Glock 34 light strikes

[OdinIII]

I'm running a 4.5 lb. striker spring with a factory striker and had 3 light strikes at a recent match.  I think the gun has about 700-1000 through it with the lighter spring.  I'm new to this game and want to nip this in the bud.  I really like the trigger now but I like a reliable pistol much more.

 

What is the recommended frequency for striker spring replacement?  Also, I'm using CCI primers because I ran out of Winchesters.  Will Winchester primers fix this issue or is something else going on?  I can only find the Federal mag and match primers in stock.  Should I try these or just buy the easily available Winchesters? 

[B_RAD]

I run the same set up. 

 

Winchester are softer than CCI. 

 

Go back to Winchester.  Seat the deep.  That should work. 

 

[OdinIII]

1 minute ago, B_RAD said:

Seat them deep.  That should work. 

 

 

 

I forgot to mention that I found one of the failed rounds and there was a slight crease from seating.  From my research that is a good thing.

[B_RAD]

1 minute ago, OdinIII said:

 

I forgot to mention that I found one of the failed rounds and there was a slight crease from seating.  From my research that is a good thing.

For me Winchester's are the easiest to seat deep. They just seem to seat deeper.   I've heard others say the same thing about the primers shown signs from being seated deep.

 

 

[JBP55]

Your 4.5  spring should last a long time, just change to Federal primers.

[Beef15]

CCIs are hard, Winchester will probably help.

Are you gauging or plunk testing rounds? They can stop short of the end of the chamber and move forward when struck if the bullet contacts the lands or the case mouth diameter is too large.

Trigger bar is also stock? 

 

[OdinIII]

26 minutes ago, Beef15 said:

CCIs are hard, Winchester will probably help.

Are you gauging or plunk testing rounds? They can stop short of the end of the chamber and move forward when struck if the bullet contacts the lands or the case mouth diameter is too large.

Trigger bar is also stock? 

 

I haven't been plunk testing the rounds but the failed round I recovered from the range plunks fine in my barrel.  I'm assuming that eliminates out of battery issues due to the rounds.

 

The trigger bar is stock.  I replaced the firing pin safety and striker spring and polished the internals like I've done my other pistols.

[Blue Jacket]

Make sure the striker channel isn’t dirty. That could cause the problem as well.

[Dr Mitch]

One thing that always works and should never be changed in a Glock: factory striker spring

 

Learn how to trigger

 

work on your grip

[lee blackman]

Something important I don't often see folks mention is make sure you keep the channel that the striker assembly is in is clean.  No oil or anything in it.  It rides in a self lubricating liner, just clean with a q-tip, wipe off the spring and striker dry, and reinstall it.

 

Many times I've seen folks dump a buncha oil in the channel or use a spray cleaner and it ends up getting full of carbon and gunk and causing light strikes.

 

If your running handholds, make sure your seating deep.  This pushes the cup and the anvil in the primer closer together assuring ignition.

[rooster]

CCI changed their primers years ago.  Something else is wrong.  With a 4.5 spring you should be able to set off any primer made.  I’ve shot thousands of CCI primers with a 4.5 spring and never a problem.  What else have you done to the gun?  Over travel adjusted correctly?  Firing pin channel clean?  Striker hitting firing pin block?

[Dwbsig]

14 minutes ago, rooster said:

CCI changed their primers years ago.  Something else is wrong.  With a 4.5 spring you should be able to set off any primer made.  I’ve shot thousands of CCI primers with a 4.5 spring and never a problem.  What else have you done to the gun?  Over travel adjusted correctly?  Firing pin channel clean?  Striker hitting firing pin block?

I got a 4.5 spring also been using one for a few years never any issues with cci's.

[mmlook]

1 hour ago, lee blackman said:

Something important I don't often see folks mention is make sure you keep the channel that the striker assembly is in is clean.  No oil or anything in it.  It rides in a self lubricating liner, just clean with a q-tip, wipe off the spring and striker dry, and reinstall it.

 

Many times I've seen folks dump a buncha oil in the channel or use a spray cleaner and it ends up getting full of carbon and gunk and causing light strikes.

 

If your running handholds, make sure your seating deep.  This pushes the cup and the anvil in the primer closer together assuring ignition.

this

also, take a good look at the tip of your striker
make sure it hasn't rounded or galled

[Aiden]

I ran a 4.5lb striker spring for a long time when I shot Freedom and factory 9mm, in both my G17 and G34s. I still had the occasional light strike with the factory striker. Once I went to a lightened/extended striker I had zero issues after that. 4.5lb was my "always reliable" striker weight and I never went under it.

