G19 intermittent FTE

RacerX

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I was at the range last weekend with my relatively new gen3 G19 and experienced multiple failure to extract events. I experienced these failures using both factory new and Magpul mags. Pistol has maybe 300 rounds total through it after 2 range trips.

The gun arrived to the range "dirty" with 200 rounds through it. I experienced my first FTE around 250 and had several more leading up to 300.

All ammo was factory loaded (first 200 were steel cased; remaining 100 were Winchester white box brass cased).

Other than cleaning and shooting it some more, any other advice? Is this a break-in issue? Should I run her WET next time to help break-in?

Thanks.
Jeff
 
Failure to extract...so the empty case was still in the chamber?
Sounds like weak ammo. Try brass cased hotter ammo. Steel is notoriously under powered. New gun + weak ammo is a recipe for malfs.
 
The case was partially extracted, but didn't clear the election port. It stuck between the barrel and slide.

The failures occurred using brass cased WWB ammo.
 
The failures occurred using brass cased WWB ammo.
The weakest sister factory ammo made. We see LOTS of it here.
Everybody that has a G of any series should read Chuck Taylor's 30 year 300 Thousand+ destruction test. Amazing stuff. He bought one off the shelf in '86 to show everybody what a piece of crap it was. MAN, did he learn a lesson.
 
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A fresh out 'o the box G19 doesn't need break in and I'd expect it to run with any in spec ammo.

Any chance you were riding the slide with a thumb?

ETA: WWB is pretty bad stuff. Your steel ammo was likely better quality.
 
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Couple funny posts...

I usually buy cheap plinking ammo...at least until I start loading it cheaper.

I'll buy some more steel cased, clean it up, then get her dirty again!
 
What year was the Glock made? In my opinion they don’t make them like they used to. I want to get another mid-2000s Gen 3 G19.
 
Steel is notoriously under powered.

Wha? I'm looking at some chrono numbers right now of various loads through a Gen5 G19, and the cheapy steel case stuff was only ~15fps out of first place as far as average velocity in the 115gr loads tested. Some crazy SD sometimes, but nothing weak about them overall.
 
How ‘bout trying some +P or NATO rounds?
 
WWB 128 grain NATO is all i use and never had a failure. G19 Gen3, 19x, G19 Gen5.
I also clean mine after every range trip usually 3-4 hundred rounds per session.
High & Tight grip.
 
No point in running it wet. That only collects more crap. Malfs you mention if correct, should have no bearing on the mag used. The 19 with factory springs should run anything relatively reliably. So, here are my thoughts... Could be a number of things... In no particular order off the top of my head...

Fouled up chamber and dirty slide from dirty steel cased ammo...

Bad/weak lot of ammo...

Bad grip/limp wristing...

Bad/chipped extractor...

You just got a lemon ( does happen, just not often)...
 
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I would clean the gun, try the ammo in another known reliable pistol, check my grip, and give it another go in the 19 again if the other gun doesn't show an issue.

Most likely it's the 200rds of dirty steel case that caused the issue. Maybe exacerbated by the weak ammo and/or your grip, maybe not.

If it doesn't repeat, don't sweat it. If it does, look further into the issue...
 
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Wha? I'm looking at some chrono numbers right now of various loads through a Gen5 G19, and the cheapy steel case stuff was only ~15fps out of first place as far as average velocity in the 115gr loads tested. Some crazy SD sometimes, but nothing weak about them overall.

It's the crazy SD's that cause me pause.
Bang, pop, pew, bang!
I have watched folks grip the pistol well enough for it to cycle on a "bang" but get exactly what the OP describes on a "pop."
 
Wha? I'm looking at some chrono numbers right now of various loads through a Gen5 G19, and the cheapy steel case stuff was only ~15fps out of first place as far as average velocity in the 115gr loads tested. Some crazy SD sometimes, but nothing weak about them overall.
Velocity comps won't give you the immediate peak pressure info you need. We spent a lot of money to be able to check Pressures And Velocity. The peaks are what break the action open and get things moving. We test a lot of ammo for the small manufacturers that don't want to spend the money for the equipment needed. WWB is the worst we have tested. That said, even that stuff will usually run Glocks.
Never measure quality of running your autos by velocities and NEVER believe velocities put out by marketing folks.
 
It's the crazy SD's that cause me pause.
Bang, pop, pew, bang!
I have watched folks grip the pistol well enough for it to cycle on a "bang" but get exactly what the OP describes on a "pop."

I can feel the difference in SD a lot of the time, but mostly it's because I'm loading from the bottom of the ammo can that has a mix of 5-6 different types of steel in it. I need to chrono some Silver Bear, I swear that last batch is +P, or at least noticeably hotter than the rest.

For the OPs issue though, maybe the recoil spring isn't stock? Some previous owner trying to 'enhance performance' by replacing the stocker with one that's not designed for reliability?
 
FWIW I have had this same issue crop up on my guns from time to time. Usually I was able to diagnose it as a dirty extractor. And by "dirty" I mean so completely encrusted with crud that it would hardly move at all. I used to shoot cast lead *GASP* through my glocks and wax buildup on the extractor was the most common side effect. Maybe your steel ammo caused a similar problem?
 
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The subject G19 is new with ~300 rounds through it and is completely stock.

I'm a seasoned shooter using correct hand position, grip strength, etc.

I'm thinking the steel cased ammo fouled the upper, chamber, etc. enough to create a gun that presented issues when using under-powered, cheap brass ammo.

I'll clean and lightly lube, as indicated, and shoot it a lot more.

Side note - my other stock gen4 G19 ran the brass ammo without issue during the same outing.
 
I have run thousands of WWB through my Gen3 19 with no issue. As soon as I try to run steel cased stuff through it, I get all sorts of problems. I would have jumped on the steel case as the problem here, but since it is doing it with brass as well I would be looking closely at the extractor. I would detail strip it and deep clean it and if the problem persists during your next range trip, send it back to Glock and let them figure it out.
 
I have only experienced fte with steel cased.

My guess is limp wristing.

Glocks don’t need to be broken in or run “wet”.
 
A fresh out 'o the box G19 doesn't need break in and I'd expect it to run with any in spec ammo.

Any chance you were riding the slide with a thumb?

ETA: WWB is pretty bad stuff. Your steel ammo was likely better quality.
I've shot 20K+ of WWB through my 19s and I've had a few dud rounds, but never anything that caused my guns to FTE. Not saying it's good ammo, but shouldn't incapacitate a 19.
 
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There are numerous threads over on General Glocking that addresses various ejectors. Especially issues about Back to the Face. The newest ejector (not extractor) seems to fix a lot of ejection problems.
 
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