Glock 20 Gen 3SF or Gen 4?

[redbaron007]

Hello, first time poster and bumping a old thread. I was wondering if there is any update on the issues discussed here. I have a glock gen 3 that I picked up mainly for hiking and hunting as a side arm in Alaska. Some friends and family are looking into the pistol also but I'm wondering if I should recommend the gen 3 as reliability is the top priority for type of use.
Also as far as upgrades go should I just leave everything stock with reliability priority? Would like to upgrade the trigger (3.5-4lb). Also want to use a 6" barrel. Stick with glock barrels?
  Thanks for any help. Live in Homer but in Kodiak right now hauling freight with a landing craft so will be in and out of phone/internet range.

Welcome!

I will go out on a limb here and say the issues have been resolved. I'm still using the stock G4 spring assembly for all my loads; target to hunting/performance loads. I have not had any issues. I still switch out the barrels; stock for target/plunking and KKM for hunting/lead ammo. If a person purchases a new G4 G20 now, there should be no issues. Although, if they were to buy a used G4, (potentially a 1st version of the G4) they may want to shoot it with target and performance loads to see if there are any concerns. I got my G4 in 2014.

[Unimakpass]

Thanks 007, I was hoping this was the case. It sounds like some claim that the gen4 has noticeably less recoil than gen3. My sister is looking into this pistol and that alone, along with the smaller grip, would make a big difference for her.
Looks like I'll be ordering the suggested barrel and spring options.

[chucky2]

I can't say if my issues have been resolved or not.  I ordered - from Glock (who after 3 requests never bothered to send me the #4 followers I asked for to solve the FTF issue) a new RSA, new mag springs, and new #4 followers (the latest at this time).  I also when I took my mags apart tried to determine if they were hanging up anywhere, and thought that where the metal insert in them has the injection molded plastic coming through might be a little rough, so I filed that down, and at the top of the mag where the metal insert ends, I filed that some down also.

Since I only had 100 rds of the PBR ammo left, I went ahead and shot that with my new stuff and filed mags, and, I can report that I didn't have a single FTF, whereas before there would have been several FTF; I used all three mags shooting the 100 rds.

I have such little time to shoot, I haven't even bothered ordering more PBR - but I will I guess, I want to see if the FTF is fixed, and then, start adding the old components back in one at a time and see if I can reproduce the FTF consistently...it'd be nice to know where the issue was, maybe it'd help someone else.

As for is the issue solved?  I can't say.  If you get a 'first stock' G20 Gen4 like I have, will you have issues?  If you get a new stock (to my knowledge, there have been zero revisions to Gen4 G20 so they'd all be the same, save for at whatever point, they start shipping with #4 followers), will you have issues?  My suggestion would be to get 400 rds of the ammo you're going to depend on and make sure to shoot at least a couple hundred rounds of it to make sure you don't end up with Glock Perfection like I (and others) did.  Unfortunately, when it's your life you're depending on, you can't just assume Glock Perfection...there's no way I'd do that with a Gen4 G20.  I second the KKM barrel though, zero complaints with mine.

[Unimakpass]

Thanks, it sounds like the sure way is to get the latest gen4, if one is to go that direction, and then put plenty of actual rounds through it that a person will depending on. Bin using Buffalo Bore 220gn. Need to upgrade spring and aftermarket 6" barrel.
  Glad I ran into this site. Didn't have a clue about some of these issues. Can save a guy a lot miles and possibly more than that.
When I bought the gen3 it was the only option available in Homer. Feeling good about that now.

[chucky2]

I honestly don't know if a spring change is even needed for Gen4.  I could have sworn I'd read that the Gen4 RSA has a higher poundage than the pre-Gen4 RSA...or at least remember reading someone commenting on that.  I'd be interested to see if that is indeed true or not...I think there's an assumption out there that the Gen4 RSA is the same poundage (17 is what I believe pre-Gen4 is) as the pre-Gen4.  I'm not SURE that assumption is correct.

[redbaron007]

Thanks 007, I was hoping this was the case. It sounds like some claim that the gen4 has noticeably less recoil than gen3. My sister is looking into this pistol and that alone, along with the smaller grip, would make a big difference for her.
Looks like I'll be ordering the suggested barrel and spring options.

My two oldest daughters (23 & 21) have shot my G4; one handles the recoil with my setup; however, the other, who has shorter fingers and smaller hand, likes to change out the backstraps, but then only shoots it a few times...not real found of the recoil.

[Unimakpass]

 My daughter is shooting a 357 smith and I'm waiting to see how she likes the glock. She is on horses allot in bear country and most pack wheel guns-41,44 and some 454. She will probably stick with the revolver ,however will try to make the 10 as appealing as possible. Apparently the glock 40 has the least recoil but a lot of iron to pack.

[Unimakpass]

Chuck, was thinking of spring change in gen3. If one goes with the heavier spring will it work with the lighter rounds? I see some have 3 different spring weights.

[chucky2]

Chuck, was thinking of spring change in gen3. If one goes with the heavier spring will it work with the lighter rounds? I see some have 3 different spring weights.

Let me preface this with, I'm a very casual shooter, don't own a pre-Gen4 10mm or have ever owned one, and am not a gunsmith.

