We’ve written about the TigerSwan GLOCK in the past but it’s a treat to read what frontman Brian Searcy had to say about their mod choices in a recent post on M4Carbine.net.

In our training classes at the TigerSwan Training Collaboration Center, we get a lot of questions from course attendees about the TigerSwan Glock and the advantages of the items that we install in the pistols.

Off the shelf, the Glock is an outstanding pistol. It is extremely reliable, safe, easy to use and it is accurate. The modern, hi-capacity pistol holds 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition. 9mm ammunition is comparatively inexpensive to shoot (vs .40 or .45 caliber) and with expanding ammunition the 9mm has great terminal ballistics. At TigerSwan, we use the Glock 17 as our instructor pistol and as student rental pistols for the reasons cited above.

After shooting the pistols extensively, we identified a few changes that would make the pistols more accurate and much more “shootable”. When I talk about shootable, I’m referring to things that make the pistol easier to shoot such as the weight of trigger pull, the ease at which the shooter can pick up the sights, etc. The TigerSwan Gen 3, Glock 17 has the same parts installed as our instructor guns. The professional installation of select components makes an incredible difference in accuracy and shootability.

Here is a list of modifications we do for each TigerSwan Glock and the reasons why.

Wilson Match Barrel: While the off the shelf Glock is relatively accurate, it doesn’t have the accuracy required by our instructors. With the installation of a Wilson match barrel, the pistol goes from shooting 10-ring size groups to X-ring size groups at 25 yards. When I train on tactical marksmanship, I want to use a gun that I know has the ability to consistently place a shot in the x-ring. That way I know if the shot is not where it should be – it’s not the gun; it’s me not executing the fundamentals properly. Another advantage of replacing the factory barrel is it allows shooters to shoot non-jacketed lead bullets through the pistol. The Glock factory barrel has hexagonal rifling and Glock advises against shooting non-jacket lead bullets through it due to the possibility of excessive lead fouling. The Wilson barrels have traditional land and groove rifling and allow you to shoot non-jacketed bullets through the pistol which are usually more cost effective to practice with. Below are some pictures of groups fired with a stock Glock and a TigerSwan Glock. The groups were shot freestyle from the 25 yard line with match ammunition. While the accuracy comparison is not scientific – it is representative of what we typically see. I’m sure if we used a ransom rest both groups would be somewhat smaller, but the accuracy comparison would be similar.

Dawson Adjustable Sights: The stock Glock sights have an extremely low profile and can be difficult to visually pick up when you’re firing rapidly aimed shots. Another disadvantage of the stock sights is they are plastic and are easily damaged the first time you rack the slide of the pistol against your belt or equipment while practicing one handed manipulations with the pistol. The Dawson adjustable sights are made of steel and are extremely durable. You can rack them against your belt or equipment all day long and not damage them. The Dawson sights are much easier to visually pick up when presenting the gun to the target which results in faster shots on target. The advantage of adjustable sights is that it is much easier to get the gun to shoot where you aim and all you need is a small screwdriver to adjust your zero when you change ammunition. I usually have someone comment that you should never put adjustable sights on a combat gun. These days, there are adjustable sights that are just a durable as fixed sights. The adjustable sights give you the benefit of being able to easily adjust the sights with a screw driver instead of having to use a hammer and punch for windage and a file for elevation.

3.5 lb. Trigger Connector: I’ll be frank here- the trigger pull on a Glock is similar to shooting a staple gun. It has a long pull and a slight snap to it as the striker releases. The 3.5 lb. drop-in replacement connector gives an immediate improvement in trigger performance on the Glock pistol. The lighter trigger pull weight and the highly polished, nickel-plated surface make the pull smoother and more consistent. It helps the trigger reset more quickly for faster follow up shots and less temptation to jerk the trigger and compromise accuracy.

Extended Slide Release Lever: The original/stock slide release lever on the Glock is small and flat against the slide. Most people have difficulty releasing the slide, especially when wearing gloves. The small size and the flat design of the stock release make it difficult to get enough leverage to reliably release the slide. The installation of the Glock extended slide release lever solves the problems. The extended slide release lever has a much larger finger pad and a trapezoid-shaped bump that help ensure you release the slide fast, on the first try, after a reload. Saves precious seconds that can be lost making multiple swipes to release the slide and chamber the next round. Its low profile and smooth contours will not affect holster fit or snag on clothing.

Vickers Tactical Extended Glock Magazine Release: The Glock standard magazine release is too short to reliably/consistently hit and the extended Glock release is too long. Both versions have sharp edges. A slightly extended magazine release for the Glock, the Vickers Tactical Extended Magazine Release is perfect. The black plastic magazine release is molded from the same material as the factory original but is slightly extended and has rounded edges. The Vickers Tactical Extended Magazine Release was designed to prevent the magazine from accidentally being released if laid on a flat surface. It is an absolute must for anyone using a Crimson Trace Glock laser unit since the stock magazine catch is almost impossible to activate with a CTC laser in place.

The TigerSwan Glock can be ordered from our online Pro-Shop for $760. Other model Glocks can be built on request (i.e. Glock 19, 22, etc.).
Order online at: proshop.tigerswan.com/tigerswan-custom-glock-17or call our Pro-Shop for more information (910) 210-0158

Brian Searcy
President/COO
TigerSwan, Inc.