Baby Glock (26)

[armed and humorous]

I didn't "know" anything about Glock before I bought this.  I had heard all the hype about how it was "the" gun to have when it comes to reliability, that "all the police departments" were using them, etc., etc. etc.  The 26 was well suited to carrying concealed, it was 9mm (enough to stop or slow down an attacker), and it was affordable.

It isn't the easiest thing to hang on to, but I was okay with that.  You've always got to make compromises (size vs feeling good in one's hand).  It seemed accurate enough, too, at first.  And, it was considerably easier to field strip than the Ruger I had at the time (even moreso than my Kimber that I bought later).  About my third time out to the range to shoot it, I noticed it was off to one side by several inches at 7 yds.  After a little investigating, I found out the front sight was twisted to one side (which I later attributed to "yanking" it out of a kydex-type holster that was snug).  With little else in the way of options, and not knowing for sure how it was attached to the slide (pressed, glued, threaded?), I decided to get hold of it with a pair of pliers (padded a with a layer of cloth) and see if I could straighten it out.  About two seconds later is when I realized the sight was made of plastic.  It was mushed into an odd shape that was never going to be acceptable to me (I like things perfect, or as perfect as I can get them).

So, I called Glock about a replacement.  I had already been looking at some tritium sights, so I inquired about those, too.  I was very impressed with the customer service.  They answered the phone after one ring with a real person, transferred me to a techincian once they were aware of my needs.  The tech was very knowledgeable and very polite and helpful.  He was even willing to refer me to some third party manufacturers of tritium sights if my main concern was cost.  In the end, I sent them my slide, they replaced the original sights with tritium, and sent it back in about a week?s time for a very reasonable price (around $70 if I remember right).  It was dead on again when I took it  to the range, and though I haven?t actually shot it in the dark yet, I would think it would work rather well (if I was actually at a distance that required using the sights).

I have, however, had a few feeding problems (FTF jams).  Most were when I was using a high capacity magazine (like the 33 rnd mag I just had to have).  The only jam I recall when using a standard mag was after my wrist surgery when I was gripping the gun differently and got pinched when my left thumb got in the way of the slide.

Just wondering what others? experiences with this gun have been.

[Rich B]

The G26 is my main carry gun.  I carry with a flatbase 10rd mag and a 15-rd G19 mag as a backup.  I also have a Glock +2 floorplate on another magazine.  It's light, small, and accurate.  It practically disappears in my Milt Sparks VM2.

The only issue I've had is that it doesn't like Blazer aluminum.  I get a jam or two every other magazine with that stuff.

Mine has Meprolight night sights on it, as well as a "butt plug" and extended slide release.  Chris, NFOA President and Glock Armorer, installed the sights for me during the middle of a 3-gun match in the snow.  (Seriously!)

[Chris Z]

When you are experiencing your Failure to Feed Malfunctions..... What kind of ammo are you using?

Winchester?
Federal?
Reloads?


The 26 is an awesome carry gun! I carry the 27, have for years and haven't found anything better for size when it comes to concealing (a powerful gun).

[David Hineline]

115gr ammo in Glocks especially Remington ammo is prone to limp wrist.

33rnd mags if manuf. by Scherer usually suck. if manuf. by Glock or the Korean spec mags should work fine.

[armed and humorous]

All of my mags are made by Glock.  I have the 33 rnd, a 17 rnd, and several 10 rnd mags.  The 33rnd is the major culprit for FTF.  I practice with Winchester factory loads, 115 gr FMJ.  When I carry, I have hollow points, and I have fired a few of those for practice, too, but haven't noticed any difference as far as feeding jams.  I haven't had the 17 rnd mag long, and only used it once or twice, but seemed okay (as long as I keep my thumbs out of the way).  I don't think I've ever loaded the 33 rnd mag and not had at least one (usually two or three) FTFs before I could empty it.  I used to just carry it loaded with 30 rnds in it just in case I run into a whole herd of robbers or something , but there isn't much point in that if it's going to jam more often than not.

Other, than that, I like the 26.  With th e 17 rnd mag, and a grip adapter, it gives you a place for the rest of your fingers.  I generally carry this one in an overhead compartment in my truck, so concealment isn't a problem with any of the mags.  If I carry on my person, I use the standard mag so it doesn't show so much.

[Chris Z]

To test your magazine follower and magazine spring.

Put the EMPTY magazine in the UNLOADED GUN. Rip the slide back as fast as you can and let go of it so your hand keep flying back towards your chest. If the slide locks back your mag is fine. If the slide falls and fails to lock back (after trying this a couple of times) you could have a magazine issue.

