Factory Glock Training Pistols

Yes, Glock makes training pistols and have done so for quite some time now. However, unless your agency uses them they may not have popped up on your radar. This week at SOFIC, Glock had two of them on hand for prospective purchasers to paw at. At first glance, they look like custom refinishing gone awry: One with a bright red frame and the other with a blue body and funky two-tone slide. However, if you've even casually browsed guns on Instagram, no doubt you've seen far more garish hues (Instagram, if anything, produces some weirdness in all things visual).

While a lot of companies will gladly produce exacting configurations of firearms in order to win a contract, when the FBI put out a Pre-Solicitation Notice last summer for 9mm handguns with accompanying trainers, by all appearances the reverse happened:

The following types of pistols, chambered to fire a 9mm Luger cartridge, may be requested for testing and evaluation purposes under a future solicitation:
Class One Pistol: barrel length between 3.75″ and 4.25″; with a minimum magazine capacity of 13 rounds.
Class Two Pistol: barrel length between 4.5″ and 5.5″; with a minimum magazine capacity of 15 rounds.
Class One Training Pistol (Red Handle): deactivated with full articulation, red receiver and slide, night sights.
Class One “Man Marking” (a.k.a., “Simunitions”) pistol: blue slide or slide with blue inserts.

The red bodied Glock is the G17R (the ‘R' is for ‘Reset'). It's a non-firing model with the exact weight, handling, and balance as its lethal brother. It accepts aftermarket sights and the trigger is functional and very close to OEM. The trigger resets itself after being pulled, and unlike some trainers, has a break consistent with normal dry fire. While there is a 9mm chamber, there's no firing pin in the slide nor even a provision for one. So even if you manage to load a round, it'd be very hard indeed to make it go boom.

The G17R can be used as a demonstrator or for dry fire training. So why the chamber? The G17R is compatable with a number of laser training rounds that are vibration fired (such as the FATS system or Laserlyte Training cartridge). Used in conjunction with a laser sensitive target, about all you're missing is recoil.

The blue Glock is the G17 T FX. It comes standard with a barrel geared for Simmunitions but a UTM MMR compatible barrel is also available. Like the G17R, it accepts aftermarket sights. The weight is a bit different though. Unlike many Simmunition conversions, the slide is constructed of both polymer and metal. Glock found that an all metal slide wouldn't always cycle the low-powered marking rounds reliably. The lighter composite slide made for fewer malfunctions and more shooting. Assembly is slightly different with the G17 T FX compared to an actual Glock due to its blowback action (see Hi-Point, you do make a gun like Glock does. Kinda).

Funky colors aside, the frames appear to be almost exactly the same as regular old Glock pistols, with the G17 T FX having a Gen 4 frame and the G17R with the older Gen 3 (I'm told Gen 4 G17R's are coming soon). For more information you can check out both the G17R or G17 T FX on the official Glock webpage.

Likely the main reason for the lack of circulation is that sales are currently restricted to mil/LEO only. Fear not–if you would like the same for yourself with a badge you have options. The Next Level Training SRT has the same capabilities and more of the G17R, without the need of a laser cartridge (the slide is red instead of the body–if you feel the need for Instagram level of loud, a can of Krylon works well). The Simmunition/UTM slides can be a more dicey prospect, but it's not unheard of to see them on the open market. 

SIRT Training Glock $287.99 brownells.com