Anybody do an 80% glock build?

[Tackleberry41]

I am in the market for something new, wanted a compact gun in 357 sig which seems to be a tall order. I know I can easily get a glock in that caliber, but not a glock fan, more accurately the glock grip. But they are selling the 80% lowers which have a traditional grip to them. Was an email this morn from the glock store, but it of course needs an upper end. Glockstore wants $450 for a basic factory upper, when I can get a whole gun at my local shop for all of $50 more. At that sort of parts pricing would almost be ahead to buy a gun and use the parts in an 80% frame.

Is there a more economical place to buy parts?

[HeavyHev]

gunbroker.com
armslist.com
lonewolfdist.com (they have a lower with a 1911 grip angle and if you call them they may be able to send you a complete gun)
midwayusa.com
cheaperthandirt.com
whitehouse.com
ebay.com
gun show
pawn shop

[Walkingwolf]

There may be some members on the forum who sell parts. You could also try SARCO, though most of what they have is milsurp.

To be honest why not get a M&P 40, then buy an aftermarket 357 Sig barrel? Or a Ruger SR, or RAP both I believe have the traditional grip angle.

The big draw of the 80% has been the completed gun being a ghost. With Trump now as president that is not that much of a concern if he keeps his word.

[funnyjim014]

I don't think the 80% handgun idea is a good one. Even if you make one without anyone knowing what about the legal aspect. Here in NY state all hand guns are registered, the penalty for a unregistered hand gun is bad but what about the unlicensed manufacturer of a handgun? Just my .02

[HeavyHev]

You are allowed to make your own firearms. There is no requirement to get a license.

[Tackleberry41]

I live in TN nobody cares what kind of guns I own or make. Just considering my options. Glocks are way easier to get conversion barrels for. Just seemed a bit steep to pay $450 for a top end when the shop near me has a NIB gen3 40 cal for $499. I had considered a 10mm as you can get conversion barrels for 40/357, but only in a full size gun. And dont see 10mm as much of a short barrel gun.

I looked at the 80% as they now sell a mid size frame, the first ones were all full size.

The shop near me does have a M&PC in 40, I was just looking at my options. S&W theres fewer aftermarket options, even less if its not a full size gun. A glock I could run 40, 357, and 9. I could just buy the one at the shop, and fix the grip. I just wish that glock would finally realize having a slide in piece on the back you could swap would really make a difference. And that clip on thing doesn't count.

[Walkingwolf]

You are allowed to make your own firearms. There is no requirement to get a license.

Not sure but I believe NY, and Kalifornia past laws prohibiting home manufactured firearms.

[Plate plinker]

I would only do the 80% for two reason.
1. I want a ghost gun.
2. I already have a slide/barrel from another gun and other parts.
Otherwise it does not make much sense to me.

[Walkingwolf]

I would only do the 80% for two reason.
1. I want a ghost gun.
2. I already have a slide/barrel from another gun and other parts.
Otherwise it does not make much sense to me.

Those are my thoughts. I do have Glocks though, and they mostly sit in the safe. My wife hates the grip on hers, I really should have bought Ruger SRs instead. She does like shooting a 1911, but that is a heavy gun for a petite women to carry. I do not mind the grip, but the accuracy for me is sub-par compared to my revolvers, and 1911's. Even my Charter Arms shoot tighter groups than the Glocks.

A carry gun for me I have to able to comfortably/competently make heads shots at 10 to 15 yards. And I do not mean hitting the edge of the head, I want small groups in the center mass of the head. Glocks have not been capable of that for me. Today I was out practicing with a pitbull 40S&W shooting gallon milk jugs at 40 feet. I can hit them at that distance with the Glock, but not reliably, and many edge shots.

[FergusonTO35]

What's weird is, I am way more accurate with my Glock 26 and 42 than any of their midsize and fullsize guns regardless of caliber.

[kmrra]

My brother recently did an 80% build using the Lone Wolf Frame , and did it with a drill press, with no problems , He just did it for the heck of it, cause you save no money and most of the time it more expensive than a new one....

[fatelk]

Some years ago an acquaintance had a "kaboom" with a Glock. I saw the remains, looked like only the frame was damaged, cracked. He wanted to sell it as parts, for cheap. I didn't figure it was worth anything, guess I was wrong.

[W.R.Buchanan]

My brother recently did an 80% build using the Lone Wolf Frame , and did it with a drill press, with no problems , He just did it for the heck of it, cause you save no money and most of the time it more expensive than a new one....

I looked at this and you're right by the time you get all the parts in hand you are above $700. The only real reason I can see to do this is if you are planning an Armed Robbery or Murder and figure you'll drop your gun at the crime scene. Then they can't trace it back to you?

But I think you'll see these kits outlawed soon as the left is scared to death that you could have an unregistered gun. Nevermind that only about 2 % of the guns in the US are registered to a specific person. They're scared, and it makes them uncomfortable.

Useful Idiots!

Randy

[TXSlade]

You can get top ends for closer to $300 with a bit of shopping. Used to be the low end was $250, but the lowest I see is $300 now. And to find that price you will need to take your time, buy used, and buy it complete. At $450 that almost has to be buying the individual parts and putting it together. Maybe not, but that is way to high. You can buy a used Glock, yank the upper and have a spare lower for less than $450. Lol shop for the idiot that did his own, grip "stippling" they can be found at a bargain.

[scattershot]

I look at it this way: By the time you get through with your 80% build, you will have more money in it than a new Glock would cost, no warranty, and it may or may not work.

so... If you don't like the Glock grip, get a S&W M&P for even less money, and go shooting.

My .02, and worth every penny.

[mcdaniel.mac]

I have a half-finished Spectre kit on my desk right now. I don't have a drill press, but with an 18v drill, dremel, and hand files I managed to get it mostly there. Still fitting the slide rails, but as of now it's a single-shot Glock.

I paid about $200 for the parts, frame/jig, I had a .22 kit already that I figure will probably be the primary host. I'd like to try a metal frame some time, but the grip angles never look right.

[FergusonTO35]

Are there any aftermarket 100%/FFL required frames available? I would think there to be a large market for them given all the griping about the Glock grip angle and so on.

[HeavyHev]

Yes there are complete aftermarket frames.

[FergusonTO35]

I'm bidding on a used, complete Glock 22 frame on GB right now. The plan is to sand and texture the grip exactly how I like it, scrounge up a used slide, and add a Storm Lake barrel to make a dedicated .40 S&W boolit launcher on the cheap. I already have all the parts to complete the slide in my gun junkyard. Yes, I could buy a new S&W SD40 for about the same price but I already have tons of Glock stuff and am quite familiar with them. Plus, I know I can get 100% or more of my money back out of it if I had to.

[Tackleberry41]

Yes there is an aftermarket for ready to go frames, for race guns, for people who care little about cost.

I was just doing some research, I always do before I go off and buy something like this. My 80% AR build that came out pretty cheap, but for some reason a machined aluminum billet lower is alot cheaper than an injection molded plastic glock frame.

The $450 price was from the web sight who sent me the email about the frame. That's what they wanted for a complete gen3 upper unit. A frame was $150, then a parts kit for the lower was another $150. Thats basic parts, not upgrades. So $750 for a basic glock. $750, Im getting close to buying a nice Sig.

My only real complaint about the glock is the grip. Had several sold them all off. Or traded for something that I did like. Like my FNS40 with ambi controls. Since its buy and butcher a glock, overpay for an 80%, or buy something else, guess I will buy something else.