Question to Glock owners, need help!!

Alan0354 · March 5, 2021, 09:13 PM

Hi Guys

I bought a new Glock 26, never shoot it yet. I opened it up to take pictures about the extractor holding cases and all that yesterday for another thread here. At the process, I notice something strange. When I pull the slide back and lock it open with the slide stop. I notice the firing pin stuck out as shown in this picture:

This is closer up:

It is not spring loaded, I can use a small stick and just push it back in and it will stay below the breech surface. It is just floating loose!!!

The symptom is if I point the gun down, rack and lock the slide, the firing pin will come out almost all the time. BUT, if I point the gun up and rack and lock the slide, it doesn't happen that often if any.

I wrote to Glock and cc to the gun store, the store said it's normal and gave me a link to another forum that someone complained about the same thing and people there said it's normal.

But I want to run it by you guys. Can yo do me a favor if you have a Glock, please do what I did and see whether your firing pin stick out, that you can easily push it back in( no spring tension) with finger or a little stick. That is:

1) point the gun to the floor, rack and lock the slide open and look at the firing pin.

2) point the gun to the sky/ceiling, rack and lock the slide open and look at the firing pin.

Tell me what you see.

Thanks so much.

TunnelRat · March 5, 2021, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan0354

The symptom is if I point the gun down, rack and lock the slide, the firing pin will come out almost all the time. BUT, if I point the gun up and rack and lock the slide, it doesn't happen that often if any.

Yes, because of gravity.

Yes it is normal, I confirmed it on my Glocks.

When the slide is locked to the rear the striker is not being engaged by the cruciform (which can be thought of as a sear) at the rear of the trigger bar. In this state the striker can float freely a little bit as you noticed as its spring is not under tension. When the slide is forward and the pistol is in battery this isn't the case as the striker is partially retracted by the cruciform and held there (causing the striker to be under spring tension). The cruciform holds the striker until the trigger is pressed completely to the rear, at which point the cruciform is guided downward by the connector releasing the striker. The cruciform itself is prevented from moving downward by the trigger housing when the trigger is forward. When the pistol is in battery the striker block will also prevent the striker (of which the firing pin is a part) from going forward unless that striker block is depressed by the trigger bar.

Alan0354 · March 5, 2021, 11:44 PM

Thanks

So when the slide strip a new round from the magazine, the firing pin will retract before the back of the round slide up and reach the firing pin? That's my first concern is the round might be held back by the firing pin if it still sticks out when chambering the round.

How many Glocks do you have? You said Glocks!!

TunnelRat · March 5, 2021, 11:54 PM

The round will not be held up by the firing pin. As the slide goes into battery the striker will be caught by the cruciform at the rear of the trigger bar and will not contact the primer or rear of the case.

I know you're new to Glocks. This is a design that has been on the market for decades. They've thought this through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2RDitgCaD0

I have more than one.

Alan0354 · March 6, 2021, 12:58 AM

Thanks, I just not getting used to the Glock yet.

Funny, I type firing pin stays out on Glock, there are many forums asking the same question!!!

**JohnKSa** · March 6, 2021, 02:06 AM

Short answer:

That really only happens after dryfiring. The design of the gun will insure that the nose of the firing pin is behind the breechface before a round is chambered.

Long answer: (Nothing different from what TunnelRat already said, just in more detail and confirmation.)

Before you performed your test, you dryfired the pistol.

The process of dryfiring:

1. Disables the trigger safety which unlocks the trigger bar and allows it to move.
2. Disables the firing pin safety (drops a blocking device out of the way of the firing pin).
3. Moves the trigger bar backwards past the "ramp" safety which normally prevents the rear of the trigger bar ("sear") from moving down out of engagement with the lug on the firing pin.
4. Cams the back of the trigger bar down against the connector surface and pulls the rear of the trigger bar out of engagement with the lug on the striker/firing pin.

The firing pin then moves forward under spring power, past the firing pin safety which is not blocking it at this point.

It is not unusual for it to stay in the forward position as the result of dryfiring. Sometimes it rebounds off the back of the breechface and ends up behind the breechface, sometimes it stays forward.

