Unreliable Glock?
So, I’m a Glock guy. I really like the two I have, but I have a question. Actually, it’s been asked before but lots of models have been introduced.
In choosing an every day carry, my first criterion is that it will shoot and cycle every. Time. I. Pull. The. Trigger. No jams. No misfeeds. No stovepipes. No light primer hits. Just bang and cycle another live round into battery. After that, I have to be able to shoot it- it has to be accurate enough and I have to be able to be accurate enough with it. For me the G43 (for sub compact) and G30s (for compact) do just that.
But
1) my son doesn’t like my G43,
2) wants a .45,
3) I don’t want him to get an XDs,
4) wants sub compact or as close as he can get,
5) and he doesn’t like the S&W.
But he’s heard that the G36 is the least ‘reliable’ of the Glocks. Any truth to this? Suggestions?
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In choosing an every day carry, my first criterion is that it will shoot and cycle every. Time. I. Pull. The. Trigger. No jams. No misfeeds. No stovepipes. No light primer hits. Just bang and cycle another live round into battery. After that, I have to be able to shoot it- it has to be accurate enough and I have to be able to be accurate enough with it. For me the G43 (for sub compact) and G30s (for compact) do just that.
But
1) my son doesn’t like my G43,
2) wants a .45,
3) I don’t want him to get an XDs,
4) wants sub compact or as close as he can get,
5) and he doesn’t like the S&W.
But he’s heard that the G36 is the least ‘reliable’ of the Glocks. Any truth to this? Suggestions?
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I had a 36 and 21 (gen 3's). I shot the 21 in 2-3 IDPA matches a month for a year and practiced a little with it throughout the year. I tried to shoot the 36 in one of our short course of fire side matches. It wasn't reliable. I have a good friend who is a serious Glock guy. He had the same issue with a gen 3 36. He told me that he got one of the newer ones (still gen 3) and it has been fine. The difference is in the shape of the feed ramp cut into the barrel. The old ones that had issues were cut flat the newer ones are rounded, at least that's what he told me.
My compact carry 45 is a Kahr PM45 though, so what do I know (LOL). It's got a good trigger and is reliable, even with crappy steel cased ammo. I've shot it enough that I've had to replace the mag springs and the recoil spring.
Even though the Kahr's get a bad rap, I'd at least have him take a look at the Kahr 45's. I think that if you get a good one, your golden, if not sell it and move on or have Kahr make it right.
I've considered replacing/supplementing mine with a Shield, but more want than need.
YMMV.
Greg
My compact carry 45 is a Kahr PM45 though, so what do I know (LOL). It's got a good trigger and is reliable, even with crappy steel cased ammo. I've shot it enough that I've had to replace the mag springs and the recoil spring.
Even though the Kahr's get a bad rap, I'd at least have him take a look at the Kahr 45's. I think that if you get a good one, your golden, if not sell it and move on or have Kahr make it right.
I've considered replacing/supplementing mine with a Shield, but more want than need.
YMMV.
Greg
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Have you and son checked out the Sig P220? It comes in various sizes.
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Wow. Thanks for a lot of thoughtful responses. Here’s what I got:
1) G36 seems to have had ‘legit’ issues in the early runs but have addressed them- but he still doesn’t like Glocks <snif>
2) The push of a .45 in a tiny piece (performance and shootability) needs to be considered no matter the make- he just really likes .45
3) There’s no real need to worry about the XDs (except the capacity and that applies to a lot of EDC options) so buy one, run 1000 rounds and if it works, it works.
4) Maybe save a few more pennies and look at Sig, Kimber...
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1) G36 seems to have had ‘legit’ issues in the early runs but have addressed them- but he still doesn’t like Glocks <snif>
2) The push of a .45 in a tiny piece (performance and shootability) needs to be considered no matter the make- he just really likes .45
3) There’s no real need to worry about the XDs (except the capacity and that applies to a lot of EDC options) so buy one, run 1000 rounds and if it works, it works.
4) Maybe save a few more pennies and look at Sig, Kimber...
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The range I used to attend had one for rent. Half the people that worked there couldn't run through a magazine without it jamming and the other half couldn't get it to jam. The common consensus was that it was very prone the limp wristing and just depended on the shooter. None of the employees had limp wristing problems with other guns. Tim from MAC did a video on this with a Gen 3 G19. One of his guys couldn't get through a mag without his Glock jamming while Tim couldn't get it to Jam.
It seems that Glocks are more prone to limp wristing in general and that the G36 is the worst. The vast majority of shooters will never experience limp wristing issues with Glocks but some may even if they don't normally limp wrist other guns.
All you can do with a G36 is shoot it and see how it works for you.
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It seems that Glocks are more prone to limp wristing in general and that the G36 is the worst. The vast majority of shooters will never experience limp wristing issues with Glocks but some may even if they don't normally limp wrist other guns.
All you can do with a G36 is shoot it and see how it works for you.
