Glock 30S owners: Can reloads be the cause of fail to feed in semi auto pistols?

[RussellC]

Or more accurately, something not correct about a reload cause FTF I guess.
Gun is a Glock 30S. Reloads have been various that I have done. This is not a real regular thing, but if I, like today at the range, go through 150-200 rounds it happened twice. Is this just something that I am doing wrong, or is it the gun, or is this typical of .45?

I have reloaded tons and tons of 9mm for my Glock 17, it has never, ever jammed or FTF, ever. Not with factory ammo, nor my reloads. With the 30S .45 This has happened with FP 185 grain X-treme once or twice, never so far for x-treme 230 grain HP (yet), mainly seems to occur with 230 grain RN, but that is what I load the most of. Both plated and FMJ.

Again, this isnt something that happens everytime you turn around, but like today, twice in the course of 175 rounds or so. If I shoot a box of 50. I dont see the problem. It seems to happen when I'm shooting a lot of rounds.

So far, it has only happened when using the 10 round mags that came with it, not the 9 round I got for CCW, and not the Glock 21 13 round mags, but to be fair, they havent been used as often as the 10 round mags.

This might not be a fair statement either, but it has never done this with factory ammo, but I have never shot more than a box of 50 of factory ammo either!
So I guess my question is two fold:
Other Glock .45 shooters, is this something that just happens once in a while, and secondly can a mistake in the reloading process cause this? When it happens, I can see the slide is not all the way forward, and the bullet is jammed in there sticking up from the mag and didnt chamber. Easy to clear, but still, this is a carry gun.

I DONT WANT THIS TO TURN INTO A DONT CARRY RELOADS THING, I DONT. IT IS LOADED WITH HORNADY CRITICAL DUTY, AT LEAST UNTIL I LOCATE SOME FEDERAL HST.

Thanks for any input, if not a reloader issue, I will assume it is a gun issue and try the "Auto loaders" forum here.

Russellc

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

What powder load? That might help. Gen 3 or 4? Compacts with captive springs and especially dual springs can be a little finicky if the load is a light load and not just in GLocks. Might need bumping up and the reason I wanted to know your load.

 

[jwalts27]

Some FP bullets can be finicky, but its rare for a RN bullet. Is it possible that the rounds arent getting hung up on the feed lips on the mag? As previously mentioned a bump in your load data may help too.

 

[Tony k]

Tell us some load info.

Also, could it be shooter induced? After 200 rounds shooter fatigue could be involved.

 

[Grumulkin]

I had a similar Glock issue that was cured by installing a new recoil spring.

As for the question of whether it could be caused by your reloads; it could be but I doubt it.

 

[RussellC]

Its a Gen 3 30S that had about 1000-1500 rounds through it. Loads have been various, usually middle of the road, although some thought my 5.1 Bullseye rounds to be "hot"....Today as follows: 230 grain Win FMJ RN 4.7 Bullseye at 1.265 OAL, 230 RN RMR extra thick plate, 5.1 grains Bullseye at 1.275 OAL, 230 grain X-treme HP, 5.1 Accurate #2 at 1.125.

Is there a mistake in loading, as in sizing or something that could cause this? I know the 4.7 Bullseye loads did it at least once, I remember the brass colored bullet.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

Tell us some load info.

Also, could it be shooter induced? After 200 rounds shooter fatigue could be involved.

No, firm two handed Iso. stance. 200 is nothing, I will regularly go through 250-400 rounds including 9mm. I shot 100 9mm in this same round as the .45 rounds, I dont think this is the problem.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

I had a similar Glock issue that was cured by installing a new recoil spring.

As for the question of whether it could be caused by your reloads; it could be but I doubt it.

What model was it and how old? This is a fairly new gun that should be broken in.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

What powder load? That might help. Gen 3 or 4? Compacts with captive springs and especially dual springs can be a little finicky if the load is a light load and not just in GLocks. Might need bumping up and the reason I wanted to know your load.

It is a Gen 3, but the 30S uses a double spring. Maybe I should try a new one, not that expensive.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

Some FP bullets can be finicky, but its rare for a RN bullet. Is it possible that the rounds arent getting hung up on the feed lips on the mag? As previously mentioned a bump in your load data may help too.

Possible about the feed lips I suppose. I have only had a FP do this once, when it happens, it is usually RN....However that IS what I load the most....I dont know if this is a clue but I had two duds. One fired on the second attempt, the other would not fire on second attempt. Both had a good striker dent! First time ever I had a CCI LPP fail on me!

Russellc

 

[chris in va]

Describe your FTF issue. There are several.

I'd try using the other mags and see what happens.

 

[Grumulkin]

What model was it and how old? This is a fairly new gun that should be broken in.

Russellc

It was a Glock 19 I bought back in the mid 90s.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Have you done a detail strip and clean? Including the firing pin safety? If it gets gummed up it will slow slide return and cause FTF.

Might help to have a good description of the FTF. How is the bullet sticking. Is it coming out of the mag? Does it nose up and not enter the ramp? Does it partially feed into the chamber? Does it mostly feed but stop just short of going into battery? Very well could be the RSA.

