View Full Version : Misfire with Glock 26 after using slide stop
I encountered a very strange malfunction today that was 100% reproducible with my Glock 26, third gen. This happened with both Wolf and Remington UMC ammo:
With a gun at slide lock, insert a magazine, and use the slide stop to close the slide forward.
Press the trigger - there is a click. If I examined the primer, the indentation (see photos below) appears smaller than the primers of cartridges that were fired normally. If I try to fire the same cartridge again, it fires ok.
However, if I pull back and release the slide, the gun fires without any problems. What could be causing this? This Glock has about 3000 rounds through it, without any malfunctions that aren't ammo related.
Photos:
Primer of misfired cartridge:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_RqhmxgatMG0/Tbyjkg2ZvzI/AAAAAAAADjw/6wI_CUzCyko/s800/IMAG0032.jpg
Two normally fired primers on left, misfired on right:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_RqhmxgatMG0/Tbyjk8H9LoI/AAAAAAAADj4/xymAtrf1I0o/s800/IMAG0035.jpg
Another view:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_RqhmxgatMG0/TbyjkoRdTgI/AAAAAAAADj0/FFDczkDq_L0/s800/IMAG0034.jpg
Looking at the location of the striker impression, my first thought is that the slide may not have been fully forward when the striker was released.
Look at the fired primers and the striker impression is well centered. The mark made during the misfire is not centered because the barrel likely was not cammed fully into battery when the striker landed on the primer.
If the slide wasn't fully forward - than the question is why? Is it possible the recoil spring needs to be replaced?
How many rounds on your recoil spring assembly?
Another possibility is a stiff or sticky extractor.
If you perform the loading sequence that produces the problem, is the top of the barrel hood flush withe the top surface of the slide?
You should not release the slide via the slide lock lever.
Always pull the slide all the way back and let it go.
You should not release the slide via the slide lock lever.
Always pull the slide all the way back and let it go.
it should work either way. this gun is either extremely dirty or the recoil spring needs replacement.
the over-top or slingshot methods of unlocking the slide DO tend to offer a little more velocity going into battery, which is one of the arguments for this method.
one more thing to check out is your mags. bent feed lips could hang the rounds up possibly robbing the slide of the velocity needed to go into battery.
So.....there is some advantage to retracting the slide, in order to fully chamber rounds??
Yup, and it is a more reliable method as well.
There is, over this issue, as most others on any given topic, debate over using the slide lock as a slide release.
I prefer the slingshot method.
Lets not turn this into slide lock vs slide pull. The gun should work in either case.
I will change recoil spring and try again.
Change your springs every 2500 rounds. Small frame and .40's are a must.
What did you mean by "small frame and .40s are a must"?
Andy, find a Glock armorer and have the firing pin channel cleaned out as well. Might be some debris in there.
Between that and a new recoil spring you should be all set.
And NO, using the slide stop to release the slide should NOT cause this issue.
ETA: The small (mini) Glocks and the .40s place more wear on the recoil springs and thus it's a good idea to change them more often.
The springs on the small frame/ small slide models get greater force and wear out/ lose there power faster than full size /large slide models (even on 1911's). The .40 G22 has had feed issues after 2500 rds - even more so when a light is attached. They solved that by having PD armourer change the recoil spring about 2000 or so rounds. The 9mm's do not have this issue. This was part of the reason for the Gen 4 Glocks. They fixed the g22 issue with the gen 4 spring but it appears that the new G19/17 do not like the Gen 4 spring design.
Changing recoils springs in all semi-autos in the 2500 - 4000 rds area is cheap insurance for self-defense. Springs are cheap and easy to replace.
davebee456
04-30-11, 22:51
I hope you have another 9mm for a backup. Because If I was you I would IMMEDIATELY send your gun to Smyrna GA, GLOCK INC.
Call ASAP and ask for customer service, ask and then beg for a pre paid packing label to be emailed and send it out.
I hope you have another 9mm for a backup. Because If I was you I would IMMEDIATELY send your gun to Smyrna GA, GLOCK INC.
Call ASAP and ask for customer service, ask and then beg for a pre paid packing label to be emailed and send it out.
while glock will certainly be happy to fix the gun, I'd recommend the OP try a few troubleshooting steps himself. Especially given that the issue can be made to happen consistently he should be able to pinpoint it and be certain of solving it pretty rapidly. Glocks are caveman simple and can be detail stripped in 5 minutes with a rusty nail.
If replacing the recoil spring and giving the gun a good cleaning doesnt' do the trick then it may need replacement of a more expensive component and would be best sent to glock.
also OP-just had a though, check the locking block in the frame. it comes out wiht the trigger pins. just slides out. make sure it's not cracked. it could potentially make the gun reluctant to go into battery...
Lets not turn this into slide lock vs slide pull. The gun should work in either case.
I will change recoil spring and try again.
Yes, the gun should go bang no matter which method you use, so there is something else in play here.
There does seem to be something about that extra oomph method though, when things aren't as they should be. Seems similar to shooting a 50 lb. bow as opposed to an 70 lb. bow. Which has more velocity, and more energy? Just stating the obvious.
I would think guys rolling around in dirt, mud, etc. for a living might want every advantage they can get. Of course shooting on a range your life doesn't depend on it. Safety issues for duty personnel should be brought up, and frequently.
From the armorers class. One of the function checks is to pull the slide just out of battery and to slowly release it. It should return to battery, if it does not a new recoil spring is required. I would perform this test.
DeusExMachina
05-01-11, 11:00
Is it doing this with all magazines?
I say new recoil spring, but make sure its not just one mag.
There is, over this issue, as most others on any given topic, debate over using the slide lock as a slide release.
I prefer the slingshot method.
And that's all it is...a preference...
Vickers use the release, Hackathorn uses the slingshot. I would really doubt that there is any 'reliability' increase one over the other and if (whichever one you choose to train with) that's what you use, then you might say it's 'better'....
Keep us updated on a 'fix' you find....
It was more likely the springs. I noticed that the recoil spring test - where the gun is held vertical, muzzle up and slide pulled back slightly and released - the slide was slightly hesitant to go into battery. I replaced the recoil spring and the firing pin spring (which was about .5cm shorter than a new one).
Haven't had a chance to shoot it yet though.
Maybe I should change the title of my thread to: Glocks need maintenance too.
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