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For decades Glock has been synonymous with simplistic reliability. Their no-frills pistols have been depended on by militaries, police, and civilians throughout the world. Now, the newest generation of Glock pistols has added another member to its ranks. Let’s see if the Gen5 G17L MOS lives up to the Glock name.
Of all the 9mm Glock offerings, the 17L is a pistol you don’t hear much about. To be honest, the main reason I requested a loaner pistol for review when the MOS version was released is that I hadn’t ever shot one and I was interested to see how the egregiously long 6.02” barrel affected the shooting experience.
Table of contents
First Looks
Upon opening the case in my FFL I couldn’t help but grin and chuckle at the disproportionally long barrel. A couple of guys perusing the shop came over and had a similar reaction; a reaction that a stock Glock rarely evokes. Everyone knows what to expect when looking at a Glock yet this pistol seems to catch people off guard.
Of course, it has the standard Gen5 aesthetics like softened corners around the muzzle, forward slide serrations, and improved grip texture. The durable nDLC (nitride diamond-like coating) gives the deep black finish we expect from Glock. All the typical amenities are there except this design seems to be more characteristic of Gappedo’s work than Gaston Glock’s. I am unaware of what lies my G17L has been telling but we’ll see if the truth comes to light as I put this pistol through its paces.
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Gen5 Glock 17L Ergonomics
It’s a Glock. In terms of feel, not much else needs to be said. If you have handled any of their full-size pistols, this is no different. The changes made for the Gen5 Glock models suit my preferences well. The grip texture is a bit more aggressive, they deleted the finger grooves and took the corners off the blocky slide near the muzzle. I also appreciate the front slide serrations since I prefer to manipulate the slide from the front.
The biggest felt difference in this pistol is its balance. The change in feel from my EDC G19 to the G17L with its extra two inches of barrel and slide is surprising. The 25.4oz empty weight in itself isn’t the difference maker; it’s where it is located. The extra weight so far out from the grip makes it feel like the muzzle is always trailing behind where I am trying to transition from one target to the next. I have experienced this with rifles of different lengths, but this is a first for a pistol.
Controls
The Gen5 Glock 17L MOS comes with the basic controls we’ve come to expect with a couple of small differences. The mag release can be swapped to the right side to accommodate left-handed shooters. The slide release is ambidextrous and slightly oversized to help with faster reloads. Gen5 triggers are not great but generally better than their predecessors. There is a moderate amount of take up, the wall is soft and deep with about 3/16” of travel before the break at five pounds.
The mag release is easy to manipulate without changing my grip and magazines fall free when released. This pistol takes standard 17 round 9mm Glock mags which run around $25 but third-party mags can be had for as low as $8.
Mounting Optics
Glock’s MOS system allows for the mounting of most standard footprint micro-optics with the use of an adapter plate. Glock sends basic plates with MOS pistols but I prefer the ones from C&H Precision. They generally fit the optic better, are lower profile, and help blend the optic with the lines of the gun. I have used one of their plates on my carry gun for years so I was sure to request one for this review.
The mounting process takes less than ten minutes. Simply remove the pistol’s optic cut cover plate, attach the adapter plate with the included screws, then screw the optic to the plate. Be sure all the screws are properly torqued to the specs noted in the instructions and use some blue thread locker. Give the Loctite a day to set, and you’re good to go.
For this review, I chose Holosun’s 507COMP because the wide window helps me find my dot quickly, and the multiple reticle options are nice to have. It has been mounted for a couple of months and I am happy with its performance so far.
At The Range With the 17L
My shooting experience with the Gen5 Glock 17L was an overall good one. The issue I mentioned about it being nose-heavy didn’t prove to be much of an issue. What I noticed the most was the difference in recoil impulse. While not heavy, it is long and a bit clunky. Most 9mm pistols I’ve tested recently have a short snappy recoil impulse but the 17L reminded me more of my dad’s old Ruger P89. I’m guessing the additional weight of the slide reciprocating with each shot gives it this characteristic.
I found adding a bit of weight near the front of the frame helps counteract the moving mass of the slide. This is a welcome secondary benefit of adding a weapon light. For this pistol, I chose Streamlight’s new TLR-1 HL-X. The 1500-lumen, 20000-candela output is plenty to illuminate the extended effective range of this pistol.
I’ve found that this pistol excels at longer range. I was out shooting it one day before mounting the red dot and I had no problem stacking rounds on an eight-inch plate at 75 yards. For people that prefer shooting with Irons, this pistol is as good as it gets, but all the advantages aren’t lost on us dot lovers either. The 6.02” barrel adds around 100 feet per second of velocity and some would argue additional precision as well.
