Glock Struggle

L

LouisianaAviator

New member
I have a G26 Gen 3 and G21SF. They've never failed to go bang when I pull the trigger and I'm very accurate with both of them.

Occasionally, though, I get spent brass ejected onto me, and several friends well-versed in pistol shooting experience the same thing. Doesn't happen often, but it happened once during a GSSF-style match and while I payed it no mind, I can see how it could be detrimental in a self-defense situation.

Would you consider a handgun that occasionally throws hot brass onto your shoulder/neck/arm/whatever for self defense?

I really like my Glocks and shoot them well but I wonder if I should seek a pistol that doesn't do that. I'm not interested in putting aftermarket parts in my gun to fix the problem. I only trust OEM, and I want a carry gun that doesn't need to be tweaked to work well. From what I understand, this is common with Glocks to at least some degree. Or am I being too nitpicky?
 
If it's only onto your shoulder or arm, it's really not a concern. If it's to the face then I'd be concerned. Another question is if it has the same issues with all types of ammo. Self defense ammo is typically much hotter than target ammo. The end result is the ejection with self defense ammo tends to be much more forceful. Often the weak or poor ejection can be eliminated by using hotter ammo. If you catch a spare case at the range it's not really a big deal, trying to defend your life is another story. If you shoot it well I'd be hesitant to give up a pistol just because of less than ideal ejection. Whether the case goes 2 feet to your left or 20, as long as the case ejects and the pistol can still cycle that's really the goal. Again, ejection to the face is another story.

While it's true Glocks have had this issue more in recent years, Randy Lee at APEX has a great article about how Glocks have never really had ideal ejection. FWIW, I found swapping the ejector on my Glock 19 from the 336 to 30274 made a big difference, and these are OEM parts.
 
My M&P .40 bounced it's first case off my forehead at the range a couple weeks ago. I have put about 300 rounds through the pistol.
 
If it's only onto your shoulder or arm, it's really not a concern. If it's to the face then I'd be concerned. Another question is if it has the same issues with all types of ammo. Self defense ammo is typically much hotter than target ammo. The end result is the ejection with self defense ammo tends to be much more forceful. Often the weak or poor ejection can be eliminated by using hotter ammo. If you catch a spare case at the range it's not really a big deal, trying to defend your life is another story. If you shoot it well I'd be hesitant to give up a pistol just because of less than ideal ejection. Whether the case goes 2 feet to your left or 20, as long as the case ejects and the pistol can still cycle that's really the goal. Again, ejection to the face is another story.

While it's true Glocks have had this issue more in recent years, Randy Lee at APEX has a great article about how Glocks have never really had ideal ejection. FWIW, I found swapping the ejector on my Glock 19 from the 336 to 30274 made a big difference, and these are OEM parts.
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I don't remember getting hit with any in the face. How do I know if my G26 has the 336 or 30274 ejector?
 
You'll see it etched into the side of the ejector.

https://www.google.com/search?q=336+vs+30274+ejector&espv=2&biw=1680&bih=965&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwimpo_elcTLAhWExIMKHTXWDtMQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=QpwfGH57KNAKLM%3A

You have to purchase the entire ejector housing for a Gen 4 and then pull out the ejector to swap it. If you Google it you'll find instructions. Honestly though if it's never to the face you might not see a difference. Your call, your money. The other thing to check is that the extractor has sufficient tension to hold a spent casing between itself and the breach face.
 
I don't remember getting hit with any in the face. How do I know if my G26 has the 336 or 30274 ejector?
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Field strip and look at the ejector, the number is on the ejector.

BTW, the Gen 3 G26 and G19 should have the 336 ejector. Gen 4 usually has the 30274.
 
^ This guy. It's worth noting some people find it helps, some people find it does nothing. My older Gen 3s have the 336 and never really had the "in the face" issues.
 
I'd check the extractor tension as I said, other than that I really wouldn't worry about it. Again, you have to test with different ammo to really diagnose it, and if it's not to the face...
 
Like you said, it's not ejecting to the face, and it's not all too often, so I suppose I'm just being picky. I like my Glocks and plan to get a Gen 4 19 and 21 soon.

Sometimes I question myself over whether I should go to a VP9 or not though...
 
TunnelRat, even my new Gen 3s, a G19 made in Nov. 2015 and G26 made Feb. 2015, came with the 336 ejector. My Gen4 G19 has the 30274 which I think has been the case since 2011.

So Glock doesn't see it as a problem in the Gen 3 and so far I haven't experienced it but it does seem some Gen 3s have the "Gen 4" problem.
 
