Last year, Dan reviewed the Striker Control Device (SCD) from Tau Development Group. However, Tau is now defunct, and Langdon Tactical took over production of the SCD. How does the LTT Striker Control Device stack up against the previous version, and is it worth a buy?
What is the LTT Striker Control Device?
The LTT Striker Control Device is a simple drop in part, that allows for safer holstering of Glocks. It replaces the OEM slide plate with a hinging one, that will tilt out of the back of the slide when the striker moves rearward. The design was originally made by Tau Development Group, but as of Fall of 2021, they are defunct. Earnest Langdon and Langdon Tactical took over production earlier this year, with Gen 5 SCDs being the first production run.
The SCD itself is a simple component. It has a flat section, and the hinging section. In the above photos, you can see the two piece design. Installation is extremely easy, and is about a 45 second affair. If you have removed and reinstalled a slide plate before, you can install the SCD.
As the trigger is pulled, the striker moves rearward. As that happens, the tail of the striker assembly pushes the hinged part of the plate out. Almost like a false hammer, you will see the plate shift during firing, but it's really there to make holstering safer. As you holster your Glock, you simply place your thumb on the back of the slide, which will prevent the gun from firing. While not a replacement for proper holstering technique, the SCD acts as a barrier to an ND while holstering. Loose clothing, debris, or other things can end up in our holsters, and the SCD safety net is welcome.
The LTT SCD retails for $78.95 for the full-size Gen 5 Glocks, and $84.95 for the slimline guns. I bought mine a few months after reintroduction, and have used it since. How'd it preform?
LTT Striker Control Device Performance
I've got about 1000 rounds of live-fire through my LTT SCD, and closer to 4000-5000 dry fire reps. I've had nothing but reliable function during the entirety of the testing period. This was to be expected, as the SCD is such a simple component. Trigger pull weight was not increased by the SCD either.
I have a Tau Development Group SCD on my Gen 2 Glock, and while function is the same as the LTT, the LTT is much more precisely machined. It does not affect performance, but the quality of mill work, and logo on the striker make the LTT seem a cut above the previous product. Hopefully Langdon starts making Gen 1-4 SCDs, as the Tau ones have pretty much dried up.
The peace of mind that comes when thumbing the slide while holstering is quite nice. I feel comfortable holstering any striker gun, as I practice safe holstering techniques, but I won't say no to another passive safety.
I'm kind of at a loss for words here, as the LTT SCD works as well as the previous iteration, but is slightly higher quality. What more is there to say?
The Verdict
Echoing what Dan said in 2021, I think that the SCD is a component that you should put on your Glock. It only brings upsides, with no downsides.
With how simple the SCD is, there is nearly nothing that could go wrong with it. As a passive safety, it requires no additional steps to disengage, yet will provide safer holstering. As someone that began my CCW process with DA/SA hammer guns, I really, really like this concept as a striker fired shooter now. The only negative I can think of is the price, as $80 isn't chump change. That being said, tighten the belt and eat ramen for a fortnight so you can afford an LTT SCD.
This is the first review I've seen that compares Tau quality with Langdon. I generally expect Langdon to do good work with everything, but good to hear confirmation. Great review.
Thank you!
Here's a downside. When firing a contact shot against an adversary, one technique is to hold the slide forward by pushing on the rear (so the slide is not pushed out of battery by the contact).
This device would prevent that.
This concern is certainly user dependent, as I have WMLs longer than my Glocks, so those act as a stand off device if I needed to perform a contact shot. If the situation were to arise in which I needed to perform a contact shot while the gun was somehow OOB, I do have other places on the gun in which I could push the slide into battery, such as on the body of the optic. This is not a downside for me, as the SCD provides a function that is substantially more important to me than the possibility of needing to perform a contact shot that required a hand on the back of the slide.
This product has been out of stock every time I have checked. Gen 5 only listed.
43 etc. in stock.
Just gotta be diligent with checking the site! I got lucky and they had them in stock for the standard frame guns when I bought mine. I imagine that Langdon will be upping production as time goes on.