Thanks much. Could you provide more detail on the extraction/ejection issues such as type(s) of ammo involved, were weaponlights attached when failures were experienced, any idea on round counts, number of coils in the mag springs (10 vs. 11), etc.?Originally Posted by Angus McFee
Background - We adopted Gen 3 -22s in the late 90s. Had our first WML problems in '00 and the switch from 10 to 11 coil mag springs fixed that.
Until it didn't anymore. In '10/'11, we had major Gen 3 problems from H serial#s through M, with & without lights, on the range & in an attacking dog shooting. 75+/- guns tested, 35+ failed; remediated 16, 4 failed. Dumped Gen 3s for Gen 4s at NO cost to us. Remediation included new RSAs, new mags, etc. We even had issues with -35s which is supposedly impossible. As Haggard has noted, Glock made significant but visible changes internally to the frames.
Late 2013, had a single Gen 4 (R serial #) that was ejecting to 8 & 9 o'clock. Sent it to Smyrna, they sent it back said it was fixed. Similar problems remained. Saw 5-6 (+?) guns exhibiting significant extraction/ejection issues. These were w/out WMLs. Magazines were the then newest - Version 9 followers w/#2 bodies. RSAs were 0-4-1. Cases were most frequently exhibiting a bulge at about 4 oclock measurably in from the web. Bulge was enough to inhibit extraction which caused ejection issues. The problem guns were now ejecting from 1 o'clock to 8 o'clock with very inconsistent distances traveled from gun. I was shooting all of these in the testing. Guns did not have high round counts.
Somehow, someone thought it might be a bbl issue. Threw in a F serial# bbl and then shot on an indoor range, on concrete. I was stacking the cases @ 4 o'clock, on concrete. Buying new bbls at retail was not going to work. We bought all new Gen 4 -17s and -19s while selling off our -22s.
There is a reason many west coast agencies dumped Gen 4 .40SW pistols (or never adopted them) for polymer framed 9mms.
I spent the last 5 days in a firearms instructor course. I fired about 600-700 rounds through my Gen 4 Glock 22 with a light attached. The ammo was some poorly made Winchester white box. I say poorly made b/c I found a deformed round and had issues with keyholing at 25 yards. I also did not clean my pistol a single time and started the course with it dirty. The pistol ran like a top. Didn't have a single malfunction all week.
SLG also reported positive experiences with the Gen 4 Glock 22. It's in a thread here somewhere.
My comments have not been approved by my employer and do not necessarily represent the views of my employer. These are my comments, not my employer's.
My division has carried the G22, with WML, for the last three or so years. We qualify quarterly and no one has reported any issues. My issued pistol has around 15k-20k rounds through it at this point without issue. The agency wide issue is the G21SL, but it appears serious thought is being given to transitioning to a 9mm, either the G17 or the Sig P320. If this happens we've been told our division will follow suite and we'll finally be on the same page as everyone else.
Last edited by Trooper224; 04-14-2017 at 08:51 PM.
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