MARSHALL COUNTY, W.Va. — Officials in Marshall County said they’ve learned it could have been the weapon – not the ammunition – that caused a gun to explode in a deputy’s hand last week. Chief Deputy Kevin Cecil said organizations from across the country have called him recently, saying they’ve had similar situations with their guns.
“It’s a combination of them wanting to know what happened … along with possible problems with their firearms,” Cecil said. A deputy was using the .45 caliber Glock 21 for the first time at a firing range last week when the lower half exploded, breaking off the trigger, sending parts flying and injuring his hand. Cecil said he initially thought it was the ammunition that caused the problem, but not he’s not so sure. He said, as time goes on, he’s learned quite a bit about similar situations throughout the country.
“We’re actually adjusting our thinking a little bit. It might not just be the ammunition. There may be a certain issue with the firearm itself, so we’re going to send it off to have it independently evaluated,” Cecil said.
My thoughts went right to ammo since the Sheriff is trying this issue in the press, sending the pistol to an “independent” lab and has made no mention of any contact with Glock. Sounds to me like he violated that whole “do not shoot reloaded ammunition” thing in the owners manual. I imagine he called Glock and their first question was “what kind of ammo” and the conversation went straight downhill from there.
i keep hearing this “unsupported chamber” thing in certain glocks…
the 9 and 10mm supposedly have supported chambers… if i drop a round in the barrel of my g19 i can see a little sliver of brass near the feed ramp.
so are the 40’s and 45’s punched out larger in the chamber (all other geometry being the same) and thus have the feed ramp intrude more into the chamber?
i’m still not sure this is a real issue… given the number of glocks out there, and all the crazy loads people drop into them, and the apparently prevalent belief that they don’t need cleaning or other care… yeah you’re gonna have some guns pop…
Had two old timers come to me (on separate occasions) and say can I use my Glock tool to adjust the sights, Glock 17 both, shooting 6" to the left at 7 yds!
Both using the same re-loader? Making major with lead bullets, did not get a live round to pull a bullet to weigh it, heavy? I reckon.
Both slides had cracked at the ejection port, the thin bit. Glock replaced the one (shooter was in his 80s!) not sure on the other.
Being a realist, as Glock is the biggest supplier to LE in the world, the law of averages must be seen, in all facets, KB’s being one of them, stick to 9mm (like me) it will be a first time every time bang.
I’ve seen a 9mm Glock kB! shooting factory ammo. The oft-repeated theory that it only happens to stupid people with bad reloads is just marketing.
Would it keep me from using a 9mm Glock? No. But does it happen? Yes. And it seems to happen to the .45s the most often.
It may very well turn out that this was a case of bad ammo. But for so many otherwise rational and gun-savvy people to suggest the Sheriff is trying to cover something up is completely unfounded at this point.
In my experience, when an agency insists on sending a gun to an independent lab rather than returning it to the manufacturer, it’s because the agency doesn’t trust the manufacturer to provide a complete and truthful account. BTDT a few times…
I’m not about to say that Glocks are the personification of handgun immaculate conception. But the more publicized cases of G21 detonation (notably the Portland Police G21 issue{s} a few years back) were clearly laid at the doorsteps of the ammunition manufacturer, Federal, as I recall-as ascertained by an independant lab (HP White, as I recall).
I would tend to be more skeptical of the ammunition as opposed to the gun, from the onset, at least.
man i hate that line on glock talk.
i had a stovepiping issue with my G19, and posted on glocktalk… everybody was like “you’re limp wristing” not to toot my own horn, but i have damn good technique.
turns out it was a tweaked feed lip on a mag. :rolleyes: course i had to figure that out for myself.
I had a new Glock 19 (a green frame) ejection problems, changed every part under the sun, no fix… obtained an over sized spring loaded bearing, not available to we armorers! That cured it, shot thousands of rounds through it, now gone to RTF2 Glock 19 for match shooting. Shot first IDPA match Sunday, fantastic!
So, when this does happen, what exactly is happening?
Is the gun slightly out of battery? Over pressure ammo? Is carbon preventing good lock up? When things fail, they fail in a specific way and there is always a cause(s).
