The White House’s War on the 2nd Amendment has put companies front and center in the war on guns. We all know SB Tactical is fighting the good fight, and in light of the brace ban, the receiver rules haven’t been getting all the attention they desire. Companies like Polymer 80 have also been on the front lines for their 80% receiver and frame kits. But did you know that Polymer 80 doesn’t just produce 80% frames and receivers? In fact, they produce entire firearms like the PFC9.
The PFC9 is the completed, 100% frame variant of the Polymer 80 Glock frames. It’s not a build I completed, but a serialized handgun I purchased like any other. Polymer 80 was turning out some awesome frames with ergonomics that shooters really loved, but not everyone wanted to build their own. Thus, Polymer 80 made the wise move to simply produce entire pistols with some beloved ergonomics.
The P80 PFC9 — The NotaGlock Alternative
It bears mentioning that 80% frames were designed to function with Glock slides and parts and are basically Glocks with different frame shapes. When we talk about their great ergonomics, it’s really in comparison to the Glock series of handguns.
I’ve built two Polymer 80 Glock builds, one being a Glock 19-sized and the other going the Glock 17 route. I loved the frames, and that led me to purchase a complete gun because my homebrewed blasters were never 100% reliable. I wanted to see how the pros handled it, and I admittedly do prefer the Polymer 80 ergos over the standard Glock ergonomics.
What’s the Difference?
I’ve typed ergo enough times to annoy the editor, so I best get to explaining the differences. Those differences really come down to the frame design. The PFC9 uses whatever slide you throw on the frame. I just use the standard variant. So what’s different?
Grip Length
The grip of the PFC9 is just slightly longer. Just a hair. If you toss a Glock 19 mag in a Glock 19, you see a little room between the frame and baseplate. That’s gone with the PFC9. The slightly longer grip works brilliantly for me with my big hands. On a normal G19, my pinky will often hang off the edge and pin the magazine into place, which can slow my reload if I’m not conscious of it.
Grip Angle
Grip angle isn’t that important in the function of the firearm, but Polymer 80 does things differently. The grip angle is 19° instead of Glock’s 22°, making it more 1911-like and straight.
Trigger Guard Undercut
One of the most common frame upgrades Glock owners make is to add a trigger guard undercut. Polymer 80 took that and made it a stock feature on the PFC9. The trigger guard undercut allows you to comfortably push your hand upward for a higher grip in a more comfortable manner. This undercut is brilliant and makes the gun super comfy.
Grip Overhang
Until the Gen 5 Glock series, I had a major issue with slide bite and Glock firearms. Before Glock solved it with the Gen 5 series, Polymer 80 took notice of the problem and added a handy little overhang to the rear of the grip to allow you to press against it with a high grip while protecting your hand.
Rail
Glock uses a weird Glockish rail that isn’t proprietary. However, it’s a single slot and often requires an insert with weapon lights to work correctly. The PFC9 uses a standard Picatinny rail with all the slots you need for attaching whatever accessories you have.
In Living Color With the PFC9
I really enjoy shooting the PFC9. I admittedly shoot it a bit more often than my Glock brand Glocks. The fact I don’t start bleeding after a few magazines is a major plus to me. These small ergonomic enhancements go a long way to provide a very comfortable shooting experience. Beyond comfort, I find myself shooting the PFC9 faster with slightly better accuracy than my Gen 3 Glock 19.
The ability to get a comfier and higher grip ensures I have more control over the gun. This makes dealing with recoil and shooting faster and easier. It’s a simple physics issue. Additionally, the ability to reload without having to move my pinky makes things quicker and more intuitive. My firing grip can remain the same throughout the entire process.
Faster reloads and more control are worth it to me.
What about reliability?
Glocks are known for their never-say-die attitude. The PFC9 isn’t much different in design, internally. It uses all the same parts as a Glock with a slightly different grip design. The PFC9, in my experience, is just as reliable as a standard Glock. I’ve put tons of rounds through this model and haven’t come across any problems that don’t relate to ammo.
Hitting steel isn’t difficult with the PFC9. Glocks are inherently accurate firearms and the PFC9 benefits from that quality and design. Hitting targets at 25 to 35 yards with open iron sights is plenty easy. Heck, step back to 50 yards and take your time, and you’ll have no problems hitting an IPSC-sized target.
Upgrading The PFC9
Where the PFC9 fails is that the weapon is isolated to the Generation 3 Glock upgrades, parts, and pieces. As Glock moves into the 5th generation, it’s likely that certain upgrades for the Gen 3 series will no longer be available or simply not produced for these older guns. While that is a possibility, the Glock Gen 3 series is becoming quite popular for Glock clones with Palmetto State Armory, Adams Arms, Anderson MFG, and many more.
Additionally, the PFC9 doesn’t work in the vast majority of Glock holsters. This means you are cut off from the vast amount of Glock holsters on the market these days. That sucks, but there are a number of Polymer 80 options out there for holsters.
Luckily, they do take all Glock magazines, from the cheap Pro Mag to the 50-round D50 drums from Magpul. Who doesn’t love a little extra ammo and magazine commonality? There are a few downsides to the PFC9, but there are tons of upsides to it. It’s remained my favorite Glock. Well, my favorite double-stack Glock.
You don’t have to try your hand with a dremel to make one work either, just purchase the complete frame or even a complete gun, and boom, you’re ready to rock and roll.
