Glock G30 Malfunctions (am I limp-wristing??)

[Krogen]

I've shot a fair number of Glocks over the years, but never owned one. That is, until this year. I bought a G30 Gen 5 and fired it yesterday for the first time. I was surprised at its failures to function. Yes, it's a new gun and may need break-in. But it's a Glock - I expected it to work flawlessly out of the box. Perhaps I was limp-wristing it. I've never had that problem with any other auto, but the gun is a 45 with a short stiff recoil spring and a light (plastic) frame. Maybe, just maybe, when the slide tries to go back, the frame is also moving in my hands. I'm suspecting it's the shooter, but said shooter thought he had an iron grip on the gun. Call me perplexed.

Some observations:

* I can already see the gun is very accurate even though I'm still getting used to it. 60 rounds of 230 gr ball at 12 yards went into a gaping hole in the paper around 2 1/2". It shoots to point of aim. Not Bullseye gun performance, but excellent for a defensive pistol at defensive distance.

* It's comfortable to shoot. Not punishing like I found with a buddy's Combat Master. That thing hurts! I attribute this to the Glock's wide grip and maybe some flex in the plastic frame. It's a soft shooter.

* Reliability sucked. Failures to feed, failures to eject, jams. The whole enchilada.

* Nearly impossible to cram 10 rounds into a magazine. I couldn't succeed with the brand new mag, but it got a bit better toward the end of my 60 round adventure. Still, #10 is still hard to get in the mag, either bare-handed or with my UpLULA. I expect this will improve with use.

* 1 round in the chamber and 10 rounds in the mag resulted in failures to feed the few times I tried it.

Perhaps all this is because it's a compact 45 and still new. Perhaps I'm (gasp) limp-wristing it. But I'm not about to carry it yet. The way it went yesterday, I'll not trust it (and me) to function in a crisis. I'll stick with my Sig pistols. None of those have ever hiccuped. Not once.

I'm interested in the group's comments. And yes I know, improve your grip, Krogen!

 

[Muley Gil]

When Glocks first appeared on the shooting scene here in the US, the company went after the police market. Glock offered special pricing and lots of cheap or free parts support. For us law dawgs with overcrowded, heavy Sam Browne belts, the lightweight, high cap Glocks sold like doughnuts at an FOP convention.

The biggest complaint-limp wristing caused malfunctions.

BTW, I bought a M19 Glock and carried in an ankle holster to go with my 1911 or .44 or .45 revolvers that still rode on my gun belt.

 

[mikerjf]

I had a G30S... not the same animal, due to the narrow slide. Mine had such high recoil that I gave it up after a short while.

In 235 rounds of a variety of 230 and 185 grain ammo (factory and handloads) I had only 1 FTF, so reliability not a problem.

Also, mine shot really low. I thought it had the wrong night sights and got a stock plastic set, still shot really low.

(Much happier with the 457.)

 

[jimmyj]

1. Are you "Limp Wristing"? probably yes.
2. I have had mine for several years and still cannot load the tenth round into the magazine.

 

[mckenney99]

Failures to fully eject & failures to fully feed the next round are THE classic signs of "limp wristing" a Glock. I have also found that some of their compact models do have stiffer recoil springs than the full sized guns and is one reason they need a little bit of shooting/cycling to get them broken in. Unless you have gotten the proverbial "lemon", I believe it will break-in at around the 100 round mark and you will get a better feel for your Glock grip. I have seen some new Glock owners grip the gun like they were squeezing water out of a brick when they prepare to fire the gun but then they immediately relax their grip after the gun fires and that was causing their "limp wristing".
The stiff magazine spring will also play a roll in the ejecting/feeding failures due to the increased pressure being put on the bottom of the slide by the top round in the ammo stack. Fully loading the magazines and then letting them set between range trips should help your issue also.

 

[David Sinko]

I used to shoot IDPA with a guy who used a 30 for years and all was well until one day it was not. He started to experience all manner of bizarre malfunctions and after sending the gun back to Glock it was determined that the problem was a cracked frame. Apparently the 30 was notorious for cracking the frame and there was a recall. As you have a Gen 5 I would think they sorted out that problem by now, but you never know. Be advised that Glock will always first blame YOU for not knowing how to hold it properly. That's how they diagnose all their problems unless you persist.

