law enforcement glock malfunctions

Pete & Repeat...

NCIC Teletype Bulletins...

describing catastrophic frame failures with .40+ Glock pistols, have been sent out to all LE agencies, via the "nationwide broadcast" distribution outlet- literally since the guns came out. I had dispatchers saving them for about 4 years, since I was the FTO for a small agency or two. It didn't take long to create quite a pile of them.

The agencies themselves are pretty protective of these, mostly because we are taught from DAY 1 that this stuff is confidential, and that there are stiff civil and criminal penalties for improper distribution of most NCIC info.

OK, fine. Privileged info, like the "non-public records" portion criminal histories, etc.- anybody can understand that. But we are talking about officer safety issues here, and the continued use of taxpayer funds for a product that is developing a problematic track record. This is sort of like the "Exploding Crown Vic Patrol Car" issue. I think that you could probably get it via the Freedom of Information Act, if you wanted to go to the trouble and expense. Keep in mind that these things originate at the individual agencies, and that brevity is the cornerstone of NCIC bulletins. You might well find yourself having to request additional info from hundreds of agencies around the country- with varying degrees of success.

My answer to the problem is to work for LE agencies that give me a choice in the matter- and to carry something else.

Rest of the thread in case you hadn't seen it-

http://www.ambackforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1623

Jeff…

Glad you made it here.

Jeff said:

The RP from glock gave us a blanked statement the guns are fine.

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I'm sorry to report that this may not be the case, although this type of response is almost doctrinaire within the company.

1. It's not the gun… the shooter is limp-wrisitng.[/*:1wbh8s55]
   
2. It's not the gun… it's the ammo.[/*:1wbh8s55]
   
3. And if on the outside chance it might be the gun, then it was tampered with after it left the factory.[/*:1wbh8s55]

Your specific area of concern may refer to the metal locking block in the frame.

Glock has experienced systemic failures of their locking blocks in the .40 caliber pistols for years and have replaced them literally by the thousands. The locking block becomes cracked through repeated contact with the barrel and slide during the operating cycle of the pistol. The pistol usually continues to function and the cracked part is usually found in routine inspection of the pistol.

That said, there have been cases where the locking block crack continues until the part completely fractures, often resulting in the pistol failing to function and the requirement for an armorer to physically beat the slide off the frame to replace the part.

Any large agency with Glock .40 caliber pistols will have experienced this problem to some degree.

This makes me concerned since my safety and maybe others could be depending on this pistol.

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Leave the emotional approach to Sarah Brady and the much-less-than-a-Million Moms… you have a reasonably expectation of your duty weapon functioning flawlessly, and should with a clear eye and unwavering voice demand that level of performance.

If you have access to the police teletype and can get authorization to do so, suggest that you request specific information from agencies issuing Models 22 and 23 with respect to locking block failures and replacement. Information received can then be brandished beneath the nose of your Glock representative, and your CLEO will probably back you a lot more resolutely than if you start citing "stuff from the Internet."