1SOW said:
Willfully Armed said:
I've got a Taurus PT92AFS, that's got little over 19k run through it in the past 13 years. The problems I've experienced, I can count on one hand. Mag problems, ammo problems, and a limp wrist short cycle. Even though I can't fault the gun... its not 100% reliable.
What qualifies as 100% reliable?
Over time, failures to feed/chamber/fire/extract/cycle will occur (even for Glocks) as parts such as magazine spring/follower, striker spring, etc. wear and cause FTF/FTE. If you haven't experienced failures with Glocks, you just haven't shot your Glocks long enough
. For me, reliability factors in wearable parts replacement at 10,000-30,000+ round count (I consider this typical break-in period for Glocks when many "match grade" metal framed pistols begin to show wear/increase in tolerances and need rebuild/parts replacement. Glocks are designed with looser tolerances than most other "newer" semi-auto pistol models that have become increasing "tighter" in pursuit of smaller shot groups and target accuracy. Due to this looseness, Glocks will tend to continue operating even with dirt/fouling build up from lack of cleaning/maintenance or from environmental factors such as extended exposure in dusty/sandy conditions like a dust storm in the desert.
Bovice said:
I have guns that have been run in a wide variety of circumstances from informal target shooting, steel, or IDPA that have not malfunctioned.
Hint. None are Glock.
To settle some discussions/bets, when I bought my second Glock 22 for USPSA match shooting, without having shot the new pistol, I threw it into a dirt mound near the match stage and kicked it around to thoroughly coat/shove dirt all in/around the pistol. Afterwards, I shook the pistol and racked the slide a few times then ran the match stage without functional/accuracy issues. (Disclaimer: I do not subscribe to the notion that "Glocks don't need cleaning". I field strip my Glocks after each range session to clean the barrel and inspect the frame/slide to clean as necessary. I keep all the metal-to-metal contact points lubricated with BreakFree CLP/synthetic motor oil. Once a year, or as needed, Glocks are taken apart down to each component for inspection and cleaning).
After the stage, when I offered if anyone would care to take on the challenge with their match pistol, all the shooters clutched their $2000-$4000+ limited/open match pistols like a mother clutching her baby while slowly shaking their heads with an intended "no way" look.
Some of the shooters told me that while they prefer the 1911 platform for match shooting, Glocks are kept on their night stands at home.
Point/bet I was making was that Glocks come with self-cleaning slide rails on the frame that will clear debris from the frame channel as the slide cycles. The design/construction of the frame/trigger mechanism is such that it will operate "reliably" even with a certain amount of dirt/fouling build up. My M&P40/45 have similar features and have demonstrated "combat" condition reliability.
I started match shooting with a 1911/Sig 226 and they were "hand fitted/tuned/polished" to run reliably but in low dirt/fouling build up conditions. I would not expect pistols with full-length slide rails and tighter tolerances to operate reliably with significant dirt/fouling build up. My family rides quads on dirt hills/sand dunes and Glocks are only pistols that make such trips with us holstered as the fine dirt/sand particles will eventually make their way into internal parts of the pistol. When it's range time, the Glocks coated with dirt/sand particles function reliably. My other guns with tighter tolerances? Yes, they are also reliable in the desert when they are pulled from clean gun cases.
As to round count, how about 200,000+ rounds shot through my Glocks without breakage? Only replacements have been springs, mag follower/springs.
