One of the best parts about working in the gun business is having friends in notable companies across the country. So when my friend Benjamin asked if I had any friends at Glock USA, I was able to reply that yes, I do.

Benjamin had recently purchased a Gen 1 Glock 17. He was elated. 1988 birthday …excellent condition inside and out … except …

Glock Gen 1 barrel with a major warning sign.

Benjamin’s a shooter – and he immediately recognized there was something not right about those horizontal striations. Was it a blemish? An error in the forging? He didn’t know, so he contacted me – and neither did I. Benjamin submitted the question to Glock USA customer service and I emailed my contacts.

Opposite view of Benjamin’s Gen 1 barrel

Within a day, Benjamin received an email from a Glock armorer, and I received a phone call from the Director of the Technical Service/Warranty division – both very much along the same lines: nobody had seen another one like this. Whatever it was, it was rare.

Benjamin,

The marks on the lugs are tool marks, however I have not seen anything quite like the marks on the barrel. I suggest you send it in for an evaluation. I will attach some shipping instructions.

It was sent, and within a few days Benjamin had received updates both by phone and by email.

I have looked at the barrel under close magnification and can see where the cracks go all the way through. I will replace the barrel with another Gen 1 barrel so you will at least have a barrel that will work in that pistol.

And with that, Glock sent him a replacement original part, free of charge, that hasn’t been produced for nearly thirty years. It’s important to note here that any number of conditions could have caused this flaw. I doubt we’ll ever know if it was a rare (if unheard of) defect in a Cold War era Austrian factory, or more likely in my opinion a test load from an overzealous owner. What we do know is Glock’s current employees are serious about keeping customers happy and safe. Benjamin was thrilled and, well, color me impressed.

This is what Customer Service is supposed to look like.

Benjamin has since updated the Gen 1 with an S3F barrel, Overwatch DAT trigger, Wilson/Vickers rear sight, and AmeriGlo Pro-Glo .240″ front sight.