Light Primer Strikes, Glock 34

[Jaycwebb]

I need some help dianosing my light Primer strike problem.
Glock 34.

12lb recoil Spring ( I don't recall exact spec, will grab during lunch)
Ghost striker + Spring

Its happening on my ammo I load using Seller and B primers, and on some other ammo I've used before (Freedom Munitions)

The Primer seems to be struck, but won;t ignite.

The rounds fire fine in my other glock, a stock 19.

The situation- I purchased this gun used from a friend who had made some upgrades to it. I don't think some of his upgrades were super well researched, so I'm taking time to replace some stuff.

I have a Glockworx striker kit. Should I install? Or do you all think the problem might be elsewhere?

[Butterpuc]

I have a Glockworx lightened striker and spring kit also, I'm sure the Ghost is very similar. I believe the combination of your aftermarket striker and S&B primers are the issue.

IMO, you should ONLY run Federal primers with lightened strikers. I recommend putting in stronger striker springs or swap primer brand to Federal.

[Jaycwebb]

Good to know. I'll put in an order for some Federal.

I've updated some of the other internals to Glockworx, the trigger kit and connector. Do you think it's worth it to go ahead and switch over the Stiker kit too?


EDIT: I am currently running a 13LB recoil spring. But I was about to order the color coded Glockworx set.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Jaycwebb

[Rob01]

I was having some light strikes with factory striker and 5# spring with Tula primers in my 35. Picked up a Zev Ultimate trigger kit with their lightweight/extended striker and even with their lightest spring I have no more light strikes. The lighter striker and being extended took care of my problem.

[Tom C]

I bought and installed the Wolff reduced power striker spring and had similar issues with Winchester White box ammo. Switched back to the factory spring and, while the trigger pull is heavier, the ignition is reliable. BTW, outside of the Wolff spring all else was factory.

The whole point of the reduced power striker spring is reducing the trigger pull. If that's your goal, yes, go with the extended striker.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Tom C

[Jaycwebb]

I picked up a box of Winchester primers during lunch. I'll spit out a box of 50 and try them.

[Jaycwebb]

I bought and installed the Wolff reduced power striker spring and had similar issues with Winchester White box ammo. Switched back to the factory spring and, while the trigger pull is heavier, the ignition is reliable. BTW, outside of the Wolff spring all else was factory.

The whole point of the reduced power striker spring is reducing the trigger pull. If that's your goal, yes, go with the extended striker.

Thank you for the feedback, this is VERY helpful.

[loneranger04]

I definately recommend the Gloxwork extended striker however I've seen many times where someone has lubed or allowed lube (from cleaning the breach face with a Hoppes soaked brush) into the striker channel. That will slow the striker down enough to get light primer strikes.

[Rob01]

I definately recommend the Gloxwork extended striker however I've seen many times where someone has lubed or allowed lube (from cleaning the breach face with a Hoppes soaked brush) into the striker channel. That will slow the striker down enough to get light primer strikes.

Yes definitely keep the striker channel clean and dry.

[Sarge]

Not familiar with the strikers mentioned but they need to be lightened AND LENGTHENED for best results. If your 34 is set up right it will ignite damn near any primer. At least mine did and I did about everything you can legally do to a Glock for Production.

[Jaycwebb]

I'm going to try a few things this weekend. I'll post back with results.

[Jaycwebb]

Update-

Installed my Zev lightened striker spring and striker; fired everything with 0 problems. Tested almost 100 rounds.

[lee blackman]

Sellier and Bellot primers are hard. If your going to run a trigger light in a Glock you will more than likely need to stick with soft federal primers. They key to not getting soft primer strikes is increasing the striker spring weight. Order a set of reduced power striker springs from wolffe for like $9... Then you'll have a 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 pound spring. The factory one is 5.0. You'll find that you will probably get as low as the 4.0 pound with federal primers, but will more than likely be stuck with either a 4.5 or factory one with seller and bellot.

Go to a 13 pound recoil spring, don't go lighter unless your running sub-minor. Remember that the recoil spring is the counter weight as you pull the trigger which pulls against the striker spring. If the barrels starts to drop or the slide moves any, you need a heavier one. I just use the factory spring with 115gr MG JHP's and 4.8gr of AA#2 powder, and quit worrying about it.

Replacing your firing pin safety block with a tuned and polished Vanek one, and using a ZEV reduced power spring over it is a really cheap way to do a lot of improvement on the feel of your trigger.

Get rid of the Ghost connector, and stay with the factory minus bar. It is a better connector from the get go, and you'll find it is not the key to a lighter trigger pull. If you don't feel comfortable polishing and tuning the connector yourself, order one from Vanek. Stay with the factory striker, and get a set of maritime spring cups.

This will really give you about the best trigger you can get, for way cheap. The only other thing that can be done beyond that is limiting pre-travel and overtravel, which I would most defiantly recommend a full Vanek or Salient trigger, which is going to cost money, and your going to be stuck making ammo with soft primers.

[matt7184]

Factory striker springs are 5.5lbs. I've had good luck using 5lb reduced power springs with hard Euro primers. With Wolf/Tula, it's not 100% but I generally get good strikes even using a 4.5lb spring. I don't think you gain enough going to a 4lb spring to worry about reliability personally.

[bowenbuilt]

With the ZEV GWX lightened extended striker or the Jager and a 4.5# spring I get 100% on all but the CCI Match Rifle primers which I think are made out of diamonds. With a dry channel and one of the above strikers with no lower than the 4.5 spring you should be good. Also don't forget to seat the Euro primers extra, extra firm to put them at maximum sensitivity. You might also look at your striker safety plunger just to make sure the striker is not battering it while your gun is trying to fire.

[earthshine402]

I own both the Jager and Glockworx lightened extended strikers. In my guns, the Jager feels a little more crisp. I use the Jager in my Limited setup G35 with the Vanek super trigger, and I still use the Glockworx in my G34 anyway to ensure primer strike reliability.