This is the choice of most police departments and the like because it is a very reliable weapon. Additionally, it has a magazine capacity of 17 cartridges, which is above average when compared to other weapons similar in size and weight. Additionally, it is a very light weapon for its size and capability, which is important for law enforcement officers who need a gun that is easy to maneuver, reliable, not cumbersome but still has the power to get the job done when necessary. The Glock 17 is not only a reliable weapon with all of these things working in its favor, it is also touted as a very safe one. This reputation for safety is owed to the “safe action” trigger system that is unique to the Glock and at the end of the day, the Glock 17 is truly a pistol that was designed with the professional user in mind.
Glock 17 Specifics
The Glock 17 is a 9x19 caliber pistol with a safe action system that is second to none. The weight of the gun itself is 625 grams or 22.04 ounces. Loaded, the pistol weighs in a bit heaver at 905 grams or 31.91 ounces. The overall length of the gun is 7.32 inches and the eight measures in at 5.43 inches. The magazine capacity is the standard 17, although it comes with 19 and 33 capacity magazines as well. The width of the Glock 17 measures 1.18 inches and we’re looking at 1.26 inches as far as the barrel eight is concerned. This weapon has a 5.5 pound trigger pull and a half inch trigger travel. The light of sight is 6.9 inches and the barrel length measures in at 4.49 inches. The barrel rifling of the Glock 17 is right hand, hexagonal with a 9.84 length of twist.
The Glock 17 was the original but in 1996, the Glock 17C was introduced. This weapon features slots that are cut into the barrel and the slide which work to compensate for muzzle rise and recoil. This started a trend and now most other Glock pistols come with this option, all depicting the “c” suffix on the slide.
The Glock 17L was introduced before the Glock 17C back in 1988. It features a longer slide as well as an extended barrel. The earlier productions of the Glock 17L actually featured three holes in the top of the barrel that matched up with a slot in the slide but this was done away with in future models. The Glock 17L is officially discontinued, as it was replaced by the Glock 34.
There is also the Glock 17MB. This is a version of the Glock 17 that features an ambidextrous magazine catch. This feature is not unique to the Glock 17, the MB variants are also offered on the Glock 18 and the Glock 21SF.
