How Does a Glock Achieves It's Accuracy.

[accuracy@25]

I've read a gap exists between the slide and frame at the rear but not at the front. This is different than a 1911 which requires a close fit between the slide and frame for accuracy. How then is accuracy achieved--Is it in the lockup. What is the function of the (4) "L" steel inserts which appear to act as a guide between slide and frame. My Glock 34 has "play" (rocks) at the rear between slide and frame. Is this normal or could it be a reason why the pistol is inaccurate?

 

[tuj]

Glocks are combat accurate. So are pretty much any 1911 regardless of fit.

To get a 1911 to shoot bullseye-accurate (sub-3" 10-shots at 50 yards from a rest), you need a good bushing fit and a good frame-slide fit and a good barrel.

 

[jfrey]

A Glock barrel locks up on the "locking block" located in the frame and that holds it in place when it is fired. The barrel butts up against the face of the slide and when there is slack or vertical movement of the frame it slides up and down against the face of the barrel. The 1911 actually has locking lugs cut into the top of the barrel that lock it into the slide. The barrel pivits on a link below the barrel when the gun is fired. The barrel lugs and bushing hold the barrel in place and thus control the basic accuracy. There are some 1911's that have slots milled into a block welded to the bottom of the barrel, instead of a swinging link, that give a more positive lockup.

 

[wildehond]

Good and consistent barrel to slide fit. That is biggest part of accuracy. It gives you consistent sight and barrel line-up. The frame just makes to possible for the barrel to unlock and lock, and provides a place for the trigger assembly and magazine.

 

[ku4hx]

What is the function of the (4) "L" steel inserts which appear to act as a guide between slide and frame. My Glock 34 has "play" (rocks) at the rear between slide and frame. Is this normal or could it be a reason why the pistol is inaccurate?

The four "L" steel inserts are the rails on which the slide both rests and rides.

How does your gun shoot? If it shoots to suit you then the slight amount of "play" is inconsequential. Being a combat weapon designed for combat accuracy, you're likely not going to get target accuracy.

My model 23 will consistently do at 21 feet as the attached photo shows. For me that's plenty accurate.

 

[Mainsail]

I'm no expert but I always believed it was the barrel to slide (or bushing) that enhanced accuracy, not so much the slide to frame fit. The Glock is a different animal anyway because the frame itself is just there to support the inserts on which the slide travels. So in the Glock the slide to insert fit is all that matters as long as the slide isn't contacting the frame somewhere and causing an interference.

 

[Drail]

A 1911 does NOT require a "close fit between the slide and frame for accuracy". It requires a close fit between the barrel and slide for accuracy. As long as the barrel and slide lock up tight the same way every time it goes into battery the slide/frame fit does not matter as much as most people think. And as someone else pointed out a Glock using the factory barrel is only a "combat grade" accurate gun.

 

[kmbrman]

The target shown by ku4hx is about like my own Glock 23. The Gen 3 version I own is about a One Hole Gun if your technique is good , It's one of the better shooters in my book. About as good a shooter as my old 26 that I had.

 

[918v]

In my experience, Glock accuracy depends on barrel to slide to locking block fit. The barrel needs to stay locked up tight with the slide while the bullet is going down the bore, which means about .0625" of rearward slide travel.

 

[accuracy@25]

Thanks to all who posted replies to my Glock inquiry. Also the U-Tube video of shooting at 230 yds made me envious. Just shot (10) rounds at 25 Yds with a resultant 6" group. In my estimation the 34 is hardly accurate.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Yep...must be the pistol...

Odds are...
If Hickok45 could shoot your pistol...he'd still be banging on that 230 yard gong just fine.

Glocks are plenty accurate but they require proper trigger squeeze and grip...When I bought my Glock (36) it took me weeks to get the hang of the trigger after all those years of shooting my Baer 1911...but after I got the hang of the trigger, the Glock is darn near as accurate as the Baer...and the Baer will put a whole mag full into a circle the size of a Skoal can at 50 yards.

 

[mizer67]

Yep, a Glock is only "combat accurate"....

Here's a 10-rd group @25 yards from my G17.

[/IMG]

 

[918v]

Thanks to all who posted replies to my Glock inquiry. Also the U-Tube video of shooting at 230 yds made me envious. Just shot (10) rounds at 25 Yds with a resultant 6" group. In my estimation the 34 is hardly accurate.

In my estimation, the 34 is not a magic plastic surgical pistol. It is no more accurate than the rest of the Glock line. I think one could get lucky and get one that shoots like a laser, but that don't mean they all do.

I think if you handloaded for yours you could tighten the groups quite a bit. Or get a custom barrel that fits better. I'm on my second KKM barrel. My first, a 357 Sig, shot 1" groups at 25 yards benchrested. My 9mm barrel shows alot of promise, having cut my factory groups in half.

But does it mean you will shoot better? Nope.

6" at 25 yards standing isn't bad especially with a factory Glock.

 

[918v]

At 15 yards.

I need to get struck by lightning before I can do this again.

 

[918v]

Just got struck by lightning!



124 XTP
6 grs Power Pistol
CCI-500
1.060" OAL
FC case
1208 FPS

Glock 17L w/KKM barrel

15 yards benchrested

 

[chris in va]

You guys have better eyesight than I do. 25 yards all I see is a huge black post against a black circle.

 

[Plan2Live]

Tight groups but are you guys trying to miss the center?

 

[918v]

The gun has fixed sights.

 

[Buck Kramer]

Perfection. Couldn't help myself.

 

[Ben86]

You guys have better eyesight than I do. 25 yards all I see is a huge black post against a black circle.

That's all I see, and if I shoot larger than 3" at 25 yards with my G19 I'm disappointed in myself. As long as the fundamentals of stance, grip, sight alignment and proper focus, trigger control and follow through are observed a Glock can achieve surprisingly impressive accuracy for an inexpensive stock polymer gun.

With modern defensive pistols slide to frame fit is often loose compared to guns of older designs. It's an intentional design that increases reliability when copious amounts of fouling and dirt are involved. It hardly effects accuracy. Accuracy is much more dependent on the barrel to slide fit, which on Glocks is pretty darn good.

Don't worry about it and keep practicing and seeking knowledge on how to improve your shooting technique.

 

[jmr40]

I think the polygonal rifling helps as well. Just to hold and dry fire a Glock you'd think they were not accurate. Once the trigger is mastered they amaze me. Not quite as accurate as my best 1911's but pretty close. Makes you wonder how accurate they would be with a really crisp 1911 type trigger.

Tight groups but are you guys trying to miss the center?

When shooting for small groups you want the bullets to impact several inches from the point of aim. It is pretty hard to aim at the same point each time if bullet holes are destroying your aiming point.

 

[wwace]

mine doesn't achieve accuracy G35 ftw

 

[silicosys4]

Glock achieves its "accuracy" by convincing you through clever marketing, and appealing to your sense of ego, that no other pistol could do the same. I have shot plenty of handguns that achieve the same level of accuracy as every one of these targets shown. Glocks are no more or less accurate, on average, then any quality handgun.

 

[918v]

I think the polygonal rifling helps as well. Just to hold and dry fire a Glock you'd think they were not accurate. Once the trigger is mastered they amaze me. Not quite as accurate as my best 1911's but pretty close. Makes you wonder how accurate they would be with a really crisp 1911 type trigger.

Every poly barel I tried was less accurate than standard.

 

[Roadking Rider]

I shoot my CZ better than I do my glock. Both pistols are just the way they came out of the box. Always looked at stock glocks as being duty accurate not as tack driving target pistols. Personally I think its a little internet glock hype.