My Glock 43X doesn't like practice ammo- Should I be concerned?

February 12, 2019, 09:12 AM

sns3guppy

quote:
Originally posted by cooger:

Any recommendations on good practice ammo to try?

Any of my Glocks will digest anything.

You might try downloading the magazine one or two rounds, especially if they're new. Leave the mags loaded for a few weeks.

If there's really strong spring pressure, the rounds in the magazine may be lowering slide velocity.

February 12, 2019, 09:57 AM

rockchalk06

I had a Glock 43 that did exactly what you were describing. Didn't matter the round. Glock sent me a new extractor and a new RSA and it fixed it up.

On a side note, when I first shot my 43x, super light 115 grain FMJ ammo would go into battery a bit slower than it should. It did this on the first 30-40 rounds, but never did I have to push the slide forward. At the 50 round mark, it went away. Never did fail, but it was tight. I put more lube on the rails and barrel hood and then ran another 250 just fine.

February 12, 2019, 11:46 AM

gibby29

quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Have you disassembled and done the "plunk" test with the ammo? I had approximately 100 of 200 rounds of .45acp fail that with one of my other guns.

What’s the plunk test? Checking chamber fit by hand with each round?

February 12, 2019, 11:57 AM

mesabi

Is your "practice ammo" some no-name remanufactured stuff? I'm always somewhat suspicious of functioning problems when no ammo brand name is mentioned.

February 12, 2019, 02:18 PM

cooger

quote:
Originally posted by mesabi:
Is your "practice ammo" some no-name remanufactured stuff? I'm always somewhat suspicious of functioning problems when no ammo brand name is mentioned.

Sellier and Bellot and one other brand but I'm not sure what it is. It is all factory new. I have a hodge podge of different kinds of ammo because I buy what I can find cheap. I have some federal I'll run through it after it's lubed up good.

February 12, 2019, 02:21 PM

parabellum

Glocks should not choke. Somethin' ain't right.

February 12, 2019, 06:44 PM

JBP55

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
Glocks should not choke. Somethin' ain't right.

Probably the cheap no name ammunition.

February 12, 2019, 07:13 PM

djpaintles

quote:
Originally posted by SigBauer:
I definitely would not accept this at all. The gun should function flawlessly with any type of ammo...especially fmj...period. Glock needs to make it right.
I find it funny how many people give something like this a pass because it is a glock. Especially because it is a glock, it is not be ok. If it was a p365 everyone would be jumping all over this issue.
I have yet to shoot a g43x or g48, but I do have thousands of round through my g43 without a single hiccup, which is why I carry it without worry. Most of the practice rounds through it were various 115gr factory loads.
You should not be having any issues with any loads, so definitely do not let off glock until they make it right. There is certainly something going on with your individual pistol. Defensive pistols should be able to digest anything you throw at them, and for the most part all glocks I have run into can. Don't settle on this by assuming everything is ok and the gun will work with higher quality/heavier ammo. If the potential is there to hang up on 115gr, it dould happen with any load. Glocks have a great reputation for a reason, but they are not all 'perfect' like they would like to claim. Get it fixed, then enjoy.

This is a good post. Simply put if a gun doesn’t run it’s JUNK. No reason to put up with a gun that should run but doesn’t. Glocks are good guns.....except this one so far.

February 12, 2019, 07:26 PM

Johnny 3eagles

quote:
Originally posted by gibby29:
quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Have you disassembled and done the "plunk" test with the ammo? I had approximately 100 of 200 rounds of .45acp fail that with one of my other guns.

What’s the plunk test? Checking chamber fit by hand with each round?

Yes. Verify that the practice ammo "fits" the chamber. I had 4 boxes of "good" fmj ammo, and ended up checking damn near 200 rounds. 100 failed to seat in the chamber. They physically appeared identical in OAL. They all fired in a different pistol. Never had the issue again, but never bought that brand again.

February 12, 2019, 08:28 PM

cooger

quote:
Originally posted by JBP55:
quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
Glocks should not choke. Somethin' ain't right.

Probably the cheap no name ammunition.

I’ve addressed this twice now. It’s not no name ammo.

February 12, 2019, 08:46 PM

jezsuiz

Have you had anyone else shoot it? Any possibility you are limp writing it somehow? Could make the difference in slide velocity?

February 12, 2019, 08:48 PM

cooger

quote:
Originally posted by jezsuiz:
Have you had anyone else shoot it? Any possibility you are limp writing it somehow? Could make the difference in slide velocity?

I may be able to shoot it tomorrow. If so I will have someone else try it out.

February 14, 2019, 05:35 PM

medic15al

Is the breechface free of burrs and smooth?

I usually run the Win 124 NATO loads thru mine to smooth out a new gun.

February 16, 2019, 09:08 AM

cooger

quote:
Originally posted by medic15al:
Is the breechface free of burrs and smooth?

I usually run the Win 124 NATO loads thru mine to smooth out a new gun.

I’ll double check that. I shot it yesterday and I had no issues. I oiled it good and ran a mixture of the same S&B, some American Eagle, and magtech FMJs through it. All fires fine with no issues. I’m wondering if the gun and mags were just real tight and that, along with not being properly lubed, were causing my issues.

February 20, 2019, 09:18 AM

USMC2054

I am having a similar problem with my G43X while using weak Federal 115 gr ammo. I have had an occasional type 2 malfunction and the slide fails to lock back on the last round sometimes. Runs great on defense ammo and 124 gr NATO rounds. The more NATO rounds that I run through it the better it operates on weak ammo so I think I just have a tight gun/ recoil spring assembly. The wife’s 43x has ran great on any ammo that we put through it.

February 20, 2019, 07:10 PM

bubbatime

American ammo can be down loaded. Basically bunny fart loads.

On every new gun I break in, I LUBRICATE the gun and break it in with 200 rounds of 9mm NATO or other plus P ammo I have. And the first 50 rounds I shoot out of almost any new gun is going to be Federal 9BPLE 115 +p+.

The hotter self defense loads work fine, which tells us your gun is new and prefers some hotter ammo, at least initially as the springs break in.

1) use hotter ammo for the first couple of rounds
2) European ammo loaded to CIP standards are usually hotter than American SAAMI stuff. Find some 9mm NATO or Italian Fiochi to shoot.
3) store the gun at home when you are not using it, with the slide locked back. This will help break in your strong recoil spring.

I guarantee that if you go run 100 rounds of +p duty ammo through it, the gun will run perfectly. So is it broken, or just in need of more breaking in? I vote that it needs broke in. Glock has a LONG history of using overly strong springs in their guns, that require break in.

Wal-Mart sells 150 rounds of 9MM NATO for $27.xx. Stock up at that price. The stuff is quality, and hot, and runs good.

February 20, 2019, 08:44 PM

jimmy123x

quote:
Originally posted by cooger:
quote:
Originally posted by medic15al:
Is the breechface free of burrs and smooth?

I usually run the Win 124 NATO loads thru mine to smooth out a new gun.

I’ll double check that. I shot it yesterday and I had no issues. I oiled it good and ran a mixture of the same S&B, some American Eagle, and magtech FMJs through it. All fires fine with no issues. I’m wondering if the gun and mags were just real tight and that, along with not being properly lubed, were causing my issues.

It could've been something as simply as needing a little break in period, or to be lubed better, or possibly you were limp wristing it the first time. If it runs 500 rounds without issue, I'd say it's GTG.