What's going on with Glocks?

[Island Beretta]

Of late all I hear about are problems with Glocks.. rear rails breaking off frames, follower problems and breechface failures.. went to a local competition recently and it turned into a Glock Jam-fest..I am losing confidence here folks what is your take on the situation???

 

[dsk]

It's called the Internet. Anything goes wrong, it's front-page news on every gun-related forum and newsgroup within minutes.

That, and the fact is Glock has always been the bully on the block, and others laugh with glee when they get kicked for a change. The 1911 on the other hand is the pretty girl that everybody rushes to defend when her honor is questioned, regardless of whether she's really a temperamental b**** or not.

 

[Ian11]

Well put dsk, very well put. LOL

 

[Majic]

and the fact is Glock has always been the bully on the block,

Bully on the Block?
More like the snot nosed lil kid still wet behind the ears.

 

[WonderNine]

Glocks don't fail. You have to fire them underwater first then bury them in sand for two weeks. Then the break in is complete.

 

[TheeBadOne]

LOL Wondernine

I've yet to see any problems with all the Glocks around here. Most newer (read: in good condition) firearms function just fine (and usually fail do to neglect).

 

[Coronach]

A lot of it is due to, in no particular order:

1. Number of guns in use. Glock has, what almost 50% of the LEO market? Thats a lot of guns out there, in the hands of people who are not necessarily gunnies. Meaning, they don't always get cleaned, the ammo doesn't always get rotated, and the training of the operators can be somewhat lackluster. Anytime you have that many guns of one category, it will tend to inflate the perceived failure rate (as opposed to the actual failure rate).

2. The guns out there in LEO use are shot a lot more than most guns in non-LEO use. Yes, yes, we all have guns that we shoot more than the average LEO shoots his gun, but as TFL/THR members we are, lets face it, a statistical aberration. And we all have a safe queen or two, anyway. My point is that a glock that is shot (as a LEO's gun is, at least several times per year), will almost certainly have more failures than a Hi-Point or Jennings that sits in a safe.

3. LEO gun failures are almost always reported. They either happen in training or in the line of duty ( ), and as such the department will be on the phone to Glock ASAP. If they happen off duty, on your own time, you're still gonna contact your department armorer because you either 1. Just blew up several hundred dollars worth of department property or 2. at least want to make sure your duty sidearm gets whatever is wrong with it fixed. Contrast this with Cooter and Bubba going out and running overly warm reloads through their 1911s and sending a slide into the stratosphere. Are they gonna tell anyone? Maybe. Maybe not.

4. Anyone whose marketing includes the term 'perfection' is fairly begging to be taken down a notch or three.

5. The Acolytes of the Church of Glock can be really annoying. This can motivate others to keep the discussion on glock failures going far in excess of what the actual numbers would dictate.

6. Real problems with chamber support, frame rails, etc.

7. People running hot and/or lead reloads through their glocks, and then trumpeting the resultant explosion.

Mike

PS Full disclosure- I own one Glock (G20), and I like it OK, I guess. I have no plans to buy any more.

 

[10-Ring]

In terms of just the numbers of Glocks out there, even just a small percentage of problems will mean a large numberof problem guns. That & maybe some laurel sitting going on in Austria caused a lapse in QC

 

[Tropical Z]

Im just glad my Glock is a 2nd generation 21.A lot of people seem to think 2nd gens are the best Glocks so far.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Nothing will stop me from getting my Glock. I thought I'd be getting one today but I have to wait for the permit to be mailed out in a week or two... I just keep myself focused on the evening after work when I can head up to the shop and pick one out....

 

[Khornet]

Mastrogiacomo,

you need to get out of Boston. Move up here to NH and you won't need a note from Uncle Ted to get your Glock!

 

[danbh]

My 21 has 2500 rounds thru it and is still working perfectly.. Mine is also one the the units tht has a serno that could be returned. When it breaks I will turn it in for a new one.....

 

[KMKeller]

My model 7 functions perfectly, and I can strop my knife on the flat side of the slide too.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I agree about moving out of state. After talking to my uncle who moved to Florida a couple of years ago -- the state is really starting to look good. Why, I could even buy an Italian SB Beretta!!!

 

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

went to a local competition recently and it turned into a Glock Jam-fest.

But that's kind of interesting, and not an internet report.

 

[txgolfer45]

Funny, I haven't had any of the problems with my Glocks. They go bang every time. Couldn't be happier!!!

Scott

 

[jnb01]

QC has definitely slipped some! Also as stated, Glock has a huge share of not only the LE market, but also the civilian market as well. Which, translates into ALOT of guns in service daily.

Breech face failures = excessive dry firing according to Glock.

Frame rail issue = poor QC.

Follower problem = the only one I am aware of is with the 9mm 2183-1 followers, which have been replaced on new guns with the 9mm4 followers. This is a cheap fix and not really a problem IMO.

From what I've personally observed and experienced in both classes and competitions, is that Glocks do quite well, and usually out number all other makes.

When any quality firearm is cared for and maintained properly (excluding lemons of course) and good quality ammunition is used, problems should be few and far between.

I replace springs in my G19 at regular intervals, particularly magazine and recoil. I also inspect the internals of the gun on a regular basis, as one of the nice things about Glocks is their so easy to take down completely if one has a decent familiarity with the design.