If the gun were being normally fired, the slide would operate, and when the slide got to the end of rearward travel and stopped abruptly, the firing pin would keep going under momentum and this would usually end up putting the tip behind the breechface. This means you will almost never see the firing pin nose protruding past the breechface when looking at the gun with the slide locked back after shooting a string.

But, even if that doesn't happen (let's say the firing pin channel is really dirty or something else means that the firing pin isn't moving freely in the channel), when the slide comes back forward, the rear of the trigger bar will be in the "up" position, having been released by the connector by the action of the cam inside the slide that flexes the connector to the right and out of engagement with the trigger bar.

With the rear of the trigger bar in the "up" position, the firing pin/striker lug will catch on the rear of the trigger bar ("sear") and as the slide continues to move forward, the striker will be held to the rear, partially tensioning the striker spring. That will insure that the striker nose is well behind the breechface and the firing pin safety.

Remember that you dryfired the gun before you started the process. If you hadn't the firing pin would have been caught on the trigger bar and held to the rear. Then when the slide was locked back from that position, it would have stayed back since there would be nothing to release the firing pin block and allow the firing pin to move forward.

Any way, the point is that operating the slide normally (or firing the gun) means that as the slide returns forward, the firing pin/striker is caught and held so that the nose of the firing pin is well behind the breechface.

Alan0354 · March 6, 2021, 02:50 AM

Thank you, it is starting to make more and more sense. I am happy now.

Before I leave this thread, I have one more question, this is not a problem just a question. As shown in the picture, when I push down on the barrel as shown in the red arrow, it dip down ever so slightly ( less than 1mm). It will bounce right back as soon as I remove the pressure. Is this normal?

I am pretty sure it's normal. Just when I tune the 1911, I change the link so I won't have any movement once the breech closed. But that's for accuraterization.

thanks

**JohnKSa** · March 6, 2021, 03:24 AM

The movement is due to the combination of the forward recoil spring force and the geometry of the interaction between the barrel and the slide lock (disassembly levers).

Because the net effect is upward force on the barrel which (as you note) returns it to a consistent position, accuracy is pretty decent without the need to tune anything.

This is why the slide lock (disassembly lever) is not straight up and down in the frame but is set at an angle.

eflyguy · March 6, 2021, 03:37 AM

Just leave the darned thing alone until you shoot it!!

Alan0354 · March 6, 2021, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eflyguy

Just leave the darned thing alone until you shoot it!!

Yeh, when I can buy some ammo. Now, it's only a plastic toy gun.

ciwsguy · March 7, 2021, 03:46 PM

Alan,
You might want to check with some shooting buddies and see if they’ll sell you a box or two. That is unless it’s illegal out there in the PRK.
I would sell it to you if you were my neighbor here in KY.
Other than that, just keep checking your local retail outlets for ammo.
I see 9mm every once in a while here and it’s not extortion priced though it doesn’t stay on the shelf very long. Sometimes I’ve asked the gun counter clerk if they had any 9mm and it turns out they did. Limit one box though. Sometimes it’s out of view behind the counter.

ciwsguy · March 7, 2021, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eflyguy

Just leave the darned thing alone until you shoot it!!

Leave it alone? Are you kidding? Field strip and Clean it. I’ve found greasy substances inside new gun barrels, it must be there as a rust preventative, or at least I assume since it’s uncertain how long a gun will sit in the box until sold and fired.

Alan0354 · March 7, 2021, 04:32 PM

Thanks Ciwsguy, my friends are hunting for ammo also!!! I have to give my stepson 7 rounds of 380 as he only has one round......Yes, one round!!! And my ammo is over 30 years old but kept in very good place away from extreme temperature and humidity.

My Glock was actually quite dry out of the box. I actually had to order Hoppe's grease to lube the rails and barrel, Hoppe's oil to lube the rest of the parts.

