Even Glocks break...

[Jamie]

I purchased this Glock 19 around 1998.

It has been my constant companion through a lot of shooting and training.
I shot it in IPSC and early IDPA. I’ve gone through multiple classes as a member of Gomez’s Training group, plus Surgical Speed Shooting, Yeager (back when he was with OPS), Tom Givens, Gabe Suarez, Tac Con and the Warrior Talk Symposium, Craig’s first ECQC (Lake Charles)…Repeat ECQC and "AK's & Bandaids" here in Knoxville... lots of great experiences, hence a somewhat emotional attachment to this particular Glock.

The frame has been modified to fit me a couple of times over the years. I initially cut the grip a bit short for easier manual extraction of the old NDF mags I ran during the “ban years”. All internals were/are OEM.

The first time I had the slide break (at the ring around where the RSA protrudes) was in 2015. I think I had around 30,000 rounds through it at that point. It still ran fine…but I was thinking “this can’t be good”, so I contacted Glock, mailed it in, and within 2 weeks had a new slide.
Carry on. Around 20,000 rounds later, on Sept.27th, it happened again! The exact same fracture point!
Annnnd the rifling was a bit worm compared to my 17 and the other 19’s I looked at.
Damn!

So I contacted Glock. Mark Mayo was extremely helpful, spent way more time on the phone and through emails than I deserved. Great guy and good customer service.
We figured out…well Mark figured out…by having me insert the G19 barrel through the front of my G17’s slide that a bulged barrel was the most likely culprit this time. I couldn’t tell it was bulged by looking into the chamber end, but I could feel the drag when inserting it into my G17 slide and 2 different 19 slides at a local range where some shooting buddies work.

Never had a squib load, 99% of the rounds through it are my handloads.
Reluctantly, as ATEI had milled this slide for my 509T just last year, I mailed the slide and barrel in to Glock. Obviously this wasn’t covered under warranty and I certainly didn’t expect such.

But my new slide and barrel will be arriving Monday.
$300.00, but at least I’ll have it up and running again. Like I said, I’m fond of this particular gun.
As I like the 509T better than the RMR on my 17, I’ll probably send it at ATEI to have it milled again.

I know, I should have a backup 19. I did, but traded it off. Guess I'll pick up another. Old people and their attachments to inanimate objects LOL.

Has anyone experienced this particular break or failure point before?


I can't seem to get the 2015 pic to upload. I'll try again... But this is the Sept 27th slide break.




Terrible pic but it uploaded... 2015

[G19Fan]

From my understanding from BattleField Vegas, this is a common breaking point on high round count glocks.

[G19Fan]

Personally I like Wager Machine Works and their 509T cut

It is 0.250 deep so normal irons cowitness (lower 1/10) which is my preference

[feudist]

I had two Gen2 19s crack at that spot.
One at about 9000 rounds and the other around 1000.

Glock quickly replaced both.
Never had it on a Gen3 or later.

[Jamie]

This is a Gen 3. Should have mentioned it.
Yeah, there was no charge the first time. But it has definitely had a lot of rounds through it.
I hadn't heard or read of this happening before. But I really hadn't looked or asked before.

The bulged barrel makes sense to me. Never understood why it happened the first time. I just chalked it up to "one of those things".

Glock put my suppressor height sights on the new slide fwiw.

I'll look into Wagner Machine Works, thank you.

[jandbj]

That particular failure is cited by Glock Armorer instructors as one of the reasons the Gen5 guns are beefed up in that area.

[echo5charlie]

That particular failure is cited by Glock Armorer instructors as one of the reasons the Gen5 guns are beefed up in that area.

So....funny story. My first post-Gen5 Armorer class mentioned the beefed up ring was to combat breakages due to dropping. Two weeks later I had a bent ring due to dropping. On a first run G33 to boot.

I'm too lazy to pop Gen4 out of the safe to look, but I seem to remember that the Gen4 was also beefed up as well, but not as much as the Gen5 now is.

[JTQ]

That particular failure is cited by Glock Armorer instructors as one of the reasons the Gen5 guns are beefed up in that area.

In the theoretical, would that give the G34/G35 slide design a durability advantage?

[Totem Polar]

This sort of wear can happen if one puts 300,000 miles on a Lexus, as well.


Might be time to relegate the ol' 1998 to "back up" status, and start trying to break a gen 5.

[Jamie]

This sort of wear can happen if one puts 300,000 miles on a Lexus, as well.


Might be time to relegate the ol' 1998 to "back up" status, and start trying to break a gen 5.

You know, I think you just might be right.

Thanks to all for the info. Learned a lot as is usual here.

Think I will test run a Gen 5 Monday. Don't know if I'll be around long enough to wear it out, but by God I'll try!