an issue (although I've had a few FTF over maybe 700 10mm rounds). But if I shoot full power or top power 10mm, I can definitely get FTF.

The thing is, I'm out of shape and certainly don't have the strongest grip or beefiest wrists, so I can accept it might be me causing the 10mm FTF. The problem is, I've had two guys shoot the top/max power 10mm and if you clamped the gun down you'd be hard pressed to have less wrist action - one is a former wrestler who's in pretty good shape and the other is is older brother who is a naturally brauny dude. They too have the same rate of FTF as I do. Others on this site have Gen4 G20 (who also have Gen3/3SF and/or other large recoil weapons that they manage to shoot without issue) and have FTF issues.

When Glock's own fix to Gen4 G20 FTF is to give people a Gen3, you know there's a problem. The problem is, Glock doens't seem inclined to fix it (probably due to low G20 numbers vs other calibers). And so those of us with broken Gen4 G20's continue to wait for Glock to issue a fix...

redbaron007 · February 20 2015 10:30:18 AM MST

Quote from: chucky2 on February 20 2015 10:12:14 AM MST
But are any of these folks using real power 10mm ammo? I can shoot mine with bulk .40 with my KKM conversion barrel and almost never have an issue (and when I do I don't get mad, that's certainly not a supported configuration). I can shoot mine with .40 S&W powered 10mm and almost never have an issue (although I've had a few FTF over maybe 700 10mm rounds). But if I shoot full power or top power 10mm, I can definitely get FTF.

The thing is, I'm out of shape and certainly don't have the strongest grip or beefiest wrists, so I can accept it might be me causing the 10mm FTF. The problem is, I've had two guys shoot the top/max power 10mm and if you clamped the gun down you'd be hard pressed to have less wrist action - one is a former wrestler who's in pretty good shape and the other is is older brother who is a naturally brauny dude. They too have the same rate of FTF as I do. Others on this site have Gen4 G20 (who also have Gen3/3SF and/or other large recoil weapons that they manage to shoot without issue) and have FTF issues.

When Glock's own fix to Gen4 G20 FTF is to give people a Gen3, you know there's a problem. The problem is, Glock doens't seem inclined to fix it (probably due to low G20 numbers vs other calibers). And so those of us with broken Gen4 G20's continue to wait for Glock to issue a fix...

Your gun may have had issues....therefore, to satisfy you, they gave you a G3. It's hard to solve something one can't replicate.

I have no idea what, except for a couple of G4 owners shoot others have shot; so they could be shooting 10mm lite loads....again I have no idea. I know I haven't and at least two others who own G4 G20s have had no issues; we have have shot BB/UW and some hot reloads with no issues. I've done it with my stock and KKM barrel.....actually I take that back....now that I think about it, I had a feeding issue with one used mag someone gave me, it turned out to be the spring...I was shooting Georgia Arms target loads with it. Replaced the spring.....good to go.

And as many have quoted before me, we all know what is said on the internet is true. I have personal knowledge of at least 3 G4 G20s operating as expected; beyond that, everything is speculatory (sp) at best.

chucky2 · February 23 2015 10:20:20 AM MST

Glock didn't give me a Gen3/3SF - they sent me back a still malfunctioning pistol they pronounced good after shooting weak 10mm in it.

Your posts and mine are basically a perfect representation of the trust level someone can apply to Gen4 G20 with real power 10mm: Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't. It doesn't sound like the OP wants to lean towards maybe...