I expect not to shoot the gun until I can find ammo. I bought the gun in case they destroy the 2nd Amendment. I can wait for the ammo. I am still looking for another gun, a .40S&W or 45ACP.....if I can find one. I am in the collecting mode!!! Besides, range near me is closed because of Covid 19. you are lucky not living here.

I've been wanting a Glock for over 30 years, I finally got it. I am happy holding it like a plastic toy gun, loving it!!!

Thanks

ciwsguy · March 7, 2021, 04:40 PM

i would definitely clean it. Every new gun I’ve bought has stuff in the barrel. Very little lube is required for a Glock. Only a drop of gun oil on each of the four metal slide contact points and some where the barrel would contact the slide during cycling. My favorite cleaner is Hoppes no. 9 followed up with light gun oil at the slide and barrel contact points. My G19 runs like a top with very little lube.

ciwsguy · March 7, 2021, 04:49 PM

They’ve been destroying the 2nd out there for decades, Alan, as well as other things too.

Alan0354 · March 7, 2021, 05:22 PM

My 26 was bone dry, I just use a tooth picks to put just a little grease on the 4 rails and barely some oil on the parts. But the gun was clean.

How are we going to survive the next 4 years? I have been scaling down on watching the news.

**JohnKSa** · March 7, 2021, 11:54 PM

Some posts deleted/edited. This is the semi-auto handguns forum.

Desmosedici · March 8, 2021, 06:34 PM

I thought the store where you bought the gun from was going to sell you a few boxes of 9mm too? Maybe you can still contact him and get some.

March 5, 2021, 11:54 PM	#4
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,212	The round will not be held up by the firing pin. As the slide goes into battery the striker will be caught by the cruciform at the rear of the trigger bar and will not contact the primer or rear of the case. I know you're new to Glocks. This is a design that has been on the market for decades. They've thought this through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2RDitgCaD0 I have more than one. __________________ Know the status of your weapon Keep your muzzle oriented so that no one will be hurt if the firearm discharges Keep your finger off the trigger until you have an adequate sight picture Maintain situational awareness

March 6, 2021, 12:58 AM	#5
Alan0354 Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2021 Posts: 541	Thanks, I just not getting used to the Glock yet. Funny, I type firing pin stays out on Glock, there are many forums asking the same question!!! Last edited by Alan0354; March 6, 2021 at 01:05 AM.

March 6, 2021, 02:06 AM	#6
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,985	Short answer: That really only happens after dryfiring. The design of the gun will insure that the nose of the firing pin is behind the breechface before a round is chambered. Long answer: (Nothing different from what TunnelRat already said, just in more detail and confirmation.) Before you performed your test, you dryfired the pistol. The process of dryfiring: 1. Disables the trigger safety which unlocks the trigger bar and allows it to move. 2. Disables the firing pin safety (drops a blocking device out of the way of the firing pin). 3. Moves the trigger bar backwards past the "ramp" safety which normally prevents the rear of the trigger bar ("sear") from moving down out of engagement with the lug on the firing pin. 4. Cams the back of the trigger bar down against the connector surface and pulls the rear of the trigger bar out of engagement with the lug on the striker/firing pin. The firing pin then moves forward under spring power, past the firing pin safety which is not blocking it at this point. It is not unusual for it to stay in the forward position as the result of dryfiring. Sometimes it rebounds off the back of the breechface and ends up behind the breechface, sometimes it stays forward. If the gun were being normally fired, the slide would operate, and when the slide got to the end of rearward travel and stopped abruptly, the firing pin would keep going under momentum and this would usually end up putting the tip behind the breechface. This means you will almost never see the firing pin nose protruding past the breechface when looking at the gun with the slide locked back after shooting a string. But, even if that doesn't happen (let's say the firing pin channel is really dirty or something else means that the firing pin isn't moving freely in the channel), when the slide comes back forward, the rear of the trigger bar will be in the "up" position, having been released by the connector by the action of the cam inside the slide that flexes the connector to the right and out of engagement with the trigger bar. With the rear of the trigger bar in the "up" position, the firing pin/striker lug will catch on the rear of the trigger bar ("sear") and as the slide continues to move forward, the striker will be held to the rear, partially tensioning the striker spring. That will insure that the striker nose is well behind the breechface and the firing pin safety. Remember that you dryfired the gun before you started the process. If you hadn't the firing pin would have been caught on the trigger bar and held to the rear. Then when the slide was locked back from that position, it would have stayed back since there would be nothing to release the firing pin block and allow the firing pin to move forward. Any way, the point is that operating the slide normally (or firing the gun) means that as the slide returns forward, the firing pin/striker is caught and held so that the nose of the firing pin is well behind the breechface. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association? Last edited by JohnKSa; March 6, 2021 at 02:19 AM. Reason: Cleaned up some stuff.

