VFC x Fowler Industries MKII Complete Slide Assembly for GLOCK Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistols
(Model: GLOCK 17 Gen.5 / Stainless Steel)

"The slide kit is pretty nice in terms of aesthetics. It comes with everything you need to assemble the whole slide kit and it is a straight drop in without issues. However, after installing it onto frame, it can be a little rough cycling as it does need sometime to break in before it can perform as it should. So be prepared to do some cleaning.

The kit isn't necessarily an upgrade as all the internals are stock (inner barrel and bucking, recoil guide rod/spring, blowback housing unit, rocket valve and rocket valve spring). The only major difference in performance is its weight (due to the cut outs) and the threaded outer barrel for you to attach all your suppressor/tracer unit needs.

What is nice about this kit is that it completely changes the look on your Glock. The slide, the gold painted outer barrel, and raised suppressor sights. Not only that, you can now attach an RMR onto it.

There are MAJOR FLAWS with the kit that needs to be mentioned.
- One is the RMR cut out. You need to be ABSOLUTELY CAREFULL when attaching your RMR. First, you can't really take out the cover and then place your sight. You need to have both the cover and the plate on because it does expose the blowback housing unit. Any contact with it will have cycling issues due to the interaction that it will have with the RMR.
- Second thing is that, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for you to have an M3 screws set to attach your RMR. Using the one provided from your RMR may cause the screw to go down further which WILL damage and go through both your nozzle and nozzle return spring cause performance and cycling issues.
- Lastly, when using a tracer unit/suppressor, it will add weight to your barrel which will cause it to rub against the slide heavily, further taking out paint on the barrel. Not only that, you will smell some kind of smoke at the end of the barrel caused by the friction between the outer barrel and the slide.

Overall a great change on look onto you Glock if you're looking into this. The look of the gun with the attached kit is an easy 5 out of 5. However, based on performance, quality and reliability, 3.5 out of 5.

This review is based on the aluminum version which is the black slide.

"I bought the Aluminum Glock 17 model and had a mixed experience

The good :

- paint finish is a great color and durable after a year of heavy use in and out of a kydex holster
- light weight even with the RMR mounted
- comes with a full slide kit including metal guide rod with enhanced spring tension, blowback components and metal suppressor height sights with fiber inserts
- the blowback unit is durable even after a season exclusively using CO2 mags
- Threaded barrel
- Full trades
- serrations are grippy but not sharp

The bad :

- Right off the bat the aluminum is soft and if you use the slide release you will gouge out the material to the point where the slide won't lock back consistently. Would only buy the aluminum models if you plan to short stroke the slide, buy steel if you want to use the slide release even though it weighs a lot more.

- This is not a drop in slide for a VFC lower, not only do you have to assemble the slide but there are fitment issues with the dimensions on my aluminum model ( which is disappointing given that VFC produced this slide for their VFC Glocks )

On mine I hade to take material off the guide rod mount so the slide wouldn't bind in the frame when a pistol light was mounted

Additionally, even thought the stock VFC glock is compatible with TM mags this slide has fitment issues with the same TM mags. Unfortunately VFC cut corners when producing the Glock 17, as they produced the 19X first they used the 19X frame guide rails in the 17, which are short for the 17 slide length. This allows the 17 slide to lift with an inserted mag to the point where the slide and chamber of the outer barrel can bind up under rapid fire.

You can solve this by modifying the slide so the blowback components sit higher in the slide, exclusively use VFC mags or only buy the 19X slide kit for better guide rail fitment.

- Finally the outer barrel is both loose and the gold finish is very weak and will rub off after only a few mags of shooting.

Overall happy with the look and function but I would only recommend the aluminum Glock 17 slide to an experienced tech, if you want something as an inexperienced airsofter just get the steel 19X slide and don't use a light on your pistol.