Glock 36 problem

Status
Not open for further replies.
O

one45auto

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
1,196
Location
Somewhere out there
(Sigh)

Okay....so I finally get to pick up the Glock 36 I purchased at a gun show nearly two weeks ago and everything looks good. I take it home and am crossing my fingers at this point because I note that the original owner purchased it in December of 2002 (the sales receipt was inside the case) yet turned around and sold it in February of the following year - a mere two months later. Hmmm. Were they smitten with another model? Did he or she discover that the .45ACP round was too much? I couldn't help but wonder, all the while praying that their brief ownership wasn't due to some flaw in the gun.

Anyway, I disassemble it. It's a little dirty, not shot much that's for sure. Some microscopic particles of metal here and there - looks like copper, and of course the expected powder residue, but nothing out of the ordinary. Everything looks good. I put it back together and do a few dry fires with some snap caps. So far so good. Until, that is, I do some reloading drills and discover that the darned slide release is not cooperating. I press and press and press but no luck. It lies flat against the frame and doesn't want to budge. :banghead:


Then, suddenly, on one try it releases. I try again. Same problem. Once in a while, perhaps one try in eight, it works but I really have to work it and the rest of the time I had to slingshot the slide to get it back into battery. Not good. Not good at all. (If that happened in a pitched battle you'd all be reading my obituary right now) Darned shame too, because I love everything about the gun.

My question for the board is, has anyone else ever experienced this with any Glock model? Is it a defective lever? Should I send it back to Glock or can it be remedied at home?

Any information, experience, or insight would be greatly appreciated.
 
While it's true that some folks use the slide stop lever as a slide release, it's also true that many, if not most, who know much about Glocks don't. How do you chamber a round from a closed slide? Just get in the habit of using the four-fingers-over-the-slide method of fully retracting the slide and releasing it abruptly, and you'll be sure and not die due to your inability to release the slide in your next gunfight. :)
 
Not unusual for a Glock, it's actually a slide lock, not a slide release. Glock does make an extended slide lock for some models that facilitate using it as a slie elease, but I'm not sure if they are all interchangable beteween models.
I have found that it does get easier with time as the parts wear in together and you can drop the slide that way, but I have to concur with Rcokstar that that pulling the slide bak and releasing it is the best way to reload.
 
last time I read the instruction book it said not to use the slide stop as a release. It recommended pulling the slide back each time.
 
Stupid Question: Are you operating the slide lock/release with an empty magazine or a loaded magazine?

I'm awaiting your answer because it makes a world of difference. If you are trying this with an empty magazine with the lever pushing up on the slide lock/release then the lever isn't designed to operate that way. It's designed to drop the slide with a full magazine and the magazine lever not pushing up on the slide lock/release. Basically, with a loaded or partially loaded magazine you are not pressing down and fighting the magazine spring for control of the slide lock/release.

You should be able to use the slide lock/release effectively with a loaded magazine and not be forced to use the sling shot method. If not there is something not quite right.
 
medmo,

I was trying to operate it with a full magazine, naturally. I would've had to have dropped several IQ points to try it with an empty magazine. (LOL) Releasing the slide lock after reloads is a habit I got into with my Colt Series 80 since that release is a cinch to operate and very handy. (The fact that the Vietnam Vet who first showed me how to handle the gun did precisely that was undoubtedly a big influence) I was using magazines loaded with snap caps for the test. I've done the same thing with my Glock 19 and never had a problem.

Having said that, some of the earlier responses were correct. I called the factory yesterday and according to the technician in the service department the slingshot method is considered the proper way to release the slide. I've also done some research online and according to several sources, many (if not most) police departments teach their recruits to pull back on the slide as well.
 
Last edited:
UPDATE

I took the Glock 36 to the range yesterday afternoon for a thorough test drive and the results were both encouraging and disappointing.

First the good news.

