Your Glock is recoil-operated. That means in order to cycle the action, the handgun must capitalize on some of the inertia produced during the firing sequence, specifically that of the recoil produced.
Now, if something inhibits the ability of the gun to utilize recoil for this end, the result will be unreliable cycling, specifically, jamming. This problem is exacerbated by light handguns and low-recoil cartridges like .380 ACP and 9mm Luger – in both of which many Glock pistols are chambered.
There is another condition, called “limp wristing” which particularly affects beginner shooters and the recoil-sensitive. This post will break down the issue, as well as how to rectify it.
What Is Limp-Wristing?
First, we need to define the potential issue here. Bear in mind that if your Glock is frequently jamming, you shouldn’t just jump right to this potential cause – it’s just one of many.
At any rate, limp-wristing occurs when a shooter has a weak grip on the handgun and does not hold it firmly as the action cycles, or attempts to cycle.
What happens when you limp-wrist a handgun is that the slide moves back, or attempts to move back, but the frame moves back with it.
When the frame and slide move backwards together under the influence of recoil, there is nothing for the slide to “push back” against.
What ends up happening is that the slide can’t complete the cycle by moving completely to the rear, which can cause it to slam closed again on an empty casing. Limp-wristing can also result in partial ejections and stovepipe jams, in which the empty case is wedged upright between the slide and barrel – hence the name.
This is troubling, not only because it is frustrating, but because if you ever draw your Glock in a real-life scenario and haven’t broken the bad habit of limp wristing, you could experience a jam at a critical, life-and-death moment.
Why Does It Affect Your Glock? And What to Do
Glock pistols have one small thing working against them here. They have polymer frames, which means compared to steel-framed handguns, they’re very lightweight.
This means they require a good deal of effort on behalf of the shooter to “hold the gun steady” in order to cycle the action. The more mass, the less likely a limp-wrister is going to affect reliability.
Now let’s say you shoot a low-recoil Glock like a G19. That’s another thing. The 9mm cartridge doesn’t produce a lot of recoil to begin with, unlike, say, .40 S&W or .45 ACP.
This means that a propensity to limp wrist with a Glock 19 is way worse than with a G21 or a G22 (although limp-wristing one of these is not a good idea either).
Fortunately, the solution to limp-wristing, once you have identified the problem, is quite simple. You just need to hold the gun firmly while firing, and lock your elbows and wrists.
And, of course, you need to train consistently to instill those good habits. Before long, limp-wristing will be a thing of the past and your Glock will be cycling smoothly, jam-free.
Is There Anything Else You Can Do About Recoil?
Now, in the event you’ve conquered the bad habit of limp-wristing but are wondering what you can do to fight back against recoil, there are a few things.
Adopt a Proper Grip and Stance
The first and most important thing you can do to combat recoil (without making any changes to what you’re shooting) is to adopt a better grip and a more secure stance.
As for the grip, you should have your shooting hand as high on the frame as is possible, right at the base of the slide. You want to be as high as you can without getting pinched by it.
Your fingers should wrap fully around the grip, and the thumb of your shooting hand should rest along the frame at the best of the slide, all the way forward.
Your support hand should fully enclose your shooting hand, with all for fingers. The thumb of your support hand should rest under and alongside the thumb of your shooting hand.
In this manner, you can maximize surface area contact between you and the gun and will help you control recoil better.
As for the stance, square yourself with the target, bend your knees slightly, and lean into the gun. This stance will use your body mass to help counteract the force of recoil so you’re better positioned to absorb it.
Install a Glock Barrel That Can Accept a Compensator
Let’s say, again, that you shoot a G19. There are upgrades you can make to the gun that will help counteract recoil.
One of the most impactful would be the installation of a Glock 19 threaded barrel. This will give you the flexibility to install a compensator, which is a muzzle device that can drastically reduce felt recoil.
These muzzle devices do this by changing the manner in which gasses are vented at the muzzle. Some of them specifically vent gasses upwards, which results in a net downward force on the muzzle. This means you not only experience less felt recoil, but that some of the force is diverted to combating muzzle flip.
The result is that you get less jarred by recoil, and your sights stay more closely trained on target so you can make faster, more accurate follow up shots. On top of that, compensators do not adversely affect shot power at all, and with proper handling, will not affect cycling.
(For more information on Glock 19 threaded barrels and Glock compensators, please see the previous links).
While this upgrade will counter recoil, it is important to remember that it will not address or solve the bad habit of limp-wristing; so if you install a Glock 19 threaded barrel with a compensator, you will still need to train to ensure reliable cycling.
