It’s sort of funny, you know, how some Glock owners are meticulous and diligent about keeping their firearms clean, but never once disassemble and clean their Glock mags.
Admittedly, the magazine may not be conventionally seen as an extension of the firearm, but it is, and keeping it clean is important not only to performance but also to the mag’s longevity.
Anyway, not cleaning a Glock mag routinely shouldn’t be considered part of responsible ownership and maintenance. It’s just as important as cleaning the barrel and action.
There are plenty of reasons that it’s important to keep Glock mags clean. Although they are not made predominantly from metal like many other pistol mags (and thereby are more corrosion resistant) they are not immune to wear and fouling accumulation.
A dirty mag is one that’s going to experience a lot more wear and abrasion than one that’s clean. An excess accumulation of fouling in the mag tube or around the follower or feed lips can also, in extreme cases, cause issues with feeding.
All in all, keeping your Glock mags clean is one of the most important aspects of routine gun maintenance, and will also help ensure that your mags feed smoothly and last longer.
Now, as for cleaning them, that’s easy enough. You just need to know what to do and how to do it.
To disassemble a Glock mag so that it can be cleaned, you’ll need either a small punch or a small screwdriver.
Locate the detent button through the punch hole in the floor plate, then use the screwdriver or punch to press in on the detent; with the button depressed, push the floor plate forward and off the bottom of the magazine.
Remove it, and then remove the insert plate that’s behind it. After that, you can remove the magazine spring and the follower through the bottom of the mag.
With the magazine disassembled, you’ll want to clean each of the components.
Don’t use harsh solvents on the internals of a Glock mag. Warm water and a rag should, in most cases, be all you need to clean off the mag’s internals.
For the spring, if you need to use a brass brush to dislodge any deposits of fouling, that should be fine.
After you’ve wiped each component clean, allow them to dry thoroughly, then treat the spring with a very light coating of gun oil. This will help protect the spring against rust and corrosion. Remember, less is more, though, as oil can trap dust and other debris.
As for the other plastic components of Glock mags, there’s no reason to oil them (and you shouldn’t). Just make sure they are dry before you reassemble the magazine and use it again.
All in all, mag maintenance is much simpler and more straightforward than thoroughly cleaning a handgun, but it’s still an important part of routine maintenance.
Need New Glock Mags (or Spares)
Whether you’re looking for a Glock mag replacement or just a few additional mags to keep in your range bag, get what you need online at Bucking Horse Outpost.
In addition to carrying a massive inventory of popular ammo lines and calibers, Bucking Horse Outpost also carries a wide range of replacement Glock mags – as well as magazines for other popular handguns, such as Springfield, Sig Sauer, HK, and Ruger handguns among others. You can even buy bundles and save.
They also offer surplus and bulk ammo deals and run a lot of police trade-in specials, too. Visit their website to stock up today.
