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I think my 21 has proven its durability

298K views 430 replies 274 participants last post by  Terry G 
#1 ·
For several years I’ve been abusing and neglecting my Glock 21. A running joke among some friends and I, nothing planned or documented. As I tell people what it has been through, most simply don’t believe me. I wouldn’t either, I guess. If someone told you their Glock has at least 150K rounds through it, and has gone almost 15K rounds with no cleaning or maintenance, would you believe them?

I want to do this so I have documentation, of what has been done, and how it worked. I don’t care about 500rds without a FTE, or FTF. Once it was buried in the mud w/a full mag, and when I dug it out the next day it went bang the first time I pulled the trigger but the weight of all the mud on the slide kept it from cycling. I scraped off most of the mud on my boot and fired the remaining 12 shots without a problem.

I want to know how much can it take and still function. If not function perfectly – what will it take to get running again.


Originally Posted By Mr45auto:
Hey partner, better you than me. I wouldnt do that test on any pistol I've gotta pay for. You do realize of course you're gonna make a $400 gun into a $100 gun?
Its all been done already, I'm just going to keep track this time. Heres a pic after around 15K rounds with no cleaning, and being buried in mud etc...
The barrel fouling was amazing, it was basically a smooth bore.




Originally Posted By dubb-1:
Originally Posted By triburst1:
Which of your 1911s are you going to put through the same tests?[;)]
I'd vote for Springfield Professional Model.

Be well!
Come on over and toss your Pro (video)out the window. Hopefully it will land on my glock instaed of the rocks.
 
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#408 ·
Ever have any nose down in the magazine, or a stove pipe
with the next LOADED round in the magazine, or a nose to
the left of the chamber, or an empty round half way out of
the chamber and the next round in the magazine jammed
up into it, or a round mysteriously in the magazine backwards.

Yep, all of them in my many Glocks, on many the less powerful
round in a conversion barrel has been more accurate.

With a real stiff arm and a firm grip the more power
ammo I think cycles the gun too violent/fast, and causes
problems, with the heavier extended barrels things are
much better, IMHO.
 
#409 ·
There is a difference between reliability and durability. Most guns today are fairly reliable but all guns will have FTE/FTF due to ammo variations, mag wear and spring fatigue. Durability on the other hand has to be designed into the weapon. Glocks are without a doubt durable and have a pretty good record for reliability if maintence is done. Compared to the 30 year old 1911a1 I was issued in the 80's the Glocks are miracles of both durability and reliability.
 
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#412 ·
I bought my Gen 3 21 for $300 at a gun show to a dealer who had just taken it in on trade. It goes bang every time I press the loud button. It is the gun I bring on the boat when we will be far from shore. A few happy sticks tossed into the bag to make sure I Will irritate any bad guys. There is a mini 14 on board for those trips too.
 
#415 ·
I competed in Bowling Pin shoots at a local range for over 8 years with my gen3 G-21. Shoot over 200 rounds weekly not counting practice, and just fun shooting. That put me over
150 thousand rounds. That was over ten years ago, and the G-21 still is just as accurate as it was when I bought it used.
I would clean it about once a month, and never thought I was abusing it.
Now it is a nightstand gun, and might get shot once a month.
My gen2 G-23 is my carry gun and a gen2 G-19 on standby.
I have bought sold and traded many Glocks, and never have had one fail on me, in any way. The only thing has been bad ammo, most of them fired with a second strike.
 
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#417 ·
I cannot resist it, I cannot resist it! I sit here, in deepest Froggieland, having just made the mistake of looking again at sections of this thread. A thread which I have found fascinating over the years. I re read the " Vlad The Impaler " bits with some interest, BTW, there aint no disconnectors in a Glock, Vlad.
I owned, and shot a lot of lead, in what was the first Gen1, 21 in the UK, and in the early 1990`s I was asked to write an article on stripping and re-assembling Glocks for TGun Magazine. Please don`t laugh too much, this was at the very beginning of Glockery.
In the article I committed two heinous Glock crimes. Firstly, I said that you can wash a Glock in soap and water, if you so wished. and secondly, that if you found the locking block pins a little tight, tap them out. Brute force no, gentle persuasion , yes.
The article was published, and the Glock hierarchy descended on me with full force asking me to publish a retraction. So, Bigbore, now you know why you had an anonymous Glock Armourer and Glock distributor reading your thread with absolute fascination! C`est la vie! And in case anyone is wondering, I am English right the way down to my IPSC core, DVC.
 
#425 ·
Our department has been with Glock 21 since early 2000’s.

G21, G21SF, and now G21Gen4. Replacing the pistols every seven years.

Hundred of thousands of rounds down range and very little parts breakages. I can count on one hand the repairs that had to be made. It is a rare occasion to see any type of malfunction at all.

In comparison to other weapons systems l see in use at our shared range by allied agencies, l feel thats some pretty positive results.

Our detectives and Admin are issued G30’s and we did have several issues with the 30SF’s which was narrowed down to a trigger bar issue. (Now carry G19’s)

As far as the G21 is concerned it surely has proven itself in our experience.
 
#426 ·
Right now I have traded my gen3 G-21 well used, but still shooting just fine.
I now have a gen4 G-41, and so far it has not stumbled at all on any ammo. I have tried at least a mag full of every different kind of ammo I have ran across. I have passed a thousand rounds and no problems. So I guess she will work.
Right now it resides in the Nightstand where she will wait for the call that never comes, and hopefully never does.
 
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