glock 19 accuracy issue

[zackyholdem]

i have a g19 gen3 1.5yrs old about 600rds through it. i'm having some accuracy issues with it, i'm by no means a competition shooter but i am an average marksman.

my first shot out of a cold barrel is always 1 ft low and my gun will not hold a group to save its life, i have a problem getting a 6 inch group at 5yds, this is with both target ammo, fed, cci, wwb, rem and premium self defense rounds, remgs, hornady, speergd, winpdx, i cannot get it to group with anything

i have had other people shoot it and the same thing happens, it is my ccw and i have no confidence with it whatsoever

what should I do, i'm seriously thinking about trading it in? did i get a lemon, will glock correct the problem? i dont have the money to invest hundreds of dollars into it

thanks for any help, Zack   

[Savage]

Check the pistol over for obvious problems like a cracked locking block, broken or damaged rails or slide. If all is well here, replace the recoil spring and guide rod. If that doesn't solve your problem give Glock a call. I can't even imagine 6" groups at 5yds. Your pistol should be shooting a lot better than that! Forgot to ask, have you shot the pistol from a good rest? If not, do that first.
Savage

[OldSchoolRanger]

Ditto what Savage said. I do have a couple of questions for you:
1)Did the gun ever shoot a good group?
2)Have you ever fired non-jacketed ammo (reloads) through the gun? Glocks barrels don't handle reloaded ammo (non jacketed lead bullets) well. If you have been shooting non jacketed ammo, I would check to make sure the barrel isn't excessively "leaded" up. This would explain the bad groups you've been getting. If you can't clean the lead out to the point where you can again get good accuracy, a replacement barrel, may be the remedy to your problems.
Remember, Glock uses "Polygonal rifling" instead of the conventional "lands & grooves" type of rifling. They warn you about using "reloaded ammo" because of this problem, and the possibility of excess lead build up leading to excessive pressure.  You could probably use reloaded ammo, if you used jacketed heads. 
I have a Glock 19, (generation 3, with a NYS1 trigger). I have fired thousands of rounds through the gun without a problem, or loss in accuracy. I fired in excess of 3,000 rounds in one week, without cleaning the gun when I took a pistol course at Thunder Ranch, Texas. I wanted to see if Glocks' claim of reliability was marketing B.S., I found out it wasn't. 
If you can't remedy the problem (make sure you go to a gunsmith who is a qualified Glock armourer), call Glock and send the gun back for repair.  Good luck.

[chadm]

I agree with Savage. Look for something serious. It sounds like it may not be locking up consistently.

[Glock Doctor]

In my spare time I teach people to shoot.  Been doing this for more years than I care to recall.  The advice to look over the pistol from muzzle to backstrap is sound.  That is the first thing you should do.  Quality reloads aren't a problem; I've shot many thousands of them.  Crappy reloads are the problem!  Neither is lead a problem for a Glock barrel; SOFT lead is a problem! 

If you've been shooting crappy soft lead reloads, or just plain soft lead bullets, then, you're barrel definitely needs to be scrubbed out with a bronze brush and solvent or paste.  Personally, I don't think any of this applies to you because you don't say a word about either feeding problems or the pistol being, even slightly, out-of-battery while you're firing it. 

I'll tell you what I think the problem really is; ready?  I think the problem is with both you, yourself, AND the friends you've had test this G-19 for you.  Please don't take offense; but, I've trained a lot of people - men and women - in how to handle and shoot pistols. 

I got 'a tell you:  When a pistol shooter stinks, he really stinks; and, often, his friends are no better.  The rationale is always the same too.  After making a mighty (and completely unskilled) effort, poor marksmanship or gun handling always becomes the gun's fault - Always! 

Again, no offense, but you would have to have the crappiest Glock on the planet to post 6" groups at 5 yards.  (What, the Hell, are you doing shooting a pistol at 5 yards?)  Most of the people I hang around with don't even use the gun's sights at 5 yards!  All of us simply point and shoot.  Me?  On a good day I'll put all of them into a 4" circle; and I'll do this just as fast as the pistol can go, 'Bang!' 

You need some professional pistol training.  My suggestion (for the 1,000th time) is for you to begin training with snap caps and regularly use, 'ball & dummy' drills every time you go shooting.  Learn how to watch your front sight VERY carefully.  The slightest wobble will tell you where that bullet would have gone. 

When you load your magazines use some of your snap caps  in with your live cartridges; and load your magazines with your eyes closed.  Then mix the magazines up; and don't look at the magazine when you load it into the pistol.  I think you'll be absolutely amazed at what the ball & dummy drills reveal.  (Who would 'a thought - Huh!) 

Hope this helps you out.    

[OldSchoolRanger]

I'll tell you what I think the problem really is; ready?  I think the problem is with both you, yourself, AND the friends you've had test this G-19 for you.  Please don't take offense; but, I've trained a lot of people - men and women - in how to handle and shoot pistols. 

I got 'a tell you:  When a pistol shooter stinks, he really stinks; and, often, his friends are no better.  The rationale is always the same too.  After making a mighty (and completely unskilled) effort, poor marksmanship or gun handling always becomes the gun's fault - Always! 

You need some professional pistol training.  My suggestion (for the 1,000th time) is for you to begin training with snap caps and regularly use, 'ball & dummy' drills every time you go shooting.  Learn how to watch your front sight VERY carefully.  The slightest wobble will tell you where that bullet would have gone. 

When you load your magazines use some of your snap caps  in with your live cartridges; and load your magazines with your eyes closed.  Then mix the magazines up; and don't look at the magazine when you load it into the pistol.  I think you'll be absolutely amazed at what the ball & dummy drills reveal.  (Who would 'a thought - Huh!) 

Hope this helps you out.   

Glock Doc,
You my friend are the quintessential diplomat!     
OldSchool

[zackyholdem]

thanks for all the info guys the gun has had the problem from the start when i bough it NIB, it has been examined and shot by a gunsmith and 2 nra pistol trainers and they have all experienced the same accuracy issues, it has never seen a reload or a lead bullet and has had nothing but quality factory fmj ammo and premium hollow points, my buddy and i both bought G19's the same day and i can shoot 4" groups at 25yds with his all gun all day long so it is not me that is the problem, i have field stripped the gun and can find no signs of cracks or damage i called glock today and they said to send it back it sounds like a barrel issue and they would get it up to glock standards, the only problem is that the expected turn around time is 6-8 weeks

its also funny how people who have no knowledge of my marksmanship skills insist that it is me and not the gun, like its impossible that glock ever made a "lemon"

but i do appreciate all of the suggestions and info you all have provided, you have been much more helpful than other forums have been

Thanks Zack

[S.S.]

disassemble it and really inspect the barrel for a bulge or split.
especially the muzzle end. Use good magnification.
And My 19 has had countless hardcasts through it.
with no problems at all. Glock states no handloads
because of some idiots trying to make a 357 mag
out of their 9mm and blowing one up from pressure,
not from the bullet material.

[cwlongshot]

disassemble it and really inspect the barrel for a bulge or split.
especially the muzzle end. Use good magnification.
And My 19 has had countless hard casts through it.
with no problems at all. Glock states no hand loads
because of some idiots trying to make a 357 mag
out of their 9mm and blowing one up from pressure,
not from the bullet material.

Most ALL manufacturers today condone the use of "reloads" in there firearms. The only firearms I own that don't get reloads are my rimfires... Most are exclusively reload fired.

Just wondering if there was any update here.. I know its a bit early, but thinking maybe there estimate of 6-8 weeks could have been long..

CW