How to Disassemble a Glock

Co-authored by Bryan Villella

Last Updated: January 14, 2023 References

If you own a Glock pistol, it is important that you know how to disassemble it to perform general maintenance. While there are many different types of Glock pistols, you can disassemble them all in much the same way. Follow this guide to safely field strip your Glock in just a few minutes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Unloading the Gun

1
Point the pistol in a safe direction. Make sure that the pistol is pointed in a direction where any accidental discharge cannot cause physical harm to you or anyone else.^{[1]
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- Keep your finger away from the trigger, and outside of the guard. This will help prevent accidental firing.^{[2]
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2
Release the magazine. Press the magazine release with your thumb and remove the magazine with your other hand.

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3
Open the slide. While continuing to point the gun in a safe direction, pull the slide back and lock it open with the slide stop lever. You can push the lever up with your thumb while holding the slide back with your other hand. This will hold the slide open.
4
Check for remaining ammunition. Once the slide is open, look into the chamber and ensure that no ammunition remains in the gun. Use your pinky finger to sweep for ammunition in the chamber as well.^{[3]
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- Check three times for remaining ammunition before proceeding to disassemble the gun.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing the Slide

1
Put on safety glasses. There are several components that are spring-loaded and can cause serious eye damage. The glasses will also help protect from solvents and lubricants getting in your eyes.
2
Close the slide. Pull the slide back to release the stop lever. The slide will close. Point the gun in a safe direction and pull the trigger to release the firing pin.^{[4]
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3
Grip the gun. Hold the gun in one hand, with four fingers around the top of the slide, and the thumb holding the grip.
4
Pull back the slide. Using the four fingers on the top of the slide, pull it back about 1/10th of an inch. If you pull it back too far, you will need to pull the slide all the way back and restart the process.
5
Pull down the slide lock. Using your other hand, pull down both sides of the slide lock lever. Push the slide forward with your four fingers until it has separated from the receiver of the gun.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing the Barrel

1
Remove the spring. Push the spring forward slightly and lift it away from the barrel. The spring is under pressure, so be careful when removing it.
2
Pull the barrel out of the slide. Hold the barrel by the extruding lugs. Lift the barrel while pushing forward slightly. Raise and pull the barrel out of the slide.^{[5]
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3
Clean the gun. Once the Glock has been disassembled, you can proceed to clean the gun. You do not need to disassemble the Glock any further than this to properly clean and maintain it.^{[6]
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4
Reassemble the gun. Once you are finished cleaning, you can reassemble the gun by reversing the above steps. You will not need to hold the slide lock down when putting the slide back on the receiver.

Community Q&A

Question

What to do if wire comes completely out of braces before seeing a dentist?

Jax Monroe

Community Answer

Do nothing. Just wait. Try to get the dentist to schedule a meeting sooner than they offered by explaining what has happened.

Warnings

Make sure the pistol is always pointing away from yourself and anyone else.

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Never look down the front of the gun barrel to check if chamber is unloaded.

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NEVER, during the disassembly, should your finger be on the trigger.

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