Need some help troubleshooting an issue with a glock 26.

Relatively unused 26 except for firing several hundred rounds initially to ensure function. Stock except for 2 things: Ghost bar and grip adapter (slight beavertail). But again, previously tested for reliability w/o issue.

Recent range trip (not having fired the 26 for a few years) resulted in some failures to go to full battery. It's not carry proven in this state.

The weapon was clean although it's been sitting chamber loaded for this period. I cleaned it again after the range.

Symptom: if I cycle the slide (no mag, no rounds), it goes into battery. Even when I slowly let the slide return to battery (including when I stop at the 'notch' the RSA will force the slide into battery).

However, if I pull the trigger and keep the trigger back (don't release to reset) and then cycle the slide slowly, it will stop before full battery (slide looks almost closed). If I then release the trigger to reset, the slide will go to full battery.

I tried this on my 19 and the slide always goes to full battery.

Do I just need to replace the RSA? The RSA is still relatively new I think. Or is something else wrong?

My guess is the connector. Take the gun apart and reassemble. Make sure the connector is all the way seated, or even put the factory one back in. Try that first.

Thanks. Done. It may be a little bit better but the slide is still stopping before battery. I'll need to find the factory connector to try that. Any thoughts on what's causing it to stop? Should I try to bend the connector to lie flatter against the trigger bar frame?

Return it to factory condition. Lube well, especially the barrel hood. If this doesn't fix it, replace the RSA.

What ammo are you using when you have these failures? It might be an ammo problem as well.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Thanks. Done. It may be a little bit better but the slide is still stopping before battery. I'll need to find the factory connector to try that. Any thoughts on what's causing it to stop? Should I try to bend the connector to lie flatter against the trigger bar frame?

Don't do that. You're better off replacing the aftermarket trigger bar with the stock one. Bending the connector will not fix it. It's supposed to be off the trigger bar housing.

Are you able to press down smoothly on the striker safety plunger? I recall I had something similar before where the little spring was bound up and causing the plunger to be really stiff and the vertical extension of the trigger bar would hang up on it as it tries to depress it.

Maybe I missed it in your original, but is it failing to go fully into battery when your shooting, or, only when you're manipulating the slide?

quote:

Originally posted by Sparky315:
Return it to factory condition. Lube well.

I had a similar, if not identical condition, w/ one of my Glocks. I didn't have any failure to feed/fire/eject problems, but it didn't go back into battery confidently.

In my case, the diagnosis was easy. I was experimenting w/ an aftermarket tungsten-weighted RSA. The spring in the aftermarket RSA was weaker than OEM. When I replaced it w/ an OEM RSA, the issue disappeared.

I have a G43 & 43X. When I swap in the tungsten RSA in either of the two, I get the same return-to-battery hang-up. This also told me it's the RSA and not the rest of the gun.

Also, when I use the weaker RSA, when I dry-fire, I can see the slide creep back a little while I slowly pull the trigger. When I use the OEM RSA, the slide stays in place.

My recommendation is to get a new OEM RSA and see if it recreates the issue.

In what's basically a new Glock, the factory RSA is extremely unlikely to be the culprit. It's too new to be worn out yet.

The aftermarket Ghost parts are almost certainly the culprit, possibly slightly exacerbated by poor lubrication.

Don't throw money at it by buying a new RSA. Just put it back to stock and lube it. I will be very surprised if the issue doesn't go away.

Your recoil spring assembly should be good for several thousand rounds, easily. A few hundred is nothing. I wouldn't look to the recoil spring.

Did you change anything else out with Ghost components, other than the connector? You said the "ghost bar." Did you mean connector, or trigger bar? Have you disassembled your slide?

Two common spring errors in the Glock are the trigger return spring (usually found when the trigger will not return all the way forward without help), and the firing pin plunger safety spring. If the plunger spring is not installed correctly, it will cause the problem you are experiencing.

Ghost does sell a reduced power firing pin safety plunger spring: do you have one installed?

