KSC Glock 17

Everyone knows the glock, with that short boxy slide type thing, and two company’s are currently putting their offerings head to head on the market, Tanaka, and KSC. KSC also make the Glock 34 (a Glock 17 with longer barrel and slide), and a Glock 18c (a Glock 17 with select fire, semi and full automatic).

The Glock 17 as we know came about in 1983, and then went on to become the standard sidearm for the Austrian army. Since that time the Glock has become enormously popular with police officers and as a security arm, due to the ‘safe action’ system which the Glock employs, meaning that it can be carried cocked and locked without fear of accidental discharge (no matter how sexy it looks), and drawn ready to fire.

The KSC Glock chooses to copy the Version III Glock, which incorporates a rail frame for accessories (see www.glockmeister.com for inspiration), and a shaped and contoured grip for a comfy and natural hold. The first time you hold the Glock the first thing you notice is its light weight, at 700g this gun is barely noticeable in your thigh rig.

All the controls are accurately reproduced on the Glock, and the take down lever, slide release lever are metal, and the trigger, trigger safety, and magazine release are polymer like the original.

The trigger is nice and wide, and features a trigger safety like the APS 2, although I prefer this trigger safety as it its much less noticeable when compared to the APS. The  trigger safety can also be pulled out to act as a manual safety. This then totally obstructs any movement of the trigger.

All of the trademarks and serial numbers are intact on the gun, including Glock logos on two places on the slide, grip, magazine base, magazine, and the chamber. The model number, 17, is on the slide, as well country of origin, Austria, and the calibre. Even the patent numbers are reproduced on the right side of the grip. Serial numbers are also present all over the gun, underneath the rail frame, on the chamber, and the slide.

Since I bought a metal slide with the gun, I may as well review this also. The metal slide and outer barrel kit takes the weight of the glock up to 800g, and makes a beautiful ‘chk chk’ sound when you rack it. Installing the slide is extremely easy, and takes about 5 minutes. All the details on the plastic slide are on this one. I have noticed that as you rack the metal slide and when it blows back, that the finish starts to wear off slightly on the chamber cover, leaving bare aluminium. With my metal slide installed the fit isn’t perfect and it does move around slightly, although its barely noticeable with the mag in, and I expect this depends on luck of the draw with the metal slide and the glock.

Right, you should now know enough about how it looks, how does it perform!

Before you start to fire you need to gas up and load up. To gas it up first you need to raise the floorplate release catch, and slide it, leaving the valve exposed. This method ensures that no dirt will get in the valve while your rolling about on the floor. Gassing up takes nearly no time at all, roughly 10 to 15 seconds with 134a, and about 5 seconds with hfc22. Filling it with bb’s takes even less time as the magazine follower can be locked in the down position, enabling the 22 bb’s to be poured in, negating the need for a loading tube.

Right, magazine in, rack the slide, and…. BAAM!

The bb leaves the barrel quickly, and the slide sends a jolt down your arm, which is stronger than a Marui M9, but nothing like an Infinity (all guns using hfc22, but there isn’t a lot of difference between the 134a and hfc22 in the glock in terms of blowback). Installing the metal slide actually increases the blowback felt, but does reduce the slide cycle time, although its still too fast to be outpaced. And as expected once you’ve emptied the mag the slide locks back, some people with chunkier fingers may find releasing the slide catch hard, but for most people it should be OK. Hop is adjustable, and is easy done with the hop adjusting tool supplied, by locking the slide back and inserting the tool into the rear of the chamber.

Now the stats:

At 7m the glock achieves 5cm groups. (From the hand, I don’t have a bench rest)

On 134a you can expect 120 shots before the gas runs out, although the last 15 will drop in power.

On hfc22 the mag puts out 80 shots, although the last 10 will drop in power.

On the hfc134a you get about 230 fps.

On hfc22 the glock puts out 310 fps.

Stripping the glock is extremely easy and is achieved by removing the mag, cocking the mechanism, pulling down the disassembly tabs (which is hard at first, but gets easier with time), and pushing the slide off the frame. Reassembly is easier, simply pull the slide back on the frame all the way, and the disassembly tabs snap back up into place.

And that in a nutshell is the KSC Glock 17, a cheap gas blowback pistol (~£100), reliable, and powerful, and most of all compact (only 18cm long). I recommend that everyone goes out and buys one now, and if you have a bit of spare cash, buy the metal slide and outer barrel for an extra £60 or so, available from various retailers.