Glock Extractor Issues Gen 4 - Gen 3

[Randy Lee]

My experience with non optimal ejection pattern Glocks dates back to the mid 80's.

[Doc Safari]

I know it's just one more anecdote, but I've had Glocks eject brass into my face since the early 1990's when I bought my first G17. That's the reason that gun got traded off. Later I bought a couple of 19's, 17's, a 22, a couple of 26's. Some ejected brass into my face; others didn't.

[Denali]

To me, Glock 17s and 19s have almost always demonstrated erratic ejection.

While I have not studied the changes in the gen 3 product line, it seems to me that the symptoms are identical to what the gen 4s are experiencing. It would be much easier for me if I had access to the engineering drawings and tolerance specifications...

Randy

Bingo! Glock pistols I've owned(a lot)have always spit spent brass right back into the shooters face, an issue over which I've been sending pistols back to Glock, for well over a decade. I currently own three gen4 Glock pistols, a G22 & a pair of G19's, the 22 has been flawless, the 19's not so. Interestingly, I purchased a new gen3 G17 late this fall, and it's doing everything that the gen4's are noted to do, which is to say stovepiping, and spitting brass right back into my face, the one difference being the fact that it's doing so even with any ultra-hot +P+ ammo I feed it, which has historically been my fix for the issue.

In my opinion the problem has gotten significantly worse, frankly I'm sick of sending guns back to them only to recieve them back doing exactly the same thing, no performance improvement whatsoever...

It's totally unacceptable in a defensive sidearm to be pelted by brass right between your eyes. As I said, historically I've cured the issue by relying on hotter ammo, I've fed over 40,000 rounds of Federal 9BPLE through various 9mm glock pistols over the years for just this reason, however thats not working with the new gen3 17.

I love Glock's interface with my hand, I love the trigger reset, and I love the low bore axis, however those are all moot if you're likely to blind yourself with the thing at the worst possible moment...

I think this is a disaster for Glock, but it's a disaster thats been unfolding for two decades....

[Guinnessman]

I am picking up a Glock 19 Gen 3 with a test fire date from 11/10/11 this week. It is going to be the backup to my current Glock 19. I realize the risk of purchasing a current production Gen 3, but I need a backup to my current Gen 3. If this gun does not perform I plan on waiting for Randy and his crew to find the fix.

[M4Mike]

This topic has been going on for a while now, so i decided to do a little testing for my self. I own a RTF 17 produced 3/2011 and I have fired about 800 rounds through it without any of the problems mentioned on this thread. The gun is all stock and has the dip extractor and 336 ejector installed. So, I decided to bring in the most inexperienced shooter I could find to test out my theory. Well after much though my mother fit the bill. She does have some range time and her Sig seems to work well for her. But she is much smaller than me and has nowhere near the grip srength or the mass in her arm that I do.(She is 5,2 125 pounds, and I'm 6,5 295 pounds) So at the range I load and fire 17 rounds without any problems. I then load her mag and within a couple of rounds she was catching brass to head and face, with a couple to the shoulder area. I then loaded and fired another 17 rounds myself without any problems. We went back and forth with the same results for 200 rounds. All of my rounds ejected normally, and most of hers did not. There were no jams, just eratic ejection for her. Now I know these are unscientific results but could it be that these newer glocks just seem to prefer larger and dare I say it, stronger people to work correctly? I understand that a weapon should work regardless of who is holding it but has anyone else experienced this?

[platoonDaddy]

be that these newer glocks just seem to prefer larger and dare I say it, stronger people to work correctly? I understand that a weapon should work regardless of who is holding it but has anyone else experienced this?