 

[s&wchad]

I'd start by cleaning and lightly greasing the frame inserts and slide rails. I'd also try different brands of ammo.

You might have someone else shoot it the next time you go to the range.

 

[Breakaway500]

Ive had my 30 for 20 years. It is my go to "desk" gun and has well over 3k rounds through it. Some WW2 ammo would cause it to malfunction but other than that..it's been like a fine watch. I shoot weaver so it's a pretty firm hold.I load 10 in mag,no issues.

 

[LVSteve]

When Glocks first appeared on the shooting scene here in the US, the company went after the police market. Glock offered special pricing and lots of cheap or free parts support. For us law dawgs with overcrowded, heavy Sam Browne belts, the lightweight, high cap Glocks sold like doughnuts at an FOP convention.

The biggest complaint-limp wristing caused malfunctions.

BTW, I bought a M19 Glock and carried in an ankle holster to go with my 1911 or .44 or .45 revolvers that still rode on my gun belt.

Glock 19 in an ankle holster? You must have big ankles. Sure you don't mean a G26?

 

[Muley Gil]

Glock 19 in an ankle holster? You must have big ankles. Sure you don't mean a G26?

No, it was a Glock M19. The M26 hadn't been introduced yet.

 

[CH4]

No, it was a Glock M19. The M26 hadn't been introduced yet.

Either 26 or 19, you must me built like Sasquatch. My ankle gun was a PPKS or M60.

 

[Muley Gil]

Either 26 or 19, you must me built like Sasquatch. My ankle gun was a PPKS or M60.

Not really. 6' tall and fat. Didn't run much as I got older. I had a young partner who loved to chase the bad guys on foot. If someone ran from us, I'd tell him to fetch and then follow with the patrol car.

He didn't let many get away.

 

[doubletapp357]

I am very surprised you had these issues especially from a G-30. I did hear of the newer Gen 5 models having issues. All the Glocks I own (8 in total) are chambered in 10mm or 357 SIG and all have been 100 percent reliable. I would def try some stiffer magazine springs. Did the failures occur with multiple magazines or just one specific magazine? I would check also the recoil spring. I really dont think this is caused by you~

 

[Krogen]

Thanks for the input, guys. I really want to like this G30, but my core interests still hang on wood and steel. I try and remember this is a tool, like the P365 I carry day in and day out. Even my old P228 and P220 are tools, but not made of recycled water bottles. OK, I suppose that's hyperbole.

Also, mine shot really low. I thought it had the wrong night sights and got a stock plastic set, still shot really low.

Were you "driving the dot?" I learned that sights on Sigs, Glocks and probably others are set up differently than many of us learned to use as young shooters. As a "yute" I was taught to level the top of the front sight with the top of the rear sight notch, and then align the tops with the desired point of impact. Later, I learned in Bullseye to do that, but align the tops with the bottom of the bull - the six o' clock hold. Eventually, I learned with German pistols to align the sight tops as usual, but center the front sight dot on the desired point of impact. Otherwise, shots are low.

1. Are you "Limp Wristing"? probably yes.
2. I have had mine for several years and still cannot load the tenth round into the magazine.

Failures to fully eject & failures to fully feed the next round are THE classic signs of "limp wristing" a Glock. I have also found that some of their compact models do have stiffer recoil springs than the full sized guns and is one reason they need a little bit of shooting/cycling to get them broken in. Unless you have gotten the proverbial "lemon", I believe it will break-in at around the 100 round mark and you will get a better feel for your Glock grip. I have seen some new Glock owners grip the gun like they were squeezing water out of a brick when they prepare to fire the gun but then they immediately relax their grip after the gun fires and that was causing their "limp wristing".
The stiff magazine spring will also play a roll in the ejecting/feeding failures due to the increased pressure being put on the bottom of the slide by the top round in the ammo stack. Fully loading the magazines and then letting them set between range trips should help your issue also.

I'd start by cleaning and lightly greasing the frame inserts and slide rails. I'd also try different brands of ammo.

You might have someone else shoot it the next time you go to the range.

