Glock striker tension?

[HammerStriker]

Say I rack the slide of my G19, holster it, and somehow the internal safeties fail with the striker releasing into a loaded chamber. Will the striker have enough energy to pop off a round? I have read contradictory statements online. Some say that yes, the striker is tensioned enough after racking the slide so it would ignite the primer of a live round. Others say, no, the striker is only ~60% pre-cocked, so the trigger mush be pulled to give the striker the tension required to ignite a round.

[zaitcev]

Some say that yes, the striker is tensioned enough after racking the slide so it would ignite the primer of a live round. Others say, no, the striker is only ~60% pre-cocked, so the trigger mush be pulled to give the striker the tension required to ignite a round.
As far as I understand, the answer depends on the ammunition. The NATO military primer is quite hard and, most likely, such an accident would end in a misfire. However, modern commercial pistol ammunition uses fairly sensitive primers, and this kind of last resort safety is not going to stand. Fortunately, Glock type safety is very, well, safe (as opposed to some of the other striker-fired designs that I'm not going to mention explicitly). So you don't need to concern yourself with a scenario of Glcok safety failing. Just make sure to clean the slide well and inspect the plunger spring.

[WobblyPossum]

Tom Jones once told me that there is enough energy to set off a primer. All of his posts have been removed so I can’t search for it.

[JonInWA]

What Zaitsev said; use normal prudent gun handling techniques when charging the gun. Best, Jon

[HammerStriker]

As far as I understand, the answer depends on the ammunition. The NATO military primer is quite hard and, most likely, such an accident would end in a misfire. However, modern commercial pistol ammunition uses fairly sensitive primers, and this kind of last resort safety is not going to stand. Fortunately, Glock type safety is very, well, safe (as opposed to some of the other striker-fired designs that I'm not going to mention explicitly). So you don't need to concern yourself with a scenario of Glcok safety failing. Just make sure to clean the slide well and inspect the plunger spring.

Cough cough...SIG...

[Le Français]

The idea that my carry/duty gun always has a firing pin coiled like a snake over the primer (if you will) with no manual safety almost makes me wish LE had stayed with hammer fired guns and I could just carry something practical like a P07 or something cool like a USP9c or something very cool like a 3953.

[BN]

It will fire if the safeties have been bypassed.

I did an experiment a few years ago with a Glock 17. The results are posted somewhere on PF.

I removed the firing pin safety and installed a trigger housing that had been improperly modified and did not prevent the trigger bar from dropping down before it was far enough to the rear. The trigger safety was the only one working. I installed the armorers back plate that is partially cut away. I stuck a screw driver in and moved the trigger bar down so it let the striker fall and it fired a WW primed case several times.

Still safer than some others brands. ;)

[TicTacticalTimmy]

It will fire if the safeties have been bypassed.

I did an experiment a few years ago with a Glock 17. The results are posted somewhere on PF.

I removed the firing pin safety and installed a trigger housing that had been improperly modified and did not prevent the trigger bar from dropping down before it was far enough to the rear. The trigger safety was the only one working. I installed the armorers back plate that is partially cut away. I stuck a screw driver in and moved the trigger bar down so it let the striker fall and it fired a WW primed case several times.

Still safer than some others brands. ;)


The lesson there, IMO, is dont install aftermarket parts or significantly modify factory Glock trigger parts. If you want a Glock with a "better trigger", best to go with a different platform entirely.

[Navin Johnson]

Say I rack the slide of my G19, holster it, and somehow the internal safeties fail with the striker releasing into a loaded chamber. Will the striker have enough energy to pop off a round? I have read contradictory statements online. Some say that yes, the striker is tensioned enough after racking the slide so it would ignite the primer of a live round. Others say, no, the striker is only ~60% pre-cocked, so the trigger mush be pulled to give the striker the tension required to ignite a round.

Say I use the search function……..

[HammerStriker]

Say I use the search function……..

Troll.

[pangloss]

It will fire if the safeties have been bypassed.

I did an experiment a few years ago with a Glock 17. The results are posted somewhere on PF.

I removed the firing pin safety and installed a trigger housing that had been improperly modified and did not prevent the trigger bar from dropping down before it was far enough to the rear. The trigger safety was the only one working. I installed the armorers back plate that is partially cut away. I stuck a screw driver in and moved the trigger bar down so it let the striker fall and it fired a WW primed case several times.

Still safer than some others brands. ;)That's some good info! Thank you for sharing.

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

[JTQ]

Yeah, we had a big thread or two when folks were smacking Walter PPQ's, HK VP9's and some other striker guns with mallets to see if their strikers would drop.

I do recall posts like BN's where the safeties were removed/by-passed and the Glock would ignite primers.

I also recall Tom Jones comments regarding the safety features in the Glock were the firing pin safety and not the partially cocked striker, and if you were messing with the factory parts - trigger/striker spring/etc, all bets were off.

[Texaspoff]

It will fire if the safeties have been bypassed.

I did an experiment a few years ago with a Glock 17. The results are posted somewhere on PF.

I removed the firing pin safety and installed a trigger housing that had been improperly modified and did not prevent the trigger bar from dropping down before it was far enough to the rear. The trigger safety was the only one working. I installed the armorers back plate that is partially cut away. I stuck a screw driver in and moved the trigger bar down so it let the striker fall and it fired a WW primed case several times.

Still safer than some others brands. ;)

What he said. I have done the same experiment, and despite what Glock says it can happen. I did my experiment with several commercial brands. Removed the bullet and use primed cases. I did not try any Mil brands, and some have harder primers, so they may not be as prone to going off.

The odds are defiantly against it happening on a normal functioning weapon, but it doesn't mean it can't ever happen based on the design.


TXPO

[TicTacticalTimmy]

Yeah, we had a big thread or two when folks were smacking Walter PPQ's, HK VP9's and some other striker guns with mallets to see if their strikers would drop.

I do recall posts like BN's where the safeties were removed/by-passed and the Glock would ignite primers.

I also recall Tom Jones comments regarding the safety features in the Glock were the firing pin safety and not the partially cocked striker, and if you were messing with the factory parts - trigger/striker spring/etc, all bets were off.

I wouldn't say it is just the firing pin safety. The fact that the trigger bar (which acts as the sear on a Glock) is physically preventing the striker from moving forward is what (in my mind) makes Glocks more mechanically safe than other (fully tensioned i.e. single action) striker designs. And then the trigger safety prevents the trigger bar moving backwards from inertia such as in a drop which insures both the other safeties function as intended. The trigger bar blocking the striker in this way is only possible with a partially tensioned striker, so its more like the partially tensioned striker is something that enables the other internal safeties to function, rather than the design feature which prevents an accidental discharge in and of itself.
However, an aftermarket trigger may achieve a "better trigger pull" by making the trigger bar position more rearward/downward when the gun is cocked. This means there is physically less of the trigger bar holding back the striker, and that safety may no longer function as intended. Excessive polishing of the trigger bar can potentially cause the same issue.

Also note that all these "safeties" function only to prevent an accidental discharge due to an internal parts failure or the gun being dropped, they don't have anything to do with preventing a negligent discharge due to a finger or other object touching the trigger at the wrong time, unlike, say, a manual safety.