Glock 43 Trouble

[AmmoAddict]

So the trouble started a couple weekends ago with my Glock 43. I have only put a few hundred rounds through the gun since I got it and had no issues. Two weekends ago I put six magazines through it and on my last magazine, I shot the first round and the slide locked back. I racked it, putting the next round in the chamber and shot and again the slide locked back. I racked it and shot the rest of the magazine. I went home feeling pretty depressed that this gun that is supposedly "perfection" might just be a hunk of junk?

I reluctantly shot it again last weekend and the first two rounds the same thing happened. I got pissed off and put the gun away. My father grabbed it and shot off the rest of the magazine no problem. Here are the facts of the case: All of the above mentioned shooting was done using 124gr blazer brass (most of my previous shooting with this gun was done with 115gr S&B). The incidents may or may not have been with the same magazine. I believe it was the first two rounds in the magazine both times this happened. When I say, the slide locked back I mean the slide stop engaged with rounds left in the magazine.

I couldn't really see anything hitting the slide stop that would have engaged it but I need to do some more investigating on this. I have not taken the gun down to inspect any springs yet. My plan for this weekend is to load all my mags with the blazer and have at it. I will mark any magazines that I have the issue with. I will reload that/those mags with the S&B and see if there is an issue. I will also be giving the gun a much better look if/when it locks back prematurely to try to find the cause. Maybe I will start to see a pattern regarding a specific mag or ammo issue. I'll also take the gun down to see if the slide stop spring has any obvious issues.

This is totally disheartening to me because this was supposed to be my carry piece. It was supposed to be a reliable firearm that I could bet my life on. Now I am viewing it as an expensive paper weight. Hopefully I can straighten this out. Anyone else have similar issues? Anyone have any advice?

 

[robjax]

That's a good place to start. I would definitely start by repeating everything you did last time out. Same ammo, same number of rounds per mag....everything the same. Number those mags and see if you don't have a defective magazine. Good news is that you get to go shooting again really soon...

 

[Mini88]

Are you sure you aren't inadvertently hitting the slide lock lever? It's a cramped grip and frame, I have done it with larger guns. I'd look at yourself before looking at the gun. If this can be ruled out, then I wish you luck with whatever others offer.

 

[AmmoAddict]

Thanks for pointing that out. I will look into this but I forgot to add that I'm a lefty. I would have had to engage it with the side of my trigger finger which I think is highly unlikely. I will be looking into it though to rule it out.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Did you detail strip the frame?

There is a simple mistake you can make reassembling a detail stripped Glock which causes the problem you speak of. The slide stop must be put in AFTER pin that sits above the slide stop, so the spring that pushes the slide stop down pushes down. If you put the slide stop in first, then the pin, the spring pushes the slide stop up.

A other possibility is the spring that pushes the slide stop down is broken. This would seem more likely since the problem appears to be intermittent.

Where are you located? I'm not a gunsmith, but I did take the Glock armorer's class a few times and I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last week.

 

[robjax]

Did you detail strip the frame?

There is a simple mistake you can make reassembling a detail stripped Glock which causes the problem you speak of. The slide stop must be put in AFTER pin that sits above the slide stop, so the spring that pushes the slide stop down pushes down. If you put the slide stop in first, then the pin, the spring pushes the slide stop up.

A other possibility is the spring that pushes the slide stop down is broken. This would seem more likely since the problem appears to be intermittent.

Where are you located? I'm not a gunsmith, but I did take the Glock armorer's class a few times and I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last week.

to this point...watch this video from about 19 minutes to 23 minutes. He goes over how to install that slide stop lever...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxGXc3ZuJTY

 

[AmmoAddict]

I'm not a gunsmith, but I did take the Glock armorer's class a few times and I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last week.

LOL .


I am in Tiverton, RI. I have not personally detail stripped this gun but It was cerakoted by omaha outdoors so they did detail strip it for that. I am not sure the spring/pin issue your talking about applies to the 43. I have seen some posts about that issue on other models but I think the spring is designed differently on the micro guns. I am no expert though so I will definitely look into this.

