The Truth about Glocks and Cast

[FergusonTO35]

Good choices!

[FergusonTO35]

Over the course of the weekend I was able to put around 80 rounds of boolits through the 26. It looks promising so far. Accuracy is pretty good, hopefully will get better as I get used to the pistol and it gets broken in. Unlike my Glock 19, the elevation on this pistol seems to be dead on. I did bump the rear sight to the right some to correct my usual habit of pulling shots to the left. I have been using the grip and trigger pull techniques in this thread, which seems to be helping me:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...0-Glock-finger

[FergusonTO35]

Today I ordered a Ghost 3.5 connector and 6 pound trigger for my 19. This pistol is used on the range and stands ready for home protection. Do you guys think I should install both parts, or just the connector first and then try it? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I want to improve the trigger pull but keep it reliable and safe. I know I'm not going to do that and get a one pound pull or anything. I use only OEM striker springs, I won't chance a light strike for a defensive gun.

[Catshooter]

Ferguson,

Although I do believe that there is such a thing as a dumb question, I don't think that qualifies.

I have been running Glocks since my first 19 in '89 or '90 so I've tried a lot of goodies. After market parts have come a long ways since those days I can tell you. Nonetheless I avoid after market internals in my Glocks. All of 'em. When Gaston got done with his pistol design he liked it as a defensive weapon. Of course there've been changes since then but only small tweaks. It isn't "Perfection" but it is an excellent design for what it is. Hard to improve on much in my book.

What I do for the best trigger is the famous 25 cent trigger job (it really works) and then lots of trigger time. Casting helps with the cost of that!

Good luck with whatever you do.


Cat

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks, I will certainly think about that. The 19 had a gritty, stagey trigger pull when I got it. the .25 cent trigger job and some rounds down range really helped it. You say you have tried many aftermarket parts. Did you give up on them because of failures, or just conclude that OEM is as good as it gets in most respects? My Glock 26 which is going to be carried will get nothing but OEM parts.

[Catshooter]

I had trouble with aftermarket parts mostly in fitting where they were supposed to go. Remember though, this was in the nineties and I sure that the quality makers have come a long ways since then.


Cat

[snowwolfe]

I just managed to read all 22 pages of this thread watching the Bronco's game this afternoon. Have decided to try the stock barrel in my 35 with cast boolits before trying the Lone Wolf barrel. Alloy will be Lyman #2 and the mold is a Lyman 401638. Will try sizing them at .401.
Might be about 2 months before I can report back on the results as other projects are pending but I do have one question, what is the .$25 cent trigger job?

[Catshooter]

GlockTalk has Valuable Info forum (or some such name). In it there is a thread with a link to a video of someone doing a 25 cent job. Or you can just google it. Basically it's polishing the trigger mating surfaces to smooth the trigger pull. Works a treat, I do it to all my Glocks.


Cat

[FergusonTO35]

I find that my two Glocks, a 19 and 26, shoot cast boolits very well in the factory barrel as long as the velocity is modest, say 950fps. Above that, accuracy begins to deteriorate and fouling increases. I suspect that the higher pressure, fast twist, and rounded profile rifling are causing the boolits to become less stable at higher velocities. If I'm not mistaken Glock OEM barrels have a left hand twist rifling. As the velocity increases, so do the errors of shooting to the left. I also notice that the barrel accumulates fouling with a "plated" appearance, as if the boolit is getting wiped across the bore. Please note this isn't leading but your standard boolit lube/powder fouling.

I'm thinking that as the velocity increases the boolits begin to wobble in the direction of the rifling rather than spin on their axis. In my mind this would certainly account for groups drifting over to the left for no apparent reason than a slightly higher powder charge. In both pistols I can switch to the Storm Lake Glock 19 barrel with the exact same load and the problem vanishes. So, it looks like I am now in the market for a Storm Lake barrel for the 26.

[yondering]

Sounds like you need to discover powder coated bullets! 1400 fps is no problem in a stock Glock barrel, with ACWW soft enough to expand a reasonable hollow point, if that bullet is powder coated. It really does change the whole cast bullet game, and makes a lot of things easy that were once very difficult or impossible.

[FergusonTO35]

Yeah, I'm going to have to look at powder coating. It sounds pretty effective.

Folks, do you think Glock OEM barrels need a break in? Given how smooth and shiny they are I wouldn't think so but I have read it both ways. I haven't really figured out what bullet weight my 26 likes yet. I wonder if that will become apparent as I put more rounds through it. I will say that this pistol really likes reloads.

