View Full Version : New G30 has re-designed mag follers!!!
boldbolt
12-08-2002, 17:15
I meant followers, not "follers" of coarse in the header...just excited about the re-design I guess...;Q
I had a G30 that I could never make reliable...it had the often heard failure to feed where the nose of the ammo jams into the top of the chamber. This would happend with every type of ammo, including "round nose" fmj. I tried new springs, new mags and just about everything but it would still jam about every other mag. I never could bring myself to carry it and eventually (sadly) sold it.
Well after looking at just about every other .45 made and nearly purchasing a H&K USP Compact (a fine handgun, but I still don't like the first trigger pull double-action), this week I decided to risk another G30. I put 250+ rounds through it yesterday almost without a hitch! Apparently Winchester 185gr fmj doesn't have enough power to cycle the slide correctly and gave several ejection failures, a couple of which left the spent casing in the chamber! With this same ammo, the recoil was substantually less...obviously less powerfull. Anyway, every other type of ammo ran perfectly including:
Blazer 230gr fmj
Winchester 230gr fmj
UMC 230 gr fmj
Cor-Bon 185gr jhp (what a great/fun round...not for the faint of heart though!)
Last point...after comparing the mags included with the new G30 to my old mags, Glock has completely re-designed the mag followers! Not just a small difference either, but completely different. Apparently the G30 feeding problems were not just user-error/limp-wrist/bad-ammo/old-springs as everyone (including myself) have been told by Glock and every dealer out there. ;g
What does this mean to those with current feeding problems? I just loaded a 10 round mag this weekend and after the first round was chambered the rest just layed there with the spring compressed and the follower cocked and jammed. Has anyone got a factory response? Warranty coverage to replace these defective followers? I haven't been here in a while but this happens to be coincidental to my recent problem. Thanks.
boldbolt
12-10-2002, 22:45
I also have several "old style" magazines from my first G30. I don't plan on using them (except maybe on the range) because the new ones have been so much better.
I am, however, thinking of calling Glock to see if the followers can be replaced with the new ones. I also don't know if they made other modifications to the G30 to improve reliability...it's tough to get an answer on this kind of thing!
If anyone finds an answer, I'd be glad to hear.
I've got their number and I'll try for an answer in the AM and will post back here afterwards. I've had good responses in the past with my G21 upgrades so hopefully this won't be a problem to rectify on their part.
This is basically how my phone conversation went.
Me- "I had a follower stuck during feeding."
Glock- "I don't know which generation magazine you have but send it in for exchange."
Me- "I have four of them."
Glock- "No problem."
I haven't had many reasons to contact Glock but it's been their typical response to my problems/query. Good to go.
I did have two of the four mags with differently designed followers. The ones that came with the pistol had a more pronounced flat along the high side of the follower and the two factory mags I bought a short while later had a more pronounced peak to the high side of the follower. I'm sure there is a more technical term to describe this part of the follower but I don't know it. I don't know if there is yet a third design to the mag but I sent them all in just in case. They may send the newer ones back if those are the latest but no problem since I haven't tried them out and can't say if they would jam or not. I guess one of the main problems is stuffing ten rounds into a nine round mag. There are ten witness holes so it should work by design. I'd hate to have to compromise by loading nine, chambering a round, pulling the mag back out, and then put in another round for the ten round capacity. I'll give you folks a follow up after Glock sends me the replacement mags.
I have seen a description and image of the various DF and NDF mags for the G21. I believe it was in the Glockmeister site but haven't looked further to see if there is anything relative to the G30. I don't have a camera but it would have been handy here to illustrate.
boldbolt
12-11-2002, 22:42
Here's a photo comparison of the old mags vs the new ones. Glad to hear Glock will replace them. I'll be on the phone soon too!
For what it's worth, the serial number of my (new) G30 starts with EZC and the test brass is dated 10/2/02.
