Disturbing news about generation 4 Glocks!

[Hookeye]

Maybe one of the reasons why some LE groups are shying away from the Glocks is due to all of the ADs.

Switching guns gets them a new image.

 

[Tactical Flannel]

It is rough, but in a good way. No need for skate tape or anything like that. In my opinion, the best of the plastic guns, and I've owned almost all of them.

Agreed.

 

[jdwhitak]

If departments are looking for alternatives to Glocks that doesn't necessarily mean its because Glocks are of poor quality. It could be because of costs. I once read that Glock controls 60 plus percent of the handgun market. If that is true then other manufacturers are going to have to get more aggressive if they want to steal market share from Glock.

 

[Fedempl]

I don't think it's the gun. It sounds more like a money issue or a human issue of not knowing how to shoot.

 

[venenoindy]

Glock is out there in huge numbers and just like anything else that is mass produce they will some that will experience problems, also is not for everyone as everything else what works for me may not for you so good thing there is variety in this world.

 

[paperboy]

I think Glocks are great pistols but they just don't fit me right. Could never get used to the grip.......

 

[gunsrfun]

Ten years ago glock was it. With all the new guns on the market why shouldn't departments shop around.

 

[MPD179]

G21 Gen 4 here with around 400 rounds downrange. No hiccups as of yet! Recoil is non existent, hi-cap 13+1 of .45 cal, and accuracy is spot on! I'm impressed so far and I'm a HK and Sig guy.

 

[mrortega]

I have "several" Glocks and every one of them is utterly reliable. They are all Gen 3s so I can't speak to the other generations. The only FTF I ever had was caused by a magazine that I had put a two round extension on. The spring wasn't strong enough to push the last two rounds up and the empty mag wouldn't hold the slide open.

 

[nsheepdog]

I bought a new Gen 4 Glock 19. Had major issues with casings ejecting in my face and stove pipes. I sent it in on Glock's dime (I insisted). They replaced the ejector and it has been flawless since.

 

[TLHelmer]

The instructors thought the same thing, but had the Same problem.

That's odd. My recently acquired Gen4 G31 pleasantly surprised me with how accurate it is. My Gen4 17 was a touch more accurate than my Gen3 17 was too.

A bad batch, maybe? Or maybe a bad batch of recruits that need more practice to learn the Glock trigger? It isn't the easiest to get proficient with.

 

[TLHelmer]

When there is a problem the instructors test the gun and in this case guns to make sure it isn't the recruit.

New shooters, learning to shoot and inaccuracy is being blamed by the department on the gun not the shooters and the OP is wondering why Glock won't step up to the plate and admit the problem. Did I miss the purple?

If I didn't miss the purple I'll offer myself and my Gen3 G17 as a control group, they can have a cadet and shoot my Gen3 G17 and I'll shoot his Gen4 G17 on the state firearms qualification course, then we'll switch back to our own, repeat and compare scores.

 

[TruxLupus]

My G22 Gen.4 purchased on 08/27/2010. Test fire date 04/14/2010. Serial # PLS***. As of last week 04/20/2012 I have put 5,438 rounds of various JHP and FMJ downrange. Mostly Fed.Champ 180gr from Wal-Mart but also quite a few WWB and UMC and about 100 rounds of Gold Dot 180gr JHP. Never a single glitch of any kind. Not one FTF or FTE, no brass to the face or any of the other issues that others have reported. It is also just as accurate as any pistol I have ever shot. Maybe I just got lucky and bought one of a kind, but I don't think so.

Exact same experience with mine, although with only ~250 rounds or so through it.

 

[shootersix]

to the op im going to ass-u-me your vcso, if so the first thing i can say is they need to fire the id10t who approved the .45gap, it was a waste of tax payer money, expensive ammo(that was not available),new holsters(that were not available when you got the guns) and if you would have waited another 6 months you could have got the glock 21sf ,but my source's told me the guy who liked the 45gap round wanted to be on the "cutting edge" of police weapons...looks like that edge was dull!

im going to play devils advocate here, why not go to the glock 21sf, just like epd, they have no problems,you might be able to use the holsters you already have(i think the slide is the same size) in extreme firefight's you have the ability to use epd mags and the smaller female epd officers have no problem with grip size or recoil

OR even better why not go back to the sig 220? (didnt the vcso issue those before the glock?), and last i hear you have a lot of .45 acp at the firing range

and just so you know, im not a glock fanboy, i have a 19c and i love it, but i dont have one in every caliber, or size, or color, like some glock "fan boys" do

i know you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but you know glocks have a rep of being a good, accurate, reliable weapon(but they are but ugly imho)

i just hope the vcso makes the right decision this time and im not typing this same message in 4 years *****in bout the waste of tax payer money cause they dont like the ______ (insert the new sidearm here)

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Interesting to hear this, TLHelmer!

