USA Made Gen4 G27 Review

[plouffedaddy]

I went into my local blue label dealer and asked if they could get me a Gen4 G27 (since I don't have one meaning I need one!) with a serial number that started with "AA" (the US made guns do currently) and surprisingly the next day he called me and said he had one for me to pick up. Well giddy up!

When I first inspected it the first thing I noticed was the proof markings (see photos below) with the GA state outline with a "P" in the middle indicating it has been proof tested at the Smyrna GA plant. I've seen several other US made Glocks before but never saw this proof mark; I'm not sure if it'll be the standard going forward or if only a limited run got the marking; I suppose time will tell...

The second thing I noticed was that the gun had the serrated trigger which I believe has been added to the compact and subcompact Glocks due to import restrictions. Since this gun doesn't have to be imported putting this trigger on it seems like a bad move to me; I don't know anyone that prefers the serrated trigger to the smooth one. That said, it's a simple swap but still worth mentioning...

So far, the gun has been a typical G27---reliable and mild recoiling for its' size and weight. I've only fed it 370 rounds to this point including weights from 135gr to 180gr, flat nose FMJs, standard FMJs, and JHPs from Speer, Federal, and Winchester all without a single hiccup. Here's a quick summary of the pros and cons.

Pros:
-Reliable. 0 malfunctions so far (the round count is low but so far so good)
-Durable finish so far. This will likely be of interest considering all the rumors of the use of the tennifer treatment in the US (I know they haven't used it in a while but people still talk about it so I'm just throwing it out there....)
-Easy to maintain
-TONS of aftermarket parts, holsters, ect... available
-Accepts 9, 13, 15, and 22 round factory magazines
-The baby Glocks carry very well in an IWB rig
-Glock's customer service is second to none
-Cheap replacement parts, should you ever need them
-Low Bore Axis resulting in a relatively soft shooting gun, especially considering most people will only be able to get two fingers on it
-Easily modified to fit the shooters' preferences
-Requires very little cleaning/lubrication to run reliably
-I like the Gen4 grip texture; especially in the 40S&W guns. It helps prevent the gun from jumping around in your hand if they're sweaty/wet
-It's had consistent and strong ejection with all ammo (see the video below)
-The multiple backstrap system allows you to choose which grip size you prefer
-A lot of guys have stayed away from Glocks because they believed they weren't US made. Perhaps these guns getting out into the US market will allow those people to own a Glock

Cons:
-I'm not a fan of the factory plastic sights
-That stupid serrated trigger
-It's not a beginners gun IMO. New shooters that have fired my Gen3 G27 have had to regrip the gun frequently due to the combination of the grip and the relatively sharp 40S&W recoil impulse
-The short barrel will result in lower muzzle energy compared to its' bigger brothers (G23/22)

Here's a video with some shooting from the 12m line, a table top review and discussion, some close up shots of the proof markings, and a chronograph test with some popular defensive loads.



Chrono results:

Winchester Ranger 135gr JHPs: 1093fps, 358 ft/lbs energy
Federal HST 165gr JHPs: 973fps, 347 ft/lbs energy
Speer Gold Dot 180gr JHPs: 935fps, 343 ft/lbs energy

[Mity2]

ha I didn't know some glock are US made

[lhowland.40]

ha I didn't know some glock are US made

Yeah me too, first time seeing one.

I'm surprised they don't get more attention...

[Slick17]

Thats awesome. I deff like American made over anything else. I may need to start looking into Glocks now. lol

[plouffedaddy]

Glocks have been made in the US for at least 6 years that I know of; they were all just exported before recently.... A lot of countries still won't buy Austrian made guns due to WWII so Glock has been making them here to satisfy those contracts.