Review of the Glock 23 Generation 3
“A Glock? Hell no. Get that hunk of plastic away from me!” These words always seemed to roll from my mouth whenever anyone mentioned a Glock around me. That is, until I was introduced to the Glock Model 23.
Introduction
I will start by saying that I have always been a Springfield Armory man. I will be writing a review on the XD(m) 3.8 Compact 9mm. A truly amazing piece of polymer. But anyways, back to the task at hand. I initially stepped into the gun-store to purchase a Sig Sauer P229 .40 Caliber. By chance, the shop had taken most of their stock to the local gun-show so my options were limited. I glanced over at the case next to the pre-owned case and it was full of Glocks. I first held a gen 2 (Pre-Owned) Glock 30. It carried a price tag of $499.99. The dealer, I assume trying to upsell, mentioned that his new Glock Generation 3 models with glock factory night sights installed were going for $550.00 out the door. This was unheard of in the area I live considering new Glocks are going for 600 or better at places like Greentop and Bass pro. I decided to buy the model 23.
Detailed Specifications
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Model 23
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Model 23C (a)
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Length (Slide)
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6.85 in.
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6.85 in.
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Height (b)
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5.00 in.
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5.00 in.
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Width
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1.18 in.
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1.18 in.
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Barrel Length
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4.02 in.
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4.02 in.
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Barrel Rifling
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right, hexagonal
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right, hexagonal
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Length of Twist
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9.84 in.
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9.84 in.
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Magazine Capacity (c)
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10 – 13 – 15
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Weight
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||
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Empty (No Magazine)
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21.16 oz.
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20.92 oz.
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Empty (With Magazine)
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~23.62 oz.
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~23.38 oz.
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With Full Magazine (d)
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~31.03 oz.
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~30.79 oz.
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Trigger Pull (Standard)
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~5.5 lbs.
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~5.5 lbs.
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Number of Safeties
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3
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Action
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Safe Action System
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a.) C = Compensated
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c.) Check local laws and regulations
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b.) Includes magazine and sight
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d.) Depends upon magazine and ammo type
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Look and Feel
At first glance. A Glock is a Glock. A black hunk of plastic and metal. But once I actually put the pistol in my hand, it was like putting a perfect fitting glove on. A lot of people have issues with the grip angle of the Glock line of pistols. I however, do not. Upon a few test draws from my Galco breach locking holster, the sights line up with my natural point. +1 for the 23. I also noticed that the pistol had a slimmer grip than the Springfield previously mentioned. I judge how a gun fits my hand by what I call the “Thumb/Pointer finger test”. Basically, if when you place the gun in the palm of your hand and close your fingers around the grip, your thumb and pointer finger touch, then it is not too large for your hand. As much as I loved my Springfield, It just never fit my hand right.
Trigger
The Glock trigger. The one thing that sets it behind the Springfield. When dry firing 10 times back to back, I found that the trigger on the 23 was crisp, not too heavy, but very gritty. Vs. the XDm trigger it is not as pleasant. This can be remedied by simply installing a Lone wolf 3.5 Lb. connector along with a 6 Lb. trigger spring. Since doing this to my own 23, I noticed the trigger pull is smooth and lighter, as well as the reset is a lot better. You don’t want to completely eliminate creep with your carry gun as under high tension situations that will not matter too much. There are other options you can use if you want a competition setup, but I would not recommend using these triggers for a carry piece. And how much did it all cost? $21.00 SHIPPED. And never have taken apart a Glock before, it took me 25 minutes to install. No gunsmithing required. And that alone is what makes Glock a good decision for the aftermarket savvy. Glock parts are so widely available that they are cheap. A good trigger for an XDm is 100 dollars and then has to be smithed to fit. Incredible. +2 for the 23.
Range
I used Winchester white box 40 Caliber 165Grain bullets. Plain Jane range ammo in other wards. I fired 5 magazines of 10 each. From a distance 5 Yards, 10 yards and 15 yards I scored a 1 ¾ “ group in the dead center of the target. Granted, I have been shooting a while, but the accuracy of this gun scared me. Out of the box, in my hands, this piece of polymer is more accurate (in my hands) then my Springfield Loaded Champion. At this point I was sold. Out of 50 rounds of cheap white box, not one misfire or failed ejection. The recoil surprised me as well. I was expecting it to have harsh recoil as experienced with other 40 caliber polymer guns I have shot, but surprisingly it was quite manageable. The sights are standard 3-dot Glock night sights. The sights are easily visible during the day as well as at night with the tritium glow.
Closing Thoughts
If you couldn’t tell in my article, I am now a Glock fan thanks to the 23. My next purchase will be a Glock 30 for a heavy hitting carry weapon. The Glock 23 would be well suited for a competition platform, a carry platform, or a home defense weapon. I had a blast shooting this thing, and I think you will too. If you have always been a Glock hater because you wanted to separate yourself from the pack, keep an open mind. You never know what you will like until you try it.
Robbie N.
Owner Of FullMetalTactics.com
Concealed Handgun Permit holder, 15 Years of shooting experience, NRA Certified Instructor
By: FullMetalTactics
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Tactical Gun Review, along with Texas Outdoors Network, is published by Michael Coker and Charles Coker.
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I saved some money and bought a Glock 23 gen 3 trade in with night sights in 2015. I have bought other handguns since then, but it is my Glock that I go to for accuracy, carry and concealed. It is by far the beater in the handgun world for me, and feel fortunate that I own one now. When I can afford to buy Another handgun again, I think it will be the 19…
I am in total agreement with your assessment of the Glock 23…I have owned one since 2007 (along with a 27) out of everything else I have shot this has become my go-to-gun. I also like the .40S&W allot, it’s NOT a high-pressure round like many internet ninja’s claim. The .40 has the same pressure as the basic 9mm (35,000 psi). But to make a 9mm work in the real world you have to go +P, which places the 9mm into a high-pressure category (38,000 psi). I also like the Glock 23 and the .40 because of the heavier bullets and it starts with a “4”…