10mm-Auto

Miscellaneous Firearms => Handguns => Topic started by: enidpd804 on October 14 2012 11:10:33 PM MDT

Title: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 14 2012 11:10:33 PM MDT
I went to the range with my favorite defensive handgun today.  I've had three failures to go into battery out of the estimated 700 rounds I've put through it before.  Today, I had several every single magazine.  Unfortunately, I only brought one mag and it was new.  I was also firing some really old Federal that I'd never fired before.  It all looked to be in good shape.  With the previous stoppages, I wonder if I have a bad recoil spring.  I marked the magazine and I'll try another one when time permits. 

Kinda of a crappy range day with the Nugent ammo disappointment.  I guess I'll be talking to Glock tomorrow. 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: EdMc on October 15 2012 04:18:11 AM MDT
I'd try another mag first.......Shot some older Federal stuff not long ago with no problems.
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: The_Shadow on October 15 2012 10:51:34 AM MDT
When you check it out again be mindful of not limp wristing it...the lesser impulse ammo may have you loosening you grip up.
Check your cleaning and lubing of the gun as well to see it things improve.
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 16 2012 06:27:30 PM MDT
Today, I tried another new magazine and an older well-tested magazine with the same ammo.  No problems in 75 rounds.  I was able to induce two limp wrist malfunctions with the weakest one hand hold I could muster, but I really had to try. 

I can't see anything visibly wrong with the problem mag.  It has a #2 follower just like the rest of them.  It's probably not worth calling Glock over.  I'll just dump it and order a few more through Botach.  This is why I always test my carry mags with my carry ammo.  Murphy's everywhere. 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: DocGlock on October 17 2012 05:30:58 PM MDT
You should have also re-tested the "bad" mag.  It could have just been you having a bad day on your problem session?
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 17 2012 06:43:19 PM MDT
I shoot twice a month at work, including today.  I've never experience limp wrist malfunctions.  It doesn't seem possible that I would start and stop creating a problem so suddenly 17 years into my career plus several years of shooting before that.  It's definitely worth the experiment, though.  Any excuse to shoot, right?   ;D 

Do people really have that much trouble with limp wristing?  I don't know if I've ever seen a stoppage that wasn't mechanical out of a service grade pistol.  Like I stated above, I had to really try to induce two of them out of a full magazine. 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: 4949shooter on October 18 2012 06:33:49 PM MDT
I fired hundreds of full power rounds through my G20 SF one handed both strong and weak without an issue. It's more likely the bad mag. I called Glock a while back regarding a weak RSA. They sent me a new one free of charge. It might not be a bad idea to call Glock after all. They might send you a new mag (or two).
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: REDLINE on October 21 2012 01:56:43 AM MDT
Quote from: 4949shooter on October 18 2012 06:33:49 PM MDT
I fired hundreds of full power rounds through my G20 SF one handed both strong and weak without an issue.

Me too.
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 25 2012 02:13:41 PM MDT
I got the new factory recoil spring assembly in today.  The guide rod is visibly longer. It measures 3.364" compared to 3.355".   The spring feels more robust.  I'll try to get to the range in the next few days. 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: 4949shooter on October 25 2012 07:50:06 PM MDT
Looking forward to a range report!
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 28 2012 11:31:28 PM MDT
I brought two new untested mags and the suspect mag with some American Eagle to the range.  The suspect mag had two malfunctions in the first five rounds-which is what it did every time I used it.  The other two were flawless for several magazines.   I ALMOST packed up feeling good about things.  New recoil spring and a bad mag, right?  I brought a box of Corbon and my last box of Nuge ammo with me.  I decided to burn them, too, for good measure.  Both gave me stoppages in the first five rounds.  The nose was either jammed upwards or to the left into the chamber.  I've put more than a few boxes of CB 150's through this pistol before with no drama.  Another interesting thing:  Since, I started having trouble with it, I've noticed two things.  Upon disassembly, the recoil spring/guide rod is always loose and there's always white/silver shavings around it. 