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I had a similar situation with the G30SF. So many stories about it being a problem child model with FTRTB and FTFeed issues, I was convinced by apologists that it was internet lore. Then I bought one and it failed regularly, sent it to Glock, still failed regularly, sent it back again in exchange for a new G21SF which ran like a champ from day 1
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I have a 30sf as well, older tenifer gun. I put the latest (-3 I believe) g21 trigger in it. It definitely cycles differently from a 21. I don't know if it's the slide weight, different RSA or what. Mine has never jammed on me, but when you shoot it back to back with the 21 it cycles different. It seems slower. I don't know. Anyway, it's been good for me. I may keep carrying it off duty even when we go to 9mm
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I had one around 2000. It was as reliable as my 26 and 19. I didn't shoot it as well as those two. The ultimate reason I got rid of it was, I was pinching my little finger almost every time I fired it. The small gap where the magazine meets the grip got me.
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I've owned, fired and carried a Glock 36 (1), Glock 30(2), Glock 30S(1) and a Glock 21(2). I've had an issue with two of the pistols. I had a slide lock spring break. That ended the session for that pistol with a mag dump. A couple bucks later and it was up and running again. I'm glad it happened on the range. In the long run it was a minor issue that was dealt with simply. The only other issue I had was with "Pinky Pinch" from the Glock 30S. A very minor issue that didn't stop me from liking the pistol.
Other than those two minor issues I've never had a failure with a Glock that I've owned or carried. I still own the G36, two G30 and two G21. I carried one or the other G30 pistols every day for 12 years on duty and the Glock 36 every day for 5+ years off duty. The only change I've made to all of the pistols I own is extended slide locks.
I've had no issues with the Glock 36 at all. I've shot White Box, UMC, American Eagle, Freedom Munitions (New and Reloads, Hydro-Shock and HST through it without a failure. I don't shoot as much as some folks but I shot more then a lot of folks that were around me. I've carried the Glock 36 with confidence that it would do what I needed it to do when I needed it. The rest was up to me.
Other than those two minor issues I've never had a failure with a Glock that I've owned or carried. I still own the G36, two G30 and two G21. I carried one or the other G30 pistols every day for 12 years on duty and the Glock 36 every day for 5+ years off duty. The only change I've made to all of the pistols I own is extended slide locks.
I've had no issues with the Glock 36 at all. I've shot White Box, UMC, American Eagle, Freedom Munitions (New and Reloads, Hydro-Shock and HST through it without a failure. I don't shoot as much as some folks but I shot more then a lot of folks that were around me. I've carried the Glock 36 with confidence that it would do what I needed it to do when I needed it. The rest was up to me.
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XD's are the shizznit.
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I've previously owned G36, was my first Glock purchased, and I got it used.
Ran flawlessly.
But it's same size essentially as G19 which of course carries LOTs more ammo aboard. And so I switched and have stayed with G19 for a long time now. Tried G30s too as alternative, but I shoot 19 the best.
G30s is also, almost identical in size to G19. That would be my choice if .45 has to be the caliber and Glock has to be the platform.
Nothing wrong with any of them in my experience.
Just my $.02.
Ran flawlessly.
But it's same size essentially as G19 which of course carries LOTs more ammo aboard. And so I switched and have stayed with G19 for a long time now. Tried G30s too as alternative, but I shoot 19 the best.
G30s is also, almost identical in size to G19. That would be my choice if .45 has to be the caliber and Glock has to be the platform.
Nothing wrong with any of them in my experience.
Just my $.02.
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The only unreliable Glock of the several I've owned was a bought new Glock 21 several years ago.
It would jam 2-3 times per magazine (which I tried several).
I sent it back to Glock and they claimed they fixed it, but it still jammed, just not quite as much.
It sat in my safe for several years until I sold it.
The guy I sold it to took it to a gunsmith who finally fixed it.
I don't know what he did to fix it, but the guy who bought it from me was satisfied with it.
It would jam 2-3 times per magazine (which I tried several).
I sent it back to Glock and they claimed they fixed it, but it still jammed, just not quite as much.
It sat in my safe for several years until I sold it.
The guy I sold it to took it to a gunsmith who finally fixed it.
I don't know what he did to fix it, but the guy who bought it from me was satisfied with it.
Mcribs are disgusting.lol.
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I took my G19.4 to the range yesterday and fed it everything from my ammo box. I had mags with Tula Ammo, mixed with Hornady Crit. Duty, mixed with Rem. UMC ball; had one FTF on a Tula round out of 300 total rounds.
Plus, weapons are machines and machines malfunction at times. It’s important that one have the trained reflex to clear a malfunction and keep firing. That’s what I do. To drill this into my head, I randomly insert dummy rounds throughout my mags so I can learn to clear a round reflexively and keep going.
As for why I load rounds randomly, I have this idea that if the worst happened and there were a true ammo shortage, I want to know first hand that my weapons can handle it. As they said in the Army, learn to trust your equipment.
Not really an answer to your question, but there you have it.
Plus, weapons are machines and machines malfunction at times. It’s important that one have the trained reflex to clear a malfunction and keep firing. That’s what I do. To drill this into my head, I randomly insert dummy rounds throughout my mags so I can learn to clear a round reflexively and keep going.
As for why I load rounds randomly, I have this idea that if the worst happened and there were a true ammo shortage, I want to know first hand that my weapons can handle it. As they said in the Army, learn to trust your equipment.
Not really an answer to your question, but there you have it.
I’ve put 3100 rounds through my Gen 417 with ZERO issues.
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Love glocks. I would avoid the 36. I can give you a long list. It is the only Glock I hear the lgs guys badmouth. Ie shootability is horrible
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Yes sir, only had one 36 (stock), sold it because of constant FTF/FTE. G34 flawless, so far.
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