automainea
New member
i have seen many pictures on the net of glocks that are in peices from blowing up,whats the deal with this?can they not handle +p or heavy ammo?
why do glocks blow up?
- Thread starter automainea
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All those pictures of Glocks blowing up were a result of a semiautopsychological condition known as 1911-envy. It's a sad disorder who's symptoms include light weight, persistant finish, elevated round-count, a tendency to go bang when the trigger is pulled, and failure to show up at the gunsmith for expensive tuning and customizing. 
Marko Kloos
Inactive
Yes, they are very dangerous handguns. It is your civic duty to purchase any and all specimens of this Saturday Night Special and ship them to me for proper...umm...disposal. (Yeah, that's it...that's the ticket.)
Seriously: there were some blowups with Glocks, but they are no more or less frequent than blowups in other guns. Bad brass, double charged loads, leaded polygonal barrels and a few other factors may cause a blowup in any gun. You hear about Glock blowups more because there are simply so many of them out there, but they don't blow up more than other guns when you look at the proportion vs. the total number of kB'ed guns.
Glocks are among the strongest and most durable handguns out there. Any time you pull the trigger on any handgun, you have a minor chance of a kaBoom.
Seriously: there were some blowups with Glocks, but they are no more or less frequent than blowups in other guns. Bad brass, double charged loads, leaded polygonal barrels and a few other factors may cause a blowup in any gun. You hear about Glock blowups more because there are simply so many of them out there, but they don't blow up more than other guns when you look at the proportion vs. the total number of kB'ed guns.
Glocks are among the strongest and most durable handguns out there. Any time you pull the trigger on any handgun, you have a minor chance of a kaBoom.
This same question gets asked over and over again. Glocks blow up for the same reasons other guns blow up. I'd say probably 99% of them are ammo related.
Usually it is case failure. This can be something as simple as a rupture in the web that allows venting of the propellant gases. It can also be a catastrophic case failure. In the former case, the pistol is usually unharmed. The magazine is often blown out the bottom but it is usually still functional. In the latter case, the pistol is destroyed. The barrel is typically peeled like a banana.
The reason the ammo failed is usually someone trying to push the envelope or not paying attention to what they are doing. If you exceed the recommended pressure levels of a cartridge, you run the risk of case failure. If you use brass that is week due to structural defects or simply being used and reused over time, you run the risk of case failure. If you use the wrong powder... You get the idea.
Any pistol is susceptible to this type of failure. Glocks are designed with chambers that are looser than match tolerances. This makes them more reliable. It is also the reason that Glock recommends using only factory ammo. The brass in factory ammo is virgin and isn't a problem.
Glocks use a polygonal rifling. This has the benefits of increasing velocity and being easier to clean. It has the detriment of fouling with lead rather rapidly. As it fouls it creates a bore obstruction. This can cause a rupture in the barrel. This is why Glock recommends against using lead bullets.
The last thing is that there are some many Glocks out there that even though the percentage of problems that Glocks have are extremely low, you here about more of them. Combine that with the internet and everybody telling about a story they heard somewhere and things get blown way out of proportion.
That about covers it I think. If I left anything out someone will cover it. I suggest visiting http://www.glocktalk.com and reading up.
Blev
Usually it is case failure. This can be something as simple as a rupture in the web that allows venting of the propellant gases. It can also be a catastrophic case failure. In the former case, the pistol is usually unharmed. The magazine is often blown out the bottom but it is usually still functional. In the latter case, the pistol is destroyed. The barrel is typically peeled like a banana.
The reason the ammo failed is usually someone trying to push the envelope or not paying attention to what they are doing. If you exceed the recommended pressure levels of a cartridge, you run the risk of case failure. If you use brass that is week due to structural defects or simply being used and reused over time, you run the risk of case failure. If you use the wrong powder... You get the idea.
