Need Advice - G17 Gen4 Erratic Accuracy

Joey Ice Cream

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Hoping someone here can help me out with this strange problem. The last few times I've had my G17 out, something happens after ~30-60 rds through it. For these rounds, the gun is accurate and I shoot as usual (about 8" groupings at 15 yds). Then for some reason, any further shots are all over the place - to the point where I'll get maybe 1 or 2 to even hit the paper if I'm lucky. I've tried 3 different kinds of ammo, and had two other people shoot it with exactly the same result. Also tried shooting from a rest but same thing. The last time I was out, I brought it for a buddy to try so we decided to shoot with lots of room behind the target so we could see where the rounds were hitting the dirt. We saw that after it started shooting erratically, they were hitting the ground a good 10' closer than before. It's a newer gen4 with the updated rsa and ejector.

Gun has less than 1000 rds through it, and has been well taken care of - always cleaned properly after every use. It seems like this could be a problem with the rifling but that doesn't make sense since it seems to kick in at random times.

Googled around for awhile but haven't found anything like this, any help greatly appreciated!
 
it could be many things that can only be diagnosed by a qualified gunsmith, if not this is like chatting with the dr on the phone...you know what I mean.
I would say that if the first rounds are ok, I would look into the barrel for fouling, copper fouling. Fouling melts wich every shot and grows in layers, you cannot see it with your naked eye but it is there.
My second guess would be recoil spring?
My 3rd guess, barrel fitting? did you examine the slide/frame for cracks?
This is interesting, and please let us know what was the cause of the problem when you find it.
Thinking out loud:
If there is a real mechanical problem, like a spring, the problem would be there from shot #1, so this is something that happens after certain things unfold, like temperature, metal expansion, fouling, etc.
If the gun shoots ok after you clean it, there is something weird going on, sometimes the least scientific option is the solution.
 
Thanks for the replies. I've checked everything over and the slide/barrel/springs all look good, nothing that I can see anyway. As far as ammo, I've tried ae 124, blazer brass 115, and umc 115. I'm generally shooting fairly slow aimed shots and have marked the mags to make sure its happening with different ones. The first time it happened was after shooting the glock, shooting clays for an hour then shooting it again. But twice its happened after just changing mags with no time in between. For cleaning I use a metal brush with solvent and breakfree clp.

Thanks again
 
First, 8" at 15m isn't a group. It's a pattern.

Second, It's not a problem with the gun.

First: it's a well known fact that the death of any thread happens when the first clown starts to flame. Good to see it didn't take long here.

Second: thanks for this, I'll let the other guys that confirmed the problem know to give up shooting altogether since wicked police informed me of how pathetic we are.

Thanks again to the people with real advice
 
should be a brass brush.. not metal... and 2, 8" at 15yds is not a group, say it anyway you like to make yourself feel better. at 15 yds slow fire your group should be half that size, at 7 yds it should be a ragged hole.

and that "clown" you flamed has taught more people to shoot the you could even count.
 
Might this have something to do with the issues of the GEN 4 and the recoil springs used in early versions of this version?

If there isn't nothing mechanically obvious, I would give that barrel a good clean with a good copper solvent. Something like Mpro 7 copper remover.
 
on the other hand, 8" groups at 15 yards/meters is not a good starting point either, this means that anything beyond this point will keep spreading, so it might not be the gun, but in order to be sure the only way is to reduce your distance.
When you know that the gun can group at 3 yards, and this is all the shots touching together no more than half an inch, move the target one yard away from you and so on, do this until you can group consistently at 7 yards/meters, when your groupings are this accurate at 7, keep moving one yard at the time, then you will have a more accurate reading at 15.
If you suck at 3-4-5 -6 or 7 yards you can't expect much at 15, it is the nature of the beast. On your first post I assumed you have those distances covered, if not my bad and I would recommend reducing the distances.
Cheers!
 
First, 8" at 15m isn't a group. It's a pattern.

Second, It's not a problem with the gun.

It never fails to amaze me. The guys with all the posts just can't keep them mouths shut. If you haven't got anything good to say don't say anything at all. It must be really something special to know everything and be able to do everything as good as you seem to think you can.

Graydog
 
should be a brass brush.. not metal... and 2, 8" at 15yds is not a group, say it anyway you like to make yourself feel better. at 15 yds slow fire your group should be half that size, at 7 yds it should be a ragged hole.

and that "clown" you flamed has taught more people to shoot the you could even count.

Please notice Tinkerbell that the clown flamed him first.

GRAYDOG
 
Please notice Tinkerbell that the clown flamed him first.

GRAYDOG

8" at 50m with a pistol is a group. Not great, but not bad either. But not 8" at 15m. How is stating that a flame?



First: it's a well known fact that the death of any thread happens when the first clown starts to flame. Good to see it didn't take long here.

Second: thanks for this, I'll let the other guys that confirmed the problem know to give up shooting altogether since wicked police informed me of how pathetic we are.

Thanks again to the people with real advice

If you want 'real advice' then I would say (without watching you shoot) that your trigger control is horrendous. Which is evidenced by the 8" pattern at 15m. And after how ever many more rounds you shoot before noticing the rounds hit the dirt, would indicate your fatigue point where your lack of trigger control gets even worse. That causes you to snap or jerk the trigger even more than you were before.
 
slow down keyboard commando.

Feel free to give REAL advice, hopefully the op will start practicing his trigger control while you get some at manners, so next time you don't sounds like a jerk.
 
Can't slow down. I'm on a roll.

Who else wants some advice?



And that WAS real advice. There is nothing wrong with the gun that would cause those issues.
 
Feel free to give REAL advice, hopefully the op will start practicing his trigger control while you get some at manners, so next time you don't sounds like a jerk.

While some may not like the info or manner of delivery thereof, WP does know his stuff when it comes to pistol shooting.

:canadaFlag:
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NAA.
 
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