Knowing which department you work for makes it even MORE interesting!

A few reasons I can think of to NOT go with the XD platform:

A) aftermarket support, while growing, is still no where compared to Glock. As far as I know, they don't even give out parts and stuff for department armorers to fix and keep guns running. They want everything shipped back to them.

B) The XD is a true single-action pistol. Many LEO agencies simply don't like the liability (perceived or real) of issuing a single action pistol

C) Grip safety CAN cause issues in certain & limited shooting positions, such as close body contact that pushes the slide out of battery. If you have to use your thumb to push the slide back in, you can't fire the weapon because your hand won't contact the grip safety.

Personally, I hope that your agency does NOT go with the XD...but looks at the S&W M&P line of pistols.

-J-

 

[Newg]

I currently own a Gen 4 17, Gen 3 19, RTF 22, Gen 3 23, & Gen 3 27. I have had zero issues with any of these. I have also in the past owned a Gen 3 34, Gen 3 35, Gen 3 21, & Gen 2 21. I also had zero issue with these guns. I shoot quite a bit both competitively and just plinking at the range with factory and my own reloaded ammo. I have yet to experience, or witness someone else experiencing, any of the issues that people are describing with any generation of Glock pistol. When I have seen people having issues it seems that it can typically be traced back to someone "tinkering" with the gun.

I'm not saying that there can't be manufacturing issues. There is bound to be when you make that many of something. I work in manufacturing. I was a machinist for a number of years and work as a CAD/CAM Programmer now. I know eventually equipment starts to wear, quality guys start getting lazy, tools break, or any other number of things can happen and parts that aren't really up to standards slip through. I think when this happens with Glock people love to come out of the woodwork screaming "See, I told you! Those things are junk!". People love to see the 800 pound gorilla look bad. It's that way with everything. Some people just love to see bad things happen to winners. It's why people love to hate Apple, the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Cowboys, the Patriots, etc. Americans LOVE to see egg on the face of the ones at the top. The fact is Glock produces a tremendous amount of guns every year. You can't make that many of something without there being issues with some of them. I'm sure that Glocks failure / malfunction rate is no higher than any other manufacturers.

In closing I'll say that there is no other firearm that I feel more comfortable picking up and knowing that it is going to work. I believe that if I pick up a Glock that has not been tinkered with that it will in all probability go "bang". There is a very, very slim chance that it won't work. As with all guns, eventually you're going to have a malfunction. I just know which one I'll pick to help limit the likelihood of that happening when I need it. Some things are more reliable than others. If you're carrying a gun be it a Glock or a 1911 or a Hi-Point you better be training for malfunctions. You better know what tap, rack, bang means and how to do it. Nothing is 100% reliable.

Disclaimer:
This is just my .02. I am by no means an expert on anything. I do have a very good understanding of manufacturing. It's the business I'm in. I'm also a Glock Armorer who didn't re-certify. Other than that, I'm just like any other jerk on a forum.

 

[TruxLupus]

I did get the spring replaced in mine via the voluntary exchange recall - I haven't noticed a difference in handling. Maybe slightly more accurate? And that's a big maybe.

 

[f'nstar]

The agency in question is also looking at the M&P very hard. I hope that is what they pick.

 

[TLHelmer]

Unfortunately, the end users don't have much if any say so in the matter! We just have to hope for the best.

Interesting to hear this, TLHelmer!

Knowing which department you work for makes it even MORE interesting!

A few reasons I can think of to NOT go with the XD platform:

A) aftermarket support, while growing, is still no where compared to Glock. As far as I know, they don't even give out parts and stuff for department armorers to fix and keep guns running. They want everything shipped back to them.

B) The XD is a true single-action pistol. Many LEO agencies simply don't like the liability (perceived or real) of issuing a single action pistol

C) Grip safety CAN cause issues in certain & limited shooting positions, such as close body contact that pushes the slide out of battery. If you have to use your thumb to push the slide back in, you can't fire the weapon because your hand won't contact the grip safety.

Personally, I hope that your agency does NOT go with the XD...but looks at the S&W M&P line of pistols.

-J-

 

[HICKMAN]

With all the new guns on the market why shouldn't departments shop around.

I dunno... maybe having to replace holsters, mag carriers, mags, guns, armorer training