Any pistol is susceptible to this type of failure. Glocks are designed with chambers that are looser than match tolerances. This makes them more reliable. It is also the reason that Glock recommends using only factory ammo. The brass in factory ammo is virgin and isn't a problem.
Glocks use a polygonal rifling. This has the benefits of increasing velocity and being easier to clean. It has the detriment of fouling with lead rather rapidly. As it fouls it creates a bore obstruction. This can cause a rupture in the barrel. This is why Glock recommends against using lead bullets.
The last thing is that there are some many Glocks out there that even though the percentage of problems that Glocks have are extremely low, you here about more of them. Combine that with the internet and everybody telling about a story they heard somewhere and things get blown way out of proportion.
That about covers it I think. If I left anything out someone will cover it. I suggest visiting http://www.glocktalk.com and reading up.
Blev
Quantum Singularity
New member
Here we go again!
Glocks are very safe handguns and Kb's are very rare. Most people will not experience a Kb in their lifetime. Enough said! My only complaint concerning Glocks is with their inconsistent accuracy.....other than that they are a very safe, reliable, and durable handgun.
Glocks are very safe handguns and Kb's are very rare. Most people will not experience a Kb in their lifetime. Enough said! My only complaint concerning Glocks is with their inconsistent accuracy.....other than that they are a very safe, reliable, and durable handgun.
I think it's usually caused by too much dynamite, but that's just a guess. 
Let's get serious, Glocks don't blow up at the drop of a hat. The older .40S&W guns did have a looser chamber than the current shipping models, and it has a section of unsupported area at the 6 o'clock area on the web. A powder charge that's too strong, or brass that's too weak, will sometimes give way at that point. I have a couple of .45ACP glocks, and their chambers and the support are the same, or better than my 1911's. I don't worry one bit about them suddenly blowing up. FWIW, lots of other handguns come apart when you load defective ammo into them, I've seen a number of revolvers with half a cylinder from an overcharge. Know your ammo, and keep the bore clean, and you'll probably never know what a KB feels like.
Let's get serious, Glocks don't blow up at the drop of a hat. The older .40S&W guns did have a looser chamber than the current shipping models, and it has a section of unsupported area at the 6 o'clock area on the web. A powder charge that's too strong, or brass that's too weak, will sometimes give way at that point. I have a couple of .45ACP glocks, and their chambers and the support are the same, or better than my 1911's. I don't worry one bit about them suddenly blowing up. FWIW, lots of other handguns come apart when you load defective ammo into them, I've seen a number of revolvers with half a cylinder from an overcharge. Know your ammo, and keep the bore clean, and you'll probably never know what a KB feels like.
STEYR M-357
New member
Most of the 40's are nothing more than a modified 9mm.
Steyr and H&K are the only ones that aren't derived from a modified 9mm.
Beretta, Taurus, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Glock, SIG-Saur, Browning HP, etc are based on the 9mm frame, magazine, & barrel outer dimentions.
Glock had to throat the chamber of the 40 in order for the bullet to feed correctly resulting in bulged brass at the 6 o'clock position due to the unsupported chamber.
The outer dimention of the Glock 40 barrel is the same as a 9mm, so why does the 40 have a thinner wall than the 9mm?
A: Because Glock wanted to be the 1st to get to market a .40 without having to do a redesign.
Why do you think 99% of all Kabooms are with Glock 40's?
Kabooms are rare, but when they do happen, usually the gun will be a .40 caliber Glock.
This is what a .40 chamber should look like, compare this to a Glock chamber.
Again, 99.9% of the Glock 40's are safe, 99.9% means that 1 in a thousand are not safe, so chances are in your favor if you happen to own a Glock 40.
Maybe it should be 99.99%, that would be 1 in 10,000
There are a lot of Glock 40's out there and this may be the reason we hear so much about the Glock 40 kabooming.
Steyr and H&K are the only ones that aren't derived from a modified 9mm.
