Glock 29 Question

This is not a post to start a "FLAME WAR" or in no way am I slamming the Glock product. I own many different brands/makes of firearms and just like the new truck/car, firearms have warranties to fix problems that are encountered after the purchase.

I have a Glock 29 (have owned this Glock for a few years); recently I have been noticing light primer strikes. The pistol is clean and oiled correctly and this is not curd/powder fouling.

I called Glock at their customer service number and told that this pistol needs a 4256-1 trigger bar up grade to take care of the problem.

I asked Glock if I could purchase the upgrade Trigger bar and install myself. I was informed that I had to ship the pistol to Glock on my dime (they wouldn't provide a free shipping label).

The price of the part is $12.50 and I can install it myself---this cost of the shipping to Glock is 2X to 3X the price of the part.

Could some more knowledgeable members tell why:
1.) Glock didn't notify customers of the needed upgrade
2.) What exactly is difference in the stock trigger bar and 4256-1 trigger bar
3.) Why wouldn't glock cover the shipping as this would seem to me to be similar to a vehicle recall
4.) Why won't Glock ship me the part so I can install it

Thanks

orcale

The new trigger bar has been changed to pull the striker to the rear a little more, making the primer hit a tad harder.

Glock had problems with VERY FEW 45's and 10mm guns with light primer strikes. No need to recall every gun that works fine.

I would simply order one and install it myself. I installed the new trigger bar in my second generation G21 even though I never had a problem...just to be on the safe side.

You could also simply install the Wolff extra power striker spring. It will increase the striker hit by approx. 1 pound. It will also increase trigger pull weight a tad.


Either way.

http://glockparts.com/?mainURL=%2Fst...gory_id%3D62ne

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOUNTAINORACLE

Could some more knowledgeable members tell why:
1.) Glock didn't notify customers of the needed upgrade
2.) What exactly is difference in the stock trigger bar and 4256-1 trigger bar
3.) Why wouldn't glock cover the shipping as this would seem to me to be similar to a vehicle recall
4.) Why won't Glock ship me the part so I can install it

Thanks

orcale

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Minor addition to BUCKMARK's comments:

Glock doesn't know which of the guns it was an issue with, thus, it would be a waste to contact everyone who purchased one of the affected models. Even if it affected every one of the affected models, there still would be no way to contact each individual purchaser. We don't have a national gun registry, and Glock doesn't know who you are unless you sent in your warranty card. And the issue emerged on most of the gun boards. I usually hear about recalls in products I use regularly through an online forum before I get anything from the manufacturer. They don't cover shipping because it is expensive. How much do you think Glock made on your G29? $100? $200? Call it $200 -- shipping is $50 in terms of cost and employee time. What rational company is going to dump 25% of their margin? Most gun companies don't cover shipping; it's just the way things are. And they won't ship you the part because Glock doesn't, and never has, sold parts directly to consumers. They are sold only to factory trained Glock armorers and distributors. If they sold direct, and you installed the part improperly, they face potential liability for any injury or harm that results. If I were Glock, I'd do the same thing.

Finally, and most important: Glock knows that people know about the issue, that they buy parts online, and that they install them at home. They also know that people like you are rational and can do the math.

Why would Glock throw away $50 for shipping PLUS the cost of the new part, when they know that you are perfectly willing to pay the $12.50 to a shop to buy the part and install it yourself?

Sure, you'll grumble and complain, but you'll do it -- and it won't stop most people from buying another Glock.

Personally, I wouldn't send my gun to Glock for repair unless it was a MAJOR structural issue. I'm talking about severely peened slides or barrels, thinned breech faces, blown rails, cracked frames -- the sort of stuff that entails a repair I can't do myself or will cost more than $100 in parts.

If the problem is with the guts, or any modular part, I can get the parts cheap, and change them out faster than I can ship it to Glock and get it back. It's a different story if we're talking about a more complicated gun, or something that I don't have the tools for -- then I usually send it to my gunsmith. But the Glock? A $2 punch, the ability to read, and the free schematics and instructions online, are all you need to replace any part.

Another option is to return it to the shop that you bought it from.

Most of the bigger gun shops that sell Glocks have a armorer on site. They can order the parts and install them for way less than it costs to ship the gun back to the Glock factory.

It'll cost you a little more than it would to do it yourself but it's way cheaper than paying for shipping to Smyrna, GA.

I was able to purchase two 4256-1 trigger bar from a Glock Armor in the area for $30.00 out the door (bought 2 as I have a pair of Glock 29s) and installed them with no problem.