<p><img border="0" src="http://www.simplyphotography.com/images/G30_Followers_01.jpg" width="559" height="202"></p>
<p><img border="0" src="http://www.simplyphotography.com/images/G30_Followers_02.jpg" width="559" height="202"></p>
<p><img border="0" src="http://www.simplyphotography.com/images/G30_Followers_03.jpg" width="559" height="202"></p>
GlockedNCocked
12-11-2002, 22:58
Well I knew there had to be something that Glock could do to improve the performance/reliability of this otherwise superior weapon. I was about to sell off my G30. Now I'll give some new mags a whirl, especially if Glock is paying for them. I have 4 with the "old" style followers, and tons of FTFs with all kinds of premium 45 ACP ammo.
I'll let you know how the phone call goes.
Thanks for the pics. I must have abused the old style follower in loading my mags because they didn't look as crisp as yours. The new style you show looked similar to the others I sent along but I'm sure everything will get sorted out and they either will get returned or replaced as well.
pokey074
12-12-2002, 04:09
interesting. it appears that all my G30 mags have the old 3955 followers, yet my G21 LEO mags (which were bought with the G30 order) have the new 1 followers.
I hate to keep beating on this but perhaps there is confusion on my part in relation to the pics as well. The mag followers with problems seemed to look like the "new" ones depicted and the others I didn't shoot, that were new in the bag, resembled the "old" ones in the picture. I'm basing that on the second set of pictures and also the description of the mag followers in my previous post. I don't doubt boldbolt's image labeling just not sure myself given that I didn't write the numbers down before shipping them. I'll see what arrives and will post it in relation to the pics. Maybe the "old" ones pictured here are second generation and the "new" ones are third?
Bronson7
12-12-2002, 18:12
This is strange. I have two mags depicted as the old followers with no malfunctions to feed in my G30. Been shooting XTP's, Win 230 hardball, Win 230 hollowpoints and some strange Russian made brand. About 500 rounds in all. Havn't shot it that much yet but enough to trust it. Anyone else with depicted old followers that's had no feed problems?
Bronson7
dhoomonyou
12-12-2002, 19:37
I had a fail to feed with Hydra shoks & cci Blazer
"WTF?" I said, THANKS for the great info & pics, I will call Glock first thing in the a.m.
CarlosDJackal
12-12-2002, 20:53
I must be living right since I have never had a FTF with my Glock 30, which has more than 18,000 rounds shot through it. Except, of course, on two occassions with the two original mags that came with the gun at about 14,000 rounds. I finally had to replace the springs on them and have not had a problem since. ;f
18,000 rounds?;P You must live to shoot. If I shot 50 rounds a Saturday religiously that would take me about seven years. And then you probably shoot other guns as well? I hope someone is paying your ammo bill. I've definitely got to hit the range more if this is a norm for others here as well.
I guess if I read your byline I'd understand, huh?
Glock-o-matic
12-13-2002, 06:51
Originally posted by Bronson7
This is strange. I have two mags depicted as the old followers with no malfunctions to feed in my G30. Been shooting XTP's, Win 230 hardball, Win 230 hollowpoints and some strange Russian made brand. About 500 rounds in all. Havn't shot it that much yet but enough to trust it. Anyone else with depicted old followers that's had no feed problems?
Bronson7
I have ten mags (and 2 G30's) with the old-style followers and after around 30,000 rounds fired can remember no more than a handful of FTF's. I do use Wolff springs in the mags and pistols, so maybe that has something to do with it?
boldbolt
12-13-2002, 14:17
After having trouble with my first G30, I did a ton of searching both here and in other forums...I really didn't want to believe that it could be something with the gun itself. After all, it was a Glock!
What I found is that there are those who have absolutely no trouble at all and like myself, have a hard time believing that a Glock could have this kind of problems to any serious extent.
Later, I found enough posts, particularly related to the G30, to make me believe there must be some kind of serious issue and that it wasn't just me. Then when I purchased my new G30 and found the re-designed mag followers, it only served to re-affirm that there must have been some kind of problem or design issue.
I don't deny that some (maybe most) people have great, reliable G30s. On the other hand, I think there have been enough complaints about the G30 make me believe my unreliable G30 was not just a solitary problem.
Anyway, my new Big Dawg is awsome!