Beretta, Taurus, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Glock, SIG-Saur, Browning HP, etc are based on the 9mm frame, magazine, & barrel outer dimentions.
Glock had to throat the chamber of the 40 in order for the bullet to feed correctly resulting in bulged brass at the 6 o'clock position due to the unsupported chamber.
The outer dimention of the Glock 40 barrel is the same as a 9mm, so why does the 40 have a thinner wall than the 9mm?
A: Because Glock wanted to be the 1st to get to market a .40 without having to do a redesign.
Why do you think 99% of all Kabooms are with Glock 40's?
Kabooms are rare, but when they do happen, usually the gun will be a .40 caliber Glock.
This is what a .40 chamber should look like, compare this to a Glock chamber.
Again, 99.9% of the Glock 40's are safe, 99.9% means that 1 in a thousand are not safe, so chances are in your favor if you happen to own a Glock 40.
Maybe it should be 99.99%, that would be 1 in 10,000
There are a lot of Glock 40's out there and this may be the reason we hear so much about the Glock 40 kabooming.
I know Glocks don't kaboom but it happened to me. I had just bought a model 24 .40 and was shooting factory ammo. About halfway through the box a round blew. The magazine blew out of the gun and my hand stung a little but that was the extent of the damages. I hate to tell you this Wishbone but Glocks blow down not up.
P
PreserveFreedom
Guest
The only Glock KB that I have ever heard of that wasn't by misuse of the weapon was a problem where some factory loaded ammo had gotten a double charge. That would have blown apart any handgun except maybe a T/C. Glock specifically states that their guns are designed to fire factory jacketed ammo and the handloads that usually burst the guns do not qualify as such. If I am stupid enough to pour trans fluid in my crankcase, should I say that GM makes defective cars?
Will Beararms
New member
I want sum ah at thar Steel or lumium instead ah at thar sissy plastic. Heck I want muh gun tah crode' up. Makes em' look tough with that thar rust on em. At thar lumium is light weight and heck, so what if it might crack in 20,000 rounds?
At thar plastic is nuthin' more than a new-fangled idear at don't hold water.
At thar plastic is nuthin' more than a new-fangled idear at don't hold water.
WalterGAII
Moderator
Kdub: Please honor this ignorant proletarian by edifying me with some detailed technical reasons that "plastic" causes Glocks to blow up. It's o.k. if you use some polysyllabic words; I'll probably be able to struggle through your explanation, given no time constraints.
Daniel Watters
New member
The good news is that a Glock will feed grossly out-of-spec cartridges which would cause other pistols to choke. The bad news is that a Glock will feed grossly out-of-spec cartridges which would cause another pistol to choke.
I have encountered many fellow Glockaholics who blithely decide that if their reloads fit in the chamber, their reloads are safe. This includes the use of cases which look like a belted magnum due to constant resizing. Personally, I've found that if a case no longer fits freely into a case gauge, it has also likely lost its neck tension. A slight push on the projectile will cause it to depress further into the case. (Deep seating can dramaticly increase chamber pressure in small volume cases.) In addition, well-used cases which still fit in a case gauge can also suffer from a lack of neck tension. Similiar deep seating can even occur with factory cartridges if they are constantly cycled into and out of the chamber. Yet the Glock will most likely feed these shortened rounds.
I have encountered many fellow Glockaholics who blithely decide that if their reloads fit in the chamber, their reloads are safe. This includes the use of cases which look like a belted magnum due to constant resizing. Personally, I've found that if a case no longer fits freely into a case gauge, it has also likely lost its neck tension. A slight push on the projectile will cause it to depress further into the case. (Deep seating can dramaticly increase chamber pressure in small volume cases.) In addition, well-used cases which still fit in a case gauge can also suffer from a lack of neck tension. Similiar deep seating can even occur with factory cartridges if they are constantly cycled into and out of the chamber. Yet the Glock will most likely feed these shortened rounds.
six 4 sure
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Two words
Operator Error
Operator Error
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