I am very surprised you had these issues especially from a G-30. I did hear of the newer Gen 5 models having issues. All the Glocks I own (8 in total) are chambered in 10mm or 357 SIG and all have been 100 percent reliable. I would def try some stiffer magazine springs. Did the failures occur with multiple magazines or just one specific magazine? I would check also the recoil spring. I really dont think this is caused by you~

All good points. The gun is brand new, as are the magazines. I don't think the springs are faulty unless they're factory defects. Unlikely, I hope. The recoil spring is indeed a stiff one. Short travel so presumably they got tricky with it. I see there are aftermarket recoil spring assemblies available that are supposed to cure my problem. To me, that indicates I'm not alone with this issue.

I have 3 types of mags: Black follower 10 round, orange follower 10 round, and a 9 round black follower. I only used one magazine in my first use, so I will try others. I expect the magazines with be more accomodating with use. Sig's P365 mags are also cranky when new. Sig says to load them as full as possible and let them sit for a while. I'll try that with the G30 mags.

A buddy bought a G30 just after I got mine. We joke that we're "co-enablers." Recently, he bought an S&W M52-1. You guessed it, I had to have one too. He hasn't shot his G30 yet, but next opportunity, we'll swap guns/mags and see if the problem goes with the gun or the shooter. Different ammo is also on the agenda.

I did clean and lube the gun before use. A light oil, though, not grease. Per the manual's direction, I left the copper-colored factory lube in place.

I haven't given up on this gun yet. I'm just surprised a Glock can be so recalcitrant. I'm guessing a G30 wasn't the best choice for my entry into the Glock world.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

All my GLOCKs (and so-called "clones"?) are 9mm. Very few problems here with G17 and 19s. Mix and match seems to be very practicable.

CHEERS!

P.S. I much prefer my M&Ps in 40 S&W and 357 SIG.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Perhaps I will re-ignite a controversy here, but I will say unequivocally that I do not buy "limp-wristing" as an excuse for a slabside's failure to function properly. If a gun doesn't work, it is the gun's fault.

BTW, I have had no trouble with limp-wristing. I have occasionally shot that way for one transient reason or another, and no problems resulted. Of course, I have not shot every modern slabside, or even quite all of the classics. There may be one or two guns out there that are sensitive to firmness of hold, but they should be disposed of nearly the same way one disposes of magazines that don't work.

 

[cololab]

1. Are you "Limp Wristing"? probably yes.
2. I have had mine for several years and still cannot load the tenth round into the magazine.

Good to see that I'm not the only one who can't get that 10th round in every magazine.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I had a G42 years back that gave me fits with failures to be a gun until I found a more reliable hold. Yes different gun all the way around, just a poor example, but it was not my limp-wristing but just the way I held the gun.
A better example for the magazines is a G23 I bought with 5 magazines, 4 were still like brand new, as was the gun. I still can't load all 13 without the use of the UpLula. The G22 I bought for my son-in-law, also a .40 Caliber but I guess it's called a duty-size, also a used surplus in excellent condition, will give one fits loading the last couple cartridges also needs the UpLula. I ordered new magazine springs (cheap experiment). In the meantime, I cut one of the coils off one of the mag springs and it made all the difference in the world. It really worked. The only issue is I actually told the group here what I did...yes, tarred, feathered, 6x6 strapped across my shoulders, bull-whipped right out of town! I guess Glock makes them a little extra strong.
I DID change the spring back to a factory correct one, BTW.

 

[white cloud]

First off, I am most certainly not a Glock fan. I don't keep up with the model numbers or generations. I would look at a new Glock about the same way I would look at a new toaster. I greatly prefer revolvers.

I have a generation 3 Glock 27. It's been shot and carried a lot and sometimes when pretty filthy. I can honestly say that this gun has never malfunctioned over thousands of rounds. I can say the same thing about my M&P Shield. I have never been to a big name shooting schools so my grip is probably somewhat suspect. In spite of this, both these pistols are 100% reliable.

IMHO, if your Glock is malfunctioning, its either a design or repair problem.

 

[jimmyj]

First off, I am most certainly not a Glock fan. I don't keep up with the model numbers or generations. I would look at a new Glock about the same way I would look at a new toaster. I greatly prefer revolvers.

