Glock questions

[goon]

I have 3rd generation Glock 23 that I want to do a little upgrading to and start reloading for.
First, I want to put a heavier recoil spring in it and possibly a steel guide rod. What weight spring is standard with the 23 (.40 S&W) and what strength spring would be recommended if I wanted to go just a little heavier?
Second, what shortcomings does the Glock have as far as reloading the .40 round goes? I have read that the Glock chamber is not as supported as most other pistols and that this makes reloading more of an issue.
How many reloads could I expect to get out of once fired brass? Would it be worth it to buy the stuff to load .40 (I already load other rounds) or is the Glock too hard on brass?
BTW - I know I have to stick with jacketed bullets only.

 

[1911WB]

Glocks

Even though I'm a 1911 guy at heart, I've gotten into Glocks in the last couple of years. Wife has a G23, and I've got a G35 and a G20. I have 9mm conversion barrels from Lone Wolf Distributors for both the 23 and 35 (enables us to use cheap 9mm at the range with only a barrel and magazine change).

The .40S&W is pretty easy to handload, but I don't like to reload it too many times cause it is a rather thin-walled case and the .40 is a high pressure round. The Glock kabooms that you read about are mostly with the .40.

I believe the standard recoil spring weight for the G23 is 17# which should handle any reasonable .40 load. I would not go too hot on the .40 loads for the reasons stated above.

 

[Desertscout]

If you leave the springs alone in the Glock, it will perform flawlessly for you.

Yes, it's worth reloading for and there are really no special precautions in reloading for Glocks. The whole unsupported chamber thing is blown way out of proportion. I have reloaded for the .40 caliber Glock for 16 years and have not had the slightest problem.

 

[Rumble]

If you want to use lead bullets, They Say to pick up an aftermarket barrel, like Storm Lake or Bar-Sto. I have no experience with either, but that's what They Say.

 

[Kentak]

There's another thread going on about shooting lead through a GLOCK barrel. It is generally accepted (but, not universally), that this is not a good practice as there have been a statistically significant amount of kabooms with lead + GLOCK barrels. Most say, if you want to do this, and err on the side of safety, use an aftermarket barrel such as BarSto, Storm Lake, or (my fav) KKM.

K

 

[glockman19]

First get a Storm Lake barrel they're $90 aand worth every penny. Second Don't mess with the recoil spring or guide rod. If you want to make any menaingful upgrade get a #3.5 trigger pull.

 

[Onmilo]

My experience has been to use the standard Glock recoil spring assemblies.
The aftermarket stainless and other material guide rods tend to change the point of impact due to frame flex.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Contrary to a popular belief, the gun makers actually do know what recoil spring strength their guns will function properly with.

 

[Alphazulu6]

I own the G23 among others and love it. I upgraded mine (with some pretty hefty price tags but I feel it worth it). Here they are:
1) Get yourself a competition stainless barrel ($90-150). Do not do a ported barrel unless you are compensating it which would be rediculous for a Glock. I am not going to name names but the better barrels are very well advertised.
2) Upgraded the trigger to the 3 pound competition glockmeister setup $60. You can get these from any Glockmeister dealer and they will install them for a nominal fee if you dont feel comfortable doing it yourself.
3) Get a Lasermax laser (the new style with self contained spring like your factory one). These things are great! They are pricey ($300) but they are nicely sighted in (mine was within 1/2" of my 5-shot group at 25 yards). You could add a bottom laser but they are cumbersome and cause balance to feel uneven.

As far as your recoil spring... factory type springs w/ factory settings are the best.

The Glock was not meant to be the Wilson Combat or Kimber USA Gold Competition .45 but it will be 100% reliable with no issues and shoot great groups and has won many tactical competitions at 1/4 of the price-tag. Its hands down the best real-life affordable handgun on the market. Good luck with your G23!

 

[goon]

The only real issue I have with the 23 at this time is the recoil. I can handle it fine for about 30 rounds but then I start to get tremors.
If changing the recoil spring isn't recommended, what about trying a different type of ammo?
What kind of ammo would tame the recoil a little but still leave me with a enough power to make the .40 worthwhile? Can anyone suggest a good practice load and a good HD load?
All I have tried up to date is 155 and 165 grain ammo.
I really like the gun so I don't want to trade it off or sell it but if I can't shoot it well then it really doesn't do me any good.

