My cousin bought a used Gen 3 Glock 19 a while back and I finally shot it with him this weekend. One of his first comments was “it shoots well but I hate getting hit in the head with the brass.” I told him that it is a well-known issue with some Glocks and that he can probably have it fixed under the warranty.
Here’s the question, mailing it back to Glock overnight via Fedex or UPS will probably cost around $60, which is almost as much as the Apex FRE that is known to fix the problem. Would you recommend sending the gun back to Glock to potentially fix the problem, or buy the FRE and be done with it?
I would recommend he try a 30274 ejector first. That seems to be a fix for a lot of folks. He’ll need to take the ejector out of a Gen 4 ejector housing and replace his 336 with same. Easy to do and I’ve changed mine out except for a 26, which I understand may not benefit from this. Might be a simple fix and save a few dollars. I would definitely go with the Apex over paying $60 to ship it to Glock for another MIM extractor though.
I’ve read stories of guns going back to Glock 3-4 times with no fix in site. Swap out the Ejector as said above. If that doesn’t work Buy the Apex extractor. That should work. If it doesn’t they extractor may have to be fitted. Apex was nice enough to do mine for me. And didn’t cost me a dime. That finally fixed the problem.
I swapped the OEM extractor for the Apex version and guess what…still got the BTF. I have no received the upgraded recoil spring from Glock as well as the 30274 ejector. I have yet to shoot this combo but hope it fixed the issue as I really enjoy the G19.
Unfortunately, I’ve also read stories of people putting in an Apec FRE + upgraded extractor spring + plunger without affecting their BTF issue. In my case, it fixed the problem on my Gen 3 G19 completely. Frankly, I think I’d have more confidence in Apex working to resolve the issue than Glock, and that’s the route I opted to go.
The 30274 isn’t an automatic fix. Often it takes a combination of different extractors, ejectors, and EDP bearings to find a better working solution. Ammo power is another key factor to the equation also. Mag spring tension is also a contributing factor.
I agree that sometimes a combination of parts will fix it…in my case the Apex FRE with their extra-power spring, stock bearing, and the 30274 ejector did the trick. I didn’t have to do any fitting as others had to do, nor did I have to resort to the non-LCI bearing.
As to ammo and mags, I’m of the opinion that since some (or most) of the G19’s will run virtually all range ammo reliably then they all should. Likewise, standard magazines. If not, then the pistol is defective. Ammo and magazines aren’t something I’m willing to compromise on.
I would send it back to Glock and give them first crack at it. If you throw money at the pistol with aftermarket parts, you might not solve the issue and have to send it back to Glock anyway.
If you decide to repair the pistol yourself, I would not dick around with one part at a time. I would replace the extractor, spring loaded bearing and ejector with the latest Glock parts.
I have been fortunate with my Glock 19, 17 and 34. They were all purchased in the past 3 years and run like a swiss watch.
Out of curiosity, did it toss brass to your face as well?
The reason I ask is that none of my Gen 3 or 4 Glocks has ever thrown brass to my face, but one of my Gen 3 17s will bean my son in the forehead. He’s a capable shooter, and he’s not doing anything wrong, but clearly we’re doing something differently.
Alternatively, you could pay to send it back to Glock and still not have it right as many here have posted. If it were my $60 I’d trust Apex over Glock who should have had it right from the start. YMMV.
I know Randy has been doing that in some cases, and by all reports it’s the ultimate and final fix for BTF or other ejection issues. What does that cost?
