light strikes in a G17

[John2A]

I have found the following in another older post.

Is this still the most common causes for a light strike.

He was using WWB factory ammo and had several light strikes.

Also saw something about the striker itself is that something that needs to be replaced as a CYA?

Thanks,

John Lovell

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.

[Dan Hefta]

what pound recoil spring are you using? Does the gun pass the test you described?

[Micah]

That is one of the tests, the other is inserting a pencil, eraser towards the striker, into the barrel. Obviously you have checked several times to make sure that the gun is unloaded, point the mussel towards the ceiling and pull the trigger. If the pencil shoots out, you have enough striker power. If it dribbles out/fails to clear the barrel, you need a new striker spring.

Up the recoil spring weight or drop the striker spring weight or both.

I would never recommend making two changes at once...only do one at a time, that way you can ascertain the problem. Fewer variables=better diagnosis. Furthermore, reducing the weight of the striker spring is seldom a good idea, particularly to fix light strikes. I would recommend simply taking the recoil spring and striker back to factory specs.

[Glock3422]

I have found the following in another older post.

Is this still the most common causes for a light strike.

He was using WWB factory ammo and had several light strikes.

Also saw something about the striker itself is that something that needs to be replaced as a CYA?

Thanks,

John Lovell

I would expect that the most common cause of light strikes is a dirty striker channel. It should be clean and dry.

Second would be a old striker spring.

I have used reduced striker springs in 17s, 22s and 34s with no problem in many thousands of rounds Winchester primers.

Obviously any modification could reduce reliability, if it isn't done correctly.

I have had to switch to Federal primers in my 21.

[racerba]

What striker spring is being used?

[John2A]

I am not sure of the recoil spring wieght. but I can tell you that he replaced the striker spring with a Glock spring. Has cleaned the striker channel and all related components. At least he has said he did.

the weird thing this happened to both his 17 and 34 yesterday. He had troubles with it last month as well.

That is why he bought the new striker springs.

I really appreciate all the advice and will get him to try the pencil test and see if that works.

[Micah]

If he is having the same issue with two different pistols, perhaps the problem is with the ammo? High primers could be the culprit, as well as simply loading with a bad batch of primers.

[John2A]

yeah I thought it was ammo as well. But it was factory Win White box 115gr.

He has been running this for some time now and had no issues.

Does any one know if Win went to a harder primer?

That was one of the things I was questioning.

He is going to try some Rem UMC this weekend and see if that has the same results.

Thanks for all the things to try.

We appreciate all the advice and expertise out there.

Thanks,

John

[Duane Thomas]

Attempting malfunction diagnosis over the Internet is an inexact science at best, but from what you've told me, my first gut reaction is to look at the recoil spring. A too light recoil spring, coupled with a factory stock striker spring, can either (1) stop the gun from going fully into battery, (2) cause the slide to come out of full battery, i.e. move slightly to the rear, when the trigger is pulled. In either case you're going to get light, off-center primer strikes.

When your friend experiences a light primer strike, my advice:

(1) While still holding the trigger to the rear, look at the gun and see if the slide is completely in battery.

(2) Examine the cartridge. If the primer strike is significantly off-center, you have your answer.

(3) Switch to a different ammo type. WWB sucks.

[Micah]

Does any one know if Win went to a harder primer?

Winchester is my #2 pick for primers, and Federal is my #1. Wins are a little harder then Feds but should not be difficult to set off.

[Micah]

Duane brings up an excellent point! (as always...)

Inspect your striker. Although unlikely that the strikers in both Glocks are chipped...it is something else that could be the culprit.

[John2A]

Thanks guys I and my friend really appreciate it. He is going to try out some of the options testing tonight and let me know.

We were both scratching our heads Sat night trying to figure out what was going on.

[Nik Habicht]

Rolling this back around --- are the guns reliably igniting other ammo? If so --- it's the ammo.....

Yeah, I know it's WWB, but I've had enough issues with various types of factory ammo over the years to realize that sometimes it's just not the gun's or operator's fault.....

[Combat Triad]

I had the same problem two weekends ago at a steel match. I was using WWB 115gr as well in my Glock 34. I cleaned the striker and striker tube really good with some Q-tips and Hoppe's. Shot a 3 gun match this weekend using the same lot number ammo and had no problems at all. I would try cleaning it really good, it worked for me. This is an often overlooked area while cleaning Glocks. If there is just a little carbon build up in there or any dirt at all, it can cause problems.

[Glock3422]

I had the same problem two weekends ago at a steel match. I was using WWB 115gr as well in my Glock 34. I cleaned the striker and striker tube really good with some Q-tips and Hoppe's. I would try cleaning it really good, it worked for me. This is an often overlooked area while cleaning Glocks. If there is just a little carbon build up in there or any dirt at all, it can cause problems.