Yesterday I purchased a G21, G30, 4 xtra G21 mags, and 2 xtra G30 mags, all brand new. All mags have the 3955 followers. Shot 320 rounds this afternoon and not a single FTF.
allglock
06-25-2003, 17:30
Well as far as I can tell, there a (3) types of followers now .The 3955, the #1 and the inbetween one that has NO number on it. Has anyone been having problems with the # 1 follower and new type spring?
Is the mag body the same as the older ones? The #1 follower has NO legs on it ,and does not attach to the spring like the older ones.;d
docglock
06-25-2003, 17:48
I'm glad so many folks are admitting to feeding problems with their Glock 30. I had been led to believe that these guns were perfect all the time. My G30 performs flawlessly with S&B round nose ammo and Pow'r Ball with the round polymer tip, but it is not 100% with any kind of jacketed hollowpoint (Speer Gold Dot, HydraShoks, Regular CorBon, Hornady, and my Gold Dot reloads). With these JHPs I get a failure to feed of the last or next to last round about every other mag. Either the tip is stuck on the upper lip of the chamber or the round just starts to feed from the mag and then hangs up with the slide locked back. The mags all have the 3955 followers, so I guess they will be on their way to Glock. Thanks for the tip.
That's odd...
4 of my 6 mags with "1" marked followers had problem with locking back the slide when last round is fired. I asked my gun store to get me the new follower and when I got the new followers, I tested them and I found out that all of the new followers worked fine. Get this... the new followers are marked "3955". Yet you say that "1" is new and "3955" is old, now I'm confused...
-ChaZ
powernoodle
06-26-2003, 21:14
Originally posted by ChaZ
Get this... the new followers are marked "3955". Yet you say that "1" is new and "3955" is old, now I'm confused...
FWIW, the followers from my G30, circa 1998, are 3955.
GlockBlocker
06-30-2003, 00:20
FWIW, the followers on the magazines that came with the Glock 30 made in March of 2003 that I bought last week LOOK like the ones labelled "Old" in those first few pics and have 3955 on them. The only problem I'm having is getting all ten rounds into the mags. I'm thinking about either cutting the spring, compressing it manually, or sanding the follower legs. Any tips?
Originally posted by GlockBlocker
FWIW, the followers on the magazines that came with the Glock 30 made in March of 2003 that I bought last week LOOK like the ones labelled "Old" in those first few pics and have 3955 on them. The only problem I'm having is getting all ten rounds into the mags. I'm thinking about either cutting the spring, compressing it manually, or sanding the follower legs. Any tips?
Take bullets out and do it again. You'll eventually get it all in and then leave it like that for a month for bullets to help springs "settle in".
Or pursue weight-lifting...
-ChaZ
GlockBlocker
06-30-2003, 01:26
Yeah, meanwhile I'm wasting my time that I could be spending doing other things loading and unloading my magazines, burring the casings, forcing tight metal on metal up inside the pistol where the magazine hits when you try to put a full 10 round mag into a closed-slide Glock, and can't do an emergency reload unless the slide's locked back. I'm sorry...I love Glock, but this is ridiculous.
Bob Kelly
06-30-2003, 09:23
I just called Glock to ask about the followers (since I'm planning to buy a G30 soon).
The technichal rep. was very helpful. While he didn't have his part number reference nearby, he did say that the "new" follower was designed for law enforcement (especially for high cap. mags) and has a more extreme angle that lifts the round higher. (Sounds like the #1.) He said the only issue he's heard of with the new follower when used on the 30 is that it may be difficult to get the 10th round inserted into the mag.
He said that they still produce G30's with both the old and the new follower, depending on inventory, and that there is no problem with the reliability of the "old" follower.
Regardless of which follower you have, if you have feed problems, he said the standard service response is, "Send me the mag."
Again, he was very helpful and sounded like he was ready to fix whatever problems you might have (with either follower). Good luck!
j_ratliffe
06-30-2003, 14:01
i just ordered 10 of the new style followers thursday for my g30 and g21, and got them in the mail(usps) today. they are $1.00 apiece. i looked at the billing information, and they didn't charge me a thing. hell, you can't beat that. and that was really fast service. my g30 has the new type but my g21 doesn't. the new followers will not hold the slide back unless you do a minor modification to the magazine body.