March 6, 2021, 03:24 AM	#8
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,985	The movement is due to the combination of the forward recoil spring force and the geometry of the interaction between the barrel and the slide lock (disassembly levers). Because the net effect is upward force on the barrel which (as you note) returns it to a consistent position, accuracy is pretty decent without the need to tune anything. This is why the slide lock (disassembly lever) is not straight up and down in the frame but is set at an angle. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

March 7, 2021, 03:46 PM	#11
ciwsguy Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2008 Location: KY Posts: 302	Got any shooting buddies? Alan, You might want to check with some shooting buddies and see if they’ll sell you a box or two. That is unless it’s illegal out there in the PRK. I would sell it to you if you were my neighbor here in KY. Other than that, just keep checking your local retail outlets for ammo. I see 9mm every once in a while here and it’s not extortion priced though it doesn’t stay on the shelf very long. Sometimes I’ve asked the gun counter clerk if they had any 9mm and it turns out they did. Limit one box though. Sometimes it’s out of view behind the counter.

March 5, 2021, 11:44 PM	#3
Alan0354 Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2021 Posts: 541	Thanks So when the slide strip a new round from the magazine, the firing pin will retract before the back of the round slide up and reach the firing pin? That's my first concern is the round might be held back by the firing pin if it still sticks out when chambering the round. How many Glocks do you have? You said Glocks!!

March 6, 2021, 03:37 AM	#9
eflyguy Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2021 Posts: 335	Just leave the darned thing alone until you shoot it!!

March 7, 2021, 04:32 PM	#13
Alan0354 Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2021 Posts: 541	Thanks Ciwsguy, my friends are hunting for ammo also!!! I have to give my stepson 7 rounds of 380 as he only has one round......Yes, one round!!! And my ammo is over 30 years old but kept in very good place away from extreme temperature and humidity. My Glock was actually quite dry out of the box. I actually had to order Hoppe's grease to lube the rails and barrel, Hoppe's oil to lube the rest of the parts. I expect not to shoot the gun until I can find ammo. I bought the gun in case they destroy the 2nd Amendment. I can wait for the ammo. I am still looking for another gun, a .40S&W or 45ACP.....if I can find one. I am in the collecting mode!!! Besides, range near me is closed because of Covid 19. you are lucky not living here. I've been wanting a Glock for over 30 years, I finally got it. I am happy holding it like a plastic toy gun, loving it!!! Thanks

March 7, 2021, 04:40 PM	#14
ciwsguy Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2008 Location: KY Posts: 302	i would definitely clean it. Every new gun I’ve bought has stuff in the barrel. Very little lube is required for a Glock. Only a drop of gun oil on each of the four metal slide contact points and some where the barrel would contact the slide during cycling. My favorite cleaner is Hoppes no. 9 followed up with light gun oil at the slide and barrel contact points. My G19 runs like a top with very little lube.

March 7, 2021, 04:49 PM	#15
ciwsguy Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2008 Location: KY Posts: 302	They’ve been destroying the 2nd out there for decades, Alan, as well as other things too.

March 7, 2021, 11:54 PM	#17
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,985	Some posts deleted/edited. This is the semi-auto handguns forum. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

March 8, 2021, 06:34 PM	#18
Desmosedici Member Join Date: April 1, 2016 Location: North Texas Posts: 72	I thought the store where you bought the gun from was going to sell you a few boxes of 9mm too? Maybe you can still contact him and get some.