Today as follows: 230 grain Win FMJ RN 4.7 Bullseye at 1.265 OAL, 230 RN RMR extra thick plate, 5.1 grains Bullseye at 1.275 OAL

Those loads should not be too light a charge or too slow to create enough RE for full cycle and proper function which leads me to believe the problem lies somewhere else. Most of the time (but not always) if the charge is a little light you get more FTE with some FTF .

I would double check those scales to insure they are not off a tad (for whatever reason) And drop a bunch of charges through your powder system to insure drops are consistent (IE no more than .2gr under). Also powder is good and dry.

If your charge is there and all your measurements with OAL and crimp are passing a plunk test I would assume that your reloads are fine and it is the gun/Magazine. It might not be a bad idea to run a few of the reloads through and warm the gun up before checking factory loads to see how a box goes through since you mentioned the gun does it after a few rounds.

 

[LBEE]

I have a Glock30S bought New have always shot Reloads with no problems....May have been a couple of bad reloads...Primers, Etc.

 

[RussellC]

Describe your FTF issue. There are several.

I'd try using the other mags and see what happens.

The slide isnt all the way forward. You can see the bullet stuck in there, angling up from where it came out of the mag, nose rammed up against where it should be going in, leaving bullet angled up against the opening of the chamber.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

Have you done a detail strip and clean? Including the firing pin safety? If it gets gummed up it will slow slide return and cause FTF.

Might help to have a good description of the FTF. How is the bullet sticking. Is it coming out of the mag? Does it nose up and not enter the ramp? Does it partially feed into the chamber? Does it mostly feed but stop just short of going into battery? Very well could be the RSA.



Those loads should not be too light a charge or too slow to create enough RE for full cycle and proper function which leads me to believe the problem lies somewhere else. Most of the time (but not always) if the charge is a little light you get more FTE with some FTF .

I would double check those scales to insure they are not off a tad (for whatever reason) And drop a bunch of charges through your powder system to insure drops are consistent (IE no more than .2gr under). Also powder is good and dry.

If your charge is there and all your measurements with OAL and crimp are passing a plunk test I would assume that your reloads are fine and it is the gun/Magazine. It might not be a bad idea to run a few of the reloads through and warm the gun up before checking factory loads to see how a box goes through since you mentioned the gun does it after a few rounds.

Nose is up as you stated, Nose up, not going into the chamber, but pointed like it wanted to.
Yes, complete clean including striker channel and everything.

What is RSA?

Thanks guys,

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

I see some guys using FTF as "Fail to Fire".....maybe I am using the abbreviation incorrectly, I mean FTF as "Fail to Feed"...based on the responses, I think everyone knew what I meant, but just to be clear.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

I want to resolve this problem, as this is a carry gun! If I have to I will send it in...otherwise it gets traded for a 21 and I will buy a new one. I suspect the mags, but both of the originals? I will try the 9 round and the 13 round G21 mag more, thus far they havent done it, but the others have been used more (10 round originals) often. This gun is basically "broke in but knew."

I have seen a few instances of other problems with FTF like mine on the Glock forum, but its just talk and who knows what was really the problem. Most frustrating!

Russellc

 

[moxie]

Russell,

First observation is that your OALs are a bit too long. they should be about 1.260, no more. Certainly 1.275 is way too long. That's a "max length."

Next, I have a question. Are you "plunk testing" your rounds? You could have some fatties in there. And another. Are you checking OAL every so many rounds or just once or twice a batch? And, Do you have and use a max cartridge gage?

And finally. You said the original 10 round mags have been used more often. Have you disassembled and cleaned them? Could be gunk in there.

 

[RussellC]

Russell,

First observation is that your OALs are a bit too long. they should be about 1.260, no more. Certainly 1.275 is way too long. That's a "max length."

Next, I have a question. Are you "plunk testing" your rounds? You could have some fatties in there. And another. Are you checking OAL every so many rounds or just once or twice a batch? And, Do you have and use a max cartridge gage?

And finally. You said the original 10 round mags have been used more often. Have you disassembled and cleaned them? Could be gunk in there.

Yes to all with exception to case gauge. This is a Glock and plunk testing is meaningless. You can make one ridulously long to where it wont even come close to going in a magazine and they plunk test fine. I know that 1.275 is max, it is usually the shorter ones that are problematic. Unless both the 10 round mags are defective (that came w/ gun) I am beginnig to suspect the gun, and will endeavor to send in if I cant resolve this issue.

I am going to shoot a bunch of factory ammo and see if it replicates, and use the 9 and 13 round clips to see if it happens with them. If not, I will assume two bad mags and replace. If it begins to happen with the 9 and 13 round mags, and happens with factory ammo, back to the factory it goes.

I have been reading about FTF with this gun and the regular 30, with the 10 round mags. Most of them state it happened on the next to the last round or there abouts. I k now it didnt happen in the beginning of the mag, but really did not think about that until I read that, for what that is worth. I have read about replacing recoil spring, extractors as well as certain trigger bars and polishing the feed ramps...most frustrating. This, although not very often, just cant happen with a carry gun.

Russellc

 

[RussellC]

OK, I bought a bunch of Winchester white box, loaded more ammo at no more than 1.26, plus some Horn. XTP hollow points at 1.21....to the range.

I also ordered a new extractor, plunger, spring and bearing, as well as a new recoil spring.

Russellc