Other Possible reasons for the Malfunction:

1) The gun has all stock parts, correct? Nobody put an aftermarket recoil spring/rod in the gun?

2) Dirty Magazine

3) Dirty Chamber

4) Shooting with an unlocked wrist

5) Tight Extractor

6) Deformed magazine (feed lips or side deformed)

7) Weak recoil spring




To test the recoil spring:

With the unloaded gun point the gun UP at a 45 degree angle pull the trigger and keep the trigger pulled back, pull the slide all the way to the rear. While holding the trigger back, VERY SLOWLY ease the slide forward trying to see if you can keep the slide out of battery. The gun should go completely forward into battery. IF it does not, your recoil spring is weak and should be replaced.

[armed and humorous]

Chris:

Thanks for the tips.  Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to try them for a while.  Since my wrist surgery, I'm lucky if I can rack the slide at all, let alone doing it quickly.  I understand what you're getting at though. I probably can't do the recoil spring test for the same reason.  Hopefully, in another month or so, the pain will subside enough I can try these things.  Thankfully, I have some wheel guns I can carry in the mean time.  I can use my semi-autos, but I don't particularly like keeping a round in the pipe.  As a self-defense gun, I wouldn't be able to quickly rack a round so I'd have to just keep one in there if it was going to be of any value.  I know some people consider that the preferred method of carry, but I just can't get used to it.

[Rich B]

My father in law can get my G26 to jam, and I think it's due to limp-wristing.

A&H, good call on using the revolver for now.  As for carrying with one in the chamber, with a Glock, unless you pull the trigger, there's practically zero chance of a discharge.  I carried mine for about a week with an empty chamber, but never came home to a gun with the trigger back.  Glock's website has info on the various passive safeties the gun has, illustrating that the firing pin will not reach the primer unless the trigger is deliberately pulled.


I shot an interesting stage in my pistol league a few weeks back.  We started out at contact distance with a target.  The gun was holstered, magazine in place, empty chamber.  At the buzzer we had to back away from the target, rack the slide, and perform a failure to stop drill.  The drill was then repeated, but this time with one in the pipe.  Most of our times dropped about 1-2 seconds when using a loaded firearm.

[armed and humorous]

There's not much doubt having one in the pipe will save time in pulling and firing the weapon, and I'm not overly worried about an accidental discharge (by dropping or something).  My main concern is that having grown up "knowing" that you don't keep a round in the chamber, I'll forget whether I have on in there or not.  I'm aware that proper safety habits say you don't put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire, and I think I'm pretty good at followiing that rule.  However, I know there have been times when I had my hands full or something, but I was trying to carry my handgun along with the rest of my stuff, and the most convenient and sure way of holding on to it was to put a finger through the trigger guard.  Now, when I knew absolutely for sure the gun did not have a round in the chamber, this was "okay" to do.  All that changes when you have one in the pipe, or you're not sure how you left it last.  Old habits are hard to break.  Also, if someone happened to pick up my gun (maybe I laid it down somewhere for a second and a friend or relative who didn't know better, or someone sneaks up behind me while I'm walking my dog and pulls it from my holster), the danger is increased tremendously if there is already one in the pipe.  My friend might pull the trigger before I even knew he had the gun, or the potential mugger would (even if he/she didn't mean to).  If either had to rack one into the chamber first, I would have more time to react.  And, no matter how much they say it can't happen, nothing is impossible.

If I'm going out somewhere where the need for self-defense is relatively likely (walking my dog at night), I would likely chamber a round, because I'll be aware the whole time I'm out of the condition of that gun.  When I come home, though, and it is less likely I'll need my gun without a least a little warning, I'll pop it out for safety sake.  Trouble is, right now, it is so hard to be popping them in and out all the time, I don't want to deal with it.

BTW, I don't think I'm limp wristing when I shoot, but with the standard mag in the 26 you don't have much to hang on to, so it is a possible cause for my problems.

[FarmerRick]

Kind of getting off topic here, but what would be the difference between having one in the chamber in a Glock, and a full cylinder on a revolver? 

One pull of the trigger=one cartridge fired.

Just curious.

[armed and humorous]

Well, there are two things that come to mind immediately.  Single action vs double would be the most important.  With a revolver (not already cocked) it would be hard to accidentally pull the trigger as the force required would be much higher as opposed to the Glock, for example.  (Not that it couldn't be done.)  You're right, regardless, that a single pull of the trigger equals one cartridge fired.  However, in the case of the wheel gun, if trigger pull is your concern rather than dropping or something, it wouldn't make much sense to not have one in all the chambers because the cylinder is going to rotate when you cock it anyway.  In that case, again, worried about an accidental pull of the trigger, it would make more sense to have a round in front of the hammer and the upcoming cylinder to be empty.