Poohgyrr
06-30-2003, 14:11
I almost feel I have to go shoot my G30 to be sure I don't have any problems. It has worked W/O trouble with PMC ball, Win Ranger, Fed PDP, and my LRN handloads.
;c I know, this Sunday is our local IDPA shoot and the wife is outta town :).............
j_ratliffe
06-30-2003, 15:56
if you have the old style followers and are going to put in the new style, a slight modification to the mag body is needed so the slide will hold open. i used a sharp pocket knife, just be carful and don't cut to deep. take a little off and if needed, a little more. test fit before taking more off. i am using boldbolts picture because i don't have a digital camera, and can't scan at that angle. sorry boldbolt, hope you don't get pissed at me using your pics.
boldbolt
07-01-2003, 03:31
It's been 6 months since I got my new G30, and no problems at all. It's been as reliable as all my other glocks. I feel sorry for whoever got my old G30! :-0
No problem using the photos...that's what they're for.
Signal Zero
07-01-2003, 10:20
I'm a new Big Dawg, and might as well chime in with my experiences here. First--never had a problem with my G30. With that said, I got one of each mag with my new G30. Upon closer inspection, the 1 follower seems to point the nose of the round up farther than the 3955 follower. Since several complaints were posted about rounds nosing too high into the barrel hood, I assumed this was the old style. Thing is, this mag's metal liner rises to the opening at the front of the mag instead of stopping about 1/4 inch below like the 3955 mag. I thought this fully metal-lined mag was a new design. 3955 follower is my preferred because it doesn't nose rounds real high.
Tested all of my 6 mags with 3955 followers yesterday at Ben Avery shooting facility. No misfire, no failure to feed, extract, etc.
And they all lock back the slide when all bullets are used up. Can't say that for followers #1 which have been failing to do that for me and that's why they all got replaced with 3955 followers in first place.
Right now, I do NOT care if #1 followers are considered "new design" or blah blah blah. I have seen how #1 and #3955 performed and the latter have won out based on its performance.
Your mileage may vary, and it's entirely up to you guys to pick what's best for you.
-ChaZ
If Glock has really had this many problems with G30 mags they should issue a recall. Someones life could be at stake since this is a common CCW pistol
If this is in fact true for mags for the G30 wouldn't this be true for mags for the G21 as well?
StrangeC
07-11-2003, 20:56
I have two 3955 followers and one follower with the number 2 on it. I've never had any problems, but I'm confused on which way to go. I've called Glock and they say there are some law enforcement designed followers (I suspect these are the taller number 1s), but that there is no problem with the standard followers. I only wish there was a definitive answer form Glock on what was the recomended way to go.
quiksilver9292
07-14-2003, 17:59
so i have a new g30....had her for about a 1.5 yrs...so when i had my 23...i could load all 13 in the mag and load the mag with no round chambered...and no problems...with my 30 i try to load all 10 rounds and it feels like im going to bend the extractor...is this a design issue? and when i have all 10 loaded(1 in chamber 9 in mag) the damn mag rattles...any help would be appreciated..:)
Originally posted by Cyclist
If Glock has really had this many problems with G30 mags they should issue a recall. Someones life could be at stake since this is a common CCW pistol
My G30 was bought new in 1999(DEG serial)and I just checked and both mags have the 3955 follower. I have never experienced a failure of any kind with any of the different loads I've shot in this pistol. IMHO, if you're not experiencing any problems with yours with the type of ammo you keep in it then you are unlikely to begin having problems out of the blue. Not a flame, but most that carry a weapon for personal protection know they need to put at least a couple hundred rounds(the more the better)of their intended carry ammo thru their pistol to verify reliability. DON'T stake your life on an untried pistol/mag/ammo combo- Lee
Never any probs feeding with any mags, old or new.
I got my mag. back from Glock after I had reported that it wouldn't take ten rounds without a struggle and when ten were in, the mag. would bulge. I looked at the follower today (it works fine). The number on it, best as I can see, appears to be 3955. This is the old style, isn't it? What gives?
HiCap
BD # 4444
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