For more information or to place your order today please visit 80PercentArms.com.
At-home gunsmithing firm 80 Percent Arms just announced a newly designed Glock-pattern 80 percent pistol system with a modular frame. Called the GST-9, the 80 percent frame will be offered as-is or with a complete kit for making a working firearm.
These 80 percent kits for making rifle receivers have been around for a long time but thanks to 80 Percent Arms and a few other companies, today handgun kits for popular pistols are increasingly available.
An 80 percent kit is not a firearm and it requires machining and a few specialized tools to finish the job. But since they aren’t firearms they can ship without the hassle of going through an FFL and with it, any associated taxes and fees.
The GST-9 is compatible with Glock 19 parts but the grip can be swapped out to work with 15-round Glock 19 magazines or longer 17-round magazines without needing to use a magazine spacer for a flush fit.
Of course, as a Glock-pattern 80 percent kit it stands to reason that it is compatible with other caliber parts not just 9mm Luger, including .40 S&W and .357 SIG. For now, 80 Percent Arms is offering it as a complete kit in 9mm; anyone looking to build it chambered for other cartridges will have to source those parts from different manufacturers.
Currently, the GST-9 is in pre-order status with special lower pricing for early buyers. The pre-order price for the whole kit is $699 with the frame by itself running just $79. That does not include the jig which will be necessary to complete the lower.
Frames and kits will ship in the spring of 2020. Both are compatible with Glock Gen. 1 through 3 factory and aftermarket parts. The jigs are sold separately to comply with ATF regulations.
See Also: Build Your Own Glock 43 with GlockStore’s New Single Stack 80 Percent Lower
The frame features a straight grip with a slightly less aggressive grip angle without fingergrooves and a more traditional trigger guard cut. It has a slightly extended backstrap that won’t protrude for concealed carry and a full-length accessory rail for lights and laser sights.
The complete kit will ship with a “Wraith” slide with lightning cuts and a mini red-dot-sight mounting system. It will include a barrel by Lone Wolf Distributors and come with an OEM parts kit including the trigger assembly and magazine release.
According to 80 Percent Arms, the frame can be completed and assembled into a working firearm in as little as 15 minutes. In reality, especially for first-time builders, it will take longer but it is still an afternoon project for anyone looking to build their own pistol from parts using simple tools.
For more information or to place your order today please visit 80PercentArms.com.
I enjoyed building my Polymer 80 G19 project, but It was difficult to find vendors that sold everything as a complete kit, rather than just the lower/frame. I don’t know much about Glocks, so it was confusing to try and figure out just what parts needed to be purchased, etc. When I found such a kit, it was not too difficult, and it runs great.