How to diagnose and repair your Glock pistol. Glock repair chart with common Glock problems, causes and corrections along with related procedures for repairing your Glock pistol.
See also:
GLOCK PISTOL REPAIR CHART
See Glock Maintenance for select repair procedures.
| PROBLEM | PROBABLE CAUSES | CORRECTION |
| FAILURE TO EXTRACT (1) | Extractor worn, broken or missing | Replace the extractor |
| Defective ammunition | Change ammunition | |
| Dirt under the extraction claw | Clean the extractor | |
| Dirty chamber | Clean the chamber | |
| Shooting with an unlocked wrist (limp wristing) | Lock shooting hand wrist | |
| FAILURE TO EJECT OR ERRATIC EJECTION (INCLUDING STOVE PIPES) (1) | Broken or damaged ejector | Replace trigger mechanism housing with ejector |
| Underpowered ammunition | Change ammunition | |
| Dirty chamber | Clean the chamber | |
| Shooting with an unlocked wrist | Lock shooting hand wrist | |
| Lack of lubrication | Lubricate | |
| Dirty gun | Clean | |
| FAILURE TO FEED (2) | Magazine not properly inserted | Reinsert magazine |
| Underpowered ammunition | Change ammunition | |
| Dirty magazine | Clean and inspect magazine | |
| Weak magazine spring | Replace magazine spring or magazine | |
| Dirty chamber | Clean the chamber | |
| Tight extractor | Replace or clean as needed | |
| Shooting with an unlocked wrist (limp wristing) | Lock shooting hand wrist | |
| Deformed magazine (magazine sides or lip deformed | Replace magazine | |
| Weak recoil spring | Replace recoil spring | |
| SLIDE FAILS TO LOCK OPEN ON LAST ROUND | Magazine follower broken | Replace magazine or magazine follower |
| Dirty magazine | Clean and inspect magazine | |
| Weak magazine spring | Replace magazine spring or magazine | |
| Worn slide stop lever notch | Contact Warranty Department if the replacement of the magazine and slide stop lever did not correct the issue. | |
| Dirty gun | Clean | |
| Needs lubrication | Lubricate | |
| Deformed magazine | Replace magazine | |
| Trigger pin inserted too far (left or right) Slide stop lever worn | This can cause the spring on the slide stop lever to bind. Check to see if the slide stop lever moves freely. If no, press the trigger pin slightly to the right until the slide stop lever moves freely. | |
| Slide stop lever damaged | Inspect and replace if necessary | |
| Underpowered ammunition | Change ammunition | |
| Shooting with and unlocked wrist (limp wristing) | Lock shooting hand wrist | |
| Improper grip | Tighten grip | |
| FAILURE TO FIRE | Slide out of battery (DO NOT FORCE INTO BATTERY) due to: deformed defective round | Inspect and replace round |
| Under powered ammunition | Change ammunition | |
| Damaged/weak recoil spring | Replace recoil spring assembly | |
| Damaged recoil spring tube | Replace recoil spring assembly | |
| Mating surfaces of barrel, slide and the receiver excessively dirty | Field strip and clean | |
| Gun dirty/obstructed chamber | Clean chamber | |
| Shooting with an unlocked wrist (limp wristing) | Lock shooting hand wrist | |
| NO PRIMER STRIKE | Worn or broken firing pin tip | Replace firing pin |
| Obstructed firing pin channel | Clear and clean the firing pin channel | |
| Spring cups inverted | Assemble properly | |
| LIGHT, CENTERED PRIMER STRIKE | Hard primer (SMG ammunition) | Change ammunition |
| Obstructed firing pin channel | Remove, inspect and clean firing pin and firing pin spring. Clean firing pin channel | |
| LIGHT OFF-CENTER PRIMER STRIKE | Tight extractor | Replace |
| Dirty gun | Clean | |
| Slide lock reversed or not beveled | Replace or reinstall the slide lock | |
| Weak recoil spring | Replace the recoil spring | |
| INCONSISTENT TRIGGER PULL OR WILL NOT RELEASE | Connector loose in housing | Replace housing |
| Pistol is excessively dirty | Field strip and clean | |
| Wrong trigger bar | Replace | |
| Connector needs lubrication | Lubricate | |
| Trigger bar is bent or damaged | Replace trigger bar | |
| TRIGGER SAFETY FAILS TO RETURN TO ENGAGES (FORWARD) POSITION | Improperly stored in original box with trigger in full forward position (trigger safety fully depressed) | Replace trigger bar. When stored in original box, pistol must be unloaded, trigger in back position. |
| FIRING PIN SAFETY FAILS AS DESCRIBED IN THE MANUAL | Damaged, worn or defective firing pin safety | Replace |
| LOCKS OPEN EARLY | Improper hand position | Change grip |
| Reverse tension on slide stop lever | Install lever correctly and perform field inspection for proper tension. | |
| Damaged slide stop lever | Replace |
FTE = Failure to Extract or Failure to Eject.
Failure to Extract and Failure to Eject have different meanings even though FTE is used for both terms.Extraction refers to the removal of the spent cartridge case from the chamber. If you have a spent case that it stuck in the chamber or your extractor is broken, you have a Failure to Extract.
Ejection is where the spent case is forcefully thrown or ejected from the action of the gun. If the ejector is broken or the round is underpowered such that it does not have sufficient energy to drive the slide all the way to the rear you have a Failure to Eject. You can also have a Failure to Eject by “weak-wristing” or “limp-wristing” the pistol. One type of Failure To Extract is a stovepipe. A stovepipe is when the spent casing gets caught by the slide before being ejected from the gun. The empty case gets caught by the closing slide and gets stuck sticking out the side of the slide. It looks like a stove pipe. Stovepipes are associated with problems with certain ammunition or pistols that jam because the shell isn’t ejected properly.
FTF = Failure to Feed
The listed are intended as aids in diagnosing the cause and correction of problems observed when shooting. They are not intended to be inclusive or “catch-all” remedies. The actual remedy may consist of one or more of the above listed factors.
- The primary source of information for the above table was the Glock Armorer’s Manual, 2009.
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