light strikes with Glock 36

abraxian · July 3, 2015, 02:04 PM

The last couple of times at the range my G-36 has had a number of light strikes with various ammo. The pistol has at least 2000 rounds fired over the past six years. I always clean it after shooting including the striker "tube". Any suggestions? This is my daily carry and temporaily switching to my Ruger Commander..........totally reliable at five hundred rounds but prefer the Glock.

745SW · July 3, 2015, 02:23 PM

Make sure the RSA (recoil spring assy.) is good by doing the armorer test. Muzzle up with mag installed and empty pull slide all the way back/open. Let slide go home gradually by hand. It should go all the way home without assistance.

James K · July 3, 2015, 02:35 PM

Also check the extractor area (extractor, plunger, spring) to make sure the extractor is free to snap over the cartridge rim and not hold the slide slightly open. If that is OK, I would think replacing the firing pin spring is in order even though the number of rounds fired seems fairly low.

Jim

745SW · July 3, 2015, 02:56 PM

I believe the RSA has a rather short life for a sub compact. 2K rounds could be it, time to replace.

DanTSX · July 3, 2015, 06:53 PM

Why are you detail cleaning it so often?

The RSA tests and possible replacement are good suggestions, and have a high probability of fixing it.

Also, what types of ammo are we talking about here?

AK103K · July 3, 2015, 10:26 PM

Youre not lubing the firing pin channel when you clean, are you? Its supposed to be "dry" and lube free.

The slide really only needs detail cleaned a couple of times a year, and thats if you shoot a lot. Once a year should suffice, if youre not shooting much.

**JohnKSa** · July 4, 2015, 05:36 PM

Possible causes:

Not going into battery fully. Check for weak recoil spring assembly, out of spec ammo or chamber obstruction. I know you said it happened with a variety of ammo so that would seem to suggest that ammo is an unlikely cause.

Firing pin cups damaged/excessively flattened.

Striker channel obstruction. Check to the firing pin channel liner for damage, insure that the firing pin channel isn't full of fouling/lubricant.

Firing pin safety is jamming or is not being operated properly. Check for worn/damaged trigger bar or worn/damaged firing pin safety.

Striker is being released early. Check to insure that the connector and rear end of the trigger bar are undamaged and not too worn.

There are other possible causes, but those are the ones to check.

45Gunner · July 6, 2015, 02:22 AM

Once had a G36 "light strike" on a brand of ammo I had not used in the gun before. At this particular time, I had previously put about 60 rounds of that ammo down range before the "light strike." I removed that round and put it in my pocket. I then shot another 40 rounds without a problem. I reasoned that I had a bad round after checking the gun for weak springs, etc. Prior to this incident, I had put hundreds of rounds through the gun without a problem.

I sent the round back to the manufacturer explaining the problem with the round. I did so because I thought it important they know there may be a quality control problem. They mailed back a letter saying that it was most likely a gun problem as they could find nothing wrong with that round and they enclosed a check to me for $25 for my trouble. I have since shot hundreds of successful rounds thru the same gun without doing anything to the gun except cleaning it after a range outing. And I changed the brand of ammo that I feed that gun.

Don P · July 8, 2015, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Muzzle up with mag installed and empty pull slide all the way back/open. Let slide go home gradually by hand. It should go all the way home without assistance.

Would this lock the slide open???

Empty mag and the slide all the way to the rear/

dyl · July 8, 2015, 09:25 AM

Yes it would get hung up on the slide stop, unless someone depressed the slide release by hand while doing this. The poster didn't say the purpose, but by having the mag in, the mag follower would add a teeny bit of friction upwards on the slide lock lever as the slide rode forward. If the slide doesn't go forward far enough to go into battery due to friction, the gun will not fire. An old recoil spring would perhaps not close the slide completely. Muzzle up to add gravity to the equation. Perhaps a dummy round would add further friction.

You would also know if a recoil spring was old if brass ejection pattern changed and was chucking brass much farther away.

I'm assuming everything is stock parts, and no "work" done on it?

Some folks who installed Apex parts on M&P's (and/or polished the striker block and trigger bar) had timing issues from interference from the striker block not being raised soon enough. Apex worked it out. Some could happen from wear and tear but 2,000 isn't a whole lot unless someone did some work beforehand and put it *almost* out of spec

walks with gun · July 8, 2015, 09:13 PM

Have you switched ammo lately, seems like we've been getting a lot of hard primers lately. Might be worth a look before trying everything else, although I think Glocks are reliable enough to probably fire anything.

dakota1911 · July 9, 2015, 07:00 PM

You might look at tearing down the striker assembly and cleaning / lubing. I think Hickock45 did a utube on that, and I am sure others have also.

burrhead · July 9, 2015, 07:21 PM

Don't lube the striker, it needs to be totally dry. The gun runs best with the "Glock six drops" of lube. I carry a G21 or G36 every day. The dryer the better.

abraxian · July 11, 2015, 07:44 AM

New striker spring from Wolff (factory spec) and no more problems. The new spring was about 3/8 of an inch longer than original and makes a much more pronounced "hit" than the 2000+ round old spring.

**JohnKSa** · July 11, 2015, 02:15 PM

Interesting. That's a surprisingly short life for a striker spring.

AK103K · July 11, 2015, 02:26 PM

Quote:

That's a surprisingly short life for a striker spring.

Ill say. I have a 17 thats still on its original, and it just past 85,000 rounds.

