Getting frustrated trying to figure out how to take your Glock mags apart? You’re not alone, forums are littered by posts from people in the same boat as you.
Glock sure hasn’t made it easy to take their magazines apart, but all the same, it’s not impossible. All you need are the right tools - and some know-how.
So if you’re here to learn how to do it the right way, here are some pointers.
Glock Mag Disassembly
First things first, your Glock mag has 4 parts (5, depending on how you see it). These are the mag body, base plate, lock plate, and the mag spring. The follower, which is a separate part in some magazines, is integral with the spring in Glock mags.
The mag body, also known as the tube, is the part that houses all the rest of the components. The follower is a plastic component (sometimes steel in other magazines) that is actually in contact with the cartridges and pushes them up into the action.
The spring is the part that holds potential energy to store the cartridges under tension, and the lock plate sits between the spring and base plate, holding them in place. The base plate is the part that gives most people trouble, and it seals off the bottom of the mag tube.
In order to disassemble a Glock mag, you will need one specific tool - a punch between 3/32” and 5/32” of an inch. A pin punch or a screwdriver that meets these parameters will work. Alternatively, you could use a Glock Armorer Tool.
There is a detent button that can be accessed through a hole in the base plate. This is why you’ll need a punch tool small enough to get through that hole.
This button is integral with the lock plate and in order to slide off the base plate you will need to depress it. Using the punch, screwdriver or armorer tool, press in on the detent button through the hole in the bottom of the base plate.
With the detent depressed, you can use the pin punch to start removing the base plate. Pull the pin punch in the direction of the front of the magazine, using it as a lever to slide the base plate off.
To help, you can press in on the sides of the mag tube around the base, as there are two lips that serve as guides for the base plate. With enough force, you should hear a pop as the base plate disengages.
At this point, you should be able to use your thumb to remove the base plate the rest of the way - simply slide it forward towards the front of the magazine and it should slide off.
Use caution as you do so. The lock plate and spring behind it are under tension and will want to jump free of the mag body when you remove the base plate. Use your thumb or a finger to keep the lock plate pressed firmly down as you remove the base plate.
After you remove the base plate, you will need to get the lock plate out. If it is still at the bottom of the mag, you can slide it out. If it has fallen up into the mag, slowly release your thumb from the spring and allow it to come out of the mag tube.
The follower, which is integral with the spring, will come out at the top of it, and the lock plate should fall out too. If it doesn’t turn the mag over so the bottom is facing down and shake it gently. The lock plate should drop right out.
That’s basically all there is to disassembling a Glock mag. Fortunately, reassembly doesn’t require you to have any special tools on hand.
To reassemble, place the spring back in the mag tube, making sure that the follower is oriented in the right direction at the top of the spring. Use your thumb to compress it, then place the lock plate over the base of the spring.
Using your thumb to retain the spring and lock plate, slide the base plate back over the mag tube, making sure that the lips of the mag slide in place within the base plate.
Press it back into place until you hear a click, and you should be good to go. Just make sure that the base plate is properly aligned. If you want, you can test the functionality of your Glock mag with a few snap caps to make sure everything’s working as intended.
Why You Need to Know How to Disassemble Glock Mags
Now that you know how to disassemble a Glock mag, you might be wondering - why do you need to know how to do this in the first place?
Well, your Glock’s mag needs to be clean and in good shape in order to charge, catch, feed, and drop reliably. Magazines don’t get cleaned nearly as much as they should be, and after a while, that will catch up to them.
You can help keep a mag clean with a cursory wipe down, but the truth is you can’t get to the internals without taking it apart. From time to time, you should be deep cleaning the mag, including the inside of the mag tube, the mag spring, and the follower.
We’ve published on this before. For more information on how to clean Glock mags, see the previous link.
Get a Few Spare Glock Mags Here
Did you land here because you’re looking for some spare Glock mags for your range bag? Take a look through our collection of firearm magazines for sale and get yourself some Glock mags. We also carry mags for Colt, Sig Sauer, HK, and Ruger, S&W, and other popular handguns.
For more information see the previous link, and while you’re here, make sure you bookmark our page so you can check back frequently - you won’t want to miss a deal or a police trade-in special.