Glock 30SF dissapointment

[Steelblitz]

My wife has a relatively new Glock 30SF (a few weeks old now with a couple hundred rounds put through it) and the thing has been innacurate and horribly unreliable up to this point. I am a big Glock fan, have owned 3 myself, plus I've carried a Glock 21 for the last 15 years. My Glocks had proven to be trusty workhorses, the AK's of the pistol world to me as far as reliability. I never, and I mean never have had any problems with my Glocks 45's.

This new G30SF of hers is picky to the extreme to the point she and I both do not trust it for a carry weapon. As far as the accuracy, yeah it's shorter that my G21, which by the way is more accurate than my customized Springfield 1911, but at 10 yards with the G30 you will be consistently 6" off center. The relaibility is the killer with this. Out of every 5 shots, you will get 1-2 ftf with just about every mag load. Different magazines don't help, cleaning, lubrication, etc.. Nothing looks out of place with the G30 when it's taken apart. 230 fmj seems to be the worst offender, but 185 jhp is still too unrelaible for me in the G30. I can take the same ammo that is jamming in that gun, which is of 4 different brands, shove that ammo in my G21, and it functions flawlessly.

So, we'll be soon looking to bring this model back and trade it in on something else for her. We do not have trust in the G30SF model at this point, not a chance in hell that this pistol we have could be depended on to save your life at least. She would love to have a G21 like mine, but it's a tad big for her hands, although if she takes her time, she shoots it well. I still love Glocks and have 100% trust in my other ones, but this G30SF of hers must have been made on a Monday or Friday for some reasons I cant put a finger on yet.

[S&W 10mm]

One question, if you like the idea of the G30 SF for carry purposes why havent you sent it back to the factory? Every manufactures have their share of bad guns and looks like you might have gotten one or maybe its just a simple problem. Send it back first, before you discard it/trade it. In time this maybe your favorite weopon.

[39flathead]

Please send it back to have it looked at instead of trading it and letting someone else inherit the problem.

It is usually much easier for the original owner than a second hand buyer to have it looked at at the factory.


When I had my FFL, we always checked out all trade ins before putting them out for sale. Nothing I loved more than discovering that a gun a guy "never had a problem with, I just want something different" seemed to mysteriously develop a feeding problem the next day.
BTW, I always kept a mental note of who those guys were and made sure I treated them extra special the next time.

[DaveM55]

If the 21 is just slightly too big for your wife, she might want to try the 21SF. The grip difference is significant. But good luck finding one right now. I love my G21SF.

I really want to get a 30SF myself.

This is the first report I've heard bad about that gun. Good luck, I hope it gets fixed soon!

[gonzoso]

How many people have shot this gun? I got a G36 in 2008 and it took me a while to get used to. It is really easy to limp wrist. Now that I know how to shoot it I love it, but I almost traded it. I had to take it out back and put 300 rounds through it in a sitting(after I already had 600 through it) to be comfortable with it. Shoot the crap out of it and see how it does. With the tiny .45's you gotta lock your forearms. Think holding onto a motorcycle at 90mph in a 35 mph crosswind and they will shoot perfectly. My gf cannot shoot my G36 well no matter what.

[kpw]

Definately contact Glock. If you don't like it when you get it back, you shouldn't have a problem selling it.

[Booner]

Sorry to hear you got a bad one. I haven't heard of too many Glocks that don't work as advertised, and my 30SF is probably my favorite Glock. Send it back and let Glock take care of it.

[jack76590]

Is the jam on the feed ramp or in the mag? Is the nose of the bullet touching the inside of the mag and the round jumps up and feeds when you pull back the slide? Sometimes the slide velocity is so fast that the round does not have enough time to fully "jump up" before the slide goes forward and strips off the round. Are the jams happening with the middle rounds?

This is what some think was the cause of the jamming G22 and G23 that the Indiana State police returned to glock for 9mm pistols.

A stronger recoil spring to slow the slide may help. A stronger mag spring to push up the round faster and more forcefully may help. But even if you can "fix it" will you ever trust the gun?

If you send it back to glock for what is overnight cost now, $50? will glock "fix it" or just run a few rounds through it and declare it fine? If it comes back from glock working will glock tell you what they did to fix it? Even then will you trust this pistol for SD?

I have a hard time trusting a gun that was once giving strange problems. Irrational, maybe, but I don't want to be thinking will this gun go bang if I have to use it.

I would get rid of it. It is a moral decision whether you just trade/sell without telling the buyer your problems. If you feel the need to tell the buyer do so, let him shoot it first. There are people out there who think there are no bad glocks only bad shooters.

[Steelblitz]

They were getting stuck feeding when the round was maybe half way in the chamber, about as far in as they could go before they are straight with the chamber. They were in pretty good but still had some angle to them when they were stuck. Issues with the recoil spring is what I was kind of leaning towards initially. Mag spring has tons of push compared to any of my other Glock mags.

I'll give Glock a call Monday and see what they have to say. What you mention Jack about any more cost I may have to incur with sending it in is something that has crossed my mind. Even if they find something and fix it, I wouldnt trust for awhile until it performed like my other Glocks. And since it my wife's, I am even more concerned that it function flawlessly.

I thought my wife might have been limp wristing it also, that's why I took it out for a test drive myself today. Damn thing had me scratching my head and I've shot a few rounds in my life in the Corps..infantry, FAST Team, 6 years rifle and pistol expert, sniper qualified, blah, blah, blah..if it goes bang, I've probably shot it and seen my share of misfires, FTF's and FTE's, lol.

I'll report back Monday if Glock recommends anything.

[jack76590]

If the round got half way in the chamber it is not likely it is a slide velocity problem, but possible. Would the round chamber ok if you pushed on rear of the slide? If it did chamber I would guess not enough recoil spring strength. If it did not chamber with a push then round is going in at bad angle, hanging up or something of that nature would be my guess. Going in at bad angle can be slide velocity or spring problem if the round does not have a chance to fully "pop up". Some people also call this "timing". But generally it seems when this happens that bullet nose gets caught on inside of mag.

If you think it is a weak recoil spring you could ask glock to send you a replacement to avoid shipping cost and hassle. Good luck and report back if you can.