But, come on, you knew all this...didn't you.?!

[FarmerRick]

But, come on, you knew all this...didn't you.?!

Yup.   


 

[Dan W]

We all also know you are violating several  major safety rules by not treating all firearms as if they are loaded

The Four Rules of Firearms Handling - by Jeff Cooper.
        Rule #1 - All guns are always loaded.
The only exception to this occurs when you have a firearm in your hands and you have personally unloaded it for checking. As soon as you put it down, Rule #1 applies again.
        Rule #2 - Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not ready to destroy.
You may not wish to destroy it, but you must be clear in your mind that you are quite ready to if you let that muzzle cover the target. To allow a firearm to point at another human being is a deadly threat, and should always be treated as such.
        Rule #3 - Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
This we call the Golden Rule because its violation is responsible for about 80 percent of the firearms disasters we read about.
        Rule #4 - Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
You never shoot at anything until you have positively identified it. You never fire at a shadow, or a sound, or a suspected presence. You shoot only when you know absolutely what you are shooting at and what is beyond it.

[armed and humorous]

Yes, I know those rules, and I also know that there probably isn't a reader here who hasn't violated them at one time or another.  Except as explained above, I do keep my finger off the trigger unless I intend to pull it.  Even when I know it is unloaded and carry it by the trigger guard, I am careful about it (realizing that if I should fall or something and my finger is in there, I might activate it).  I also heed number four religiously, as we all should.  Number one is kind of a catch all, which, if you follow all the others doesn't really mean much (especially if you are already allowing your posted exception).  Number two is pretty much impossible if you take it literally.  There is nothing in my house or my vehicle that I would "want" to shoot, but the muzzle has to point somewhere.  Does that mean I can't take it home in my truck or do I have to point it out the window at the ground?  When I get there what do I do, cut a slot through the roof or floor to the place I want to store it and keep it pointed through the slot until I get there with it?  You and I both know what #2 means, and we are both (at least I am) very careful with our guns.  Still, as I said, I doubt if you, or probably anyone who ever handles guns has not, at one time or another violated one or more of these rules whether intentionally or not.

Notice I said, "I doubt" whereas you said, "we all know".  I'm curious just what it was I said that "proved" to you I was violating several major safety rules.  Or, were you simply stating the same thing I just did (that we have all violated them at one time or another)?

[Dan W]

We all know because you just told us...

1. You admit in your post you don't remember if a gun is loaded or not.

"My main concern is that having grown up "knowing" that you don't keep a round in the chamber, I'll forget whether I have on in there or not."

 All  Guns are always loaded

2. You can't seriously believe this is safe...

"However, I know there have been times when I had my hands full or something, but I was trying to carry my handgun along with the rest of my stuff, and the most convenient and sure way of holding on to it was to put a finger through the trigger guard."

I may have violated the rules of safety,   but I am not trying to justify it or pretend it is OK 

[armed and humorous]

I have, too, at times (violated the safety rules).  I already admitted that.  I don't think, however, that the quotes you selected tell you that.  According to you, if the gun is still in my hand, and I know it is not loaded because I checked it myself, I am allowed to consider it not loaded (exception to #1).  So, when I was actually carrying it by the trigger guard, it was when I knew it was unloaded.  Even then, I never said I pointed it at anything I didn't want to shoot (though I probably did), and I never said my finger was ever on the trigger (which it wasn't as far as I know, but admittedly could have gotten there easily enough).  My fear was, that by changing my habits, I might forget if there was a round in the pipe.  That doesn't say that I "would" treat the gun any differently, or that I have, simply because I wasn't sure.  I'm just being picky now, but I was curious what you'd say.

I'm glad you admitted to, at least, the possibility that you have violated safety rules.  Otherwise, I would probably not take you seriously about anything else you had to say.  And, I'm not saying it's okay either.  It's just part of being human.  None of us is perfect, and anyone who thinks he/she is, is a fool.

[Rich B]

BTW, I don't think I'm limp wristing when I shoot, but with the standard mag in the 26 you don't have much to hang on to, so it is a possible cause for my problems.

Pearce makes replacement +0 floorplates that add a ledge for your pinky.  Glock makes +2 floorplates too.  You can also run G19 mags with an adapter/sleeve.   

[armed and humorous]

I think Glock has two different ones (+1 and +2).  I thought about those, but the 17 rnd mag was in an ad or something that caught my attention.  After weighing the advantage of an extra one or two rounds, and considering it would still add a little length to the grip which would reduce concealability, I decided that if I wanted more rounds I may as well go for a significant difference.