July 3, 2015, 02:04 PM	#1
abraxian Member Join Date: June 18, 2005 Location: amelia island, florida Posts: 73	light strikes with Glock 36 The last couple of times at the range my G-36 has had a number of light strikes with various ammo. The pistol has at least 2000 rounds fired over the past six years. I always clean it after shooting including the striker "tube". Any suggestions? This is my daily carry and temporaily switching to my Ruger Commander..........totally reliable at five hundred rounds but prefer the Glock.

July 3, 2015, 02:23 PM	#2
745SW Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2011 Location: California Posts: 776	Make sure the RSA (recoil spring assy.) is good by doing the armorer test. Muzzle up with mag installed and empty pull slide all the way back/open. Let slide go home gradually by hand. It should go all the way home without assistance. Last edited by 745SW; July 3, 2015 at 11:36 PM.

July 4, 2015, 05:36 PM	#7
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,986	Possible causes: Not going into battery fully. Check for weak recoil spring assembly, out of spec ammo or chamber obstruction. I know you said it happened with a variety of ammo so that would seem to suggest that ammo is an unlikely cause. Firing pin cups damaged/excessively flattened. Striker channel obstruction. Check to the firing pin channel liner for damage, insure that the firing pin channel isn't full of fouling/lubricant. Firing pin safety is jamming or is not being operated properly. Check for worn/damaged trigger bar or worn/damaged firing pin safety. Striker is being released early. Check to insure that the connector and rear end of the trigger bar are undamaged and not too worn. There are other possible causes, but those are the ones to check. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

July 6, 2015, 02:22 AM	#8
45Gunner Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 1,902	Once had a G36 "light strike" on a brand of ammo I had not used in the gun before. At this particular time, I had previously put about 60 rounds of that ammo down range before the "light strike." I removed that round and put it in my pocket. I then shot another 40 rounds without a problem. I reasoned that I had a bad round after checking the gun for weak springs, etc. Prior to this incident, I had put hundreds of rounds through the gun without a problem. I sent the round back to the manufacturer explaining the problem with the round. I did so because I thought it important they know there may be a quality control problem. They mailed back a letter saying that it was most likely a gun problem as they could find nothing wrong with that round and they enclosed a check to me for $25 for my trouble. I have since shot hundreds of successful rounds thru the same gun without doing anything to the gun except cleaning it after a range outing. And I changed the brand of ammo that I feed that gun. __________________ 45Gunner May the Schwartz Be With You. NRA Instructor NRA Life Member

July 8, 2015, 09:25 AM	#10
dyl Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,310	Yes Yes it would get hung up on the slide stop, unless someone depressed the slide release by hand while doing this. The poster didn't say the purpose, but by having the mag in, the mag follower would add a teeny bit of friction upwards on the slide lock lever as the slide rode forward. If the slide doesn't go forward far enough to go into battery due to friction, the gun will not fire. An old recoil spring would perhaps not close the slide completely. Muzzle up to add gravity to the equation. Perhaps a dummy round would add further friction. You would also know if a recoil spring was old if brass ejection pattern changed and was chucking brass much farther away. I'm assuming everything is stock parts, and no "work" done on it? Some folks who installed Apex parts on M&P's (and/or polished the striker block and trigger bar) had timing issues from interference from the striker block not being raised soon enough. Apex worked it out. Some could happen from wear and tear but 2,000 isn't a whole lot unless someone did some work beforehand and put it almost out of spec

July 3, 2015, 02:35 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Also check the extractor area (extractor, plunger, spring) to make sure the extractor is free to snap over the cartridge rim and not hold the slide slightly open. If that is OK, I would think replacing the firing pin spring is in order even though the number of rounds fired seems fairly low. Jim

July 3, 2015, 02:56 PM	#4
745SW Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2011 Location: California Posts: 776	I believe the RSA has a rather short life for a sub compact. 2K rounds could be it, time to replace.

July 3, 2015, 06:53 PM	#5
DanTSX Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2008 Posts: 318	Why are you detail cleaning it so often? The RSA tests and possible replacement are good suggestions, and have a high probability of fixing it. Also, what types of ammo are we talking about here?

July 3, 2015, 10:26 PM	#6
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	Youre not lubing the firing pin channel when you clean, are you? Its supposed to be "dry" and lube free. The slide really only needs detail cleaned a couple of times a year, and thats if you shoot a lot. Once a year should suffice, if youre not shooting much.

July 8, 2015, 09:13 PM	#11
walks with gun Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2014 Location: northern Mn. Posts: 271	Have you switched ammo lately, seems like we've been getting a lot of hard primers lately. Might be worth a look before trying everything else, although I think Glocks are reliable enough to probably fire anything.

July 9, 2015, 07:00 PM	#12
dakota1911 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: The Great American Desert Posts: 501	You might look at tearing down the striker assembly and cleaning / lubing. I think Hickock45 did a utube on that, and I am sure others have also.

July 9, 2015, 07:21 PM	#13
burrhead Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 1999 Location: Chihuahuan desert, Texas Posts: 1,148	Don't lube the striker, it needs to be totally dry. The gun runs best with the "Glock six drops" of lube. I carry a G21 or G36 every day. The dryer the better. __________________ Join the GOA, SAF and the TSRA I'm offended by people that are easily offended.

July 11, 2015, 07:44 AM	#14
abraxian Member Join Date: June 18, 2005 Location: amelia island, florida Posts: 73	UPDATE New striker spring from Wolff (factory spec) and no more problems. The new spring was about 3/8 of an inch longer than original and makes a much more pronounced "hit" than the 2000+ round old spring.

July 11, 2015, 02:15 PM	#15
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,986	Interesting. That's a surprisingly short life for a striker spring. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?