It may be worth the while to dismantle your slide assembly and remove the striker safety plunger, aand have a look at the spring, and make sure there's nothing else in there.

I pulled out a couple of G26's to look them over, see if I could duplicate your issue, but neither will.

You haven't changed any other springs (trigger spring, striker spring)?

quote:

Originally posted by K.O.A.M.:

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Thanks. Done. It may be a little bit better but the slide is still stopping before battery. I'll need to find the factory connector to try that. Any thoughts on what's causing it to stop? Should I try to bend the connector to lie flatter against the trigger bar frame?

Don't do that. You're better off replacing the aftermarket trigger bar with the stock one. Bending the connector will not fix it. It's supposed to be off the trigger bar housing.

Non OP related, but thanks for answering that about the connector being offset from the trigger bar housing. I had wondered.

Here's a simple test for the RSA. Para posted it in 2017. Give it a try...it will cost you nothing.

I have a G34 and suddenly began having feeding issues. Did Para's test, it failed. Put in new RSA and functioned 100%.

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Para/Dtech's Post:

posted February 15, 2017 02:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dtech:
My 20+ year old G19 is still completely original, including the recoil spring.
Here's Glock's test for the RSA being replaced. A Glock factory tech showed me what they do.

Hold your pistol vertical with the muzzle pointed towards the ceiling. Pull pack on the slide about a half inch or so and while holding the slide back, depress the trigger. Then, while still depressing the trigger, let go of the slide. If the pistol fails to return to battery, replace the RSA.

I have seen similar behavior twice: once from a gun with shit in the firing pin channel and once where one or both spring cups had developed a bur or something. With both, there was enough drag that the striker is essentially holding the slide back. We had several guns with gunky firing pin channels/assemblies, including mine. A couple of the users were people we would wonder about, but I certainly didn't try to lubricate my firing pin channel or parts. Our conclusion was that it was some sort of cleaner that was gunking up.

quote:

Originally posted by Nipper:
Here's a simple test for the RSA. Para posted it in 2017. Give it a try...it will cost you nothing.

I have a G34 and suddenly began having feeding issues. Did Para's test, it failed. Put in new RSA and functioned 100%.

************************
Para/Dtech's Post:

posted February 15, 2017 02:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dtech:
My 20+ year old G19 is still completely original, including the recoil spring.
Here's Glock's test for the RSA being replaced. A Glock factory tech showed me what they do.

Hold your pistol vertical with the muzzle pointed towards the ceiling. Pull pack on the slide about a half inch or so and while holding the slide back, depress the trigger. Then, while still depressing the trigger, let go of the slide. If the pistol fails to return to battery, replace the RSA.

As above. Something is overcoming the RSA spring tension, either gunk/drag in the internals, or non-spec RSA (it even happens with Glock).

A connector & grip adaptor can't cause this unless they are in the slide track.

The safety plunger will create drag as the slide returns to battery, especially if the spring is not in properly (or broken). I've seen aftermarket plungers, especially softer ones, that have developed deformations that led to the same problem.

Thanks guys!

So the RSA test that Para posted previously fails.

I will completely disassemble and clean the slide and internals and try again. I'll disregard frame components at this point.

If it still fails, I'll replace one at a time (so that I know which part failed): RSA, plunger+spring, connector.

I may have an extra recoil spring assembly for the G26. Hit me up if you want me to look for it.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Thanks guys!

So the RSA test that Para posted previously fails.

I will completely disassemble and clean the slide and internals and try again. I'll disregard frame components at this point.

If it still fails, I'll replace one at a time (so that I know which part failed): RSA, plunger+spring, connector.

Very kind, Thanks!! I already ordered some for replacement and spares. I’m embarrassed that a carry weapon has this failure and I didn’t have spare parts on hand. I need to ‘clean my rifle’ more often.

Bottom line is aftermarket parts and carry guns don’t mix. Zev ghost etc are ok for a range toy but never in a carry gun