Polymer80
Courtesy Troy L.
EDC everyday Carry what I'm carrying now
Courtesy Troy L.

Troy L. writes . . .

Today I am carrying the Polymer80 PF940CL with Faxon barrel, Brownells slide, Overwatch trigger, Apex extractor, and super bright Truglo tritium sights. Hornady Critical Duty fills the magazine, although I’m not picky about ammo. The texture on the PF940CL is just right and I prefer the lack of finger grooves.

I love the Comp-Tac MTAC holster. They are tuckable and super comfortable for all-day carry. This one is my G19 holster with the end heat re-formed for the longer G17 slide. I have several of these fantastic holsters for different pistols. I almost always carry in an MTAC.

The current EDC knife is the slim lightweight Kershaw Dividend composite D2 blade. Kershaw’s SpeedSafe assisted opening action opens immediately as I draw the knife from deep-carry and it looks super cool to me.

Samsungs Galaxy watch tells me what time it is and wakes me up in the morning. A Streamlight 66604 flashlight is USB rechargeable, has 250 lumens output, and carries perfectly in the side pocket of my Leatherman sheath.

Lastly, the McGyver in me means never leaving home without a Leatherman. This copy is the first generation Surge. The Surge rides in a current Leatherman sheath.

Pants on, gun on.

 

[This post is part of our series, What I’m Carrying Now. If you’d like to submit a photo and description of the gun, holster and gear you’re carrying in the new world in which we live, send it to us at [email protected] with WICN in the subject field.]

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54 COMMENTS

  1. practice disassembling that dividend. you’ll need to open it up in a couple years depending on how much you fidget with the opening mechanism.

    • Does pocket lint and other crap gum up the works on it?

      • doesn’t seem to. the leverages are strong enought to jump the whole deal out of your palm if unfamiliar. but the educated paper clip tires eventually, weakens and breaks. they operate without the spring, but the design is for bias towards closure so it could open some without pivot friction.
        kershaw (gesundheit) will send a few replacements just for asking, or replace and sharpen with one way shipping paid.
        good opportunity for the aftermarket to make a more robust torsion bar.
        and while his d2 laminate is pretty steampunky, you can find these in m390.

  2. I use a Streamlight ProTac. A bit on the large side but 3200 lumen at full bore is pretty awesome in the dark. Killer lights!

  5. Would like to hear what people figure these 80% gun builds cost them in the end? Would find that real interesting, as in does anyone save money when they go that route? Do they build multiples to bring down the average cost with tools and such like?

    • I didn’t save any on my P80 build over a new Glock 17… all in was around $650, not including the Vortex Venom. But I typical mod my pistols anyway with triggers, barrels, sights, etc., so like any gun build, you are likely to break even or do a little better if you start with what you want. PLUS I have a pistol “off the books”, and it was fun. I only used hand tools and what I had in my shop. I didn’t have to buy any extra tools. Having said that, I already had some gunsmithing tools like a sight pusher, Glock sight installer, etc. that made things a bit easier.

      • Oh yeah… it shoots better than my M&P Performance Center CORE. I had to fit the barrel to the slide initially. At first it was a little stiff to hand cycle, but always returned to battery after a round. It eventually wore in so it’s very tight now but cycles fine. Now, this isn’t a benefit of the P80 by itself, but the simple act of building it and having to fit the barrel to the slide I think made for a better gun.

      • DT
        Is this your post? Did you build that G19/17? I like it. I’ve wanted a G19 grip on a 17 slide. Maybe even a G26 grip on a 19 slide. I love tinkering.

    • I’ve built several. They cost just a schooch more than a factory GLOCK, but the anonymity in CA is priceless. Plus, once you’ve built a couple (or more) of these and become familiar with all the inner workings of your gun because you…well…built it, you become more knowledgeable than the vast majority of GLOCK owners who simply bought theirs and only take off the slide/barrel for cleaning.

      Kudos to all the factory GLOCK owners, of course, but I prefer the higher skill set learned from building the P80s. TEHO.

    • Mine with frame slide threaded barrel and all parts was 409. Parts do not appear to be OEM for internals but 1200 rounds through it and only a few problems during the first 100 rounds. Mostly due to me not sanding the channel for the spring down enough

    • Having built a Polymer 80 I can tell you that you need to be prepared to spend $600 on what eventually becomes a $500 Glock.

      The point of it all? Exercising your right to build a firearm yourself without having to ask anyone for permission to do so.

      I highly recommend it.