From what I was reading of the pre-Gen4 G20's, some people could switch to say a 24 lb recoil spring and still shoot weak 10mm (say, Blazer), some couldn't.  I think what you'd have to do there is test it out.  The nice thing is most aren't looking to switch recoil spring and then carry with really weak ammo, they use that at the range.  So you can do the recoil spring switch, shoot the cheap weak ammo at the range, and if it doesn't work, either decide to live with the unreliability, or, go back down a little to something like 22 lb.

I believe I also read though if you switch to a higher poundage recoil spring, the felt recoil increases.  Not massively, but that was the trend I remember reading.

[DM1906]

Unless you are using Gen3 springs in a Gen4 pistol, the Gen's don't compare. Using a 24# spring is a stretch. The factory RSA is only 17#. A true 20# spring is usually all that's needed for maximum loads, while still able to reliably cycle light loads. If you upgrade the RSA, shoot a mag or two of .40SW. If they all cycle, then it will cycle all the 10mm offerings. If you use a 24# spring and it cycles "light" loads or .40's, it isn't a 24# spring. A true 22# spring won't reliably cycle lightweights. This personally verified with thousands of rounds and weight-measured RSA's, 14-26# evens. 24-26# springs are essentially useless for 10mm (but handy for .40/.45S and .460R).

[chucky2]

Unless you are using Gen3 springs in a Gen4 pistol, the Gen's don't compare. Using a 24# spring is a stretch. The factory RSA is only 17#. A true 20# spring is usually all that's needed for maximum loads, while still able to reliably cycle light loads. If you upgrade the RSA, shoot a mag or two of .40SW. If they all cycle, then it will cycle all the 10mm offerings. If you use a 24# spring and it cycles "light" loads or .40's, it isn't a 24# spring. A true 22# spring won't reliably cycle lightweights. This personally verified with thousands of rounds and weight-measured RSA's, 14-26# evens. 24-26# springs are essentially useless for 10mm (but handy for .40/.45S and .460R).

Thanks DM1906!  Unimakpass, there's your answer...

[Mike D]

I've replaced all but one of my Gen 3 Glocks with Gen 4 and not one single issue. I prefer the grip and extended Mag catch on the Gen 4.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[redbaron007]

Unless you are using Gen3 springs in a Gen4 pistol, the Gen's don't compare. Using a 24# spring is a stretch. The factory RSA is only 17#. A true 20# spring is usually all that's needed for maximum loads, while still able to reliably cycle light loads. If you upgrade the RSA, shoot a mag or two of .40SW. If they all cycle, then it will cycle all the 10mm offerings. If you use a 24# spring and it cycles "light" loads or .40's, it isn't a 24# spring. A true 22# spring won't reliably cycle lightweights. This personally verified with thousands of rounds and weight-measured RSA's, 14-26# evens. 24-26# springs are essentially useless for 10mm (but handy for .40/.45S and .460R).

I may be missing something here, but a G3 spring is not interchangeable with a G4; G3 are a single spring, G4 is a dual spring configuration. Otherwise, don't disagree.

[DM1906]

Unless you are using Gen3 springs in a Gen4 pistol, the Gen's don't compare. Using a 24# spring is a stretch. The factory RSA is only 17#. A true 20# spring is usually all that's needed for maximum loads, while still able to reliably cycle light loads. If you upgrade the RSA, shoot a mag or two of .40SW. If they all cycle, then it will cycle all the 10mm offerings. If you use a 24# spring and it cycles "light" loads or .40's, it isn't a 24# spring. A true 22# spring won't reliably cycle lightweights. This personally verified with thousands of rounds and weight-measured RSA's, 14-26# evens. 24-26# springs are essentially useless for 10mm (but handy for .40/.45S and .460R).

I may be missing something here, but a G3 spring is not interchangeable with a G4; G3 are a single spring, G4 is a dual spring configuration. Otherwise, don't disagree.

This is correct.

However, aftermarket Gen3 springs can be used in Gen4 pistols, but an adapter is required (a simple bushing). The Gen4 RSA's are not easily weight-adjustable (yet, but there isn't much in the way of an advantage), so the remainder of my statement was referring to the Gen3 springs, used in either Gen. This is important to folks with Gen4 G20's that don't like certain ammo the shooter might prefer. The use of an aftermarket Gen3 RSA with the adapter will almost always cure that issue (when properly tuned), but loses the advantage of the progressive Gen4 RSA. My "the Gen's don't compare" comment was referring to the pistols in factory form. Adapting the use of the Gen3 RSA in the Gen4 pistol allows it to behave exactly like a Gen3, in regards to action function.

[redbaron007]

"This is correct.

However, aftermarket Gen3 springs can be used in Gen4 pistols, but an adapter is required (a simple bushing). The Gen4 RSA's are not easily weight-adjustable (yet, but there isn't much in the way of an advantage), so the remainder of my statement was referring to the Gen3 springs, used in either Gen. This is important to folks with Gen4 G20's that don't like certain ammo the shooter might prefer. The use of an aftermarket Gen3 RSA with the adapter will almost always cure that issue (when properly tuned), but loses the advantage of the progressive Gen4 RSA. My "the Gen's don't compare" comment was referring to the pistols in factory form. Adapting the use of the Gen3 RSA in the Gen4 pistol allows it to behave exactly like a Gen3, in regards to action function."

Gotcha.....I thought that were you were going with that, but wanted to make sure. From my experience, there is really not a comparison when one tries to use the 'adapter' in the G4. Just my personal experience; I'm not a fan of the adapter use.