[dskinsler83]

Also make sure your striker spring end is not sitting at the split of the two cups. Keep it to the middle of a solid area.  It is over looked more than people realize.  The 4.5lb spring should be reliable with all primers as long as they are seated fully...I stress that in alot of my post here...as deep and you can make em go!  A light weight striker (doesnt have to be extended either) helps tremendously.  Its just a simple matter of physics.  Also as the others have said, if you have any type of over travel adjustment be sure it is set correctly and allows the trigger bar to come back far enough to disengage the striker block completely.  Check the striker block (plunger) edges for signs of being hit and look at the shelves on the striker head and see if they are damaged as well. Hope this helps some along with the others above. 

 

Regards,

DK

[OdinIII]

Thanks to all for the tips. I was fully expecting the answer to be the primers so I haven’t pulled out the striker yet. Would it be obvious if fouling in the striker channel is the issue or will a tiny amount of crud cause issues? Keep in mind that I did clean it spotless with a q-tip and inspected with a light less than 1,000 rounds ago when I installed the spring. I’ve probably been spoiled by running stock Glocks and getting away with ignoring maintenance.

The gun is box stock with lightened safety plunger spring, striker spring, recoil spring and guide rod. I followed an online tutorial and polished the trigger parts. I have no overtravel adjustment but did polish the plunger button. I’ll take it apart tonight and report back.

[B_RAD]

2 hours ago, OdinIII said:

Thanks to all for the tips. I was fully expecting the answer to be the primers so I haven’t pulled out the striker yet. Would it be obvious if fouling in the striker channel is the issue or will a tiny amount of crud cause issues? Keep in mind that I did clean it spotless with a q-tip and inspected with a light less than 1,000 rounds ago when I installed the spring. I’ve probably been spoiled by running stock Glocks and getting away with ignoring maintenance.

The gun is box stock with lightened safety plunger spring, striker spring, recoil spring and guide rod. I followed an online tutorial and polished the trigger parts. I have no overtravel adjustment but did polish the plunger button. I’ll take it apart tonight and report back.

Since you clean it fairly often I doubt it's gonna be a dirty channel. The saftey plunger sho I kd not affect it. I think it's hard or shallow primers. I'd start there. 

[rustychev]

17 hours ago, Blue Jacket said:

Make sure the striker channel isn’t dirty. That could cause the problem as well.

I had the same problem at about the 5k mark with a 4.5 striker spring and stock striker.  When replacing the spring a small chunk of "carbon" fell out of the Chanel.  cleaned it and new spring works great again.

[Jamese35]

You can try replacing the chanel liner with a lone wolf and put some ghost turbo spring cups. I was haveing light strikes with the 4.5 spring I then swapped these parts out per johny glock prefers them over the stock. I can now run a 4 pound striker spring with the stock striker and use cci primers and still have a 100 percent reliable gun.

[OdinIII]

There was definitely more fouling in the channel than I expected. I found only black powder and no hard pieces but it took 6 or 7 q-tips before they came out clean.

The spring end was not at a split in the cups and I saw no evidence of the striker hitting the striker block. I do not have adjustable over travel so I guess that is good.

I wish this was easier to test. I’m not sure I can make it to the range before the next match.

[GJM]

I had a G34 light strike problem that ultimately came back to an after market, lighter recoil spring. At times, my thumb would contact the slide, keeping it so slightly out of battery, and leading to a light strike. Went away with the OEM RSA.

[36873687]

I’ve ran a 4 lb for many years. An it lights em all off cci Winchester . Just make sure your primer seating depth is ok

[Jfitz427]

Honestly I’ve never had very good luck with lWinchester primers. 3/10 light strikes with my 4lb striker spring. So I buy federal exclusively for my comp gun. Just bought another 10k yesterday. My smith said get a extended jager striker and they will light off even the hardest primers. Problem is o can’t fjnd any extended ones, just the lightened ones, and he said those are no good. Not heavy enough to carry enough momentum to light harder primers,

 

id really like to find one though so I don’t have to always buy fed primers. Theyrd really hard to get. Win are plentiful. 

[dskinsler83]

Must not be looking very hard for the strikers then my friend. 

[Southpaw]

2 hours ago, Jfitz427 said:

Honestly I’ve never had very good luck with lWinchester primers. 3/10 light strikes with my 4lb striker spring. So I buy federal exclusively for my comp gun. Just bought another 10k yesterday. My smith said get a extended jager striker and they will light off even the hardest primers. Problem is o can’t fjnd any extended ones, just the lightened ones, and he said those are no good. Not heavy enough to carry enough momentum to light harder primers,

  

id really like to find one though so I don’t have to always buy fed primers. Theyrd really hard to get. Win are plentiful. 

 

Just use a 4.5lb. striker spring and you won't have any problems with Winchester primers.