Anyway, I'm all troubleshooted out.  I'm going to break down and call Glock this week. 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: The_Shadow on October 29 2012 04:40:55 PM MDT
Do you see any place where the recoil spring/rod is wearing rubbing in the area of the white/silver metal shavings.

Is it possible the recoil rod is binding up not allowing the slide full travel to the rear? ???  You may not be getting full travel to pick up the next round at the correct angle to enter the chamber correctly...

Good luck sorting it out!
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 29 2012 05:03:42 PM MDT
Quote from: The_Shadow on October 29 2012 04:40:55 PM MDT
Do you see any place where the recoil spring/rod is wearing rubbing in the area of the white/silver metal shavings.

Is it possible the recoil rod is binding up not allowing the slide full travel to the rear? ???  You may not be getting full travel to pick up the next round at the correct angle to enter the chamber correctly...

Good luck sorting it out!

Not really.   I've been trying to figure out if the white/silver shavings were an indicator.  I forgot to mention it to Glock when I called them today.  I also noticed that everytime I disassemble the pistol, the guide rod is loose.  The thing is: this is a brand new guide rod and spring.   
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on October 31 2012 05:55:41 PM MDT
Glock said to remove the rail mounted light.  I told him I'd been using it for years and had even shot Corbon with it on before.  I know that Glock 40's have had sporadic problems with lights before (Indiana SP and Topeka PD) but I didn't know that the G20 had been infected.  Glock guy said that higher impulse ammo and/or a slightly out of spec mag plus a light can cause problems.  He offered to sell me some higher power mag springs.   >:(  He said to try it again before sending it in.  So, I did today.

I loaded 10 rounds of practice stuff first and then five CB's on top, then topped off the mag with CB.  Since all of the stoppages occurred in the first five rounds, I repeated this several times.  What do you know? No drama.  I did the same thing three times with Underwood.  Again, no drama.  I then shot a full mag of Corbon (getting $$$ at this point).  So, I guess my gun's not broke. 

I did notice one strange thing.  When I took the gun home the other day after having trouble, the mags would not readily drop free.  I really had to depress the mag release all the way with any mag I put in it.  Today, I noticed the mags were dropping free.  I even mumbled to myself, "well, it'll probably work right now." 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: REDLINE on November 01 2012 06:09:35 PM MDT
When you tried it again, was the light still mounted to the rail?
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on November 01 2012 09:48:41 PM MDT
Quote from: REDLINE on November 01 2012 06:09:35 PM MDT
When you tried it again, was the light still mounted to the rail?

No.  I took the light off and it worked fine. 
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: REDLINE on November 01 2012 10:16:31 PM MDT
What changes in the physics, that when the light is attached to the gun things get screwed up?  And why doesn't that same issue happen to all who mount a light to their gun?  It just seems weird to me and is something I know nothing about.
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: enidpd804 on November 02 2012 02:07:28 AM MDT
It's the frame flexing.  It affects the slide velocity.  With a light attached, the frame won't flex as readily and slide velocity increases.  That's why Glock recommends more powerful mag springs when running a light.  It mostly happened in the third gen .40's sporadically.  I'm mostly familiar with Topeka PD's troubles.  They sent several G22's back repeatedly.  Some would work with lights and some without.  Few would work reliably with or without.  Finally Glock sent a rep to them and when he couldn't fix it, they replaced them all with G17's.

I just never heard of it affecting the tens.  Not the first time I've been infected with HUA syndrome.   
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: REDLINE on November 02 2012 12:26:23 PM MDT
Thanks for spelling it out for me.  Makes sense.  Funny how the issue is so borderline as to only cause issues with some guns within a same model.
Title: Re: Glock 20 Problems
Post by: 4949shooter on November 07 2012 04:39:08 PM MST
Quote from: enidpd804 on November 02 2012 02:07:28 AM MDT

I just never heard of it affecting the tens.  Not the first time I've been infected with HUA syndrome.   

I am gonna take a semi educated guess and say there probably aren't many G20 shooters who use attached lights.