Glock is household name for a reason, but improvements are always on shooters’ minds. Read on below as The Loadout Room’s Erik Meisner talks about what goes into an Agency Arms Glock build.
“Synergy” -noun 1. The interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc. This is a term that expertly describes this Rangers Agency Arms Glock 34 build.
I know my way around Glocks. They’ve been my sidearm of choice since ’93 when I purchased a Gen 2 Glock 23. Since then I’ve owned several models in both 9mm and .40S&W. Currently, with the resurgence of the 9mm I carry the Glock 19 or Glock 43 as my EDC weapon. But when it comes to competing in a 3-gun match, the Glock 34 is my go-to pistol, as covered in my previous article, “Glock 34, Perfect for 3-gun” And those of you that want to take the performance of your sidearm to the next level, look no further than Agency Arms. Shortly after acquiring a Gen 4 Glock 34, I was talking with the mad scientists at Agency Arms about a possible makeover. Their level of artistry, functionality and down right bad assery have always appealed to me. Finally, I would soon own an Agency Arms Glock 34.
Founded in January 2015, Agency Arms could be considered new to the aftermarket firearms scene. However, you wouldn’t know it if you’ve handled or shot one of their highly modified Glocks. The innovation and detail produced by this veteran- and LEO-owned company is astounding. No part of the pistol is overlooked during an Agency Arms Glock build. In the next few sections, I will drill into the major component details of an Agency Arms Glock 34.
Agency Arms Glock 34 Frame
The factory Glock polymer frame has a few things going for it, as well as a few against it. The durability of polymer is second to none, as proven in decades of service in both law enforcement and military use. Until the fourth generation Glock, the frames were one size fits all. Now that the removable backstrap is incorporated into the Gen 4 models, the user can customize the fit to a certain extent. Agency Arms takes frame customization several steps further. Glock introduced the finger grooves on the third generation and, despite a lukewarm welcome, has decided to continue that design for Gen 4 models. Agency Arms, at the customer’s request, can mill off the finger grooves and add grip stippling, allowing the shooter a more adaptable and functional grip.
The trigger guard also goes under the surgical knife, reshaping and stippling it in all the right places. Material is removed from the underside of the trigger guard, which help the user achieve as high a purchase on the pistol as possible. The trigger well is further opened up and “radiused” for ease of use while wearing tactical gloves.
Just above the trigger on the sides of the frame, you’ll find the “accelerator cut” — an ingenious reshaping of the polymer and stippling allowing downward pressure on the pistol, which helps mitigate muzzle rise for faster follow-up shots.
Agency Arms Glock 34 Slide
Agency Arms offers three different types of slide modifications: Field Battle, Hybrid Special and Urban Combat. I opted for the Urban Combat slide as this is the lightest model they produce. The factory Glock 34 already has a window cut atop the slide, yet Agency Arms opens it up further and removes additional material along the sides of the slide. The CNC machine cuts two new lightening windows on the front sides that also help reduce weight.
One of my favorite modifications to the slide is the much-needed addition of front slide serrations. I prefer to press check from the front of the slide and always thought that Glock desperately needed to add these. Instead, Agency Arms answers the call with six new front serrations, as well as totally reshaping of the existing rear serrations. These have become known as DNA collectors due to their aggressive cheese grater profile.
To put the Urban Combat slide lightening into perspective, an unmodified Glock 34 frame (minus barrel and recoil spring) tips the scale at 15.2 ounces. The Agency Arms Glock 34 side weighs only 12.4 ounces … with a Trijicon RMR mounted on top! I should have compared the two before mounting the RMR, but a healthy dose of Loctite and an excellent zero won’t allow me to remove it at the time of writing. However, this comparison still illustrates how much lighter the modified slide is. Doing a little math and subtracting the known weight of the RMR and mounting plate while adding the weight of the MOS slide plate, I come up with a savings of 3.4 ounces — or 22 percent — off the factory slide. These weight reductions in no way compromise the functionality or durability that has become a longstanding hallmark of the Glock pistols.
Agency Arms Glock 34 Trigger and Magwell
No competition pistol is complete without some trigger work. Agency Arms has completely outdone themselves with its complete “hand fitted” trigger assembly. This beautiful flat-faced aluminum trigger is tuned with very little take up followed by a crisp, audible break. With minimal over-travel and a snappy reset, the shooter is back on target for quicker follow-up shots and tighter shot groups. Agency Arms can either hand fit the trigger into your Glock or send the assembly to you for installation. Either way, it’s a huge improvement over the factory polymer trigger. Take a look at Scott Witner’s article covering the Agency Arms trigger.
With speed of weapon cycling, trigger resets and follow-up shots, we would be missing something if reloading wasn’t addressed. Agency Arms offers a fantastic magwell to help speed up mag changes. This isn’t one of those oversized obnoxious jobs found on a race gun either. This magwell is a strong aluminum piece cut to accommodate a shooter that carries either inside or outside the waistband — a perfect balance between form and function. The installation can either be handled in-house or at home and is available for both third and fourth generation Glocks.
An S3F Solutions Match Barrel can be found in my Agency Arms Glock 34 build. S3F Solutions offers match barrels for Glock 17, 17C, 19, 19C, 21, 24, 34, 34C, 35 and 43, as well as 9mm conversion barrels for the 22 and 23. S3F Solutions and Agency Arms have teamed up to provide the shooter with several barrel options and finishes. Take a look at Mark Miller’s article that goes into more detail about S3F Solutions Match Barrels.
Final Thoughts
As they say at Agency Arms, “Welcome to the Brotherhood.” This culmination of parts and fabrication create a synergy that’s unmatched in the modern pistol era. Taking an already very capable pistol and exponentially improving it is no easy task. Agency Arms has absolutely perfected the Glock in my opinion. Lightweight, comfortable, reliable and accurate as hell. Finishing it in Ranger Green just topped off this beautiful build for me. I had the opportunity to use this pistol at the end of the season for a 3-Gun match and I saw measurable improvement in my times and accuracy. Looking forward to getting more time competing with this Glock 34 in the spring.
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