light strikes

[landry92]

Just installed the glockworx competition spring kit and race connector in my G34. Works great with federal primers but I got a light strike during a match today with rounds I loaded with magtech primers. I also had light strikes before with fioochi primers. Does anyone else get light strikes when using this trigger set up and primers or was it just a fluke? I want my gun to run 100% reliably with any primer not just Federals.

[a.roberts]

Are you running a lightened striker along with that light striker spring?

If you're not, try one. Or go back to the factory striker spring.

Edited July 7, 2013 by a.roberts

[bulldog009]

With the reduced power striker spring from the competiton spring kit installed, the striker may not have enough force to set off a harder primer. The easy fix is to replace that spring back to the factory strength spring, or buy the Glockworx extended striker, the firing pin tip is longer so it has more punch for the harder primers.

[Tuflehundon]

It's the striker spring. The lightened spring works with some guns fine, but not others. You have 2 options. 1: go back to a normal spring weight for the striker. 2: get a lightened striker. The lightened striker solves the problem, but isn't exactly cheap. They range from $50 up to $80. I use the Zev lightened extended striker in mine ($80) and have never had any issues with light strikes no matter what ammo I use.

[JBP55]

If you are not running a lightweight firing pin the 4.5# Wolff spring, the medium Vanek spring or the GW spring marked 3# should work without issue as long as they are changed on a fairly regular basis. These 3 springs are similar in pull weight. The lightest spring from GW, Vanek and Wolff are subject to produce light strikes with an OEM firing pin sooner or later.

[landry92]

OK thank you for the feed back, I'm going to try the stock striker spring but if it changes my trigger pull to much I'm going to try the glockwork extended striker.

[uod]

As JBP55 said --- changing the springs on a regular basis is key. I try to change mine out before it hits 1000 rounds (sometimes as little as 600 rounds). I am using Winchester primers (a little harder than Federals) and I very rarely have a light strike issue. This is with a lightened striker spring and a skeletonized striker (Lone Wolf).

[Boxer1]

I had to do the lightend / extended striker in my 24 and now it will even set off the Tula and Wolf primers. Worth the money for sure.

[Tyro Shooter]

Search function is your friend

Light strikes / Glocks / Lightened Striker springs.

here is a list of a few things that we have found that may possibly cause light strikes

(either individuality or a little of each)

Firing Pin Safety plunger:

the channel must be clean. I mean really clean, if the plunger does not fall out from the force of gravity when you turn the slide over. . . it's too dirty,

If your FPS is having to be shoved out of the way by the trigger bar, it is possible it's not cleared when the striker sails by, this will slow the striker and reduce it's forward energy and cause a light hit.

Striker Channel and inside Breach Face:

this too must be really clean. if there is too much debris (unburned powder, carbon fouling, primer cup coating flakes, oil) inside the channel and caked on the inside of the breach face,

this too can cause the striker to not go far enough forward to get a good hit on the primer.

Spring Cups:

when you change to the Super Light striker spring and magic alloy striker. . .did you change out the spring cups??

too much debris (see list above) embeded in the spring cups will cause drag and slow down the striker.

Trigger Bar:

Did you get a wee too aggressive with polishing the "Birdshead" on the trigger bar?????

taking off any material from the trigger bar where it disengages the FPS can cause the FPS not to move up out of the way far enough and the striker will hit it on the way by.

Reloads:

Did you seat the primers all the way down? . . . On every load? . . . Did you check . . . . Every Load??

with the extended tip on our strikers it is possible to "Seat" a primer that is just a few thousandths high when it hit by the striker.

Factory Ammo (and their Primers)

there are some big name ammunition manufacturers out there that are working very hard at building a very bad reputation for their budget brand pistol ammunition.

they are using primers that will go "Click" about 4 times in 50,

Also be warned that any "Green" or "Lead free" primers have a shelf life of about 3 months

(After 8 years as a firearms instructor having to use "Green" ammo that whole time and I'm not impressed with the sales reps spin or stories to the contrary . . . .

25% failure rate after the 3-4 month mark)

Normal wear on the Striker:

8-10 thousand rounds, (this could be 30 years to most or just a good 3 months to others)

start to look for wear on the tip of the striker, is it chipped? is it worn down?

a striker that is not in spec, or worn down will cause light strikes.

Lightened Strikers:

Stainless Steel, exotic alloys or Skeletonized, when combined with a light spring they will greatly improve the trigger pull.

but you will still need to have enough force (mass) moving forwards, reliably hitting the primmer to set it off.

some times an exotic alloy (in pretty colors) with a 2 lb spring will not have that required amount of force to set of the primers every time,

so some times an extended tip is added, . . . . .

Grip:

yeah , I've seen it happen,

A poor grip and bad follow through, could be another cause.

Striker springs: (Finally back to the original subject)

a 2lb, 3ld, 4lb, 5lb, 6lb or what ever the local garage smith has fabricated (well i read once on the internet that this guy . . . . .)

the fact is that there is some variation in tolerances in all Glocks, that means sometimes a lightened spring will just not get the job done with your striker every time.

Our recomandation is to try (on a clean gun) the different weight springs with your setup and the primary ammunition you plan on using.

[frankge]

+1 on the glockworx ss extended tip striker

[cqa]

I use a lightened and extended Glockworx ZEV striker, combined with standard power springs, in three Glocks and have zero problems. Solid primer hits every time, even without regular cleaning.