 

[robjax]

LOL .


I am in Tiverton, RI. I have not personally detail stripped this gun but It was cerakoted by omaha outdoors so they did detail strip it for that. I am not sure the spring/pin issue your talking about applies to the 43. I have seen some posts about that issue on other models but I think the spring is designed differently on the micro guns. I am no expert though so I will definitely look into this.

you appear to be correct. it does look different...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIDQUtIcqU

 

[Knicks]

any tension on the slide lock? i ran into the same problems and realized I eff'd up putting it back together. flip it upside down and see if the slide lock falls into the slide

 

[TomMontana]

A few hundred rounds? Your hand must be mush by now. As mentioned above, did you strip it and put it back incorrectly? If it worked fine for a few hundred rounds, then it's probably a bad/misaligned slide stop.

 

[F2386]

I've done this with Glocks. It was my grip. I like to hold as high as possible without touching the physical slide. I'm absolutely certain my palm is covering/touching the slide release. When I had an extended slide release installed the slide kept locking back as I was shooting. I switched to the factory slide release and the issue went away. Assuming you have the factory slide release installed, you might have to modify your grip. It's a small gun and that's just what you've got to deal with. Maybe the wider Glock 26 would alleviate this issue.

 

[whacko]

OP is obviously a troll......impossible that there is trouble with a glock......cuz glock!

 

[szaino]

LOL .


I am in Tiverton, RI. I have not personally detail stripped this gun but It was cerakoted by omaha outdoors so they did detail strip it for that. I am not sure the spring/pin issue your talking about applies to the 43. I have seen some posts about that issue on other models but I think the spring is designed differently on the micro guns. I am no expert though so I will definitely look into this.

When you take the slide off the gun, you can just lift the slide stop lever up and it should snap back down. This means the spring is on the correct side of the pin. I can almost guarantee you this is the problem. Youtube is your friend to see exactly how the spring should be installed.

If you are riding the slide lever with your hand when you are shooting, it is more likely to cause the slide "not" to lock back on the last round fired.

 

[drgrant]

LOL .


I am in Tiverton, RI. I have not personally detail stripped this gun but It was cerakoted by omaha outdoors so they did detail strip it for that. I am not sure the spring/pin issue your talking about applies to the 43. I have seen some posts about that issue on other models but I think the spring is designed differently on the micro guns. I am no expert though so I will definitely look into this.

Did you shoot the gun before they worked on it? Let me guess, no problems then... It's gods way of punishing you for cerakoting a glock.

ETA: I kid, I kid... but allen-1 might be onto something.

-Mike

 

[allen-1]

The slide lock lever for the 42 and 43 is different than other models. So, the advice given by a couple of people here while well intended doesn't apply. (I've got (2) 43's, (2) 17's and a 34 and I've had the slide lock levers out on all of them; I had a G42, my son has it now).

My son is currently experiencing the exact same problem with the G42 the the OP describes. When we looked into it, there was a original slide release lever, and then a newer part. So first thing to do is check part number on the slide release. The newer one is "-1".

What appears to be happening is that the ammo is actually catching the tip of the slide lock lever just as the magazine follower is designed to do. Some people have had success with filing down the tip of the lever.

 

[AmmoAddict]

Allen, Thanks for the info. When I get home I am going to see if I can get a look at the part number. Do you know if I have to take the release lever off to get a look at it or is it visible without any work?

Also, to Szaino I bought it from them already cerakoted. I should have saved some money and bought a stock black one but I got caught up in the moment when I ordered it. I won't make that mistake again! I could have bought 1,000 rounds of range ammo for the premium I paid for an FDE/burnt bronze gun!

 

[allen-1]

Allen, Thanks for the info. When I get home I am going to see if I can get a look at the part number. Do you know if I have to take the release lever off to get a look at it or is it visible without any work?

Also, to Szaino I bought it from them already cerakoted. I should have saved some money and bought a stock black one but I got caught up in the moment when I ordered it. I won't make that mistake again! I could have bought 1,000 rounds of range ammo for the premium I paid for an FDE/burnt bronze gun!

