Glock 23...my take

[alfsauve]

Okay, I've played with my brand new G23 and now for all posterity to enjoy and be enlightened, here is my review.  I'm sure this is the only review ever done on a G23 or possibly a Glock (he says with tongue firmly in cheek)

As you know I "won" this gun and really lucked out.   It came with the Lone Wolf 40-9 stainless barrel and the Trijicon night sights installed.    My prize was $500 and this package was $489.   I ended up paying $24.75 to cover the sales tax (life is rough).  First, about my rose colored glasses.   I'm a XD fan.  The XD just feels right to me.  My review will be tainted by this and will contain numerous comparisons.  YMMV as always.

I chose the G23 for several reasons.  Foremost it was priced within my $500 prize money.  Secondly, if I got a Glock, I wanted 9mm and the Lone Wolf barrel filled that requirement.  Of minor importance was that I always wanted a Glock in my collection if for no other reason than for comparison and to say I had one.    The bonus here is that I can use it for carry with the .40 barrel and shoot competition with the 9mm.   Sort of a poor man's version of the Sig P250.

The G23 is a Gen 3 with the thumb indentations.  Not really "rests".   It's a 4" barrel and is considered a "compact" or midsized gun.  Great for carry.  It's just a tad wider grip than my XD.  While I can hold it very well, I just would like to wrap a little more finger around the front strap.

The trigger is a little rougher, and while I don't have a scale, it feels a little heavier than the XD.  Not really that big a deal for self-defense or close in tactical shooting.     The mag release really is small.   It requires turning my grip quite a bit to operate it with my thumb.   It's not ambidextrous like the XD.  On the plus side you won't accidentally dropped your mag.  

Learning the Glock "handshake" to field strip it is a must.   I struggled then carefully looked at the pictures and remembered seeing other people do the "handshake".    Cool, but you only have to pull the slide back every so slightly with the Glock which means you could have a round in the chamber.    With the XD you must have the slide locked back to operate the take down lever.  A safety advantage and requires no special handshake.

The 40/9 conversion is neat.  The head diameter is only 3/100s of an inch different between 9mm and .40S&W, so it's not a big difference to the extractor.    Just replace the barrel and shoot a way.   Lone Wolf makes many different barrels for Glock from straight replacements to comp'd to threaded for suppressor.    Glock loses points for the magazines though.   XDs are stainless and very durable, while Glocks feel rather..... uh....plastic.   Glock blew it here in that the mags are difference size, while the XD uses the exact same dimensions on their mags.   You can use the Glock .40 mag for 9mm rounds in a pinch but you will get failure to feeds, especially on the last round.   I haven't tried the other way around yet (.40 rounds in the 9mm mag).  

Here's a my first 20 shots at 10yds with the 9mm barrel in the G23.    The first ten shot group was center point of aim and the second ten I used a 6 o'clock hold



Which brings us to the Trijicon sights.   They shoot a little high, but for SD that's okay.   They're very dim, but I can see the advantage when I'm in the dark and the target is dimly lit.    I don't know that I would have paid for them directly, I'm glad I have them.  

One of the biggest advantages to Glock are all the aftermarket products.   A real plus.   The barrels, sights and other accessories means you can't go wrong with Glock.   Like the old saying in the computer industry about IBM, no one was ever fired for choosing Glock.  Even the mag release, I've been told, is upgradable and maybe even for free by a Glock service center.

All in all a great package for the money.     It has opened up a lot of possibilities for me.   The gun will definitely become my home defense/nightstand gun.  Also my carry for when the .380 isn't enough.  Plus I can convert it to 9mm and use it in competition after I fix the mag release.    And with all the aftermarket products it invites tinkering to my heart's content.

[fullautovalmet76]

Nice review, Alf. I have a couple of Glocks and really like the Gen 4 G17; Glock finally got to the point where S&W and Springfield have been for a few years.

Looking at your target (nice groups BTW!), I think those sights might be zeroed for 20 - 25 yards. The next time you're at the range go to the 25 yd. line and send some down range. I suspect that if you hold on the center your shots will group there.

