Kit Review
Manufacturer: Dragon
Scale: 1/3
Series: Firearms Series
Subject: Glock G17 9mm Pistol Gun Case
Kit No: 1301

Introduction

Dragon has launched a new line of kits for modelers who are also firearms enthusiasts. The Glock G17 is the first kit in the new ‘Firearms’ series. The kit represents a 3rd generation Glock 17 9mm pistol.
Glock is the name of a family of pistols designed and produced by the Austrian company of Glock GmbH of Deutsch-Wagram, founded in 1963 by engineer Gaston Glock to manufacture high-strength synthetic and steel components.
The Glock 17 (so named because it was the 17th patent of the company) is a 9mm short recoil-operated locked breech semi-automatic pistol.
In May 1980, the company was invited to bid on a contract to supply the Austrian military with a new duty pistol to replace the World War II era Walther P38 service handgun. The G-17 was adopted into service with the Austrian military and police forces in 1982 as the P80 (Pistole 80). Shortly thereafter, the pistol was accepted into service with the Dutch, Norwegian, and Swedish armed forces. By 1992, some 350,000 pistols had been sold in more than 45 countries, including 250,000 in the United States.
The Glock's frame, magazine body and several other components are made from a high-strength nylon-based polymer invented by Gaston Glock and called Polymer 2. The rectangular slide is milled from a single block of ordnance-grade steel using CNC machinery. The barrel and slide are finished with a proprietary nitriding process called Tenifer. The firearm is designed for the NATO-standard 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge, but can also use high-power (increased pressure) P and P ammunition with either full metal jacket or jacketed hollow point projectiles. A current production Glock 17 consists of 34 parts. For maintenance, the pistol disassembles into five main groups: the barrel, slide, frame, magazine and recoil spring assembly.

More information on the Glock 17 can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glock_17

Overview

The kit comes in a 7-1/2” x 11-1/2” box. The box promotes the following features:
1. Accurately detailed
2. Replicated true to scale
3. Highly displayable and collectible
4. Multiple realistic functional parts
5. Pullable Trigger
6. Realistic bolt action
7. Detachable magazine

The kit contents

1. Two sided instruction sheet that is 5-3/4” x 8-1/4” format.
2. Two ‘A’ part tree’s molded in black
3. One ‘B’ part tree molded in black
4. One top half and one bottom half for the pistol security case molded in black
5. Slide and frame molded in black
6. Slide and frame molded in tan
7. Clear Ziploc bag that contains two trigger springs, two recoil springs and two metal ‘pivot’ pins for the gun case hinges.

Overall, you get enough parts to build one black pistol with removable magazine and one tan pistol with removable magazine. Additionally, the kit provides one bullet for each magazine, a magazine loading tool and one security case that will hold one pistol.

When the pistols are assembled, the slides will pull to rear and return to battery when released just like the real pistol. You can insert and remove one bullet in each magazine. The magazines can be inserted and removed in the hand grips. However, there is not a functioning magazine catch. Preliminary fitting indicates the magazines will sit in the grips without falling free.

In Depth

Instruction Sheet- The instructions consist of one sheet that is printed on both sides. The sheet is almost the weight of card stock but not quit as heavy. It is laid out clearly and easy to follow. The front side of the sheet illustrates each part tree and indicates the quantity that you should have for each tree. There is a caution statement in six languages, a symbology legend (i.e. be careful, open hole, do not cement, etc.). There is a paint color chart that references GSI Creos Corp. Aqueous Hobby Colour paint codes. The colors listed are Gold, Flat Black, Clear Red, Dark Yellow and Khaki Green.
The back side of the instruction illustrates four assembly steps and a ‘Painting & Marking’ guide. Each assembly step is very clearly illustrated with ‘zoom in’ boxes showing detailed illustrations of some assemblies. Assembly steps one, three and four do not use glue. Step 3 and assembly of the ammunition magazines are the only steps that use glue. The ‘Painting & Marking’ guide illustrates three different color schemes that the Glock G17 is currently produced in: Overall Flat Black, Tan frame with a black slide and Khaki frame with black slide.

Parts- The parts are laid out well on each tree and clearly labeled. There are only minor mold seams and mold release points. Most of the mold release points will not be visible after assembly.

Each ‘A’ part tree contains all of the parts for one pistol minus the slide and frame.
The ‘B’ part tree contains two 9mm rounds, the magazine loading tool and the two latches for the pistol carrying case.
There is a slide and frame molded in black and a slide and frame molded in tan. The peculiar thing about this is the fact that Glock does not produce any pistols with colored slides. All pistols are shipped with black ‘tenifer’ slides. So, based on that fact, I’m curious why Dragon didn’t ship the kit with two black slides. There are stress lines visible around the ejection port of the tan slide. So, it will be imperative to paint the slide anyway. Dragon did a fabulous job of molding all of the different texture detail onto the frame of the pistol. The pronounced checkering and finger groves on the front of the frame grip are replicated perfectly as well as the checkering on the back of the grip. The grip texture on the right and left side is amazingly reproduced. The one thing missing in the frame is the ‘Glock’ logo that is on production pistols on the bottom right side of the grip. They may have omitted that for trademark purposes. Manufacturer marks are also missing from the slides. There is a slight mold seam that runs down the center of the frame….Do not remove this mold seam as it is present and visible on production pistols.

The two halves for the security case are very well done. The two latches are functioning. The key lock is well replicated. The only detail I question is the absence of the ‘Glock’ logo on the top of the carrying case.

The quality of the plastic is very good. The plastic is solid and doesn’t have any ‘soft’ characteristics that you find with the styrene in some kits. All of the detail present is crisply molded with no visible flaws. Total parts count is 51.

Conclusion

Overall, the kit is extremely well done. The fact that you get enough parts to build two Glock 17’s really make this kit a great value. The padded security case is a nice bonus as well. Due to the quality of the molding and the well placed ejection pin marks, build time for this kit will be minimal. To expand on the accuracy of the model, you will need to paint some of the interior pieces the appropriate color and drill out the sighting holes in the back of each magazine. About the only way to improve on the kit is to provide the parts to make the ammunition magazines functional and to replicate the Glock logos and other production marks that are so prevalent on the production G17. I highly recommend this kit for people who would like to collect firearms. Thanks to Dragon USA for the review sample.