It's visible as soon as you remove the slide. You'll probably have to wipe it off, and depending upon your eyesight may need a pen-light. The part number is under the tab that the follower hits, right about where the Q-tip head is in the attached photo. The part number for the G42/G43 slide lock release lever is 33730, the newer one is 33730-1. The one in the photo installed in the firearm has no number on it, it's a Vickers extended.

The other photo is two stock slide lever lock releases, one for a G42/G43, the other for a G17/G34. As I said previously, they're different. The G42/G43 is a pita to remove if you're accustomed to removing the others. It drops into the groove in the trigger pin, acting like a C-clip, and it's held there by the spring. So, when you remove it, you need to jiggle it DIFFERENTLY than you jiggle a 17/19/34 lever, you need to essentially raise it right at the trigger pin to get it out of the groove as you push the pin through. Otherwise, you'll be there all day. It does not require force to remove the trigger pin, it needs the lever to be unseated.

 

[warwickben]

The slide lock lever for the 42 and 43 is different than other models. So, the advice given by a couple of people here while well intended doesn't apply. (I've got (2) 43's, (2) 17's and a 34 and I've had the slide lock levers out on all of them; I had a G42, my son has it now).

My son is currently experiencing the exact same problem with the G42 the the OP describes. When we looked into it, there was a original slide release lever, and then a newer part. So first thing to do is check part number on the slide release. The newer one is "-1".

What appears to be happening is that the ammo is actually catching the tip of the slide lock lever just as the magazine follower is designed to do. Some people have had success with filing down the tip of the lever.

My gf g43 is a bitch to take down compared to my 21sf

 

[AmmoAddict]

Well it looks like I have the original slide release lever. No -01 on the serial number. Guess I will call Glock and see if they can send me a new part or point me in the right direction. I will give an update once I get the new part in. If anyone has any other advice I would like to hear it. Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[szaino]

It's visible as soon as you remove the slide. You'll probably have to wipe it off, and depending upon your eyesight may need a pen-light. The part number is under the tab that the follower hits, right about where the Q-tip head is in the attached photo. The part number for the G42/G43 slide lock release lever is 33730, the newer one is 33730-1. The one in the photo installed in the firearm has no number on it, it's a Vickers extended.

The other photo is two stock slide lever lock releases, one for a G42/G43, the other for a G17/G34. As I said previously, they're different. The G42/G43 is a pita to remove if you're accustomed to removing the others. It drops into the groove in the trigger pin, acting like a C-clip, and it's held there by the spring. So, when you remove it, you need to jiggle it DIFFERENTLY than you jiggle a 17/19/34 lever, you need to essentially raise it right at the trigger pin to get it out of the groove as you push the pin through. Otherwise, you'll be there all day. It does not require force to remove the trigger pin, it needs the lever to be unseated.

View attachment 162347View attachment 162348

Interesting new design for G43 slide lever. As I look at the spring, it is attached at each end to parts that can not move? Can't quite figure out how this works yet.

 

[Cuz]

Steve,
Don't listen to any of these idiots on this forum. PM me and I'll come take that gun off your hands so you can get yourself a nice S&W Shield...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[92G]

G43 is a 2 pin design, not 3

 

[Retired-LEO]

That's a good place to start. I would definitely start by repeating everything you did last time out. Same ammo, same number of rounds per mag....everything the same. Number those mags and see if you don't have a defective magazine. Good news is that you get to go shooting again really soon...

+1 Agreed

I have been numbering my mags for 2 decades, and recommending others to do so as well.

 

[szaino]

Steve,
Don't listen to any of these idiots on this forum. PM me and I'll come take that gun off your hands so you can get yourself a nice S&W Shield...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't have a G43, just commenting on the new release lever design. Besides, have the shield... but thanks for your most gracious offer.

 

[Cuz]

I don't have a G43, just commenting on the new release lever design. Besides, have the shield... but thanks for your most gracious offer.

Lol, oops, my bad. Nevermind...