Failures in Glocks often seem related to a fouled firing pin channel, bad magazine or recoil springs, addition of non-factory after-market parts and gizmos, to much oil, crappy ammo/reloads, or a loose grip when firing (particularly when using lightly loaded ammo in any lightweight polymer framed pistol). Any gun can of course malfunction with a dirty or chipped extractor, or with a weak extractor spring, so I keep a good eye on these things as well.

So, use quality ammo, clean the firing pin channel, replace springs at regular intervals, don't add after-market accessories if intended for defense, lube according to the manual, regularly inspect the pistol, and lock your wrists when shooting. The majority of the above applies to all pistols, not just Glocks.

There are pistols that will readily shoot reloads, are less prone to limp wrist failures ie: heavier steel pistols, ect......Although, I personally stick to factory loaded ammunition, and have had no shooter induced (limp wrist) problems with any Glock I've shot. If someone does, having them grip the gun tighter and locking their wrists cures it, in addition to giving them better control of the weapon. It doesn't need to be a death grip, just sturdy. When shooting 1-hand only, I prefer (using any pistol) to slightly cant the gun inward evening the muzzle with the natural alignment of the forearm. Not gangsta' style, just a slight cant inward.

On the subject of lubrication, Glocks require little of it to continue running, though I have seen a fair share of folks who seemingly ignore the manuals directions, and "soak" their pistols. Glocks simply don't need excess lube to properly function. I personally don't want oil seeping into the FP/striker channel ect........so I use mil-comm's TW25B grease, and it has worked extremely well for me.

Best, jnb01

 

[Island Beretta]

Interesting comments, guys!! I daresay that QC seems to have fallen, maybe they feel that the new factory would have done it all..

I guess Glocks are showing their 'mortal' side. The first breechface failure I saw took us all by surprise as we never in a million years thought this would happen, esp. since the gun had not been dry-fired a lot. We ordered a Claspian slide through a local firearms dealer, took us a while to get it though but the gun is now okay.

The 3 big issues I see that pertains to the operator of the weapon are:-

- The lubrication issue seems a bit confusing also as many of the Glocks that I see jam esp. those that fail to go into battery or fail to extract do so due to insufficient lubrication. A common problem I find is that the underside of the slide (where the barrel hood rubs) and the barrel is not lubed. I keep saying 'Don't believe the hype, Glocks need lube' at which I get weird looks!!

- The guns aren't cleaned after firing..'Hey, Glocks work when dirty' is the statement I hear. I have seen crud on the feed ramp of a Glock so thick that a knife had to be used to remove it.

-Another big issue is the mods done to the gun, these seem to be making the guns very unreliable. I see guys do mods on their CCW Glocks so as to shoot matches and the gun jams on every other round.

What usually happens is that I get accused of being 'anti-Glock' until I show my G19 and then they will take me a little more seriously.

I guess some of the urban legends about Glocks need to go so as to allow better management of expectations, so that we can all enjoy these fine pistols!!

 

[happyguy]

Glocks will never be able to live up to the hype. My H&K USP on the other hand.....

Regards,
Happyguy

 

[Island Beretta]

HappyGuy:

I don't think H&Ks are nowhere near as hyped as Glocks. Even my kid knows what a Glock is. Once when we were watching the 7 o'clock news, a news item came on about a rcovered gun.

'Oh daddy, is that a Glock?'
'No dear, it is a H&K',
'Oh, that's why the police caught him..'
'No quite so dear, do you remember the gun that Laura uses in the Tomb Raider game?'
'Yes daddy'
'Well that's an H&K'
'Daddy, maybe if she got a Glock then she would be able to get to the secret chamber'
'Watch the news, dear'

Happy Guy, I could not resist: The Eddie Izzard comment is pure crap!! Of course the gun helps, it is a tool and tools are designed to assist men in carrying out their intentions. Knifes, swords, poisons, guitar strings, clubs, motor vehicles all help in killing people too.

 

[jnb01]

Island Beretta, failure to return to battery is also associated with a fatigued recoil spring and out of spec ammo as well. Lubrication seems to rarely play a role, unless the pistol was running bone dry, or extremly fouled with debris do to excessive lubrication.

Regarding lubrication, here is what the Glock's preventive maintenance guide states:

"Do not over-lubricate your Glock pistol, as large quantities of oil or grease will collect unburnt powder and other residue, which could interfere with proper functioning of your Glock pistol."

"Glock pistols are designed to operate properly with only small amounts of lubrication."

There are (5) surface to surface or friction points where Glock recommends putting lubrication. The inside top of the slide forward of the ejection port where the barrel hood rubs against the slide, the opening where the barrel slides through in front of the slide, and the barrel itself, are all areas where lube is to be used. If the owner of the pistol would take the time to actually read the literature that accompanies the pistol, there would be no guesswork on how to properly lubricate their Glock.

As for cleaning, Glock states: "The pistol should be cleaned after each time it is fired." One could best be described as a complete moron if they do not properly maintain the tool they rely on to protect themselves and their loved ones.

You are 100% correct regarding the use of non-factory (after-market) parts causing malfunctions. But then, Glock also does not in anyway endorse their use, nor the use of reloaded ammunition. Although, some use one or both, and when they experience problems, they want to blame the pistol for some reason.

Glock does market hype to some extent, but as with most everything else, stories seem to reach "legendary status" after being "inflated" across the internet.

Best, jnb01

 

[Roper]

Alot of the time it is a weak mag spring that causes the problems. People don't seem to remember to change 'em. Month ago at a match half way thru my 15 rounder turned weak, changed it and the next match it was, rock & roll baby!