[Catshooter]

No on the break in.

I read a long article by Lynn McMillan once (the barrel maker) where he said that barrel break in was a waste of time. A match barrel was already "broken in" and a regular factory barrel that needed work would need more than a break in would do.


Cat

[Outer Rondacker]

Hi guys. I have skimmed over the last 22 pages. So if I missed the post I am sorry but I have to ask. Is anyone shooting a 45 Gap with cast bullets? I shoot my G37 better then my 1911 so I was thinking of down sizing. Giving up 45 acp if I could shoot cast in my 45GAP. If I can then I would like to pick up another cal like 9 or 40. We are in the myths of starting to build a house and there will be no gun buying for a while. She never said anything about gun swapping lol.

If you are shooting a GAP with leads heads then please let me know what mold you are using and powder and so on. Right now I shoot my 45 acp with cast 200gr round flat from a lee six banger mold. Thanks

[Catshooter]

Outer,

I shoot my own boolits in my G37 & 39. I use a NOE 45 BD mould. It runs 205 grains. I have to water drop mine or I get leading. I use Universal Clays but any powder that you'd use in the 45 ACP would work in the GAP.

I bought a Glock 22 upper off of GunBroker and it fits and functions perfectly on the 37. And just go completely nuts I bought a 9mm conversion barrel for the 22 upper and it works perfectly also. Boolits in all calibers, of course.

Welcome to the forum.


Cat

[FergusonTO35]

The Glock 19 is shooting just awesome. With the Storm lake barrel, Ghost 3.5 connector, and my boolit loads I can actually make cloverleafs right where I want 'em as long as I do my part. That is the first time in my whole shooting life I have been able to do that with an autoloading pistol. Previously I could only do it with a revolver in single action mode.

I'm still trying to get the 26 lined out. I've concluded that the trigger pull, as is from the factory, is just not going to work with my very modest shooting skills. Done the 25 cent trigger job with little change, it is still heavy and has alot of overtravel. Typical results at ten yards are a vertical line of shots about four inches long, two to three inches left of bull. That is using the exact same technique as with the 19. I do not have the time or money to send the thousands of rounds downrange that it will take for me to get any kind of acceptable performance out of the pistol in stock form, therefore I am going to do the same mods that straightened out the 19.

I don't have the cash for an SL barrel just yet but did order the Ghost 3.5 connector, USPS shows it should be delivered this afternoon. Hopefully that will at least get me to a somewhat predictable and centered group on target. That's what the connector did for the 19, the SL barrel shrank the groups like an ice cube in the sun. Hopefully can make a range report today or tomorrow.

[Catshooter]

The Glock is truly an excellent weapon. It isn't "Perfection" of course but he really did hit it out of the park.


Cat

[FergusonTO35]

For me the biggest attraction is the easy availability of parts and plethora of aftermarket stuff. You can pretty much build the pistol to your own specifications. For me that's pretty simple: OEM adjustable rear sight, Storm Lake barrel, and Ghost connector. I tried the 26 with boolits some more today and the results were better. I find this pistol is very sensitive to how you grip it, even more than the 19.

[Love Life]

I love me some Glocks. Only mods I make are to add night sights. I now have over 3,000 rds through my Gen4 Glock 21 and haven't had a single malfunction of nay kind. 95% of those rds have been reloads of varying powder charges for load development and experimenting and bullet/boolit weights from 200 gr-250 gr.

[FergusonTO35]

I think the simple, cheap OEM adjustable rear sight is just awesome. Both my pistols wear it and I find it gives a better sight picture than the supplied fixed sight.

[FergusonTO35]

I fired my Glock 19 with boolits some more today. This pistol just keeps getting better. Accuracy was not so good due to frozen fingers but I got a couple of nice groups. I notice the trigger pull keeps getting better. The Ghost connectors helps but it seems putting rounds down range helps more than anything. When the 19 was new, the trigger would move back easily about 3/16 then stop. Pulling some more would give a really hard break and lots of overtravel. Adding the Ghost 3.5 connector made the break a little less harsh. Putting a few hundred rounds through it after ward has got the trigger to where now it will creep some after the break point and you can stage the shot like its a single action with alot of travel or a light double action. I'm looking forward to the 26 getting to this point, its break is still pretty harsh.