Sometimes I question myself over whether I should go to a VP9 or not though...
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Do some searching around on this forum and elsewhere online before you do. My honest opinion is the Glocks might not have as nice ergos or ejection, but they're more reliable than the VP9 on the whole. I think the VP9's complexity is a concern, but that's just my opinion man.

TunnelRat, even my new Gen 3s, a G19 made in Nov. 2015 and G26 made Feb. 2015, came with the 336 ejector.
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Yea I would figure they would.
 
Like you said, it's not ejecting to the face, and it's not all too often, so I suppose I'm just being picky. I like my Glocks and plan to get a Gen 4 19 and 21 soon.

Sometimes I question myself over whether I should go to a VP9 or not though...
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Mine Glock throws spent brass at me too but for some reason I hardly notice. Mine usually hit me in the head somewhere but they bounce off its shiny baldness so... No problems.

By all means get yourself a VP9, it is an awesome gun. I shoot it better than any centerfired autoloading handgun I've ever owned. That said, that one spits brass at me too. I don't if it's bouncing off the baffle at the range and then hitting me or it hits me right from the ejector but I get hit either way.

Honestly, I just assumed it was me and not the gun and it could be.

Anyway, keep your Glocks AND get a VP9!
 
Do some searching around on this forum and elsewhere online before you do. My honest opinion is the Glocks might not have as nice ergos or ejection, but they're more reliable than the VP9 on the whole. I think the VP9's complexity is a concern, but that's just my opinion man.
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I've never had any problems with mine and I would not hesitate to recommend a VP9 to anyone, however the VP9 just does not feel as tough as a Glock to me but I don't have any specifics to back up that feeling.
 
Louisiana,

Many times the brass ejection in the face is caused by a weak wrist hold that allows the gun to both flip up some and torque to the left, thus presenting the ejection port toward the face.

Make sure you hold the gun tight for every shot.

Deaf
 
Glock Ejection?9

A-1 replies and also mirrors my expieriences since beginning with early Gen1 Glocks.After years of council with armorers and heavy users,I came to the point they were making;Welcome to the world of Glock.And it's been a dependable and pleasurable place.
 
Couple of things....

How much has the gun been shot, and how often do you strip the slide and give it a good cleaning? Perhaps the extractors loaded up and needs a cleaning.

I shoot a couple of my Glocks a lot, and strip and clean the slide a couple of times a year. You'd be amazed at how much crap builds up under and around the extractor. Even when I dont strip them, I usually try to give the extractor a couple of blasts of Gun Scrubber every now and then when I clean.

Do you routinely swap the RSA if youre shooting it a lot?

Are you shooting reloads, and if so, how many cycles on them? Ive found this to be the biggest cause of ejection/extraction problems with my Glocks. As the brass starts to wear out (specifically, the rims), there is an increase in these types of malfunctions.
 
I had the BTF issue with a Glock 22, I highly recommend the OP do what I did & call Glock Customer Service at 1 (770) 432-1202 and discuss options to fix the problem based on the S/Ns of these guns.
 
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Are you shooting reloads, and if so, how many cycles on them? Ive found this to be the biggest cause of ejection/extraction problems with my Glocks. As the brass starts to wear out (specifically, the rims), there is an increase in these types of malfunctions.
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Interesting point; one that I've never considered before...thanks for the tip, AK.
Rod
 
Yea, it kind of snuck up on me too. :)

I was all of a sudden getting some random problems with the Gen 3 17 I shoot a lot, and it was at the time everyone was saying the extractors were the problem. It already had a bunch of rounds through it, so I tried swapping it out for a couple of new ones, but the problem continued.

I noticed that the problem only seemed to happen with the lots of brass I was starting to get a lot more case failures (splits) with. When I shot factory ammo, or a lot of reloads that wasnt having the issues, the gun ran fine.

I actually replaced the new extractor with the one Id taken out, and it worked fine with factory ammo. Its still in the gun now. I betting the first one I replaced was fine too.

When I started to look close at the brass that was having issues, I noticed some of the rims were pretty chewed up from constant use. Thats what I believe is where the problems come in. The extractor might grab hold of the rim at a bad spot, and have some issues. At least thats my theory.

The big advantage to this is (hey, there really is an advantage to it. :)), it allows you to practice failure drills in practice, completely randomly, without setting them up. The malfunctions I usually get when they do occur, are BTF and stove pipes. Once in a great while, Ill get a double feed too.

Not saying its the problem for the OP or others, but it is something to consider, if you shoot your reloads to failure.
 
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