How To Properly Clean A Gen 5 Glock 17

When a friend conducted a weapons inspection at his section recently, he was dismayed to find that most of his officers did a poor job of maintaining their duty firearms. The striker-fired guns (like the Glock pistols and Smith & Wesson M&P pistols) that are so popular with police officers were in particularly bad shape and demonstrated a distressing number of failures to burn and eject as a result of poor maintenance practices.

To help make a dent in this problem, allow's discuss what you lot need to do in order to proceed your Glock pistol running well.

While we're singling out the Glock pistol in particular, because of its dominance in the law enforcement market place, this information will too apply to similar, striker-fired pistols like the Smith & Wesson M&P serial, the Springfield XD/XDM series and the Sig Sauer P320. With slight modifications, information technology volition likewise apply to hammer-fired pistols of various designs.

Read the manual that came with your gun for the manufacturer's recommendations on how to disassemble, clean and reassemble your pistol. — Read the manual that came with your gun for the manufacturer's recommendations on how to detach, clean and reassemble your pistol. (Photos past Mike Wood)

getting started

Before we swoop into the particulars, a few full general rules employ:

Read your owner's manual! Cops being cops, I know about of yous have never cracked this open up! Do yourself a favor and read the transmission that came with your gun for the manufacturer's recommendations on how to disassemble, clean and reassemble your pistol. There's some proficient stuff in there, honest.

Follow the safe rules! It's essential to follow your agency'due south firearms condom rules every time you handle your firearm. Earlier yous attempt to disassemble and clean your firearm, y'all must safely unload/clear it in accord with the process described by the manufacturer or your agency, and ensure that the ammunition remains separate from the gun (ideally, in another location) until you've made the witting decision to load information technology over again.

Protective measures. Wear safety goggles to protect your optics, and disposable gloves to continue lead and chemical residue off your skin. Ensure the area yous're working in has adequate ventilation. Make clean upward your work expanse when y'all're finished, then launder your hands and face with cold water and soap (cold water is better than hot, to keep your pare's pores from opening up and increasing your exposure), to avoid getting any chemicals or rest in your eyes, nose, or oral cavity.

how to clean your glock

A variety of cleaning products, tools and methods are bachelor. Our goal here is to hash out a uncomplicated method, using mutual resources, so if you accept a different technique or favor a dissimilar product, please continue with it ‒ we're not trying to talk yous out of information technology.

Starting with your protective equipment in place, and a field-stripped firearm, practice the following:

Run a solvent-soaked patch through the bedchamber and bore of your barrel several times, blanket the feed ramp, chamber and interior of the butt evenly. Prepare the butt aside to soak.
Wipe the interior of your slide with a dry patch or rag, to get the large stuff off. Wet a toothbrush with a small amount of solvent, and scrub the interior surfaces, paying close attention to the breech face and slide rails. As you're scrubbing, try to agree the slide muzzle terminate down to avoid having the solvent run into the interior of the striker channel, which nosotros desire to continue dry. Prepare the slide aside to soak for a while, muzzle end downwards, so that whatever solvent that made its style into the striker channel can bleed out.
Clean the frame of your pistol with a dry patch or rag. Get the carbon, clay and other fouling off the outside of the frame, the interior of the magazine well and the accessible interior of the gun. Wipe down the rails, trigger bar, ejector and connector area as well (refer to your manual to identify these parts if you don't know what they are).
At present that you've got the big stuff off the frame, go back through with a toothbrush and a clean patch or rag to get the nooks and crannies clean. You may need to put a little solvent on the brush or patch to get some of the fouling off these parts ‒ if so, make sure you wipe the surfaces clean afterward and don't get out a agglomeration of solvent behind. If necessary, use an air hose or a can of compressed air to blow the solvent out of the areas where it may exist hiding. The goal here is to go everything clean and dry.
Wipe down your recoil spring assembly with a dry patch or rag. It shouldn't need much attention ‒ just try to get it clean and dry. A dry out toothbrush might assist, likewise.
Wipe downwards the exterior of your magazines with a dry patch or rag to get the carbon fouling and dirt off. Pay shut attending to getting the follower and feed lips clean – a dry out brush might be helpful here. If you lot're concerned that water, sand, dirt or other debris got within the magazine, and so y'all'll desire to detach the mag and clean it, as we've previously discussed here. That'southward a skillful affair to do periodically anyhow, but y'all don't take to detach your magazines for cleaning every time. Over again, your goal is to get your magazines make clean and dry. Don't lubricate them or exit any solvent backside to attract more than dirt. Clean and dry.
Let'southward return to the slide. Scrub it a little more with your castor, then wipe everything down to become the interior and outside clean and dry. To go the rails make clean, push a dry out patch down into the rail with your toothbrush or a non-marring tool (like a plastic pick, wooden toothpick, or the paper shaft of a Q-Tip) and wipe clean from end to end – you'll probably need several passes to do this. Make sure the breech face is clean and polish, with no raised fouling on the surface (similar rings of carbon or primer sealant). If necessary, apply a contumely brush or a non-marring tool to scrub or scrape the breech face clean. Go a clean patch behind the extractor hook and remove any gunk that built upwardly there. (It will be periodically necessary to disassemble the slide to clean the extractor properly, and the striker/channel likewise ‒ talk to your department armorer almost this.) Lastly, wipe downward the outside. Remove whatsoever gunk around the extractor pocket, and ensure that your sights are cleaned off, so you lot can see them properly.
Time for the barrel again. Run that solvent-soaked patch through the bore several more times, and so run a few dry patches through the bore to go the gunk out and get the bore mostly dry. Use a dry patch or rag to make clean up the feed ramp, to brand it clean and shiny (a toothbrush might assistance, if it'southward actually fouled). Put a bristle brush on the end of the cleaning rod and run it through the barrel, from the rear, nigh five-ten times. Wet a patch with oil and swab the barrel to clear out any particulates, then follow up with dry patches through the barrel to remove whatsoever oil and suspended droppings. Audit the diameter and chamber to ensure they are clean. If not, then repeat the procedure as required, until yous get the results you desire. Wipe down the exterior of the barrel with your rag, so that both interior and outside are clean and dry out.