    • Really depends if you actually are just going for safe, cheap, but reliable I’ve made them buying all parts for around 450 using oem springs , triggers, and a bare bones slide and barrel

    • I built my Polymer 80 Glock 17 clone for several reasons but saving money over a stock 17 wasn’t one of them. Real hard to do when I can buy them at blue label prices. I built mine largely because I wanted to for the experience but also because I wanted to build one with a fancier slide and barrel and be able to run a RDS at the end of it. I’ve since found that I love the Polymer 80 grip angle and hate the Glock grip angle, so much so that I recently sold my Glock 19 Gen 5 because I didn’t like shooting it and it was collecting dust in my safe. From here on out if I want anything like a Glock I’ll be building a Polymer 80 clone.

      • Soon all of my Glocks will have improved P 80 frames, no more finger groves,glock hump or Glock knuckle. Gaston wouldn’t listen to what customers wanted because he created perfection so Polymer 80 did, try finding in stock frames if you think I’m off base.

  7. “…..Polymer80 PF940CL with Faxon barrel, Brownells slide, Overwatch trigger, Apex extractor, and super bright Tru….”

    Whut in tarnation…..new-fangled……..whut……

      • Now that’s FN Funny.You win the interweb for today.
        Reminds me of my old ride’n days. Chrome don’t get ya home.

      • “It means his gat has racing stripes to make the bullets go faster.”

        The bullets are so ashamed of being in such a fancy-schmancy gat the extra speed is their motivation to get away from it as fast as possible.

        (I’m just busting on it in fun. 🙂 Looks like a solid carry to me, though I’d be inclined to carry a bigger photon hose….)

    • The added details are for the 80% builder crowd as you get to pick and choose the parts you want in your build. Stock Glock triggers and sights suck and some Gen3 Glocks toss hot brass in your face. Besides, those details let TTAG link to products you can buy, and that generates income so they can keep making great content!

  8. This is how you make a glock better. I have a G17 and a Poly80 version. The Poly has better ergonomics, looks better, better sights, better trigger action (w/stock Glock parts) and shoots just as well. Fairly easy project to do.

  9. I almost saved some money and got that Kershaw Dividend Composite instead of my ZT0357BW. Almost. I really like the Kershaw but I feel it could be even a little cheaper. If it had been $60, I would have done it. I think what lost me was the OD Green though. I just need to keep it simple, and black. I also used to carry deep pocket, like way deep, but have become more accustomed to not so deep carry now days. For example, my PM2 had a deep carry clip on it and it was troublesome to get out of the pocket. I liked it being hidden, but found myself choosing a smaller auto knife I have over it instead. So I swapped back to the regular clip and I carried it more, putting the auto knife in the backpack for a reserve. Now my ZT is going through the ropes. Gotta break it in before I share it 😉

    Anyways, solid carry. Really like this style. That Polyme80 is sexy. Not too flashy, just right. I could never wear a white watch band though.

    Finally, TTAG shares a good one (ok fine, there has been two other good ones so far).

  10. I’ve always kind of wondered if a DA would try to go after someone extra hard for being involved in a self defense shooting using a ‘Ghost Gun’. There shouldn’t be a difference if the incident was otherwise justified. But if the Zimmerman/Martin shooting taught us anything all it takes is a partisan DA to complete ruin your life.

    • You need to be prepared and able to explain your choice of a ghost gun. Just like you may have to explain why you had a trigger job done on a gun, why you carry a spare mag, etc.

      • Why because your scared to use one 😱 ? If he is allowed to own a firearm and it’s legal in his state then hell what you or any other tyrant has to say or maybe you’re just a fudd , the only excuse he has to give is because he his allowed to

        • Not how the real world actually works. Really depends on your location and the circumstances. No matter justified or not a DGU will cost money.

  11. My experience with rechargeable lights is unless you use everyday and charge every night when you need it most, it will be dead.

    • Preach it – Rechargeable have no place in anything you depend your life on…

      • Like auto batteries? Or more like cell phone batteries?

        Once upon a time I would have agreed with you. But rechargable lithium batteries are exceptionally good and light weight. And charging them is easy.

    • Not true. At the low price of 29.99, I picked up a fantastic, reliable, durable, rechargeable light from Wal Mart. It’s a true Game Changer. Made of pure aluminum and chargeable by a phone cord, you can charge it anywhere. Don’t be left in the dark, stop by your local Wal Mart for this and other great deals today!

    • enh, it’s edc not naked and afraid. my jet beam has a 700mah 16340, can accept an 800mah 18350 and fits a cr123 if need be.
      raptor rrt001 v2.

    • I use rechargeable batteries, never a rechargeable light. I carry spares of cr123a and my rechargeable batteries.

  12. “I love the Comp-Tac MTAC holster.”

    I came here to preach about how great the MTAC is for medium to full size guns for IWB, but all everyone wants to talk about is polymer 80. Oh well.

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