I have a generation 3 Glock 27. It's been shot and carried a lot and sometimes when pretty filthy. I can honestly say that this gun has never malfunctioned over thousands of rounds. I can say the same thing about my M&P Shield. I have never been to a big name shooting schools so my grip is probably somewhat suspect. In spite of this, both these pistols are 100% reliable.

IMHO, if your Glock is malfunctioning, its either a design or repair problem.

Connect Glock Customer Service and request a shipping label.

 

[Faulkner]

I'm guessing a G30 wasn't the best choice for my entry into the Glock world.

^^ I couldn't agree more.

I would have recommended a compact sized G19 (9mm) or G23 (.40 S&W) as a first Glock. Glock does not make a compact size .45 ACP. Personally, I am NOT a fan of the G26, G27, and G30 subcompacts. They're just not my thing.

I'm not there to watch you shoot so all of my comments will be anecdotal, but I lean towards limp wristing. I can't count the number of times a new LE recruit is having a problem with FTF's with their Glock (not being sexist, but it is often women) and I hand that same gun to another recruit and they have zero issues with it. Once we get them lined out on a proper grip while shooting the problem invariably goes away.

On the very rare occasion where the problem does indeed persist, we have tracked it down to ammo. I frown anytime shooters pull out a box of Monarch ammo from Academy because we have seen a number of weak loads causing FTF's in all guns, not just Glocks.

I do recall a officer having FTF problems with a duty sized G21 (.45 ACP) a while back. Took us a while to realize he was using aftermarket magazines, once we swapped them out with Glock magazines the problem went away.

I've never had to send a Glock back for repair other than for abuse in 25 years.

 

[Bill Bates]

I did clean and lube the gun before use. A light oil, though, not grease. Per the manual's direction, I left the copper-colored factory lube in place.

Strangely this may be the cause of your problem.

Glock recommends not cleaning and lubing while breaking in your pistol. They use a copper colored hi temp anti seize grease that aids in break in. I can't say that cleaning it out would have caused a problem but...maybe or maybe it will just take longer to start running smoothly.


I've had a Glock 30SF for 11 or 12 years. I've put a lot of rounds down range using a lot of different brands and loads with never a hiccup. I only have one minor complaint with it and that is the magazine tends to pinch my pinky finger at times when firing.

 

[shawn mccarver]

First, a new Glock should work. Leave the factory gold colored anti seize grease. Let it wear out.

Second, having heard of "limp wristing," I have intentionally tried to induce a failure by limp wristing every Glock I have ever fired. I have never been able to induce such a failure.

Third, the tenth round in the magazine creates a great upward force on the pickup rail on the underside of the slide. It could be slowing things down enough to cause a problem. Have you tried putting 10 in the magazine, chambering the top round, and leaving 9 rounds in the magazine?

Fourth, are you using HOT ammo? Try it and see if it runs. If not, back to Glock for inspection and service.

It SHOULD run with full magazine and one in the chamber.

Good luck.

 

[Krogen]

A follow-up to my post on 10 Feb 2025:

You may recall, I was bemoaning the unreliability of my new Glock 30. Today, I met a buddy at the club intending to have him shoot it to see if it was the shooter or the gun. Before we did that, I put a box of a different ammo through the gun without a single problem. I guess I had expected it to eat anything. After all, it's a Glock. But instead, it made its preferences known. I now know of one type it doesn't care for. Although I will shoot it a lot more before packing it, I am greatly encouraged. And it would seem my original concern about me limp-wristing it, is unfounded. (whew!)

 

[LVSteve]

What was the bad ammo, and what was the good stuff?

 

[Krogen]

It didn't like LAX 230gr FMJ. Admittedly that's remanufactured ammo, but I've used it in my other guns without issue. I know I'm taking on some risk with remanufactured ammo. It was happy with Remington 230gr FMJ. After a few more boxes of FMJ, I'll run some Federal HST and Winchester Ranger through it. Both are more suitable for defensive use than FMJ.

