Light Primer Strikes

[Dan Mancini]

Hey all,

Is it possible for a 13# recoil spring to cause light primer strikes in a Glock 17?

At last weekends Arkansas Section match, I had 4.

I'm shooting a Glock 17 with a 13# recoil spring with a stock guide rod, 3.5 connector, all else stock.

Ammo is Montana Gold 147 gr bullets, 3.4 gr Titegroup, CCI primers, mostly Win brass.

Thanks for the help,

Dan

[chp5]

Are you using a reduced power striker spring? If so, that's likely the culprit.

Many people use them, but you can get light strikes on a slightly high primer.

If you do use one, you need to drop the CCI primers (considered hard primers) and go with the softer Federal primers.

[eric nielsen]

Make sure the drop-safety plunger and the striker-spring cups [the inside of them] are free from primer shavings and other gunk. They can slow down a striker a lot.

[Dan Mancini]

Are you using a reduced power striker spring?  If so, that's likely the culprit.

Many people use them, but you can get light strikes on a slightly high primer. 

If you do use one, you need to drop the CCI primers (considered hard primers) and go with the softer Federal primers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Striker spring is stock. I understand CCI primers are hard, but for factory ammo I use Blazer and have had no problems until I put in the 13# spring with my reloads. I have never tried the 13# spring with Blazers.

Dan

[Flexmoney]

The recoil spring need to close the slide so that it is in battery...100% lock-up.

I would suspect a dirt gun too.

[diehli]

I would suspect that the primers aren't fully seated.

[robomanusa]

I'd say since your striker spring is stock and the recoil spring is 13lb when your pulling the trigger the slide is coming slightly out of battery...look at the those light strikes closely and see if the impact mark on primer is way off center.

[Dan Mancini]

I'd say since your striker spring is stock and the recoil spring is 13lb when your pulling the trigger the slide is coming slightly out of battery...look at the those light strikes closely and see if the impact mark on primer is way off center.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes they are. Now I understand what's happening.

Thanks,

Dan

[eric nielsen]

The Vertical Test for Glock springs is something you should do frequently:

1. Unload the gun

2. Check AGAIN that the gun is unloaded

3. Point it straight up vertical and rack slide back

4. Release slide slowly - it should close by itself

5. Pull trigger slowly - the slide should not back up AT ALL.

If it fails this test then your Glock has too much striker spring fighting against too little recoil spring. Up the recoil spring weight or drop the striker spring weight or both.

[JD45]

The last three posts might be a good explaination for some KBs in .40 cal. . An unsupported chamber plus slide movement sounds like asking for trouble. I'm sure someone has said this before though.

[Duane Thomas]

If you have a lighter recoil spring, I really think you need to also have a reduced power striker spring in the gun, to avoid the slide moving out of battery during the trigger pulls.

[Dan Mancini]

If you have a lighter recoil spring, I really think you need to also have a reduced power striker spring in the gun, to avoid the slide moving out of battery during the trigger pulls.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now it makes sense why Wolff packages a reduced power striker spring with light recoil springs. To prevent this from happening.

I've put the factory spring back in and I'll see how it works this weekend.

Thanks for all the help.

Dan

[Yar1180]

Also check the point on your striker. I had a few light strikes once and found it was the tip of my striker had broke. Glock replaced the striker of course.

[Sunuva]

Also check the point on your striker. I had a few light strikes once and found it was the tip of my striker had broke. Glock replaced the striker of course.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have had a rash of lite strikes here of late I replaced springs tried all kinds of different ammo had a gun smith look at it all with no luck..

And thanks to Yar1180 I just looked at my striker point and it has a chip in it.

Thanks

[Flexmoney]

Me and another local Glock shooter were forming the opinion that the Glock strikers maybe should be replaced as part of regular (high round) maintenance.

[rmills]

I've seen light strikes on primers when the crimp on the bullet was so severe that the case mouth actually was pushed into the barrel when the primer was hit.

[MikeFoley]

Are the primer strikes off-center a little? If so, then the slide is probably a little out of battery due to your light spring. A dirty gun can increase this probability.

[Carlos]

CCI primers really are very very hard. I am running a RP striker spring & have gone all the way down to Federal primers to make it 100%. I would not use CCI in a Glock.

[shred]

Moved the "Reseating Primers" posts to another thread over in the reloading section: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27475

[Religious Shooter]

4. Release slide slowly - it should close by itself

I installed a 12 lb Wolff spring and it would close when held vertically. But if I had the trigger pressed all the way back and released the slide slowly it would not go into battery until I either released the trigger or went horizontal.

I guess you can call the holding of the trigger variation "4a".

[Harmon]

ditch the cci primers

put a 15 pound spring in it.

i wont use cci primers in anything but a military semi auto w/o a firing pin return spring(such as AK and SKS..) and its too cheap to buy wolf ammo, so i dont use cci primers Period.

with minor 9mm and major 40s, the Fed 100 small pistol primer is good as it gets.

[cmzneb]

I put a lighter recoil spring in both my G34 and G21. Had several light strikes during competition with both guns.

Tried with both reduced power and factory striker springs.

Put the factory recoil springs and striker springs back in and no more light strikes.

Edited December 31, 2005 by cmzneb