Experience with light loads and Glocks

[Dirtlaw]

Thanks all! I feel good with approaching this issue now. I wish all the ammo I had worked well with everything I have, but life doesn't always work out that way. It's better to find that out now than when I depend on the ammo.

[SharedShots]

Compensators make a drastic difference. The OP didn't mention it, so the discussion path is probably not productive, but the below gun will not work with OEM springs and generic factory ammo.

To get this set up to work I'm loading powder loads in excess of manufacture maximums in junction of also reducing the spring rate down to 13lb's.

So I went down 4 pounds on the spring, and went up drastically on the velocity just to make the slide function with the addition of a compensator.

The best I can tell how a compensator works is like having the wind knocked out of you.


Without a compensator, the gasses are pushing the slide back via the expensed case pushing back the breach face. The only path of gas escape is the barrel and bullet itself or other leakages along the precision of the chambering of the barrel.

With the compensator that path of gas exit now includes the multiple pathways at the end of the barrel the moment the last opportunity for the exhaust can effect the spent case pushing back on the slide.

Finally.......... I was toying with minimal loads to make the gun work there there is a no mans land for building up a load, where if the load is light enough it will WORK the slide, but the moment a little bit more powder is added the gun STOPS WORKING the slide. My theory this is the gas expanse threshold just before the compensator is working. So if a load is too light it has almost no use of the compensator and all working gasses are expended before they hit the compensator. However, the moment a little more gas is added then it hits the compensator and then all the sudden the wind is knock out of the sales and it bleeds off faster that it continues to push back. This corrects itself when much more powder is added to overwhelm the gas exits.

That's the best I can make of what's going on with a compensator.

No.

[SirRicky85]

Why mention a compensator? He said he got a new glock... seeing a real compensator in Cali is rare.

[SirRicky85]

I would reduce your recoil spring for the lighter ammo you got.

[JTROKS]

[bohoki]

i load my bullets with 3.5 grains of bullseye with a 124 grain cast its considered a light load but it functions in all my 9mms

i'm not sure how light something would have to be to stop in a glock ive even popped off a 380 it kicked out

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

As opposed to that gas going where? It still goes out the end of the barrel.

Unless your comp is located at the chamber it's not going to make a difference, assuming said comp is not attached to the slide.

It is still generating thrust. Redirecting that thrust and adding weight can cause issues.

[Sheldon]

Why mention a compensator? He said he got a new glock... seeing a real compensator in Cali is rare.

Sorry for going a bit off topic. It was fresh on my mind as I ran into this issue recently.

[Dvrjon]

I have what is essentially a new 9mm Glock which I have been using to test my own loads. Recently I used the same gun to shoot some reloads I purchased at a local range. The reloads were professionally processed. That said, in any business, the tendency is to reduce costs where possible. That means the loads are likely on the light side. The Glock in question shows the typical symptoms when shooting a load that is too light to eject rounds smartly. The reloads I purchased exhibit those symptoms

The major issue with "professionally-processed" reloads isn't cost...it's liability. They'd rather have a few FTF/FTE problems than a KA-BOOM!

Two questions.

[1] Do Glocks "loosen up" with age so they operate with lighter loads? Anyone have experience with that?

Every gun has bearing surfaces where slides meet rails, triggers slide over sears, etc. Using the gun doesn't "loosen up" the action more than it polishes the bearing surfaces. In custom guns, the actions are often lapped with polishing compounds to ensure perfect and smooth fit.

Some folks will tell you the gun needs to be "broken in" with 500 to 1000 rounds fired. Essentially, that's lapping the surfaces without a polishing compound. This not only polishes the surfaces and mates them, but it gives the shooter time to acclimate to the gun and learn to shoot it.

Every semi-auto I own has gone through a non-shooting polishing phase. Unload the gun, strip it and look at the contact surfaces. They'll usually have coatings or finish treatments on the slides and rails (on stainless guns, use a black marker to coat the bearing surfaces). Reassemble the gun and cycle the action a few hundred times by hand. It doesn't take long. Strip it again and look for bare metal on contact surfaces. (you can use a polishing compound like Flitz, but your cleaning has to be really good). You've just improved the function of the pistol without firing a shot. Repeat as necessary. Clean, oil/grease, reassemble and shoot.

[2] Are Glocks "picky" towards stronger loads? (My Beretta seems to shoot almost anything with no complaints).

No. I've got a Gen1 G17 from 1988 that eats everything. My G19 from 2019 (and everything in between) also runs clean.

[sealocan]

Trying to look on the bright side, you can always save that low-powered malfunctioning ammo for practicing your malfunction drills.

I know you probably have other guns that would use it without any problems but sometimes it's good to get a little muscle memory for if and when things go bad in real life.

I will also concur that the few times I purchased reloads sold at a gun range (that were possibly made at the range or by someone they know) they also seem underpowered / possibly due to less gun powder than needed.

And I understand someone's logical point above about powder being the lowest cost item but for the person making range reloads for resale... it's also the one item they can skimp on and still make a sale.

[TomReloaded]

All 9mm guns are oversprung from the factory. They're all sprung to run +p or even +p+ ammo. If you're not shooting that and nothing else, you're oversprung for no reason. Reliability goes down, flip goes up.

For some reason, people are extremely reluctant to put a lighter spring in, or even admit its oversprung to begin with. It is, and a light spring is the solution. I keep one in my range bag and swap it out there, and shoot pretty much nothing but light ammo. SD ammo gets the factory spring.

[crufflers]

A lot of those gen3 guns have a $8 plastic rod/flat spring RSA. Yeah they wear out or wear in.

Nothing wrong with them really, if they work. Very cheap to replace or upgrade.

I had something similar happen with my 17L slide and 115 grain fodder at first. I swapped to a used RSA and it was fine.

As far as real comps... the Mass Driver works at least as well as other comps (if anyone considers that those are not real comps). They work shockingly well on a 17 and even a tad better on a 19.

They do more than the factory "C" models. I have a gen3 G22 RTF and a G22C.

[crufflers]

I have the same weight (13 lbs) for my 40-9 because it was not 100% as reliable as a real 9mm slide like most people on the internet claim about conversions. I like the .357 Sig barrel, but steer clear of conversions except that one and .22 LR slides. Buying complete slides that fit your frame is so much better.

[Che762x39]

... I used the same gun to shoot some reloads I purchased at a local range. The reloads were professionally processed.

Two questions.

[1] Do Glocks "loosen up" with age so they operate with lighter loads? Anyone have experience with that?


[2] Are Glocks "picky" towards stronger loads? (My Beretta seems to shoot almost anything with no complaints).

Range reloads and "professionally processed" is a oxymoron like "Military Intelligence". I am a reloader and I have much higher standards.

Tula steel cased 9mm tends to be light loads but my G19 and G17 works with them 99.6% or so. I recommend 4.2 grains of Bullseye with a plated 115 grain RN from X-Treme Bullets.

[Che762x39]

A lot of those gen3 guns have a $8 plastic rod/flat spring RSA. Yeah they wear out or wear in.

Nothing wrong with them really, if they work. Very cheap to replace or upgrade.

I replace the RSA every 3,000 rounds in my Glock 9mm pistols.