Cleaning your firearm begins with safely field stripping your pistol. Refer to the owner's manual and/or your department guidelines for instruction on how to do this. — Cleaning your firearm begins with safely field stripping your pistol. Refer to the owner'southward manual and/or your section guidelines for teaching on how to do this.

It's critical to get the feed ramp clean to ensure reliability. All this crud needs to come off so your cartridge can smoothly feed into the chamber. — It'southward critical to get the feed ramp clean to ensure reliability. All this crud needs to come off so your cartridge tin smoothly feed into the bedchamber.

The chamber area must be clean to ensure reliability. Get all the carbon and other fouling out of here with solvent, a brush and clean patches. — The sleeping accommodation expanse must be clean to ensure reliability. Get all the carbon and other fouling out of hither with solvent, a brush and make clean patches.

The area behind the extractor hook must be clean to prevent failures to feed and extract. You'll want to periodically disassemble the slide for deep cleaning of this area, but you can usually get the job done without taking things apart if you're careful. — The expanse backside the extractor claw must be make clean to prevent failures to feed and extract. You lot'll desire to periodically disassemble the slide for deep cleaning of this expanse, but y'all can usually become the job washed without taking things autonomously if you lot're careful.

The breech face needs to be clean and smooth to ensure reliable feeding. Get the baked-on crud off of there. — The breech confront needs to exist make clean and smooth to ensure reliable feeding. Get the baked-on crud off of there.

The slide rails need to be cleaned for reliability. It's easiest if you use a brush to get in there. — The slide rails need to be cleaned for reliability. It'due south easiest if you apply a brush to arrive in that location.

The frame rails collect crud and need to be cleaned so that the slide can travel without unnecessary friction. Don't forget you have two up front and two in the back – get all four of them clean. These are the aft rails, right and left — The frame rails collect crud and need to be cleaned and so that the slide can travel without unnecessary friction. Don't forget you take two up front and two in the back – get all 4 of them clean. These are the aft rails, correct and left (top and lesser, in the photo)

And these are the forward rails, right and left — And these are the frontward runway, right and left (top and bottom, in the photo)

When you're scrubbing the slide, hold it with the muzzle end down to prevent extra solvent and debris from running into the internals of the slide. If solvent and oil collect inside they can turn into a gummy residue that will prevent your pistol from working properly. — When y'all're scrubbing the slide, concord it with the muzzle terminate downwards to prevent extra solvent and debris from running into the internals of the slide. If solvent and oil collect inside they can turn into a sticky residue that will forestall your pistol from working properly.

Wipe the exterior of your magazines off, focusing on getting the follower and feed lips clear of any debris. You'll want to periodically disassemble your magazines to clean the internals, but it's not necessary every time. — Wipe the exterior of your magazines off, focusing on getting the follower and feed lips clear of whatsoever droppings. You'll desire to periodically detach your magazines to clean the internals, merely it's not necessary every fourth dimension.

Wipe off the recoil spring assembly to get it clean and dry. Extra oil will attract dirt here and is unnecessary. — Wipe off the recoil spring associates to go information technology clean and dry. Extra oil will attract dirt hither and is unnecessary.

Clean the big stuff off the frame with your rag, then go back for the detail cleaning with your brush and another clean rag or patch. This area back here is where your ejector, trigger bar and connector live, as well as the rear frame rails. — Clean the big stuff off the frame with your rag, then go back for the detail cleaning with your brush and some other clean rag or patch. This area back here is where your ejector, trigger bar and connector alive, too as the rear frame rails.

Clean the locking block area and the forward rails with your rag to get them clean and dry. — Clean the locking block surface area and the forward rails with your rag to get them clean and dry.

It's hard to get the slide rails clean with just your finger and a rag. Use a tool to push a patch into the groove, and drag it along the length of the rail to get the crud out. — Information technology'due south difficult to get the slide rails make clean with but your finger and a rag. Utilize a tool to push button a patch into the groove, and drag it along the length of the rail to get the crud out.

