Glock 23 suddenly stopped working properly...

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Paincakesx

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
128
So, I purchased my Glock 23 pretty recently. I put about 200 rounds or so through it without any issue. At the time, I was using Winchester white box rounds.

I and a few friends went out to a rural area to plink a bit, when I realized to my horror that my Glock 23 wasn't feeding properly.

Here are a couple things to note:
1) I was using Remington 180 gr FMJ UMC rounds
2) With the action open, slamming my loaded magazine into my gun would cause the slide to close and chamber the round. This happened with both the Remington ammunition and the Winchester ammunition.
3) Pretty regularly, a round would load crookedly into the chamber - simply racking the slide would cause that round to feed properly, but this happened almost every time I loaded a magazine and fired it.
4) This happened with the 3 magazines I brought with me.
5) I also shot a magazine of the Winchester ammunition that I shot flawlessly before, and even had a failure to feed on that one.

I'm not so sure limp-wristing was an issue considering I never had that problem before. I'm hoping this isn't a big deal, but does anybody have any ideas as to what could be causing this?

I thought that it might be a bad recoil spring, but I'm not really sure if that would cause this strange behavior. I'll take it to an armorer as soon as I can, but hopefully some of you guys can put my mind at ease until then.
 
On most broken in Glocks when you ram the mag home with the slide back it can chamber a round. My 17 does it 2/10 times. Now with it not feeding right it might be the worn out recoil spring. How many rounds have you shot through it?? Anything over 5000 rounds you should replace the spring.
 
I bought it used, but it didn't have any visible wear that I could see. I would have mistaken it as new if I didn't know ahead of time.

I myself have shot about 250 rounds through it total.
 
1)Stop slamming the mag so hard.

2)Call Glock and tell them your recoil spring assembly is worn and they will send you a new one. This will most likely solve the problem.
 
The slide unlocking inadvertantly isn't a huge concern to me. While I don't like a gun doing something I didn't tell it to, there is no real downside to it. I have a video clip of Clint Smith teaching malfunction drills and a slide drops when he inserts a mag, and he says; "I like it when I get a freebie." I think it's probably because you are using 180s, the bullet is so big, the tip is nudging the slide stop. It may go away as the gun breaks in, smaller bullets might make it stop. I suppose you could shape the slide stop a bit with a file, but I wouldn't be concerned enough to start modifying things.
 
When he mentioned a "freebie" he was talking about getting a stovepipe while setting up a FTFeed by not fully seating the magazine on the SIG. IIRC.
 
Ok the magazine releasing the slide is an issue only when you put the magazine in and hit the bottom of the mag right? If so it is likely less about the magazine and more about the force you create.

Check the recoiled spring for any small cracks and any part of the gun that touches the bullet at it feeds. Normally stovepipes are too much recoil, poor feeding is not enough (or an obstruction like a burr). Poor feeding can also be causes by the magazine.

Replace recoil spring, check magazine lips, check feed ramp z
 
FTFs are generally spring related as others have noted. If a new recoil spring doesn't fix the problem, I'd look at the magazine springs. It would be dumb luck to have 3 go bad at once but if the former owner kept them loaded continuously it's possible.

We don't know your cleaning and lubrication habbits but I would start with a field strip, cleaning and a few drops of oil. Pay careful attention to the extractor and any grime or brass that might be wedged behind it. While you're at it have a look at your spent casings to see if anything is amiss there. Next range day take note of where your empties are going, are they hitting your shoes or the guy 3 lanes down and are they consistent. Most of my pistols will spit casings in a fairly small pile and where that pile is tells me when to replace springs.

Good luck with the diagnosis.
 
I have NEVER had the slide, on ANY gun, close for me when I insert the magazine. Why do people feel the need to donkey punch their magazines home?
 
Have you tried cleaning and oiling it since you got it?

Contrary to Internet rumors, even Glocks respond well to proper cleaning & lubrication occasionally.

rc
 
I have cleaned the gun recently.

Is it really normal for all 3 mags to fail at once?

I looked at the recoil spring assembly, and did notice that the spring seems to fit the rod a little bit strangely - rather than being cleanly fit onto the rod in a straight fashion, it appears to be fit a little bit more crookedly - i.e. the spring isn't straight on it but has a few slight bends to it (if that makes any sense),

It does seem to be a bit worn so maybe that's the issue?

And I'll stop slamming the magazine in. Apparently that's not that uncommon, so I'm not so concerned about that now. It's the FTF's that I'm concerned about now.
 
Pictures of the recoil spring assembly would help. That would be my second guess.

How far have you taken it apart? Field strip or detail strip? Any after market parts in it?

P.S.

It shouldn't be turning the slide loose when you slap a mag home. Nice thing about Glocks there are a bunch of factory armorers around and there isn't much to go wrong.
 
Last edited:
Alright, so I took it back to the range and fired about 110 rounds through it with all 4 magazines.


About 20 of those were the same UMC rounds that I had used when the gun was jamming, and to my surprise I was able to fire all 110 rounds, though all the magazines, without even a slight hiccup. A Glock armorer at the store/range I bought the gun at watched the gun cycle and said he saw nothing wrong.

I'm at a loss as to why the gun would one day decide to provide a failure to feed on nearly every magazine, and today run flawlessly.

I *might* have over-lubricated it (only explanation I can think of), but other than that I'm totally confused.

Any thoughts?
 
Have you tried cleaning and oiling it since you got it?

Contrary to Internet rumors, even Glocks respond well to proper cleaning & lubrication occasionally.

rc
Click to expand...

NAW, go on, say it isn't so...:D
 
Over lubrication will not cause the problem you describe.

Weak grip is my prime suspect. Grip it firmly and get the web of your hand as high as you can on the backstrap. Also, being a used gun, I'd get some new mag and recoil springs in it ASAP
 
I've got a 2nd gen Glock 19 that I had issues first time to the range. FTFs and the gun printing low and left kept it in the safe until I did some simple research. I replaced the barrel with a new Glock factory barrel and replaced the recoil spring component.

I now have a Glock that shoots to point to aim and feeds any and all rounds I feed it.
 
Sounded like a lube issue to me, but what the heck do I know?

FYI: Stovepipe jams are generally from a weak wrist, allowing the wrist to break during recoil, or "Riding the Recoil"...

Slamming mags= bad Ju-Ju... Some of my pistols will drop the slide when mags are slammed to quickly, looks kool, So does the "Cagney Wrist Slap" when closing a revolver... but can cause several unnecessary conditions or need for repairs..
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Mag Problem? Glock 23
Replies
5
Views
476
possum
P
M
  • Locked
Glock 23 jams only w/ tactical light attached?
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
DBR
D
chardin
  • Locked
Odd failures with ETS Glock .40 16-round magazines
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Walkalong
Walkalong
D
  • Locked
Need help with G-27.
Replies
5
Views
541
Gocart
G
M
  • Locked
Glock 32 to 23 barrel swap feed issues...
Replies
2
Views
300
MyRoad
M
Back
Top