[rlewpolar]

I use Ballistol on all my Glocks as an all purpose cleaner and lube. I've had good success with it but I am wondering about it getting into the firing pin channel.

Had a number of light primer strikes today with a newish Glock using with my reloads and trying to isolate the problem.

This Glock is new (second time at the range) and I did my usual cleaning routine where I slobber Ballistol all over.

I know some of it got into the firing pin channel. Does anyone think this is a problem? I always hear never to put oil on the firing pin but is Ballistol considered an oil or more of a cleaner? And would it be a problem if it got onto the pin and into the channel?

I'll probably pull the pin tomorrow but since it's a new gun, not sure it needs it.

Anyway, wanted to see what the Glock experts thought of Ballistol and whether it could present a problem if it works it's way in there. Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BMyers]

I avoid any oil/grease in the fire pinning channel.

 

[powernoodle]

What Mr. Myers said. At most, I rarely clean the firing pin with my favorite spray cleaner, wipe it dry and reinstall in a clean and dry channel.

So yeah - keep that puppy dry and see how it goes.



:dog::dog::dog:

 

[First shot]

Nothing in the channel. I too, use only Balistol and I spray a very small amount on a clean patch and wipe the face of the channel till the carbon is gone and the face is dry. No problemo.

 

[JohnnyE]

I detail stripped my two G 27's for the first time when each hit 6,000 rounds. The firing pin channels were clean as a whistle. Before the detail strip, I accidentally got Hoppe's or other cleaners in there from time-to-time, but every time I cleaned the guns, I would shoot some non-chlorinated brake cleaner through the channel, or compressed air. That seems to have done the trick keeping the pin and channel clean and free of gunk.

I've continued the same regime, more than tripled the number of rounds shot through each pistol, and haven't had a problem. YMMV.

 

[refugeepj]

my reloads

second hit detonate?
is it possible your primers didn't get seated 100%?

 

[GRT45]

I know some of it got into the firing pin channel. Does anyone think this is a problem? I always hear never to put oil on the firing pin but is Ballistol considered an oil or more of a cleaner? And would it be a problem if it got onto the pin and into the channel?

Since Ballistol is based primarily on medicinal grade white mineral oil, I definitely consider it an oil regarding the firing pin channel. If any happens to get in the firing pin channel despite trying to avoid it, my practice is to thoroughly remove the material.

In the text of the Material Safety Data Sheet for Ballistol, there are seven references to mineral oil for your review.

 

[MO Fugga]

Oil collects dirt. Dirt jams the system. It has been known to cause a runaway gun.

 

[ranger1968]

Consult your owners manual , and follow the instructions on how the pistol is to be lubricated. Glocks , by design, require very little lubrication, and you are creating your own problems by overlubricating the pistol.

 

[techiej]

I use Ballistol exclusively on my firearms - including Glocks - and there is no need to be heavy handed with it, especially on a Glock.

As others have said, keep the FP channel clean and dry. If in doubt do a slide strip and clean it with isopropyl alcohol (97%+) and then let it dry (I use compressed air) completely before reassembly.

 

[poodleplumber]

I'm another who puts nothing in the firing pin channel. I'll go one step further and say that I make a point of protecting the firing pin channel from getting anything in. Your comment that you "slobber Ballistol all over" makes me think you are over-doing it. Most shooting grime wipes off with a dry rag or brush, and most of the rest comes off with patches or Q-tips moistened with your choice of cleaner. You don't really need to hose your pistol down with Ballistol or anything else.

 

[sciolist]

Oil is probably not causing light strikes, channel should be kept free of oil, there's no reason to be using oil in a manner that would allow it to get in the channel and a Glock should run fine indefinitely with no intervention into the channel.

 

[vba]

This Glock is new (second time at the range) and I did my usual cleaning routine where I slobber Ballistol all over.

Don't use a lot of any oil or grease on a Glock. I oil very sparingly, just tiny drops in the right places.

I see PoodlePlumber agrees...

 

[Heath Ern]

I have had this concern too. Not because I pour cleaner or CLP on the slide while I am cleaning, but because I didn't wring out enough the Hoppe's #9 from the cleaning patch. When that happens, I just use my air compressor to blow it out, just in case any got in there.

 

[rattlegun]

Sounds like bad primers.
Although not recommended to lube the striker channel and pin assembly if to excess most of the oil drains out.
No second strike fire? Primers being bad have been showing up from CCI and Winchester that I know of.

 

[Made in Austria]

Just take your firing pin assembly out and clean it out If you think you got some oil in the firing pin channel. It's very easy to remove the FP assembly in a Glock. Even if there is oil in it, your gun will run just fine for a while. Just clean it out when you get a chance. I doubt that a little bit of oil in their will cause FTFires.

 

[Cashgap]

Just remember... when you are cleaning a Glock, you are doing it for you. Not for the gun.

If you've only lubricated in the locations and in the amounts Glock recommends, you NEVER need to clean the firing pin channel.

Too many of our regimens were developed on older, lesser designs, and we just can't let go of them.

Similar to changing synthetic motor oil in a modern engine at less than 10,000 miles unnecessarily because the old oils and engines required it. Pointless habit, carried over far too long.

 

[Made in Austria]

That the firing pin channel never needs cleaning is a myth. Glock doesn't want you to mess with those parts because they are afraid you sue them if your gun accidentally goes off because you reassembled the safety components incorrectly.

They rather have your gun malfunction due to an dirty FP channel than to have you mess with the FP assembly and FP safety block. If you complain that your gun malfunctioned when you needed it the most, they'll tell you that you should have sent it in for servicing.

The FP channel after a lot of rounds is full of brass shavings, burnt powder and oily grime. Even if you lubricated it per the manual. Believe me, I have cleaned lots of neglected Glocks.

 

[MikeG36]

Sounds like bad primers.
Although not recommended to lube the striker channel and pin assembly if to excess most of the oil drains out.
No second strike fire? Primers being bad have been showing up from CCI and Winchester that I know of.

I've never had a problem with CCI primers rifle or pistol. Not saying it couldn't happen but just that in my experience CCI has been the king of the hill when it comes to primer reliability.

Regarding the OPs question, primer seating depth or a possible bad lot of primers would be my first guess.

As far as oil in the firing pin channel, you don't want to do that. It would be extremely bad if your firing pin became stuck. If you take apart enough Glocks you will see things you wouldn't believe inside; lint, dust, dirt, sand, dead skin flakes, stick deodorant residue, hair, etc. You name it - it's probably there. Oil in the firing pin channel will attract these materials allowing them to stick, resulting in reliability issues.

 

[rlewpolar]

Thanks guys, good info.

Yes, I was getting detonation on second strikes so maybe it is the primers not being seated enough.

Going to pull the pin anyway and clean out the channel and see what's in there. Now I'm curious.

My cleaning routine is to literally pour Ballistol on the slide, scrub with a nylon brush, wipe it down and blow compressed air all over till everything comes out of every crevice and then wipe down again. My thinking was that the Ballistol all over will protect everything but after these responses, I'm thinking I am overdoing it and at best, wasting Ballistol. Going to just put a little on a rag and run it over the surface of everything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk