Based on the number of broken Glock slide lock springs listed in the "...Guns you've personally seen fail" thread, I figured it'd be a good idea to mention one rule of thumb: Replace the slide lock spring when you replace the recoil spring.
Based on the number of broken Glock slide lock springs listed in the "...Guns you've personally seen fail" thread, I figured it'd be a good idea to mention one rule of thumb: Replace the slide lock spring when you replace the recoil spring.
I second the motion, given that I've been That Guy in a PT class where this part broke on my Glock 19.
Originally Posted by JV
Good idea, but the issue surprised me when I was reading through that thread. I have been a Glock Armorer for my agency for almost 15 years and have never had a slide lock spring fail. Just the same I will likely add it to the routine maintenance list.
Thanks for posting your recommended frequency and I took away from that thread that I've been neglecting replacing that part. I'm due for a recoil spring now so will change this spring out also.
Do you have any other recommendations for high use Gen2/3 Glocks? Imagine people with a lot of experience or instructors probably see a trend in 3 or 5 most common breakages with Glocks. I would rather change inexpensive parts out regularly on my guns then have them go down when I don't have a spare laying around.
The bad part about breaking that spring is that the slide lock sometimes falls out too ....
FWIW: I take no credit for coming up with that recommendation, I'm pretty sure Todd told it to us when GermanS. broke his during a class. It sounded more than reasonable, so it stuck with me.
I took the Glock armorers class in January, the only replacement frequency numbers that they stated were Glock recommends replacing the recoil spring every 5000 rounds for all calibers except 40SW which is recommended 3000 rounds. Right after that it was mentioned that all springs fail at some point and keep extras on hand.
I'd never given that little spring much thought until I read that thread. I agree changing it out with the recoil spring is good insurance. I haven't found any other parts on a Glock that will render the pistol completely useless when they fail, so I'd say that one should warrant some special attention.
That particular part underwent a redesign to improve its durability quite a while back. Nonetheless, I've had one break personally (old style more than a decade ago) and seen more than enough of them fail that I consider it a good idea to replace it whenever the recoil spring is replaced. If it's a waste of a few dollars, so be it. Because when that spring breaks, your pistol is done. Nothing you do will allow it to stay in action until that part is replaced.
Actually, on the few occasions I've witnessed this part fail, was due to the operator trying to play "Do It Yourself Gunsmith" and installed it incorrectly. It must have been a pandemic during our last AFHF Class in Ohio, since I spent a good portion of the breaks fixing the Glocks.
P.S.
It's always fun fixing Glocks when carrying a P30 and wearing an HK hat.
I've seen and worked personally on one that failed-it was a Gen 3 G19, but with the older "wasp-waisted" spring; Glock replaced it with a constant width spring several years ago. A good PM check would be to check your compact Glock (according to my Armorers Class notes, only the G19 and G23 were so afflicted), and if it has the older spring, replace it with the newer one.
Otherwise, it's probably one of those things that rarely fails (and is probably a statistical anomaly when it does), but it's so cheap and easy to replace it's probably not a bad idea to simply replace it concurrent to PM recoil spring switch-outs as previously suggested...
Best, Jon
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