Glock G17 Gen5 9mm vs Shadow Systems DR920 Elite 9mm

Both are 17-round full-size 9mms with barrels 0.01" apart (4.49" vs 4.5"). The Shadow Systems DR920 Elite 9mm is the lighter and slimmer gun at 22.4 oz against the Glock G17 Gen5 9mm's 24.97 oz and 1.1" wide against 1.34", is 0.2" shorter overall (7.75" vs 7.95"), lists a 1.3 lb lighter flat-faced trigger (4.5 lb vs 5.8 lb), comes optic-ready with a tritium front sight and a serrated steel rear, and has interchangeable grip-angle backstraps. It also costs $391.95 more at MSRP ($1,038.95 vs $647.00). The G17 Gen5 is not optic-ready and uses fixed sights, but includes three magazines to the DR920's two.

Pick the Glock G17 Gen5 if:

• MSRP is $391.95 lower ($647.00 vs $1,038.95)
• Three magazines come in the box rather than two
• You do not need a factory optic cut or an adjustable grip angle

Pick the Shadow Systems DR920 Elite if:

• You want an optic cut from the factory instead of a milled slide later
• It is lighter and 0.24" narrower (22.4 oz and 1.1" vs 24.97 oz and 1.34")
• The trigger is listed 1.3 lb lighter (4.5 lb vs 5.8 lb), with tritium front and steel rear sights

Capacity and barrel length are effectively identical, so the money buys the optic cut, the lighter listed trigger, the night sight and the adjustable grip angle. If you would pay for those changes on a G17 anyway, the DR920 Elite arrives with them; if not, the Glock is $391.95 less.