Glock gen 4 experiences - especially problems with the 9mm series....

[Tangle]

I'm sure everyone is aware of the plethora of problems experienced by owners of gen 4 Glocks. I have two gen 4 G17s, one with 2675 and one with 2475 rounds through them without a single issue of any kind save a couple of brass to the face (BTF), and that could have been bounces off the shooting booth wall. I've had the occassional BTF with other brands as well, sooooo....

But, what prompted this inquiry, it seems the BTF issue is still a problem with some G19/17 gen 4 models, but it appears to be only in some guns. And, there seems to be a new twist to the problem - everything works fine for the first 1000 - 2000 rounds and it's at that round count the problem starts to show up. Hence the significance of the round count through my gen 4s - they appear to be past the threshold. Then again, I may be getting closer and closer to the problem developing.

The source of my info is a 6 page thread (current time frame) about the problem on GlockTalk. I really thought this problem had been solved, but it would appear the problem may not show up on some G19/17 gen 4 guns until the 1000 - 2000 round mark.

The problem guns appear to be 100% reliable as far as FTF/FTE issues go, so the BTF doesn't stop the gun from running, but it could stop the shooter if he wasn't wearing glasses.

Your experiences????

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Mike1956]

My nineteen gen4 is well past the threshold you speak of, with absolutely no issues.

[sioux565]

Don't take this the wrong way, but suck it up. My LCP spits brass in every direction and I'm not complaining about it.

[Tangle]

Don't take this the wrong way, but suck it up. My LCP spits brass in every direction and I'm not complaining about it.

Brass to the face, especially around the eyes, is not a suck up problem. Just because your LCP doesn't eject properly doesn't mean that makes it ok.

One guy has already had an eye damaged while on duty from improper ejection. In a SD setting, brass to the face/eye could make an already bad situation worse.

If one has brass hitting him in the face, the correct solution is to get the problem fixed.

[Mike1956]

Don't take this the wrong way, but suck it up. My LCP spits brass in every direction and I'm not complaining about it.

How many thousands of rounds do you run through it per month?

[DRM]

As a pistolsmith, I get to hear about ALL the problem children. Nobody complains if their guns run right, only when they run wrong.

As a firearms trainer, I get to see a lot guns get shot. The early 9mm Gen 4's were problematic. I have watched them spit brass in every direction, and not consistently in any single direction either. Jams? Yeah, a lot of jams (for me, one jam in 200 rounds is too many).

Now, I just finished a 5 day class and had (2) 9mm Glocks in the mix. A G19 & a G17. BOTH ran flawlessly for 1,500 - 2,000 rounds each. One (the G19) didn't even get cleaned or lubed until AFTER the class was over.

So, I think the problems have been addressed by Glock, but not all the guns fixed (yet).

[VBVAGUY]

Friends don't let friends buy glocks..........I kidding, LOL !!! God Bless

[Mike1956]

As a pistolsmith, I get to hear about ALL the problem children. Nobody complains if their guns run right, only when they run wrong.

As a firearms trainer, I get to see a lot guns get shot. The early 9mm Gen 4's were problematic. I have watched them spit brass in every direction, and not consistently in any single direction either. Jams? Yeah, a lot of jams (for me, one jam in 200 rounds is too many).

Now, I just finished a 5 day class and had (2) 9mm Glocks in the mix. A G19 & a G17. BOTH ran flawlessly for 1,500 - 2,000 rounds each. One (the G19) didn't even get cleaned or lubed until AFTER the class was over.

So, I think the problems have been addressed by Glock, but not all the guns fixed (yet).

Preach it, Brother. Seriously, How do the other makes compare to Glocks and S&W M&Ps on those 1,500-2,000 round endurance runs?

[Mike1956]

Friends don't let friends buy glocks..........I kidding, LOL !!! God Bless

Wow, most of my friends carry Glocks. Those who don't carry M&Ps.

[pscipio03]

one with 2675 and one with 2475 rounds through them

Color me impressed that you are that specific with round count. You have one of those little ticker number counters on the side of each Glock?
Have a Gen IV 19 that the only BTF so far has been when the brass jumps off the lane wall next to me and of course that's why I wear safety glasses. I will say the Glock doesn't launch the brass as far as my XDm does. I'm usually picking that brass up 8 lanes away and trying to convince the guy in that lane it's my brass. Never mind he's shooting a .40. I digress.
Honestly, the only time brass has ever caused me any harm was when a OH-58 Kiowa was firing it's .50 cal over my Bradley while I was out of the hatch directing my gunner down range. I got peppered with hot brass and links that went down the back of my BDU's. Range tower said I did a pretty neat hat dance trying to get the stuff out of my shirt.

[Tangle]

...I just finished a 5 day class and had (2) 9mm Glocks in the mix. A G19 & a G17. BOTH ran flawlessly for 1,500 - 2,000 rounds each. One (the G19) didn't even get cleaned or lubed until AFTER the class was over.

So, I think the problems have been addressed by Glock, but not all the guns fixed (yet).

Glock may have addressed the problem and the solution and fix may be in place. Still, there are two current threads running describing the brass to the head issue with G17/19 gen 4s.

And, it seems to be a 'luck of the draw' right now. My two gen 4 G17s have been flawless in every way. Yet others, and few in numbers it seems, are still experiencing brass to the head with gen 4 G17/19s. But Glock does seem to be fixing the guns that are sent to them.

Of course this could very well be the problematic Glocks have been in the 'system' for a while, or just didn't get the 'fix'.

One design issue that does bother me, although I can't say it's a problem, is the short shoulder on the extractor end of the extractor push rod. It's clear that the back edge (extractor end) of this shoulder, is out of the channel and looks like it could catch on the sharp edge of the channel when the rod is pushed rearward by the extractor. And, some with the BTF problem have observed score marks on the extractor push rod shoulder. It would seem, just from a design perspective, this shoulder should be long enough to keep it in the channel at all times.

[DRM]

Preach it, Brother. Seriously, How do the other makes compare to Glocks and S&W M&Ps on those 1,500-2,000 round endurance runs?

As of late, 70% of the guns that come through my classes are Glocks. But the M&P's seem to run just fine, too.

[Tangle]

Preach it, Brother. Seriously, How do the other makes compare to Glocks and S&W M&Ps on those 1,500-2,000 round endurance runs?

What major brand couldn't run 1000 - 1500 rounds? I know DR saw a Sig run through thousands and thousands of rounds without a stoppage.

[Tangle]

As of late, 70% of the guns that come through my classes are Glocks.

Just curious, of that 70%, did you happen to notice how many were gen 4 G19/17s?

[Mike1956]

What major brand couldn't run 1000 - 1500 rounds? I know DR saw a Sig run through thousands and thousands of rounds without a stoppage.

I wasn't being rhetorical, but rather asking a legitimate question. Anyone care to run their PF9 through a three-day, fifteen-hundred round fighting course?