Glock Empty Mag Ejection

[FireBirdDS]

Question for all you Glock owners. I'm contemplating a G19, and got a chance to handle and shoot a friend's recently, a Gen 3 specifically. Specific areas I tried out with it were reloading drills both tactical and empty-mag. Dropping the empty mag (slide locked back) raised a concern, in that the mag doesn't seem to positively eject that well compared to other pistols I've tried. I had to almost snap my wrist a bit to get the empty mag to drop. Is this characteristic of all Glocks? Is it a Gen 3 characteristic that's maybe improved upon in the Gen 4s? Or is this particular G19 I tried an exception to the rule?

I guess what I'm trying to ask is, are Glock mags spring ejected or gravity "ejected"?

 

[9mmfan]

I have and carry a Gen 3 G19. The mags just fall out when empty and slide locked back. Always.

 

[Vigilant]

If it hangs, pull it out. Save for Browning Hi-Powers in .40 and a couple others, I've not seen spring ejected mags.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Were the proper mags being used is my first question?

 

[FireBirdDS]

If it hangs, pull it out. Save for Browning Hi-Powers in .40 and a couple others, I've not seen spring ejected mags.

Other pistols I've handled (XD's, M&Ps, 1911s) just seem to spit the mag out, regardless of if they have any sort of "spring" function. Maybe the magazine spring on those provides more back pressure than Glocks to more positively spit the empty mag out.

 

[FireBirdDS]

Were the proper mags being used is my first question?

They were the original Glock mags.

 

[Guns4fun]

I just purchased a 19 Gen 4 and didn't notice any hang ups. Ran a couple hundred or so rounds through it with 3 different mags.

 

[Vigilant]

Other pistols I've handled (XD's, M&Ps, 1911s) just seem to spit the mag out, regardless of if they have any sort of "spring" function. Maybe the magazine spring on those provides more back pressure than Glocks to more positively spit the empty mag out.

all of the above use steel mags, not polymer. If you can find a Glock mag in steel that actually works, it moves out like sh.. Through a goose. That said, my G19 Gen 3 rarely keeps a mag, and if it does, a quick down flick finishes the job. I also have a couple of all polymer Gen 1 mags that have to be removed by hand every time.

 

[Who Dares Wins]

The earlier mags, Gen 1 or maybe Gen 2 say, could bulge a little with uses and needed to be pulled out more regularly, so maybe he had an older mag here. (Many were traded in the "Bad Old Days" of high capacity mag limits)

Newer mags after say Gen 3 and certainly Gen 4 should have a steel liner that stiffens them up and should prevent bulging, so they should drop free. You can also wipe them down with a silicon impregnated cloth and this seems to make them more slippery and drop out more easily.

I didn't know they made steel mags and I would shy away from these, as I would be concerned that the steel could wear the polymer on the mag catch and give issues here. No experience here, just a concern.

 

[Rob377]

Yes, Glocks of all generations shoot mags out with less force than other makes/models of guns.

The newer mags are supposed to be "drop-free" but occasionally do not because the only force that acts on an empty mag is gravity. If friction>gravity, mag doesn't drop.

There are some things you can do to help. Take 1000-1500-2000 grit sand paper to the mag bodies reduce stiction. Same thing on the inner vertical face of the mag catch.

 

[Jeremy1066]

Never had a factory mag hang up. Ever.

 

[leftsock]

They just drop free with gravity. I can't recall ever having a mag not do so in any of the gen 3 or 4 Glocks I've ever had.

 

[Cameramonkey]

ANY gun that doesn't drop empty mags without assistance by gravity alone has issues. Either the mag is bad or the gun has issues (or both). Sometimes it's as simple as gunk in the magwell.

 

[CTS]

I've had some issues releasing from my new Gen 4 G19 but I think it has more to do with my hand than the gun. I loathe gun modifications but I might just change up the release if I can't work it out with practice.

 

[TR1032]

I had one old non metal lined magazine that had to be pulled out every time. Any newer metal lined ones I have owned all dropped free easily.

 

[Viper1973]

The issue you're describing is actually a 'known' issue and is discussed during the armorer's courses that Glock conducts.

It's caused by variation in the tolerances of the magwell during the molding process. The easiest way to resolve the issue is to remove the slide from the firearm. Take the problem mag and an old t-shirt. Place the mag so that it is covered by one layer of fabric from the t-shirt and insert it firmly into the magwell. Leave the gun in this condition overnight.

The next morning, remove the cloth-covered mag and reassemble the firearm. Try the mag... it should now drop free without issue. You may have to repeat this process once or twice but then everything should be fine.

 

[88E30M50]

Its probably just that particular gun. Most of my Glocks drop free but my G29sf hung onto its mags. They had to be pulled from that gun on a reload similar to how a CZ mag break works.

 

[Slawburger]

There are some good tips here for resolving the issue (after isolating the problem to the gun or the mag).

Regarding the OP question, I have never experienced a problem of that nature with a Glock. My mags drop free without assistance even when unloaded.

 

[Txlur]

I thought this thread was going to be about erratic case ejection without a mag in the well. Bummer.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

No, I've never had this problem but I've always used new Glock mags, never the older ones.