 

[Brian Parrish]

A follow-up to my post on 10 Feb 2025:

You may recall, I was bemoaning the unreliability of my new Glock 30. Today, I met a buddy at the club intending to have him shoot it to see if it was the shooter or the gun. Before we did that, I put a box of a different ammo through the gun without a single problem. I guess I had expected it to eat anything. After all, it's a Glock. But instead, it made its preferences known. I now know of one type it doesn't care for. Although I will shoot it a lot more before packing it, I am greatly encouraged. And it would seem my original concern about me limp-wristing it, is unfounded. (whew!)

Over on the Glock Forum this seems to be the consensus, do not top off the mag. Did you notice if the failures were with the second round always?
There is such a thing as the "Glock Hold". I have had to learn this with my G42 in 380.
I totally agree with the poster who says you should not have to do this!
But I depend on and use S&W 3rd Gen autos which are very forgiving in every way. The hold feels like a squeeze at the top of the pistol between the thumb and first finger and a firmer wrist than you have been used to. Try it and let us know OK?

You are gonna make this work, you just were not told about the learning curve.

Best to All!
BrianD

 

[Krogen]

Over on the Glock Forum this seems to be the consensus, do not top off the mag. Did you notice if the failures were with the second round always?
There is such a thing as the "Glock Hold". I have had to learn this with my G42 in 380.
I totally agree with the poster who says you should not have to do this!
But I depend on and use S&W 3rd Gen autos which are very forgiving in every way. The hold feels like a squeeze at the top of the pistol between the thumb and first finger and a firmer wrist than you have been used to. Try it and let us know OK?

You are gonna make this work, you just were not told about the learning curve.

Best to All!
BrianD

Interesting points, Brian. It seems to me now that it's all ammo-related. I didn't have any issues with a full mag and one in the tube - with Remington ammo. More rounds will be sent downrange before I proclaim victory.

I will say, though, that I won't be content with a gun that has to be held "just so." If it's so touchy that it can't be trusted with a weak-side hold and less than perfect grip, it will be relegated to range toy status. In a defensive situation, we shouldn't count on assuming a textbook position.

 

[Navy vet]

I've shot a fair number of Glocks over the years, but never owned one. That is, until this year. I bought a G30 Gen 5 and fired it yesterday for the first time. I was surprised at its failures to function. Yes, it's a new gun and may need break-in. But it's a Glock - I expected it to work flawlessly out of the box. Perhaps I was limp-wristing it. I've never had that problem with any other auto, but the gun is a 45 with a short stiff recoil spring and a light (plastic) frame. Maybe, just maybe, when the slide tries to go back, the frame is also moving in my hands. I'm suspecting it's the shooter, but said shooter thought he had an iron grip on the gun. Call me perplexed.

Some observations:

* I can already see the gun is very accurate even though I'm still getting used to it. 60 rounds of 230 gr ball at 12 yards went into a gaping hole in the paper around 2 1/2". It shoots to point of aim. Not Bullseye gun performance, but excellent for a defensive pistol at defensive distance.

* It's comfortable to shoot. Not punishing like I found with a buddy's Combat Master. That thing hurts! I attribute this to the Glock's wide grip and maybe some flex in the plastic frame. It's a soft shooter.

* Reliability sucked. Failures to feed, failures to eject, jams. The whole enchilada.

* Nearly impossible to cram 10 rounds into a magazine. I couldn't succeed with the brand new mag, but it got a bit better toward the end of my 60 round adventure. Still, #10 is still hard to get in the mag, either bare-handed or with my UpLULA. I expect this will improve with use.

* 1 round in the chamber and 10 rounds in the mag resulted in failures to feed the few times I tried it.

Perhaps all this is because it's a compact 45 and still new. Perhaps I'm (gasp) limp-wristing it. But I'm not about to carry it yet. The way it went yesterday, I'll not trust it (and me) to function in a crisis. I'll stick with my Sig pistols. None of those have ever hiccuped. Not once.

I'm interested in the group's comments. And yes I know, improve your grip, Krogen!

It could be your grip. When I first got my G19, the second round jammed on failure to feed. I tightened my grip and it's been flawless since. By ever since, I mean almost 10K rounds. Same thing happened with my son, the first time he shot it. I told him to grip tighter and poof it works flawless.

 

[jimmyj]

primary cause of FTF in Glocks is "Limp Wristing".