 

[Desertscout]

I really wonder why so many people say the Glock 23 (or any other Glock for that matter) has too much recoil. I shoot 165's and 180's both and frequently shoot over 1000 rounds over a long weekend. I shoot 500 to a 1000 during any given month and I think it is one of the mildest guns to shoot that exists.

I have to believe that, barring any physical handicap, that the problem may lie in improper shooting technique.

 

[goon]

That's possible. It makes me wonder what the problem is because I have owned a lot of .357s and I never had problems with any of them other than that they rattled my teeth a little with some loads. But I didn't have trouble hitting with them or with tremors, recoil, etc.
I think I'll get a box of 180's today or tomorrow and see if there is any difference to me.
I have also read some posts that indicate maybe I should try allowing my arms to relax a little more when I shoot.

 

[Desertscout]

Your arms can be relatively straight but must not be locked. Your wrist needs to be set properly and you need to learn to allow the recoil to happen without fighting it.
You may find that the 180's have a more of a push and less "kick" than some the lighter bullets. Recoil may be a little less snappy for you.

 

[goon]

Well after shooting some 180's today I learned two things.
1. They do have more of a push than a snap. I like them better, at least for practice work. And Blazer brass isn't as expensive as the wallworld 165's I've been shooting.
2. It isn't the recoil. It's the fatigue. I still started getting tremors. It has been awhile since I have shot handguns much and I am out of shape. So I guess its hand exercises, playing with the snap caps, and practice every other day until I get decent with a handgun again.
And for now, the Glock stays. Thanks for the help.

 

[nemoaz]

Contrary to a popular belief, the gun makers actually do know what recoil spring strength their guns will function properly with.

C'mon, man. Anything that is "custom" "turbo" "magnum" or "heavy duty" has to be better.

 

[nemoaz]

The only real issue I have with the 23 at this time is the recoil. I can handle it fine for about 30 rounds but then I start to get tremors.

I often fire 300-500 155 grain +P 40s in a day. I have seen many small females (110 lbs) do the same thing. I'm certainly no superman: I never liked shooting my 44 mag and cannot imagine how bad some of these new pistol rounds are that produce twice the power of 44.

What stance are you using? Isosceles works better for recoil control IMO. Makes sure both arms are locked out and you have a firm handle (push pull) on the weapon.

Regarding the exercises, do forearm and grip exercises too.

 

[CountGlockula]

goon - 2. It isn't the recoil. It's the fatigue. I still started getting tremors. It has been awhile since I have shot handguns much and I am out of shape. So I guess its hand exercises, playing with the snap caps, and practice every other day until I get decent with a handgun again.

Also, taking breaks help.

 

[Autolycus]

I like Glock simply becuase they are so good for tinkering. Sounds like you have an idea of what you want to do with your Glock. Good luck.

 

[Wayne G.]

First, I want to put a heavier recoil spring in it and possibly a steel guide rod

Why on earth would you want to do that? Have you experienced any malfunctions due to the the recoil spring assembly? I bet you may if you "upgrade" to heavier spring and steel rod. To shoot reloads, simply buy a drop-in barrel. Shoot all the reloads you want.

 

[DHart]

Goon... American Eagle 180 gr. FMJ ammo is VERY mild to shoot! Almost feels like 9mm in the Glock 23.

Since I shoot almost entirely handloads/reloads, I wanted to minimize brass expansion and maximize case head support, so I installed a $98 Lone Wolf .40 barrel in my G23. Awesome barrel with full case head support and a slightly tighter chamber - makes for working the cases less in expansion & resizing. Also gives me a feeling of a little more safety with the full case head support. Reliability has been excellent.

I also installed a Ghost Rocket 3.5# connector which brings the trigger pull down from somewhere around 7# to around 4.75#. And I installed a smooth-faced trigger. Both of these changes made the trigger feel much better and a little less wearing on my trigger finger during long sessions.

Lastly, I installed an AroTek steel guide rod. Not a necessary change, by any means, I just did it because it seemed like a good idea and I like to tinker. The G23 is a great gun!

I also have a G19 which I like every bit as much, even moreso for the capacity! And with the best of today's defense ammo designs, 9mm is comparable to .40 for penetration depth, expansion size, and terminal effectiveness... plus, with 9mm you have milder recoil, greater capacity, and less expensive ammo!