All You Love About the G17, Minus Glock

I would like to preface this by saying that I don’t have anything against Glock. Never have. Truth be told, I don’t have a lot of experience with them. I’ve only shot a few. The purpose behind this Glock 17 Gen 3 build was pure curiosity. I wanted to know if it could be done without a single Glock part, using multiple aftermarket companies. Spoiler alert: It can.

The G17 That Isn’t: Not-a-Glock 17 Gen 3 Build

When I first started thinking about what I wanted out of this build, I knew I wanted to build it on the Lone Wolf Timberwolf frame. I am a fan of the natural pointability of the 1911 platform. So, the 18-degree angle of the Timberwolf appealed to me. Not to mention, I really like the 360 aggressive stippling and magazine well. They combine to provide a solid purchase during courses of fire.

I opted for the bare frame because I was interested in building it from the ground up. If I were going to do this, I wanted an intimate knowledge of the final product.

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For the most part, the internal lower parts were Lone Wolf. I had attempted to get some parts, like the magazine catch, from another company, but I was struggling with fitment. So, I quickly learned that it was best to stick with one company for the upper and the lower builds.

However, for the lower, I deviated when it came to the trigger. For that, I opted for the Timney Triggers Alpha Competition Series for Glock Gen 3-4. This was where I ran into my first snag. The trigger housing was not fitting properly. So, again, I turned to Lone Wolf for its LWD Universal Trigger Housing, and everything went together like peanut butter and jelly. With the correct parts, the Timney was very easy to install.

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By the end of the lower build, I had a beautifully natural 18-degree grip and a 3.5-pound trigger. To add the extra touch, I swapped the backstrap out for the included medium backstrap. Dialed in.

Not-a-Glock up Top

Aesthetics aren’t everything, but they are something. Frankly, Glocks are ugly. I said what I said. Fight me. However, this is my Glock build, and I can do it my way. I am not duty-bound. So, my Glock build doesn’t have to be ugly.

Much like I learned from the Lone Wolf lower, it is best to use the same company for much of the upper. I’m not mad about that. If you have to pick a company for an entire G17 upper build, ZEV Technologies is a solid choice.

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For the stripped slide, I went with the now-discontinued (sorry) Z17 Hellbender. The black DLC-coated slide features a coffin cut on the top and three trapezoid cuts on each side. The top and side cuts beautifully frame the elegantly stippled, 4.75-inch bronze Optimized Match Threaded Barrel.

As with the frame, I used ZEV parts with the slide to ensure optimal performance.

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I knew I was going to run an optic, so I topped the slide off with the XS Sights R3D 2.0 Suppressor Height Night Sights (orange). The photoluminescent glow dot front sight, with the tritium center dot, stands out like Crocs with a tuxedo (or so I’ve learned). The rear sight only enhances that with its subtle, but visible, small tritium dots.

The sights took some work to dial in. I had to hog off some of the steel on the base of the rear sight to get it to fit into the dovetail. Then, I had to sand off a little more to lower the point of impact (POI). When you do this, make sure to take your time and test fitment regularly. Once you have gone too far, you have gone too far.

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Running an Optic

To accompany the night sights, I went with the Trijicon RMR Type 2 adjustable LED red dot sight. I run the RMR Type 2 on my Wilson Combat P365, so I already knew I would like it. When deciding on an optic, it just made sense to me.

Fortunately, the Zev slide features a native RMR cut as opposed to the Glock MOS cut. So, I was able to mount it directly. However, if you build a Glock using a Glock slide with the MOS cut, you will need a Trijicon RMR mounting kit.

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The Trijicon RMR features a solid construction with its unique, recognizable forged aluminum Trijicon housing. Not only does the RMR’s patented housing shape divert the force of impact away from the lens, it is also waterproof to 20 meters. So, you can rest assured that it will handle the worst conditions.

Captured within the true-color, multi-coated lens is the 3.25 MOA red dot. Adjusting the LED brightness is easily managed via the oversized buttons on the right and left sides. These buttons also allow you to toggle between manual and automatic modes, as well as power it down.

Windage and elevation adjustment points sit on the right side and top, providing audible and tactile clicks. Each click equals 1 MOA adjustment.

Finally, running on a single CR2032, the RMR Type 2 boasts four years of continuous use at setting 4. However, the battery compartment is located under the optic. So, when it is time to swap batteries, you will need to check the zero. In other words, it gives you a built-in excuse to hit the range.

Suppressor Struggles

It is no secret that Glocks are finicky when it comes to running a suppressor. In their stock configuration, they do quite well. However, if you change pretty much anything about it, you are likely to run into issues.

So, what happens when you change literally every single part? You run into issues.

I really wanted to run the new Banish 9K from Silencer Central on this build. It is extremely lightweight and compact, and would be perfect for a pistol build like this. Due to its construction, the Banish 9K is direct thread and does not require a Neilson device. Usually.

I knew it was a bit of a long shot, but I started my testing with 115-grain FMJ. You probably already know where this is going. The slide failed to cycle.

Our friends over at Widener’s Reloading & Shooting Supply hooked me up with some ammo, and I tried 124- and 145-grain rounds. The best I result could get was the slide cycling, but not going all the way back into battery. I had to manually force it into battery between shots.

So, I lowered the spring weight down from 17  pounds to 15, then to 13, and various combinations of the spring and ammo. No joy.

Finally, I switched over to my Banish 45 from Silencer Central and tried the same combinations of spring and load. I am happy to report that the combination of a 17-pound spring and 124-grain ammo did the trick.

So, you can run a suppressor on a modified Glock. It will just take the right suppressor and ammo combo. And, you’ll probably need a suppressor with a Neilson device.

Happily, the Banish 9K has a home on my Springfield Kuna, and it ran flawlessly at a recent PCC course.

Holstering the Glock 17 Build

For the holster, I opted for the Alien Gear Rapid Force LVL 2 Slim Holster. It is constructed of heavy-duty Kydex and is molded perfectly to the Glock 17. Likewise, the level 2 security keeps your pistol holstered during dynamic activity, but easily disengages with the thumb release.

The Rapid Force comes with the locking belt slide, adjustable for a 1.5-inch belt up to a battle belt. It also includes the QDS (Quick Disconnect System) male attachment pre-installed. So, it is quick and easy to move it from the locking belt slide and attach it to the Swivel Drop Leg.

When attached directly to the belt, it rides perfectly for quickly achieving a solid purchase on your pistol. Once you switch it to the drop leg, it comfortably rides lower for much faster and more natural retrieval. However, unlike most drop-leg holster systems, the Swivel Drop Leg moves naturally with your leg. So, it is always in line with your leg and easy to index.

It Lives!

I should probably point out that I am not a gunsmith, nor do I play one on TV. But I do find a lot of enjoyment in building and working on firearms. They are like Tinker Toys for adults.

With that said, I was very happy with how my Not-a-Glock 17 Gen 3 turned out. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how it would run, but my worries were alleviated the first time I shot it. I probably should have kept better track of how many rounds I have put through it so far. Unfortunately, I just kept loading magazines so I could get back on the line with it.

If I had to guess, it would be somewhere between 400 and 500 rounds. The five extra rounds provided by the ZEV Aluminum Glock Magazine Basepads made it easy to just keep shooting. So, I did.

Along with range time, I have run it with the Laser Ammo i-MTTS Arena Training System a lot. Not only does it look great (in my opinion), but it runs like a scalded dog. And it is really enjoyable to shoot or dry-fire with.

If you’ve never built a pistol, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. It is very rewarding and a lot of fun. If I can do it, so can you.

Glock 17 Gen 3 “Not-a-Glock” Specs

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