You can clean the area behind the extractor hook with a pick, or by — You tin can clean the surface area behind the extractor hook with a option, or by "flossing" it with a patch. But make sure you lot don't exit anything backside – this area needs to be clean and dry.

If you need to scrub the breech face to get it clean, do it with the muzzle facing down, to limit the amount of runoff into the slide's internals. — If yous need to scrub the breech face to get information technology clean, do it with the muzzle facing down, to limit the corporeality of runoff into the slide'southward internals.

Lubricating your glock

When the parts are cleaned to your satisfaction, lubricate and reassemble your pistol. Be sparing with the oil, considering you don't need much to ensure proper function, and whatever backlog will only attract dirt. Furthermore, excess oil will coalesce and turn into a viscid rest that might impair the reliability of your pistol.

Identify a small driblet of oil on the top exterior of the barrel virtually the cage. With your finger, smear it around the outside circumference of the barrel to distribute it in a ring.
Place a small driblet of oil on the square shelf where the hood of the barrel locks upward into the slide. Smear it around the top of the hood with your finger then insert the barrel into the slide. Smear the remaining oil on your finger onto the locking lug on the underside of the barrel, and then install the recoil spring assembly.
While the gun is nevertheless apart, perform the firing pin safety cheque. Depress and agree the firing pin safety plunger in the bottom of the slide with your thumb, and milk shake the slide dorsum and forth ‒ yous should hear the firing pivot/striker freely moving back and forth in the slide.
Identify a small drop of oil on each of the four frame track, so smear it around with your finger to coat the top, side, and underside of each rail.
Identify a small drib of oil where the trigger bar meets the connector.
Install the slide on the frame, and rack information technology several times to distribute the oil on the rails, barrel, and butt hood.
Wipe down the exterior of the pistol with a clean rag, to make clean up any excess oil.

To lubricate, place a small drop of oil on each of the forward frame rails. — To lubricate, place a small drop of oil on each of the frontward frame rails.

And a small drop of oil on each of the rear frame rails.

A small drop of oil should be placed in the area where the cam on the trigger bar meets the connector. — A small drop of oil should be placed in the surface area where the cam on the trigger bar meets the connector.

Place a small drop of oil near the muzzle, and wipe it around the circumference of the barrel with your finger. — Identify a small drop of oil almost the muzzle, and wipe information technology around the circumference of the barrel with your finger.

Place a small drop of oil where the hood of the barrel locks into the slide and smear it around with your finger. — Identify a modest drib of oil where the hood of the barrel locks into the slide and smear it effectually with your finger.

A small drop of oil on the locking lug is appropriate too. Smear it on the lug with your finger to distribute. — A small drop of oil on the locking lug is appropriate also. Smear information technology on the lug with your finger to distribute.

Do the "tinkle test" to ensure your striker moves freely. Hold the firing pin prophylactic plunger down, and shake the slide back and along. You should hear and feel the striker moving around in its channel. If it doesn't, you need to disassemble the slide and clean out the channel and striker components.

Function bank check

Once the pistol is lubricated and assembled, perform a function check to ensure the system is working properly.

Ensure the firearm and magazines are unloaded.
Without a mag in identify, rack and release the slide to cock the striker. Aiming the unloaded pistol in a prophylactic management, pull and hold the trigger to the rear. You should hear and feel the striker slam forrad when you pull the trigger.
While belongings the trigger to the rear, rack and release the slide to cock the striker once again.
Slowly release the trigger, and mind/experience for the trigger to reset.
Insert an unloaded mag into the pistol.
Rack the slide to the rear. It should remain back with an unloaded magazine in place.
Remove the magazine and set information technology bated.
Tug and release the slide, or push the slide lock lever down, to send the slide forward into battery.
Insert another unloaded mag into the pistol. Repeat steps 6-8 as required, for all your unloaded magazines, to ensure all of them volition lock the slide to the rear.

Load up

Once the office cheque is complete, move to the location where your armament has been stored and tell yourself, "No more practice, COMBAT Mode." This may sound a little silly, but it helps to establish that hard mental break that is necessary to prevent a negligent belch from trying ane more "dry burn down."

Prepare your magazines with cartridges and load your pistol. Put the pistol in your holster and your magazines in their pouches, and secure your equipment. Fight the temptation to do any last-2d cleaning or inspections as you put your gear away because that's how accidents happen.

Hit the streets with your clean and lubricated pistol, and be safe out at that place!

Side by side: 5 important lessons about firearms maintenance

Well-nigh the author

Mike Wood is the son of a 30-year California Highway Patrolman and the author of "Newhall Shooting: A Tactical Analysis," the highly-acclaimed study of the 1970 California Highway Patrol gunfight in Newhall, California. Mike is an Accolade Graduate of the United States Air Force University, a graduate of the The states Army Airborne Schoolhouse, and a retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with over 26 years of service. He'southward a National Rifle Association (NRA) Police Enforcement Division-certified firearms instructor, senior editor at RevolverGuy.com, and has been a featured guest on the Excellence In Grooming University and American Warrior Club podcasts, also as several radio and television programs. He's grateful for the opportunity to serve and acquire from the men and women of law enforcement.