If you caught my Project Glock 48 post, then you already know a few things. The first thing is that I’m not a Glock guy and the other thing is that I didn’t hesitate to replace the stock trigger from the G48 with an Evolution X Drop-In Combat Trigger System from Johnny Custom Glocks. So let’s talk about that upgrade.
Glocks are notorious for having a bad trigger. Bad is a vague term, but I’ll do my best to describe it. The triggers have a fair amount of take up that leads to a spongy wall with a gritty sloppy break. Anyone who has spent time with a Glock knows what this feels like. Of those folks, the ones that have spent time with other striker fired guns know there are much better factory triggers that make the Glock trigger seem unrefined and rudimentary. Gen 5 and slimline Glocks (like the 43, 43X, and 48) have much better triggers, but, as I mentioned in my review of the G48 MOS, it’s still very much a Glock trigger that leaves a lot to be desired.
Some folks prefer to live the stock factory Glock trigger. That’s fine. Say what you will about how it feels, it’s a reliable mechanism that works well enough for defensive and duty applications. For the rest of us, the good news is there are a lot of aftermarket trigger options that greatly improve the trigger which can help a shooter be more accurate and shoot faster without sacrificing reliability. The Evolution X is one of those options and it does a marvelous job at it.
The kit is available in two flavors: combat and competition. I picked up the combat version as it’s intended to provide a solid wall and a heavy enough break weight for safe, predictable, and reliable use with defensive carry pistols. I’ll cover the combat kit in detail through the remainder of this post. The kit is also available with a couple of upgrades which I’ll cover as well.
The standard kit, which starts at $200, includes:
- Full trigger assembly including an OEM spec curved trigger, trigger housing, and trigger bar
- Two striker springs
- A yellow 5 lbs striker spring (recommended) which produces a break weight of 4 to 4.5 lbs
- An orange 4.5 lbs striker spring which produces a break weight of 3.5 to 4 lbs
- A safety plunger with reduced power 3 lbs spring
- A hex wrench
- A spring configuration chart
Optional upgrades include
- A flat faced trigger shoe (this option has been replaced with the new JG Vex metal shoe) for an additional $90 which replaces the OEM spec curved trigger.
- A striker and assembly that has been refaced, de-tolled, stoned, honed, and high polished for an additional $80 which comes pre-assembled with the yellow 5 lbs striker spring
Installation is fairly straightforward. Simply replace the OEM trigger assembly, striker spring, safety plunger and safety plunger spring. There are plenty of tutorials available elsewhere on the internet so I won’t bother with them here. The only tool required to perform the installation is a small punch needed to remove the pins that hold the trigger assembly in place and to remove the slide back plate in order to access the striker assembly and the safety plunger. If in doubt, then take the kit to your local gunsmith or Glock armorer and have them install it for you.
After installation, we are left with a trigger that has a much more refined Glock trigger feel. The pre-travel, or take up, is a short 1/8″ that stops at a defined and solid wall. The break is very crisp and the break weight I experienced with the yellow 5 lbs spring came just north of 4.4 lbs. The reset is quick, short, defined, and very tactile. It’s still a Glock-esque feel, but it’s superior in every way while maintaining factory reliability.
This kit is one of the more expensive kits I came across while researching potential triggers. While I’m not a Glock guy and have only experienced a few Glocks with upgraded triggers, I haven’t come across an aftermarket trigger kit that feels as refined as this one. As such, I think it’s worth the extra money.