First, Check Out This Video:
If you’re in the market for an amazing full-size handgun, you need to be looking at the Glock 34 gen 4…
Look, there are many outstanding pistols to choose from right now. I mean, you’ve got the Glock 17, the M&P series from Smith And Wesson, Sigs, FNs, CZs, and many more.
But if you’re searching for a handgun, the gen 4 Glock 34 should be one of the options hovering around the top of your list…
… and in this review, I’m going to lay out my top 5 reasons why it’s such an alluring option to go with.
So if you’re ready, here we go…
Reason 1: The Frame Is The Right Size And Has The Right Texture…
I’ve always found that a large size handgun is easier to shoot than a smaller one, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a compact or a subcompact frame.
You’re able to get more of your hand on the gun…
…and the more contact you have, the better control you can get. Now, out of all the generations of Glocks, the gen 4s work best for me…
I’ve had problems with grips in the past that seemed to be too aggressively stippled, and just gripping the gun was uncomfortable or sometimes even painful…
…but the texturing that Glock puts on the gen 4s gives a good amount of traction, which allows you to really grasp on to the gun, while still being comfortable to hold.
In addition to that, I like that the width of the grip is a bit more narrow on the gen 4 Glocks than it is on the gen 3 versions.
I find that the smaller grip helps me really wrap my hands around the gun creating a vice-like effect that helps me control recoil.
Now, I’m also not too keen on the gen 5 Glocks either… I don’t mind that they took away the finger grooves.
I’ve personally never had a problem with them, but I know some other people have. But I don’t like that they’ve added on a molded-in magwell at the base of the grip.
That’s a feature I’d prefer to do without for most applications with my gun, and if I ever decide that I do want a little extra help funneling in my mags…
…I’d rather add an aftermarket magwell, that will probably work more effectively than the minimal version worked on the gen 5 Glocks.
Now with all that said, there is something to look out for with the standard Glock frame.
I like to hold as high as I can on the gun because it helps me manage recoil, but because of that, I do get slide bite with Glocks.
However, the gen 4 Glocks come with several backstraps, and some of the have beavertails on them.
Now, adding the entire backstrap will increase the width of the grip…
…and I already told you that a benefit of the gen 4 grip was that is was relatively small…
So to keep the grip narrow, I cut the backstrap right under the installation pin and only add on the beavertail.
And doing that has solved the slide bite problem for me.
Reason 2: The Glock 34 In Chambered In 9mm…
9mm is my favorite pistol caliber for two reasons… it’s powerful enough and it relatively cheap.
There are plenty of 9mm loads such as +P and even standard pressure 124 or 147 grain rounds that are effective pistol rounds.
But at the same time, there are tons of range loads that can be bought pretty inexpensively.
And here’s the deal, when I’m out practicing I want to shoot 200, 300 or sometimes even more rounds…
…which starts to really add up no matter if you go to the range every week or every month.
So, I’m always looking for the cheapest ammunition I can find, and the cheapest 9mm is always less expensive than the other major pistol calibers.
Reason 3: The Glock 34 Is EASY To Disassemble…
The Glock 34, just like all Glocks, is an extremely easy gun to field strip.
It’s a simple 5 step process:
- Step 1: Remove the magazine and make sure the chamber is empty.
- Step 2: Pull the trigger to release the striker.
- Step 3: Pull down on the side tabs and remove the slide.
- Step 4: Remove the recoil spring.
- Step 5: Remove the barrel.
When it’s time to give your gun a good cleaning, it’s about as easy as it gets…
But in addition to that, fully disassembling a Glock is insanely easy as well.
The only thing you need is a Glock tool (just a small punch), and you can take the entire gun apart in seconds.
There’s not another gun on the planet that can be fully disassembled with that type of ease.
Reason 4: The Glock 34 Is A Long Slide Pistol…
I’m a huge fan of long slide pistols… even though they’re not the only handguns I own.
You see, standard size pistols like the Glock 17 can be wonderful guns too, but there are some advantages you get from having a long slide pistol.
First, you get a longer sight radius with a long slide.
Having a longer sight radius just makes shooting more simple (unless you’re running an optic like an RMR). I personally feel like that makes it easier to be accurate and to shoot a little bit quicker.
I’ve also noticed that it’s easier to make shots at 100 yards with a long slide pistol over a standard size or a compact gun.
Aside from that, another benefit to having a long slide is that you have a longer barrel.
A longer barrel gives your rounds faster muzzle velocity, which basically increases the power of your rounds to a small degree.
That all said, there is a disadvantage to the Glock 34 long slide design… the cut-out on the slide.
You can potentially get something caught in there that can cause malfunctions, but I’ve never had anything fall in the cut-out and cause problems on my gun…
…and I shoot in the middle of the Nevada desert where the dust is flying around everywhere.
Reason 5: It’s A Glock!
Glocks have an established track record of being reliable… even though there were some early problems with the gen 4s.
Those problems are long gone now…
…and when you get a Glock, there’s a pretty high chance that you’ll never have any problems with the reliability of your handgun.
And because Glocks are such a popular handgun design, there are tons and tons of aftermarket accessories for them.
You can replace the sights, change out the trigger and springs, change out the slides, the striker, find holsters… pretty much everything under the sun.
So anything you need, you’ll be able to find for your Glock.
Glock 34 Gen 4 Review – Conclusions…
So in the end, the Glock 34 gen 4 isn’t a perfect gun, but no gun is really…
….and aside from it’s few flaws, it’s an easy gun to shoot that has rock-solid reliability…
- It’s easy to clean and service…
- It’s not expensive to practice with…
- And you can find any accessory you want for it.
So, I’m extremely pleased with my own Glock 34, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy-to-use handgun!
Now Remember…
Shooting a pistol can be a little more difficult than shooting a rifle…
So you really need to make sure your shooting fundamentals are strong, and if you are looking for help improving your marksmanship.
Check out my FREE guide that shows you how to improve your shooting without leaving your home or spending a dime…
It’s a very simple exercise, and I use it myself to continue my own improvement…
So to gain access to that, just click the link below…
Farewell, and have fun at the range!
-RDshooters