Until yesterday the Glock 19 was my best "first time out" gun, but my accuracy with the little 36 blew me away. Out of my first six shots, two went into the nine ring and four in the ten - with two inside the red. The next two magazine loads were equally impressive, with all twelve shots inside the nine, immediately do the bottom of the ten. Oh, sweet! :)

I then pulled in that target to save and put out a fresh silhouette. The funny thing about my shooting is that whenever I relax and don't think about it I do well, but once I start concentrating really hard my shots drift off to the eight and seven rings. Go figure.

Anyway, that's how it went this time. I tried to aim the pistol and wound up grouping my shots very tightly but in a line going straight up what would be the breast bone - from the nine ring into the eight and seven. All center mass hits, and certainly enough to stop any intruder not wearing body armor, but still not as good as my instinctive shots. I took some pictures of the targets, and as soon as I can get them resized I'll post them here for your opinions.

Recoil wasn't half as bad as I expected, and the reports I've read on other boards about it stinging, pinching, or biting the hand weren't true - at least not in my case. I always grip my guns tightly and high on the backstrap, so perhaps that helps. Granted, the recoil was noticeable but it was of the push variety rather than the flip. I fired over fifty rounds barehanded without a hitch, though I used a shooting glove after that since I wanted to know how well I could shoot with one on. The glove basically nullified what recoil there was and I could have shot that pistol all day then. I loved everything about it. It shoots straight and to POA, it's lightweight and handy, flat and easy to conceal, has good stopping power, and like all other Glocks disassembles in a heartbeat.

Now for the bad news.

My first box of ammunition was Winchester 230gr FMJ, and during those fifty rounds I experienced one FTF where the cartridge did not seat properly before the slide closed, thus jamming it open. Easy to clear, but troubling just the same. The next box was Remington, also 230 gr FMJ. Same thing, only this time I not only had one FTF but also an FTE - a horiztontal stovepipe which likewise jammed the slide open. Another problem I encountered was that the slide would repeatedly lock open with one round still left in the magazine.

This wasn't something I'd expect from a Glock since my 19 has been the most reliable pistol I've ever owned. It eats everything and has never, not even once, had any malfunctions or feeding problems of any kind. So as soon as I got home I immediately called Glock. The technician there first checked the serial number (at my request) but it was not part of any recalls - er, "upgrades." Well, thank the Lord for that. I then explained the problem(s) in detail and he asked that I send the gun to them for examination. He's certain that the slide lock with one round left is a result of a bad slide stop lever, but the FTF and FTE he thinks might possibly require a new extractor.
So I'm going to type up a letter this afternoon and then FedEx the pistol to the factory. Hopefully that will clear things up, if not then I'll send it back and insist on a new frame.
 
One45auto,

My G36 is about the same vintage as yours, and is also very difficult to chamber using the slide stop. My experience is that the gun works fine using the sling-shot technique (as your armorer suggested). It's not anywhere near as accurate as my full size GI .45, and seems to require a more "aggressive" grip to make sure that I don't get the occassional FTE. Because of the gun's size I also have to concentrate on gripping it in a way that I don't ride the slide stop with my thumb - if I do (once I realized I was doing this I tried gripping it both ways for repeatability) I regularly get crunched case mouths (that don't cause stoppages), with a very rare FTE. Almost everyone that I've let shoot the gun has had this problem, which seemed to be correctable by modifying their grip.
I'm not crying "limp-wrist" just saying mine's grip sensitive. And it hates mag extensions of any kind - they caused me all kinds of grief. That said, it's now got somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 rounds through it - mostly WWB and cheap magtech fmj. The magtech seems to give me a more reliable ejection pattern.
I got a bargain on a pile of Winchester 185 grn silvertips, and it eats those up as well.

Just my $.02
 
One45Auto, no insult intended. That's is why it was lableled, "Stupid Question". There are plenty folks out there that have this kind of problem. The sling shot method is what we taught at Quantico with the M9. Both of my Glocks, 9mm & 45acp, drop easily with the slide stop/lock. I prefer using the lever rather than the sling shot because that is what I use for speed in IDPA matches. It might have something to with ergonomics. I have big hands and my thumb reaches the lever with no problems.
 