I’ve fired a variety of bullet weights, types, and brands through this pistol without issue. While not much better than the rest, 115gr Federal Syntech gives the best groups. All the groups were shot from the standing position with a one-shot-per-second cadence. Next time I’m at the range I’ll see what I can squeeze out of it if I take my time.
Gen5 Glock 17L Conclusion
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Overall I think this is a fun gun but I’d have to characterize it as niche. I think the prime selling point is the sight radius for those who prefer iron sights, but if that is your preference, why get the MOS model? I like the added velocity,y but I am not sure it is a worthwhile tradeoff for the less manageable recoil impulse and added size. For those who like the idea of a longer barrel and want to run a red dot, I would recommend a G34 MOS over the Gen5 Glock 17L. The G34 is the same gun just with a 5.31” barrel. Both are priced around $700 so the choice is yours.
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Just because I would personally prefer a shorter barrel doesn’t mean Gappedos G17L wouldn’t be a valuable piece in your arsenal, even if it is just to give you a good chuckle.
Be sure to check out the GLOCK website for more info on the 17L or to find a dealer near you.
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has a wide variety of skills and interests. His profession as an engineer in the steel industry falls right in line with his hands-on approach to his hobbies. Whether it’s ham radio, shooting, hunting, etc., Garrett is always happy when he has a project to work on.
I recall putting my hands on a very early Gen 2 17L back in the mid 1990s. The 17L was loaned to me from the collection of a competition shooter, and it had the skeletonized slide and compensated barrel, three diagonal cuts near the muzzle, 3.5 lb. trigger. Even though I qualified as Glock armorer, we were warned Glock would sell 3.5 trigger springs and connectors only to parties who would provide a serial number to a 17L, so this opened my ability at the time to get a spare set, not that I expected it to fail, and it never did. None of my Glocks ever have.
Personally, I think the light on the 17L is a distraction but if you think you need it, that’s why there is an accessory rail. Shooting with an optic is fun but the 17L is really more about the sights. The writer likes the Holosun because of a wide window, I think it is about the same as a Delta Point Pro, so don’t be sold on a perceived size differential. You do have multiple reticles onboard the Holosun, so that is an advantage over the more expensive Delta Point. Even with the standard Glock combat sights, if the shooter is up to the task, nice groups can be achieved. There are few handguns out there with a sight radius the length of the 17L, so the writer’s observation the gun really “excels at longer range” is a tautology. The gun excels at any range frankly, if the shooter is up to it.
Frankly, I am disappointed with the Gen 5 styling decision to go with the forward cocking serrations, so any potential new 17L purchase I would make would be one of the retro versions. I purchased a Glock 41 MOS years ago and put a Trijicon RMR on it, so it is not as though I don’t shoot optics long slides.
Bottom line. Like all Glocks, it will not be for everyone and not everyone gets the Glock concept. I think this review short sells the gun for what it is, and frankly there is nothing else out on the market quite like it, at least except for other Glock long slides. I will say this, it is not an amateur’s gun so it does not belong it most hands. But, if you are willing to put the effort into mastering the basics and building from there, this gun will serve you well.
In reference to your comments on forward balance and cyclic recoil impulse: I’m suprised Glock didn’t skeletonize the top (not compensated) of the slide like the G24 Longslide in 40S&W. Surely the slide isn’t moving a greater distance on the 17L compared to a G17, just greater mass in motion. Again, a skeletonize slide could have eliminated that issue. However, the recoil spring(s) must run flawlessly with or without a RDS mounted. The added light may seem to improve the recoil impulse but further degraded the balance of the pistol. There’s alot of 10mm rocking 6 inch barrels, no reports of sluggish cyclic recoil there. Lol I have Glocks in calibers other than 9mm but also have a firearm that takes G17 mags, the 17L might fill that shortfall.
Thank for the good article.
Maybe “Gappedo” refers to the wood carver “Geppetto” in the Pinocchio story about making the wooden toy that turns into a “boy” whose nose gets longer every time “he” tells a lie. I guess the author thought that was a cute tie-end to the longer barrel on the Glock.
First, Please excuse my ignorance, but while reading this article, I see the name “Gappedo” come up twice. I did a search on this name and so far haven’t been able to discover who this is. I have to assume that the name belongs to someone in the firearm industry by the way it’s written in the article as in ,”seems to be more characteristic of Gappedo’s work than Gaston Glock’s.” Can someone please tell me who “Gappedo” is? Thanks!