Don't know if you ever watched or heard "hickok45" watch this video with white box ammo, start at 7:11 and watch the ejection of the spent round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5rDSB9JAqo

[drck1000]

This topic has been going on for a while now, so i decided to do a little testing for my self. I own a RTF 17 produced 3/2011 and I have fired about 800 rounds through it without any of the problems mentioned on this thread. The gun is all stock and has the dip extractor and 336 ejector installed. So, I decided to bring in the most inexperienced shooter I could find to test out my theory. Well after much though my mother fit the bill. She does have some range time and her Sig seems to work well for her. But she is much smaller than me and has nowhere near the grip srength or the mass in her arm that I do.(She is 5,2 125 pounds, and I'm 6,5 295 pounds) So at the range I load and fire 17 rounds without any problems. I then load her mag and within a couple of rounds she was catching brass to head and face, with a couple to the shoulder area. I then loaded and fired another 17 rounds myself without any problems. We went back and forth with the same results for 200 rounds. All of my rounds ejected normally, and most of hers did not. There were no jams, just eratic ejection for her. Now I know these are unscientific results but could it be that these newer glocks just seem to prefer larger and dare I say it, stronger people to work correctly? I understand that a weapon should work regardless of who is holding it but has anyone else experienced this?

Interesting test and observations. Yeah, unscientific, but given some time and broader test subjects, but maybe you're on to something.

I recently purchased a G17 Gen 4, test fire date of 10/2011 and the 30274 ejector. Like many others, I have been monitoring updates regarding the 9 mm Glocks and was sort of waiting to see problems resolve themselved. However, I came across an awesome deal on the G17 during a Black Friday sale, so I figured that I'd give it a try.

I've only put a few hundred rounds through mine, so it's not a solid indicator either way, but in that time, all positive ejection and no malfunctions. Two of guys that I shoot with have a Gen 4 G17 and a Gen 3 RTF G17 that was purchased in the last year. I am not sure on what ejectors, extractors, springs, test fire date, etc. that they have on them, but they both have had 1,000s of rounds through them without the malfunctions or irregular ejection noted here.

One common thread is that we are all "stout" individuals. I'm 5'8" 200 lbs (I'd like to say at least 1/2 of that is muscle haha) and my two friends are both like 6'0" 200 and 240 lbs or so. Even my friend's brother, who is an inexperienced shooter has done fine with these G17's. He's a stout guy as well.

Another common threads to our "test group" of shooters, is that we mostly shoot 115 gr FMJ (Remington UMC, Fiocchi, PMC, all kinds) at the range and did so for the first few hundred rounds through the gun. My friends have since shot JHP and other loads, also without any problems.

So yes, I've noticed half of what you experienced. I haven't had my lighter, more slender friends try the guns, but something that I will note in future range trips.

One other note from reading through all of these threads, many experienced shooters here have noted problems with these guns, and I know of at least one who isn't really slender, so I doubt that that is all there is to it. Many have mentioned that they have had problems and they DEFINITELY weren't limp wristing and were still having problems.

In any case, I did find it your observations interesting and somewhat inline with what I've noticed. Who knows, maybe the extra mass behind the guns helps or something.

[drck1000]

Don't know if you ever watched or heard "hickok45" watch this video with white box ammo, start at 7:11 and watch the ejection of the spent round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5rDSB9JAqo

Are you referring to the 3 or so casings that shot out vertical and even to the left of the gun? That was with what he described as the lowest power ammo that he had used.

The video didn't really show the ejection for the other two ammo types though.

[TacMedic556]

Are you referring to the 3 or so casings that shot out vertical and even to the left of the gun? That was with what he described as the lowest power ammo that he had used.

The video didn't really show the ejection for the other two ammo types though.

Interesting video. I love Hickok45. Great guy on youtube. Incrdible shooter.

At 7:08 and 7:09 ( i watched it 3 times and paused it) he gets 2-3 ejections to the left, and a couple straight up. Again at 7:19-20 left side ejection with some straight up. At 7:21 watch I believe the 2nd or 3rd to last shot just dribble out to the left side.

Then watch him shoot the GOLD DOT defense (hot) ammo at 9:43. Beautiful ejections just flying out to the right. Nice video. Thanks for posting.
Interesting.

[platoonDaddy]

Are you referring to the 3 or so casings that shot out vertical and even to the left of the gun? That was with what he described as the lowest power ammo that he had used.

The video didn't really show the ejection for the other two ammo types though.

The point is "he had erratic ejections"