Take care,
-FA

[Walter45Auto]

Nice review. I'm a Glock fan boy myself. Can't go wrong drinking more of the black kool aid.

[twyacht]

Darth Alf, your training is complete..

I jumped to Dark Side, the same with my G21 . Two things are for sure, the damn thing will just go bang every time for you,and they are almost impossible, in regular use, to break one.

Thanks for the review, and XD comparison. The Kool-Aid, ah yes, the Kool-Aid,....

[alfsauve]

I'm not sure I'm fully assimilated yet.  Let me summarize.

Glock Pluses
After market products
Reliability
After market products
After market products

Glock Minuses
Poor Mag release
No holster or mag pouch
Magazines are not interchangeable between calibers
Take down takes practice
Too many aftermarket products to chose from


It was the Lone Wolfe conversion barrel that sold it.   If it were my "own" money as oppose to "winnings" I probably wouldn't have bought it.   I'm enjoying it though and of my choices I'm glad I got it.

[Sponsor]

[WatchManUSA]

Get the 3.5 pound trigger connector put in and the trigger stop installed.  The 3.5 pound connector will help with the trigger break and the trigger stop prevents trigger over travel after the gun fires resulting in improved times to fire a follow-up shot.  Your total investment should be under $50.

[alfsauve]

Get the 3.5 pound trigger connector put in and the trigger stop installed.

+++

Like I said, that's the really great advantage of Glock.  After market, after market, after market.   

[kmitch200]

Cool, but you only have to pull the slide back every so slightly with the Glock which means you could have a round in the chamber.    With the XD you must have the slide locked back to operate the take down lever.  A safety advantage and requires no special handshake.

You can operate the slide lock (the little thingy that you pull down to take off the slide) with the gun cocked and "could have a round in the chamber" but you won't get the slide off.

That's why the instructions say UNLOAD THE GUN, then pull the trigger, then proceed with pulling the slide back a fraction, pull down on the slide lock and remove the slide from the frame.

rant
Some say that pulling the trigger to field strip the gun is dangerous.
My feeling is that if you can't or won't go to the trouble to learn if the gun is loaded before field stripping it you are a dunce and your only weapon should be a slingshot!
rant off

Alf, obviously, this rant is not directed at you.  Nice pistol for $25!! 

[m25operator]

Congrats Alf, fine pistol, I have owned and shot many of the compact Glocks, they shoot better than they have a right too and better than the full size guns, in most cases, can't tell you why, but they do, even the little 26 and 27, If you can hold it, they shoot tight. Most 17's and 22's shoot 3 1/2 to 5" at 25 yards, there are exceptions, but that is my experience, the little guns will often shoot under 2 1/2" at the same distance.Weird but I have seen it too many times.

As to disassembly, Alf, you will find you can take the slide off, have the barrel and mainspring out in 10 seconds. You will get it I am sure.

As to any firearm, always, everytime without thought, orient the muzzle in a safe direction, and check the magazine or clip well, then the chamber, and know in your heart it is empty. It is kind of a game at my club, 5 guys or girls can be standing around looking at somebodies new whiz bang, and each in turn will check the firearm, again, although they have seen each of us check it before.

[alfsauve]

Some say that pulling the trigger to field strip the gun is dangerous.

I agree that nothing beats good gun safe handling procedures.  It was just an observation on the way the two pistols work.   With the XD you are forced to go to slide lock as part of the process.  Still there could be a round stuck in the chamber that the extractor can't pull out.  The XD gives (forces) an opportunity to see such.

The negative with the XD is that if something is preventing the slide from going all they way back, you can't disassemble it.

Now on gun store safety:   I had to chastise the sales rep, because he handed me this gun from the display case without checking it.  At most stores they check it every time they pull it out.  And, even though they may have watched you handle it every second you had it in your possession, they check it before they put it back.   A good procedure whether in the store or on the range.   Check - check - check.