Glock 30 Kaboom??

[dgludwig]

Every gun manufacturer has failures.

Maybe so, but not every gun manufacturer makes a pistol that kbs with factory ammunition. If a squib load can't be ruled out, then that seems to be the likely culprit in this case. But a pistol kabooming by firing out of battery or due to an insufficiently supported chamber or having a "leaded" barrel is inexcusable to me. Hopefully, Glock will make this right but the many reports of Glock pistols-especially those chambered in .40 or .45 caliber- makes me leery of them. Of course, there's always this argument:

...I think you really have to consider how many guns they put out how many guns are still out there and just how many have gone kabom? I would wager that in all reality their numbers ratio of quality guns to ones that just did not hold up are probably fairly similar to other manufacturers.

[grubbylabs]

So whats wrong with that? Do you know the ratios of failure to non failure for all or even the top three producers. How many Glocks have been produced and just how many have gone kaboom? If you can show me with credible numbers and not just internet roomers that they really do have a problem then I think you will not only have my attention but that of many others as well.

[dgludwig]

So whats wrong with that?

Who said there was? I was only conceding that another poster's position on the matter might have some validity. If people could just get past their brand-washed mind-sets, the truth of a matter might take some shape.

[69MachOne]

Did you talk to Glock or send it back to them for a verdict?

[RETG]

Four years ago, a friend had one while we were shooting. His was a .40, and he was using Federal rounds. Other than his hand felt like it was vibrating for a week, no injury. He sent it back to Glock, and they replaced it with a new one.

[casher824]

Like most people have said you have to look at the ratio of failures to properly functioning handguns. The average Glock user who has never had any problem with their gun is not going to come on this forum and sing about how their Glock didn't blow up in their hand after going to the range. A malfunction, whatever the cause however will usually have someone looking for the cause.

[rogelk]

any update here?

[45_Shooter]

There is a thread on here about re- chambering rounds and from what I read the 45 was the worst one about the bullet sliding back,

.45 ACP is actually one of the most tolerant rounds to bullet setback; it has large volume for it's small modern powder charge, and hence alot of room to handle bullet setback before seeing a rapid pressure rise. Since .45 ACP is such a low pressured round anyway, and modern guns are designed around .45+P ammo, you get even more wiggle room. Same with .38 Spl and the like with high unused case volume.

Now .40 S&W with 180 grain bullets is a combination well known to have issues with bullet setback.......but that's another matter.

I've fired half a box of 230 grain Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP's that were setback a ridiculous amount (must have been dropped or something), probably right to the powder. Still didn't blow the old M1991 Colt that was shooting them, although recoil was noticeably brisker.

[madmag]

Now .40 S&W with 180 grain bullets is a combination well known to have issues with bullet setback.......but that's another matter.

Agree with that. Most over-pressure issues I read about on many forums involves the .40 S&W. It's high pressure from the get-go.

As a G36 owner, I am also waiting for an up-date.

[Sevens]

.40 S&W is definitely high pressure right from the start with very little room for error... but lets not make it sound like it's in a whole other class or anything. Afterall, it runs a similar maximum pressure as 9mm, .357 Mag, .41 & .44 Mags. And it runs a bit less than .357 Sig and 10mm and well under the new .327 Federal Mag.

[Skans]

This is the very reason that I will only have a Glock (or other plastic pistol) in 9mm. That's what it was originally designed for, and then Glock ventured out into larger and hotter calibers. I seldom, if ever, hear about Kabooms with the Glock 17 - not saying that they don't happen, but it always seems to be the .45's that go kaboom. Just be glad that it wasn't Glock's 10mm.

[jersey_emt]

Originally Posted by KurtC

A properly designed handgun should have no problem withstanding an overcharge, double charge, squib load, or any other ammunition abnormality.

If a handgun can't "handle" a squib it is poorly designed? Do you have any idea how much pressure and force is produced when a round is fired with an obstructed barrel?

I'd be extremely surprised if any handgun could handle a squib without probably catastrophic damage.

[jborushko]

A properly designed handgun should have no problem withstanding an overcharge, double charge, squib load, or any other ammunition abnormality.

petty much all weapons break hard...

I'd be extremely surprised if any handgun could handle a squib without probably catastrophic damage.

for the win!

i've seen many, many guns (revolvers, autos, bolt action, lever action, etc) blow up a barrel. or have a breach explode, or blow out the back throwing a bolt into a face. these are VERY VERY high pressures we are dealing with, it happens

[jersey_emt]

Originally Posted by jborushko

no petty much all weapons break hard...

For sure! And also consider the photo is of a revolver, which I think would have a greater chance of surviving, because the cylinder gap, while small, does give the extra gas & pressure somewhere to escape from. Compare that with a locked breech or blowback design, where the chamber and barrel are sealed.

Here's a rifle that was fired with a barrel obstruction. The shooter was lucky he wasn't killed.

[madmag]

but it always seems to be the .45's that go kaboom

I guess repeating this answer does no good, but if you research you will find the .40 S&W has more kabooms than any other pistol caliber.

Having said that, if your pistol is a .45 like in this thread then it's a 100% rate failure to the guy holding the pistol that went kaboom.

I hope the OP gets back on any answers he gets.