Upriver,

According to their records, my pistol left the factory in November of 2002. The previous owner purchased it on December 30th of that same year. (They left the sales receipt inside the case) Barely two months later, on February 11th, 2003 he (or she) placed the gun on consignment where it apparently remained until I purchased the pistol at a gun show last month.

Considering the rapid turnaround time, not to mention the fact that it had remained unsold for nearly two years, I was rather hesitant to purchase it at first. However there are many reasons why people let firearms go. Perhaps the previous owner bought the pistol and discovered they were too sensitive to recoil to handle it. Perhaps the grip just didn't feel right nor properly fit their hand. Maybe they came upon hard times and needed the cash or it was part of an estate sale. Then again, let's face it. Some people buy whatever the latest fad is, and then later regret it for one reason or another. It could very well be that they wanted more than six shots. Who knows.

In any case, I've browsed this board - as well as Glock Talk, and overall this particular model seems to be well liked and has a good following. Like most Glocks it has a reputation for complete reliability although like any product there are occasionally manufacturing or parts mishaps which cause some pistols to be lemons.

As I said, I love the pistol and was extremely accurate with it. That surprised me because I'm precisely the opposite from you in terms of performance when it comes to shooting the .45ACP. With my Series 80 Colt Model 1991A1 Stainless I do well enough to get by, but am not nearly as accurate as I was with the Glock 36. Overall I've discovered that I am more naturally suited to smaller framed guns with fixed sights, and therefore the majority of my collection consists of barrel lengths of four inches and under.

Like you, I always keep a firm grip upon my weapon and keep my thumb well clear of the slide release. I typically practice at ranges of between fifteen and twenty-five feet - sometimes thirty, as that is most likely the maxium distance at which a self-defense confrontation would occur given the size of most household rooms. If I ever have to defend myself (God forbid) at greater distances, I'm going to want my rifle instead.

Although my confidence in this pistol has been shaken somewhat, I'm confident that Glock will make it good. They'll either repair or replace it and then it'll be as reliable as my Model 19. :)
 
one45auto,

Don't get me wrong, I love my G36, it's what I have on me the most. It just took me a while to get comfortable with it functionally. Like yours, mine is a 2002 gun that went through two owners before me - it also still had some of the copper lube on it, so it probably wasn't shot much. I bought it from a friend who wanted to go back to 9mm, so I had a chance to shoot it beforehand. I try to put at least 100 rds a month down-range (although I'm limited to an outdoor range here, and so during the winter rains I'm not as regular, and in the summer I get more), and still, out of all my handguns (including a charter .44 spl bulldog that I detest), it's the one I shoot the worst. I don't know why. And by worst I mean rarely do I shoot more than 2 overlapping holes in a group at 15 yds. I don't have this problem with my full size govt' which obliterates the bullseye at that range.

Maybe it's the trigger.
Maybe it's the grip.
Maybe it's me.

At distances that matter shots are all COM, and I can keep them all on an index card - I just get fliers with the 36 past 7yds. But I like being able to make dead accurate holes a little further out than that. Rifle on board? Check.

Sigh.

Back to the point, thought - relability-wise, I do trust it. Other than an occasional smashed case mouth or brass over the head, it just eats up ammo.

Maybe I should just carry the full sized, and try to hide it a little better.

Good luck with the folks at Glock, I'd like to hear how it runs when it gets back. :D
 
Upriver,

Mine had a ton of that coppery crap still in it (though it had dried to the point where it looked like gold dust) and so it's apparent that the previous owner had fired the pistol very little, if at all.

If I were you, I'd carry whatever gun I shot the best. In my case, that means that should Maryland finally pass a concealed carry law (please, God) I'll most likely be toting one of my J-frame Smiths or the Glock 36 with a spare magazine. Speaking of which, I sent the gun back to the factory this evening and if all goes well it'll be there at 10:30 tomorrow morning.

