One recent trend in the gun industry is the increased emphasis on high-end (read: expensive) aesthetic enhancements, often with marginal functional improvements. Think of it as the new version of custom hand-engraving of yesteryear. I’m not the type who goes for a 3D skull carved into my AR lower, and gold enhanced parts are a definite no-go for me, but after range day I have to admit that I’m really warming up to the race-gun GLOCK enhancements produced by ZEV Technologies . . .
New for 2106, ZEV has released their stainless steel “Prize Fighter” windowed slide for Gen 3 and Gen 4 GLOCKs. These slides are machined from 17-4 stainless steel billet, and are cut to much higher tolerances than standard GLOCK slides, and include DLC or PVD coatings. The “window” lightens the slide and also provides the perfect viewing port for the dimpled ZEV match-grade barrels.
The photo above shows the ZEV “Dragonfly” slide, the silicon carbide grip texture enhancement, and the ZEV Speed-Feed mag well. Below we see a bronze Dragonfly GLOCK 34 slide with RMR cutouts:
The image below shows the Zev Enhanced “SOCOM” Stainless steel slide for tactical applications. This image also shows the Zev’s standard Stipple pattern. One tidbit on this stipple: the rep I spoke to says that their craftsman can complete this high-quality stipple work in as little as 10-15 minutes. Price for this basic work runs around $165, with internal ramps and beavertails adding an additional $200.
New for 2016, ZEV has also released a new slider design known as the “Hex.” I’m not thrilled with the looks of this Gucci gun, but I must admit that the increased purchase was noticeable and appreciated. The thread protector is pretty slick looking, too.
Proof that you can make a Glock even uglier.
I like Glocks (for what they are). I carry a Glock and own mulitple others. But even I have to agree with you. These are hideous.
Agreed. Those are some of the ugliest pistols I’ve ever seen, and in a world where Walther’s polymer pistols, stock Glocks, and the Chiappa Rhino exist, that’s saying something.
On the other hand, I am the sort of person who would go for a 3D skull sculpted into an AR lower.
Me too, but not for $300.
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=F1STLB520&name=Spikes+Tactical+The+Jack+Billet+Multiple+Caliber++Lower+Receiver&groupid=1128
Wow! that was a good one. LOL. Your right on the beam on that statement. I think anyone who would spend money trying to make a Glock more aesthetically appealing either has more money than brains or needs to check into a mental health that specializes in helping people overcome the addiction of throwing money away especially when if you look hard you can still find some of the old high quality blued steel pistols in very good condition which are also valuable collectors items that are rapidly rising in value. Ever try selling a Glock at a Gun show? People will not even pick them up off the table to look at them, most just very hurriedly walk away from the table.
Because the fact that it already worked just fine wasn’t good enough. They had to make it ugly too.
I bet it still handles like a brick with a barrel.
I’m not a big fan of Glocks, (really hate the ergos and trigger) but these look fairly slick. Unfortunately getting one to run with non-factory parts is a gunsmith job. I have a timberwolf 17L that I’ve more or less given up on. It just won’t run reliably.
Lemme trouble shoot it for you. What are the symptoms
Mostly failures to extract. The slide doesn’t seem to want to go all the way back.
You need to be running a lighter recoil spring.
Went all the way down to a 14# recoil spring, no joy.
Their stippling work is top notch and their triggers are really slick. Don’t knock it until you try it.
From the article:
“One tidbit on this stipple: the rep I spoke to says that their craftsman can complete this high-quality stipple work in as little as 10-15 minutes. Price for this basic work runs around $165,…”
$660 an hour. I want that job…
You can have the stippling job… I’ll even pay you 60/hour. I’d rather be the company owner making 630/hour.
Your math is incorrect.
How exactly did you calculate that?
I’ll second Tyler on this one. Zev’s triggers pretty much fix everything I hate about a standard Glock trigger.
Where’s the Hi-point customs?? Dammit.
Here you are! Enjoy. You may want one of these!
After the tweeking it looked like it ran pretty good. The six-million dollar man music would have been better. I loved when he broke it apart and a handful of parts fell out. Good fun. Actually this would make an excellent butter knife gun if you catch my drift.
At the end of the day, it is still a $500 handgun and I wouldn’t pay anything more then that, even for one of these.
+1 to that. Give me function over form any day. Certainly not knocking Glocks, but the saying “puttin’ lipstick on a pig” comes to mind. I’d rather spend my money on more important things like ammo, range time and more guns.
Makeup on a pig comes to mind. But to each their own. If someone wants to spend the money, that’s their choice. I’d rather drop the extra cash to buy a SIG Sauer.
Next up: Silk purse from the ear of a sow.
Tushay, good one.
Next up : a 500 dollar red dot from a plie of chinese crap.
Want your Glock grip better ? A $20 Talon appliqué will fix it.
Better sights ? Trigger ? Available for cheap.
Otherwise, these Zev abortions show you have cash to burn and no sense.
Want you Glock grip better ? A $20 Talon appliqué will fix it.
Better sights ? Trigger ? Available for cheap.
Otherwise, these Zev abortions show you have cash to burn and no sense.
I like that my $500 Glock – with a few strategic upgrades – competes against custom STI pistols that cost 3-5x more. Not crazy about the $500 funky slides though.
These gun mods won’t make you a better shooter anymore than a pair of Jordan’s will make you a better basketball player.
I would hope someone with that much money to spend would have enough sense to just buy a CZ and be done with it.
http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/3/31/Browning-HP-P35.jpg/350px-Browning-HP-P35.jpg
Picture of a “real pistol” no junk plasticky parts, no junk castings, no junk stamped sheet metal.
This is definitely for the people who bought a 6 cylinder Camaro but really wanted a ZR1 Corvette so much that they’ll spend a fortune to dress up the economobible.
There are no Glocks in my safe; I spent the money the right way on a 10mm Stock II and did the black cerakote and function upgrades in-house.
Nice!
Not so much the guns, but the fact that they are specifically designed to appeal to the wealthy and vain. As in, the exact people who run the country. Their biggest problem with guns, is that they are affordable to regular people. If only they had a good selection of them, that only Fed approved leeches could afford, the scary implements may well become the latest fashion accessory amongst that crowd.
I remember a few years back when a buddy of mine bought a very expensive Sako tacticool rifle and paid about 3,000 for it. The magazine fell out of it on the first shot and he had to duct tape it to the rifle. If that was not bad enough my old Winchester M70 in .308 blew his doors off and I only paid a few hundred bucks for it. I laughed about that episode for years. Even today you can still put together an old commercial or converted 98 with a new Shilen barrel, target trigger and glass bed it and most of the time blow the doors off a lot of snob tacticool guns costing thousands of dollars. I think the tacticool rifle the biggest rip off since snake oil medicine was in fashion at flee market side shows.
I’m not wealthy, but I am vain. I don’t think these look super cool or anything, but a lighter slide does equal faster lock up times. The slides are kind of cool and they are somewhat aesthetically pleasing. If it can keep up with an STI in open competition, I’d be willing to give it a go. But for the prices these guys charge for this stuff, I’d rather save the few more bucks and buy that STI.
“Craftsmen”
Right. They take 10-15 minutes to do the stippling job with a soldering gun while the cnc machine does all the machining for them in the background.
That’s not craftsmanship, they are not craftsmen.
I actually kinda dig the hex pattern slide.
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