[silversimpson]

Has Glock ever issued a statement concerning KB's with there guns? I just purchased a G22 (potential duty weapon) and I don't want any possibility of the weapon becoming a hand-grenade (no pun).

[tjhands]

I just purchased a G22 (potential duty weapon) and I don't want any possibility of the weapon becoming a hand-grenade (no pun).

Just don't fire bare lead bullets in your gun (unless you buy an aftermaket barrel) and don't trust ammo that was handloaded by anyone other than yourself.

That's it, really.

[Uncle Ben]

I'm a little nervous about using my local range's reloads now

[madmag]

I'm a little nervous about using my local range's reloads now

There is always some risk that you can get an over-charged round. This is not just limited to re-loads. Factory rounds can also be over-charged. The good news is with factory ammo it's a very rare event.

Glock is not the only pistol with an un-supported chamber, but Glocks do seem to have more un-supported area than most. Having an un-supported chamber does help in chambering a round, but there is no free lunch. If you have an un-supported chamber coupled with an over-charged round, then you can have problems. Of course there are other reasons for kabooms than un-supported chambers.

Has Glock ever issued a statement concerning KB's with there guns?

Not in the sense that they admit any design flaw that contributes to a kaboom.

[Sturmgewehre]

Here's the problem with Glocks in .45 ACP:



A large part of the casing is unsupported in the Glocks. This leads to case failure and "kabooms".

Here's an HK chamber for comparison:



And an XD:



Setback is an issue as well as faulty reloads and over charged factory loads. The Glock 45's are teetering on the edge of a kaboom every time you take them out. I hate saying this, being a G21SF owner... but it's true.

[madmag]

Sturmgewehre, good point.

I am a G36 owner and the un-supported area of Glocks is true. I am sure Glock stays with the un-supported area to help in the reliability of chambering rounds. I was well aware of this issue when I purchased my Glock. I guess I feel the odds are well in my favor.

BTW, the photo's would look the same in .40 S&W.....at least the older Glock .40's.

The Glock 45's are teetering on the edge of a kaboom every time you take them out.

Don't know on that one. Wouldn't I see a bulge on some casing if it's on the edge? My casings look Ok.....even the aluminum ones.

[jborushko]

OH MAN! GREAT PICS

thanks for those!

[Sturmgewehre]

I only say they are teetering on the edge of a kaboom because all it takes is one factory over charge (very slight), one round setback (common), one soft case, one faulty reload and boom, it blows. A setback or slight over charge in a properly supported chamber on another handgun won't cause a problem at all. It might kick a little more to let the shooter know something was amiss, but the chances of a kaboom are slight.

The other down side to blowing up a Glock is that often times the polymer lower explodes injuring the shooter, although all cases I've seen the injuries were relatively minor. I've been present at a 1911 double charge (back in the early 80's before automated presses were common place) kaboom and aside from a bruised ego both the gun and the shooter walked away to shoot another day without the services of a gunsmith. He needed to replace the barrel, magazine and grip panels but otherwise the gun was good to go. The barrel was replaced not necessarily out of necessity but out of caution. When it happens to a Glock, you're losing the lower. If you were reloading or using non-factory ammo, you're out the cost of the gun.

[madmag]

one round setback (common),

I have no issue that Glock's have an un-supported area. But I don't think set-back in the .45ACP will cause a kaboom. It does increase pressure, but not enough to give big problems. The .45 is more forgiving for set-back than the .40 S&W.

Having said that, the un-supported area in a Glock chamber will be more of a problem for high pressure rounds than one that is fully supported....no argument there.

I will also agree my Glock will not hold up as well as my 1911 or P90 when something bad happens pressure wise.

[JohnKSa]

A large part of the casing is unsupported in the Glocks. This leads to case failure and "kabooms".

It isn't a problem with good quality ammunition loaded to industry specifications and used in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

By the way, the picture of the damaged barrel is the result of an overpressure round, not a simple case failure. A case will fail if a round is overpressure, but a simple case failure will not damage the barrel. A simple case failure is the result of a faulty case, early opening of the action or inadequate case support, not overpressure. It may blow the magazine out of the gun and, in some instances may cause some other minor damage but generally shouldn't structurally damage the gun, certainly not the major steel components of the firearm.

The barrel is MUCH stronger than the brass and will not fail simply because a case blows out. The fact that the steel of the barrel is damaged is ample evidence that there was considerable overpressure when that round fired.

The idea that a tiny bit of brass is all that allows the chamber to keep from rupturing or tearing is not realistic. If the chamber is damaged structurally then there was an overpressure event and the fact that the case failed too isn't surprising given that it's much weaker than the chamber is.

Don't know on that one. Wouldn't I see a bulge on some casing if it's on the edge? My casings look Ok.....even the aluminum ones.

Yes, if your chamber has inadequate support or if your recoil spring is getting very weak then you will likely notice that the brass is getting stressed. If you're not seeing any symptoms then it's unlikely that your chamber has inadequate support even if it has less support than some other chambers.

But I don't think set-back in the .45ACP will cause a kaboom. It does increase pressure, but not enough to give big problems. The .45 is more forgiving for set-back than the .40 S&W.

The 45ACP is more forgiving of setback, but I don't think it's possible to say that it won't ever kaboom as a result of setback. A heavy for caliber bullet load that is loaded on the hot side and has a decent amount of setback isn't something you want to fire in any caliber.