I miss it already. :(
 
Yeah, I think you're right,
I've been thinking about swapping out, I just don't get as much practice with the .44 spl because to me, it's unpleasant to shoot, and expensive.

Anyway, please shoot an update with what the factory did to your 36 when it gets back.
 
UPDATE

My Glock 36 actually came back from the factory today, a turnaround of only six days - incredible customer service! Here is a verbatim transcript of the service performed, taken directly from the text of the invoice included with the pistol:

INSPECTED
REPLACED RECOIL SPRING, LCI EXTRACTOR, SLIDE STOP LEVER, FIRING PIN, FIRING P SAFETY, TRIGGER BAR, EJECTOR AND CLEANED.
MEETS FACTORY SPECS.
TESTED OK

I can't wait to take it out to the range next week to see how it performs. :)
 
That is a lot of parts replaced for a gun that was not shot much! :what:
Click to expand...

I know, but I suppose they figured that it might be as well to replace the other parts which normally need repair/replacing - just to be on the safe side, since they want a satisfied customer.

I'm definitely pleased with the speed and efficiency of their service department, now let's see how they did with the repairs when I go to the range.....
 
Did you get out to the range yet? The suspense is killing me here....
 
Last edited:
medmo,

Took her out today - just got back home two minutes ago, in fact, and here's the range report you've been waiting for. I put one hundred and fifty rounds through it all told and the results? Well, you judge for yourself and then give me your opinion.

First fifty rounds put through were PMC (Precision Made Cartridges) 230gr. FMJ. Experienced one failure to eject (horizontal stovepipe) and on one occasion the slide locked open with four rounds still left in the magazine. Examination of several empty shell casings showed abnormal bulging, in two cases severely so - with positive dents or warps in the brass as if you'd pinched and twisted them with a pair of pliers. I saved two examples and will try to post pictures as soon as possible.

The next one hundred rounds were Remington UMC 230gr. FMJ. While shooting the first box I did have one failure to feed (at least I think it occurred while shooting the Remington) but believe it was operator error since once or twice I caught myself failing to push a cartridge all the way to the rear of the magazine while loading. Too eager to return to the test, I suppose. Anyway, aside from that one failure to feed I had no problems whatsoever - no FTE's, no slide locks with rounds still left in the magazine, nothing. It went bang every time until it ran dry.

Accuracy was first rate. The recoil, which was never a problem nor struck me as excessive in any way, was barely noticeable. As a matter of fact, I love shooting this gun.

I experienced a few fliers as I tried doing fast double-taps (still haven't learned how, unfortunately), but otherwise I did very well indeed. In fact I tore a gaping hole in the target just to the left of the bullseye by putting almost all my shots in a 3' group at 25'. Sweet!!

So, my question for everyone is this. What would you do? Would you chalk the problems with the PMC up to the ammo and just stick to the Remington from now on? Or would you be looking to trade the 36 in, perhaps for another 36 or other Glock? Send it back to the factory again?

I confess I've been spoiled rotten by my Glock 19 which shoots everything - and I do mean everything, without a single problem. I'd trust the Glock 19 with my life.

Opinions welcome.
 
My experience with Precision Mexican Cartridges has been less than stellar!!!
So much so that I refuse to buy or shoot them any more!!
It has been literally years since I have bought a box, so my memory of what they did is somewhat suspect!! I do remember that they did not perform to the advertised "precision" aspect of the moniker!!!!

Since another brand of ammo worked better, I would chalk your problems up to that!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

greyling22
  • Locked
1911 slide problem
Replies
14
Views
597
greyling22
greyling22
C
  • Locked
Found a Glock 36 cheap.
Replies
4
Views
512
gbelleh
G
R
  • Locked
Glock 36 third generation is it a Lemon
Replies
24
Views
2K
rskent
rskent
S
  • Locked
Glock 36: anyone have one?
Replies
13
Views
753
oceansands
O
I
  • Locked
Glock 36 ?.
Replies
10
Views
1K
BP Hunter
BP Hunter
Back
Top