Question for the glock experts RE: Firing pin issue

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aliasneo07

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Hello all!

Tried to ask this over at glocktalk.com but the mod hasn't activated my account yet and its been 4 days lol.

Anyway...I have a Glock 19. Ive had it for about 6 months (when I turned 21). It probably has around 3500 rounds through it. Its been cared for very well, cleaned after each use, and never carried.

Theres a problem that irritates the hell out of me. It seems like when the gun is NOT cocked, the firing pin moves freely from the back of its channel to the front. I can hear it quite pronounced when I shake the gun front to back, or when I'm holding and I aim it up, then down, then up, then down. SOMETHING in the slide is moving back and forth and im 99.9 percent sure its the firing pin. I've never seen/heard about this problem in any other glocks. The good news is that when the gun IS cocked the firing pin is in its rearward position as it should be and does not move.

Two gun stores said not to worry about it since it isn't hurting the gun. I can believe that it isn't hurting the gun, but it irritates the hell out of me and I'd like to fix it. What part/(s) should I replace? Some relevant info: When I take the slide OFF of the frame it does NOT move.

My theory: The little lever on the right side of the frame that moves upward when the trigger is pulled and hits the little button in the slide that then allows the firing pin to move (Firing pin safety?) is ALWAYS too high, and simply having the slide on the frame means that that lever is engaging the button. Is this rediculous?


So...anyone have this problem? I'd really like to know which parts to replace because even IF this isn't hurting the gun, I don't like my glocks not functioning as they should.

Thanks a lot everyone!
 
I am certainly no expert but That is what it is supposed to do. You can buy the PTOOMA Glock Manual published by Lone Wolf for ~$30. It is a good manual, many people highly recommended it and I bought it and like it.
Also Glocks do not have a "Firing Pin", it is Striker Fired.
 
This is not a Problem

It's a striker, not a firing pin... technically, and it is supposed to happen.

That is actually the way you can tell that your pistol is clean and happy.

It is when you do not hear that noise that u need to worry.
 
This is not a Problem

It's a striker, not a firing pin... technically, and it is supposed to happen.

That is actually the way you can tell that your pistol is clean and happy.

It is when you do not hear that noise that u need to worry.
Click to expand...
This is correct.Worry when you don't hear anything.
 
Two gun stores said not to worry about it since it isn't hurting the gun. I can believe that it isn't hurting the gun, but it irritates the hell out of me and I'd like to fix it.
Click to expand...
Step 1: Rack slide

:)
 
Sorry, I use the term firing pin and striker interchangably, I know I shouldn't. Meant to say striker.

Since noticing this I've deliberately held 7 other glocks, 3 used and the other 4 were brand new, no rounds through them. NONE of them did this. Well, let me clarify. They all made sounds. I guess I heard the striker moving back and forth when shaking it. But in my G19 its incredibly pronounced. Its like 6 times as loud. The best comparison I can think of is if you have like a cup full of change spread out on your bed and you dropped a dime into that pile from a foot up, it sounds like that. Thats pretty loud, way louder than any other glock I've touched.

Just checking to see if there was anything I should worry about. Thanks for all the replies!
 
It is when you do not hear that noise that u need to worry
Click to expand...

most definately! when i'm inspecting other officer's issued Glocks, this is one of the things i check for. i'll remove the slide, push the plunger in, shake the slide and MAKE SURE the striker flops back an forth. if it doesn't, there's a bunch of crud in the channel and BIG problems are on their way :-(
 
Actually signal zero thats exactly what it sounds like! When the gun is uncocked and i shake it, it sounds the same as if I had taken the slide off the frame, engaged the plunger, and shook it. I thought the point though was that when the slide is sitting on the frame, the plunger will not be engaged unless the trigger is pulled? That is what alarmed me at first, it seems/(d) like the plunger was engaged 100% of the time. I was always under the impression that I shouldnt here the striker move back and forth like that if the plunger wasn't depressed. I guess I should go pick up a glock armorers maual and read up. Thanks!
 
I was always under the impression that I shouldnt here the striker move back and forth like that if the plunger wasn't depressed.
Click to expand...
If the trigger is back, the plunger is depressed. That's why the plunger is there... it blocks movement of the striker UNLESS the trigger is fully depressed, and the little hump on the trigger bar moves up and presses the plunger, unblocking the striker.
 
Like has already been said, it is working exactly like it is supposed to work.

With that said, replacing the firing pin channel liner & spring cups after 3,500 rounds couldn't hurt anything and might cut down on the rattle a little. They only cost a few bucks.

http://www.glockmeister.com/slidedis.shtml

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=415435

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=636196

BTW: You were correct in calling it a firing pin.
That's what Glock calls it too.

rc
 
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Alright guys, my G19 does this (firing pin shakes freely when trigger is in the "fired" position) but my G17 does NOT (firing pin does not shake freely when trigger is in the "fired" position). I suspect the reason is that the plunger is not fully depressed. When I remove the slide and do the official function test (push down the plunger and shake the slide), the firing pin shakes freely. The gun is very clean and I have even installed new stock trigger parts but it still behaves the same.

Is this a problem? Lots of you guys seem to think so. I even called Glock about it and they connected me to someone in the tech department who said it was normal.

What do the armorers here think? I mean, isn't there a reason why the function test requires us to remove the slide and press down the plunger instead of just "firing" the trigger and then shaking the gun?

I would appreciate your insight.
 
Yes, it works. But to put my mind at rest, I'd like to get an armorer's take on what is happening. I mean, the plunger has to be fully depressed for the gun to fire, right? And then I'm guessing it backs off slightly after firing??? If this is normal, then I have no cause for concern. On the otherhand, if the plunger isn't supposed to back off (and this may lead to failure to release the firing pin), then yeah, I've got a problem.

Am I a bit OCD about this? Yeah. But I'd rather be safe than sorry! :)
 
lulz, take Glock's word for it? Even when their US HQ is in Smyrna, GA and I'm in Vinings, GA (10 minutes away)?!?!?! OMG the audacity. ;)

I'm just trying to get an armorer to chime in because I'm curious and slightly paranoid. So many people have said "it is supposed to shake freely when the trigger is down" that I would really like to know how the plunger/sear functions each step of the process and correct firing pin behavior throughout.

Glock might not be interested in "possible" problems so they may respond with a "don't worry about it unless it fails" sort of answer. So I'd just like to get an objective take on this.
 
http://www.stevespages.com/pdf/glock_armorers_manual_update.pdf

Interesting. I was expecting the armorer's manual to be more technical, but anyway, I think I found the answer:

"Shake gun forward and backward with trigger pulled and apply pressure to the trigger - listen to see if firing pin moves freely."

That's what my G17 does. The trigger, when pulled ("fired"), will not make the firing pin shake freely unless pressure is applied to the pulled ("fired") trigger.

On my G19, it will shake freely in both of the above circumstances.
 
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