Glock 17 RTF2 model

[monschman]

I have recently had the opportunity to get a chance to shoot one of the more contraversial firearms released recently; the Glock 17RTF2.

Having read quite a lot about the new styling of Gaston's latest incarnation of tupperware I was rather anxious to get the opportunity to handle one for myself. My first impressions were that it wasn't as dramatic a change as it seems in photos of the new look. Its frame retains pretty much similar to the Gen 3 guns, and the rough texture that lends its name to the gun is rather more subdued than I expected. I also noticed that the crescent thumb dimples that the older guns carry are now absent. The texture is reminiscent of some well worn skateboard tape that has adornded all my previous Glocks and over a course of about 100 rounds it was not in the least abrasive but actually felt a little more comfortable than the previous models due to the fact that the grip is slightly thinner. Now saying that it wasnt abrasive, to my hands,and knowing that Glock intends to offer it in all frames, I would not carry this material in a EDC gun because I could see it being a little too sharp for my waist.

It seems Glock have elected to return to a matte finish on their slides on the new gun. A breif opinion is that I do not like this, the old style matte slides are more difficult to clean, mar easier, and show wear sooner, not a fan. One of the other additions to the new model is the addition to crescent shaped serrations, I cannot help but believe that they should face the other way but they are more cosmetic than anything else and provide a firm grip on the slide nonetheless.

Internally the gun is identical to earlier models in the same size and this should not shoot too differently for most people. I found that the stippled was more comfortable in my hands. I suspect that this is due in its entireity to the fact that it feels slimmer. I am a fan of the Glock platform due to its inherent ease of owning (shootability, maintenance etc.) and this gun is no exception. As a side note the gun still carries that effing hump on the grip, its probably the most common complaint from both glock and non glock shooters alike so maybe before we all expire someone will hear our plea and get the effing thing off the damn gun.

All in all I am happy with the gun and I foresee that one of them is in my future before the next shoot.