If you can't hear the striker clinking around in the channel when the gun is not cocked and you shake it, the channel is dirty. The clearer the sound the better.

I use these wood shaft applicators from Brownell's. They are cheap and do a great job.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...p;s=45840#45840

[Glockcomma]

If you have shot ammo with Federal primers you should check your striker. I've pierced Federal primers flame cutting the tip of my striker causing it to have light strikes. All the other suggestions are more likely but this does happen, more with 9MM Major.

[JonInWA]

Interesting-I've very, very rarely experienced any problems with WWB 9mm Value Pack ammunition, and I've been using the stuff for years out of my Glock G17, G19, and now my G34.

My thoughts are that the firing pin channel may have accumulated grime, providing energy-robbing drag, or that you may simply need to replace the recoil spring (or, more rarely, the firing pin spring).

The official Glock policy on recoil spring replacement is to do it every 3K rounds.

Another thought would be for you to do a detailed disassembly of the slide, and clean out the extractor, extractor channel, firing pin channel, firing pin safety, and firing pin safety channel.

Best, Jon

[rstimpfling]

I had been having the same problem with my G17. I would get 1 to 2 light primer hits at every match. I cleaned the gun thoroughly and inspected every piece. Still didn't solve the problem. I had bought a new G34, so on a whim I swapped out the recoil spring. No more light primer hits, until this past weekend. I had bought a couple of boxes of WWB 115 grn ammo for a local match (normally I shoot my own reloads but I was out of bullets). I had one light primer strike.

I use Winchester primers to reload and have had zero problems since I replace the recoil spring. I do notice that the primers I use to reload are a brass color and the primers I have been getting in the WWB are nickel. Not sure if it is the primer or if Winchester is having some quality control issues. Hope this helps.

[Wayne Dobbs]

During a Tactical Pistol Instructor course a couple of months ago, I had three rounds of WWWB 115 that didn't fire on the first strike. This was with a stock G17 with a clean FP channel. I fired about 1300 rounds during the six days of the class and also witnessed at least two other failures to fire with WWWB in another pair of stock Glocks. I think that the QC/QA may be taking a hit due to higher production demands at WW.

[target1911]

I also have a G34. I have had several FTFire problems with WWB. Now use only Blazer (untill I start reloading 9mm again) and I have not had even one failure of anykind.

[John2A]

He is going to try the Remington this weekend and see if there are any issues.

The tests and recomendations from every one were followed last night and all appeared to be good.

Nothing has been changed from last weekend so with the Rem ammo we will know if it was the ammo or the guns.

We put about 230 rounds down range last night practicing and no issues with the Rem.

So we shall see if it is the cold or ammo tomorrow. Should be around 54 which is the temp that this all started.

I'll keep you posted as to the results.

Thanks again to all that recomended a fix, solution or test to try.

You all are the best.

Oh by the way last night shooting one of the STI G6 pistols with WWB I had two Light strikes none at all with the Rem.

[dirty whiteboy]

Maybe wwb does indeed suck!

[Duane Thomas]

Not my fave, that's for sure.

[MBH]

Hey guys, I know this is an old post but this is my pistol you're talking about. I have never been a forum guy so my buddy John posted my issue here for me. I am still having these issues. I had several light strikes at the VA/MD Championship a couple of weeks ago. Here is what I can tell you.

I never lubricate my striker channel or anything that goes in it.

My striker channel is meticulously clean.

My striker has no damage that I can detect ( I have inspected it well )

I have always used Wolff striker springs (but have experienced this same problem with new factory strikers springs)

The light primer hit are dead center indicating that the gun is in gull battery.

After much thought there are only two things I can think of:

1) the safety plunger is not getting pushed up all the way and allowing the striker to completely clear it and is slowing the striker down.

2) I am getting the occassional very hard primer in the winchester white box ammo that i am using.

Has anyone had any experience with the safety plunger not getting up all way every time?

Thanks for your help.

Hollar

[the duck of death]

Other than a few dead primers there has been little problem w/WWB ammo. My Glocks run 100% w/7 coils cut off the OEM firing pin spring. The firing pin is lightened and the FIRING PIN CHANNEL is kept clean.

Clean it, look down the channel w/a light and clean some more. I use #9 and a Q tip. Make sure it's clean.

*QUOTE*

the safety plunger not getting up all way every time?

There should be some marks on the firing pin or the firing pin safety if this is happening.

Try the pencil test w/the firing pin safety in then out. Is there any difference in the pencil movement?

Edited July 3, 2009 by the duck of death