Got a new Glock, problem with guide rod

[voyager4520]

I got a new G23, it's awesome, but the guide rod doesn't stay seated properly. I'll seat the guide rod all the way, put the slide back on and rack the slide a few times, then take the slide off and look at the guide rod, and low and behold the guide rod is slipping out of place where it seats up against the barrel. It's the stock plastic guide rod, and that circular base of plastic that seats up against the barrel has a few nicks on it, but I don't understand why it would do that.

I'm thinking of either buying a new Glock drop in guide rod or getting an aftermarket stainless or tungsten guide rod. Any advice? I just bought it so I don't want to use an aftermarket guide rod right away and void the warranty.

[JAREDSHS]

The notch or semi circular cut out on the barrel lug is only for installing
the peices back in the assembled gun. It is not intended to stay on that
cut out after the slide is cyceled once. Your gun is fine.

[Sevens]

My G29 does exactly the same thing. Assemble, rack the pistol a couple times (no shots fired) then disassemble and it's sitting a little off it's ledge. It's never caused any grief of any sort in any way and the gun has never failed to fire for any reason and 90% of my shooting in the G29 is all handloads. Were I you, I wouldn't worry much further, but that's just one man's opinion. I'd listen to other opinions, too.

As for the warranty, that's a bunch of nonsense to also not worry about. Glock stands behind their pistols. There may be a hundred reasons to add or change parts in your gun to suit your tastes, but Glock's catch-all lawyer proof warranty statements mean very little in the real world. It's unlikely they'll even know what recoil spring/guide rod you are using, and they are even less likely to care.

It's also a good bet that a decent aftermarket setup is much higher quality than the OEM Glock setup. If that's what you want, please disregard any references to Glock's warranty and sleep well at night.

[voyager4520]

Yeah I just watched a Glock internal function video on YouTube and as the barrel tilts back down as the slide goes forward, that lug must not be catching the base of the guide rod perfectly. It's still functioning correctly, it's just that the function of the moving parts wasn't designed to be accurate within micrometers, you know, a little room for error.

Still makes me wanna get a metal guide rod.

[spyderdude]

I believe what you are talking about is entirely normal. When I put the guide rod back in my G19, and I take off the slide again the guide rod almost seems to want to come out, but there is enough tension keeping it in there, it just barely touches the barrel. The G23 I used to have and G26 are the same way.

[voyager4520]

I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong because the little envelope with test rounds that comes with the new Glock said 2004, so my gun was on display, maybe floating from dealer to dealer, for five years.

Thanks for your help guys.

[Creature]

Still makes me wanna get a metal guide rod.

That isnt going to solve your problem...because there is no problem. What you are describing is completely normal.

[voyager4520]

Yeah but the plastic base of the guide rod that seats up against the semi-circular barrel lug does have a few nicks in the plastic and I want something more durable.

[Dingoboyx]

Are you sure no one has put the plastic guide rod (wrongly) on the first step, racked the slide & damaged the seat of the plastic guide rod? Maybe try getting a new plastic guide rod and put it in correctly and see if it is still going wrong? Buying a new plastic guide rod shouldnt be expensive, and you might need a spare one further down the line anyway? This way you will have a spare on hand, if the original one is still serviceable ;)

Just a thought :D

[Creature]

I thought you said in your OP that it was a new G23...how did the guide rode base get dinged up?

[voyager4520]

It's been floating around in the market since 2004. Surely someone field-stripped it and didn't care too much about the gun. It's not bad, I just like things to be brand new when they're supposed to be brand new.

[Dingoboyx]

I'm sure if Herr Glock thought a metallic guide rod was neccessary, they wouldn't have used plastic ones to begin with. They couldnt issue so many glocks to the worlds military with an inferior part (risking fatal malfunctions in combat)

So I say again, just get a new plastic one, and insert it correctly, most Glocksters I know (including myself G34) dont have any trouble with the plastic ones :D

Muzza

[Brian48]

I used to have a G19 and G23. The wear on the guide rod is normal and actually doesn't get any worse after a while. In any case, I'd rather have the factory guide rod in place and wear that out (unlikely) instead of a metal one marring up the barrel lug, guide rod hole on the slide, and sections of the polymer frame. The guide rod would be obviously easier to replace.

[AZGlock13]

I use Glockmeister captured stainless steel recoil guide rod assemblies (with stock springs installed) on all of my compact and full size Glocks (I have a G19, a G17, a G23 and a G35) and I have never had any issues or abnormal wear in any of them. I do use the stock plastic recoil guide rod assemblies in my sub-compact Glocks (I have a G26, a G29 and a G30). Here is the link on Glockmeister, if your interested:

http://glockmeister.com/product_info.php?cPath=5_42&products_id=164
http://glockmeister.com/product_info.php?products_id=301

[voyager4520]

Well I'm sticking with the plastic for now, I've noticed this polymer hardens upon repeated stress pretty well, amazingly actually, like it was meant to be beat into it's operating condition through use.

But I know I'm gonna end up with an aftermarket match grade barrel at one point or another, so experimenting with a metal rod on this Glock barrel once the warranty is up wouldn't hurt anything. I just don't like the feed ramp on this barrel too much. It's not very smooth and it's kind of steep.

[Don P]

No need to argue with the kitchen tabel gun smiths.:cool:

[Dingoboyx]

I'm a closet sock drawer gun smith :D

[jgcoastie]

My G20SF and my G22 both do the same thing. They did it with the factory barrels, and with the EFK National Match barrels I have in them now.

Nothing to worry about IMO.