Took both 29's to range yesterday and both operated with no problems or light primer strikes. During this range session both were 100% reliable, will have to send a couple of hundred more trouble free round down range with both before I will trust them for primary carry guns again.

I will probably never purchase another Glock product as I feel that Glock should have mailed me the trigger bar free of charge. It was a problem with Glock 29, Glock was aware of the problem and the fix, and as far as I am concerned that is terrible customer service. I bought a Smith & Wesson X-Frame 500 magnum when they first came and the front sight blade insert was the incorrect one for the load that I was firing---called Smith's Customer Service and mailed me 3 different sight blade inserts to try at no cost to me. Now, that's customer service.

oracle

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOUNTAINORACLE

I will probably never purchase another Glock product as I feel that Glock should have mailed me the trigger bar free of charge. It was a problem with Glock 29, Glock was aware of the problem and the fix, and as far as I am concerned that is terrible customer service. I bought a Smith & Wesson X-Frame 500 magnum when they first came and the front sight blade insert was the incorrect one for the load that I was firing---called Smith's Customer Service and mailed me 3 different sight blade inserts to try at no cost to me. Now, that's customer service.

oracle

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The different between mailing someone front sight blades and trigger assemblies is huge -- entirely different world.

When is the last time you heard about an unintended discharge that resulted from an improperly installed sight blade insert? The liability for an incorrectly installed factory trigger assembly shipped, knowingly, from the factory to the end user is tremendous (I say this as someone whose core practice area is plaintiff-side litigation). Front sight blade? Who cares.

And before you start talking about how wonderful S&W's service is, remember, it was S&W that pioneered the idea of refusing to sell certain parts to private individuals -- even factory trained gunsmiths when they introduced the .357 Magnum in 1935 and wouldn't sell replacement cylinders for it. If you wanted a cylinder replaced because of a problem or defect, you had to send it to the factory. Why? Because they knew that some bonehead would install it, improperly, in a .38-44 N-Frame instead of the pre-27 Magnum frame and blow his little hands off and then sue the company.

Why in the world should Glock put its butt on the line in the hope that the guy installing the parts doesn't screw it up? That's not good business.

Rule 10b5:

I have used S&W Warranty/Customer services for items other than front sight inserts. I purchased a used S&W 686 (-nothing) a few years ago, the 686 no dashes had a problem with the firing pin bushing, I called Smith and the 686 was sent to S&W for repairs, Smith & Wesson paid the shipping both ways and charged me zero for the repairs, on a revolver I bought used. On the semi-auto side of the coin, had problems with the extractor on 4013 TSW called Smith and again was sent a prepaid shipping label, with the letter I enclosed with the pistol, I asked that Semi do away with the ambi safety and slick up the action at my expense. All work was done to my satifaction and Smith didn't bill for any of the work or parts.

If Glock would have shipped the part I would have signed a waiver or whatever legal type form that wanted to release Glock from any liable due to a bone head mistake on my part; and if that did satisfy them, what's wrong with the free shipping and repair route used by Smith, Kimber, Freedom Arms, etc.


oracle

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOUNTAINORACLE

I was able to purchase two 4256-1 trigger bar from a Glock Armor in the area for $30.00 out the door (bought 2 as I have a pair of Glock 29s) and installed them with no problem.

Took both 29's to range yesterday and both operated with no problems or light primer strikes. During this range session both were 100% reliable, will have to send a couple of hundred more trouble free round down range with both before I will trust them for primary carry guns again.

I will probably never purchase another Glock product as I feel that Glock should have mailed me the trigger bar free of charge. It was a problem with Glock 29, Glock was aware of the problem and the fix, and as far as I am concerned that is terrible customer service. I bought a Smith & Wesson X-Frame 500 magnum when they first came and the front sight blade insert was the incorrect one for the load that I was firing---called Smith's Customer Service and mailed me 3 different sight blade inserts to try at no cost to me. Now, that's customer service.

oracle

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How much did that smith cost ya? see the difference?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Edg

How much did that smith cost ya? see the difference?

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I beg to disagree here. My M&P is in the same price class as a Glock. I had a minor problem with it and emailed S&W. They emailed back a prepaid FedEx label. I shipped it off and had it back in about 2 weeks. Just cost me gas for a short trip to FedEx to drop it off. Glock can get away with this for the same reason that Toyota has the worst warranty in the auto business. The customers' perception of their quality (real or not) makes it unnecessary to sell the product.