Why would you regularly change your car’s oil, and fill it with gas for that matter? Because you want it to work. You would ideally clean your pistol after every time you fire it for the same reason. Looking for instructions on how to clean a Glock? Keep reading or watch the easy-to-follow video below.
Why Clean Your Glock?
A poorly maintained weapon will dry out or accumulate excessive fouling and eventually malfunction. That’s an inconvenience in the best case scenario – and life-threatening, in the worst.
Odds are good you are here because you have just purchased a fine Glock pistol. You would like to preserve your investment and rest assured it will fire whenever you want or need it to. That’s precisely why we’re going to tell you how to clean a Glock pistol.
It doesn’t matter what model of Glock you have, what ammunition it’s chambered for, or what generation it happens to be. The following steps will apply to any Glock pistol regardless.
Make sure to have your cleaning kit ready before you begin. Glock pistols are conveniently designed to require no tools for the amount of disassembly required for cleaning.
Steps for Cleaning a Glock Pistol
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- Eject the magazine. Pull back on the slide and use the slide lock to secure it in the open position. Keeping your fingers away from the trigger, visually and physically inspect the pistol to make certain there is no cartridge in its chamber. Once you have ensured the pistol is incapable of firing, it is ready for cleaning.
- Field strip the pistol until it is broken down into its four main components: barrel, slide, recoil spring assembly, and frame. If you are unsure of how to do this, please check out our guide detailing how to field strip a Glock pistol.
- Begin with the barrel. Prepare a cleaning patch with solvent. Using the slotted tip, affix it to the tip of your cleaning rod. Insert the rod into the breech of the barrel (the end which the bullet does not exit through) and make several passes through the entire length of the barrel to clear all debris.
- Replace the slotted tip with the brass brush. Insert it into the breech and rotate the brush as you make several more passes through the entire length of the barrel.
- Replace the brass brush with the slotted tip. Prepare a fresh cleaning patch with solvent and affix it to the tip of the cleaning rod. Make several more passes throughout the entire length of the barrel until the cleaning patch comes out clean. Run a dry patch throughout the length of the barrel to confirm it is clean.
- Using a nylon brush, remove any remaining debris from the breech of the barrel. Wipe the barrel clean with a dry cotton rag.
How To Clean A Glock: Cleaning The Slide
When cleaning your Glock, always push debris from the barrel breech in the direction of the bullet path.
- Now that the barrel is clean, continue on to the slide. Hold the slide with the barrel pointed away from you. Dip the nylon brush in solvent and use it to loosen any visible debris. Then use the nylon brush to clean the breech face and extractor areas of the slide. Clean the slide rails and other difficult-to-reach areas with a cotton swab. Wipe the slide clean with a dry cotton rag.
- Now that the slide is clean, continue on to the recoil spring assembly. Dip the nylon brush in solvent and brush the assembly to clear it of any debris. Wipe the assembly clean with a dry cotton rag.
- Now that the recoil assembly is clean, it is time to apply small amounts of lubricant to key areas of the pistol. Prepare a cleaning patch with lubricant and affix it to your cleaning rod. Insert it into the breech end of the barrel and make several passes throughout the entire length of the barrel. If needed, pass a dry patch through the barrel to remove excess lubricant. Apply a thin film of lubricant to the outside of the barrel.
- Apply small amounts of lubricant to the inside rails and interior of the slide. Use additional lubricant to any parts of the pistol that encounter friction or movement. Apply small amounts of lubricant to the inside rails of the frame. Wipe off any excess lubricant, and finally reassemble the pistol.
Glock Maintenance
Keeping your Glock pistol clean and in good working condition is part of being a responsible gun owner.
Congratulations! You have succeeded at cleaning your Glock pistol. Your well-maintained firearm can continue to offer reliable performance at the range and serve you well for personal protection. When you are ready for a reload, be sure to check out the great prices on pistol ammunition and accessories at Wideners.com!