I have heard over the years about frame rails breaking on Glocks, but had never experienced it until this week. I was teaching a law enforcement class where the majority of the officer carry department owned Glock 17's. Usually when I teach a class such as this I carry what they are issued while I am instructing. I find it useful for demonstration purposed and such to use my gun instead of having to take one of theirs. I spent 8 hours out in the pouring rain and probably fired less than 50 rounds demonstrating different techniques. Never had any sort of stoppage, gun ran just fine.

When I got home I stripped the Glock down for cleaning and noticed that the left rear frame rail was sheared off at the 90 degree bend. The broken off piece was nowhere to be found and the gun never hiccupped at all. I have had this gun since 2001-2002 time frame and have been doing some reading on this type of failure. Apparently gen 3 Glocks from around the time this one was made can suffer from this defect. Per the internet Glock will replace the frame if it is within a certain serial number range. I am waiting until Monday to call them and see what the remedy is going to be. From what I have been reading if it falls within the serial number range of afflicted weapons my only cost to get it fixed will be for shipping it to Glock.

Just wondering if anyone else out there has had a similar issue and how Glock took care of it. Anyone send back a frame that has had the finger grooves removed? Did Glock give you a hard time about this? I don't see that this should be an issue, but sometime manufacturers are funny about alterations to their "perfect" design.

Frame rail breaking and finger grooves removed aren't related, They'll replace the frame.

Does your serial number star with an E?
Sounds like it is one of the ones.

As a previous poster mentioned, if it's a mid to late "E"-series production frame, Glock Inc. SHOULD replace it for you.  The issue is with "E"-series Glocks (all size frames and models, regardless of caliber) manufactured from around "EJx xxx" or "EKx xxx" thru around "FAA xxx" or so.  It was over eight or nine months or so of production but it didn't effect ALL Glocks during that time-frame.  Most seem to have been fine, others break the left (or right) rear frame-rail from use.  The time period of production was from around July 2001 to around May of 2002 or so.

The only reason I mention the "F'-series serial-number at all is that there was speculation that the affected rear-frame rails might have been used into the very early "F" serial-number range until Glock diagnosed the issue.  Glock, Inc. added a "1" to the serial-number of the replacement frame(s), when they were Factory replaced under this "recall".  Good luck.  

EVX, so looks like I should have no problems with Glock. Pistol probably has 10,000-15,000 rounds through it.

Per my conversation with the Glock people, I had send it in on my dime, they will return it on theirs. It has been a while since I shipped a handgun and per Glock it had to be sent next day air. Could not believe it cost $82.76 to ship the frame only.

I believe an FFL can use USPS priority, I'd pay a local FFL a few bucks to ship it next time around.

Oh man, that's rough. I did that once - shipped a Model 10 to a buyer's dealer from myself. Overnight UPS. Never again.

Now I take it to the FFL I deal with along with a USPS priority mail flat rate padded envelope. Just big enough to ship 1 gun in a case with bubble wrap. About $6 before insurance. FFL charges me $10 to log it in and out.

$16 sure beats $83. Been there, done that.

Carrier picks up right from FFL. No fuss.

Glock should pay shipping both ways especially when its their defect but they get to dictate how you send it...thats crap on their part in my opinion.

Sent back the frame only. I did not want them poking around "fixing" other things. I find it interesting right on the work order paperwork that they warn you to remove all aftermarket accessories prior to sending the gun in. With the exception of night sights any non-Glock factory part will be removed from the gun and not returned to you.

So, they're supposed to offer a 13 year warranty?

Normally, I would agree with you.  However, the OP's pistol falls within the serial number range recognized by Glock to have defective frames from the factory.  That changes things a bit in my mind.

I'm not surprised.  I know that's been Ruger's policy for about forever as well.  It makes sense from a liability standpoint in the big scheme of things.

I agree, really complain about and they will pick up the shipping cost.



 

It may run longer than that. I have two Gen-1 model17's and a very early Gen-2 19 that I called Glock to ask about manufacture dates. All three are 1986 manufacture. They told me that if they had not been upgraded, that they would do it for free.

If you show up to a GSSF match they will replace everything for free. Locking block, recoil spring extractor, the works. They will add extended slide stop and mag release for free as well.
I have a few buddies as well as myself if we buy a used glock we take it and in 15 minutes fresh as out of the factory except the slide barrel and frame.

Definitely this! It is ridiculous how a Non FFL gets ass raped like this trying to ship a handgun.

Got the new frame today. They even shipped it back in a clamshell box. Serial number is different than others I have seen in the past, G with 5 digits. I guess they are no longer just adding a 1 at the beginning of the old serial number. The only part of the process that was unpleasant was the $83 to ship it, which is not a Glock problem.

Recently my Ruger Sr22 pistol demonstrated a problem due to my dry firing.  The firing pin peaned the top of the barrel face to the point where the chamber would no longer allow a bullet to feed.    I didn't want to send it back so I filed down the area to where the peaning was gone.  It worked after that, but not dependably.  I humbly called Ruger and told them I tried to fix it myself, and that I'd pay for the new barrel.

They sent me a shipping label.  In less than a week of me dropping it off at UPS,  I received my gun back with a note that they replaced the barrel and firing pin and test fired 40 rounds without failure.  

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but why can't Glock pay for the shipping like Ruger does?  And I have and like Glocks.

Forgive the slight derail, but did you have to go through a FFL again, since you received a firearm with a different serial number?  Or can a manufacturer doing warranty work do this without issue?

They sent it straight to me, no FFL and a different serial number.