Cleaning and Maintaining a Glock 17

I’m excited to guide you through the process of breaking down and properly cleaning a Glock 17. Cleaning your firearm is crucial, and with the Glock 17, we recommend cleaning after every shooting session or at least once a month if it’s your Everyday Carry (EDC).

Step 1: Safety First

Before anything else, ensure your gun is clear. This means removing all ammunition and the magazine, placing them away from your workspace. This is a crucial step for safety and should never be overlooked.

Step 2: Disassembling the Glock 17

1. Point the gun in a safe direction and pull the trigger.
2. Hold the top of the slide and underneath the beaver tail. Pull back slightly.
3. You’ll see the slide release levers on both sides. Pull these down to remove the slide.
4. Set the frame aside.
5. Next, remove the recoil spring assembly and the barrel from the slide.

Step 3: Cleaning the Barrel

1. Attach a jag to your pistol rod and run a patch with Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Bore Cleaner through the barrel from the chamber end.
2. Replace the jag with a phosphor bronze brush and run it through the barrel several times.
3. Switch back to the jag and run a clean patch through the barrel. Repeat until the patch comes out clean.
4. Lightly lubricate the inside of the barrel with Hoppe’s Lubricating Gun Oil on a patch.
5. Clean and inspect the outside of the barrel, focusing on the barrel hood and lugs.

Step 4: Cleaning the Slide

1. Use a brush to clean the slide rail cuts and areas with build-up.
2. Wipe down the inside with a lubricant-soaked patch until clean.
3. Apply a drop of lubricant to the back end of the slide rail cuts.

Step 5: Cleaning the Frame

1. Brush and then wipe the frame with a lubricant-soaked patch.
2. Add a drop of lubricant to the trigger bar.
3. Clean the frame with a patch soaked in Hoppe’s lubricant.

Step 6: Lubricating the Slide

1. Clean the outside of the slide with Hoppe’s lubricant.

Step 7: Reassembly

1. Insert the barrel and the recoil spring assembly back into the slide.
2. Reattach the slide to the frame.

Step 8: Function Test

1. Clear the gun again.
2. Point in a safe direction, pull the trigger and hold it.
3. Rack the slide and release to hear the trigger reset.
4. Release and pull the trigger once more to ensure functionality.

Conclusion

Once tested, store your Glock 17 as per the manufacturer’s instructions or reload it if it’s your EDC. Remember, if you’re new to firearms or have additional tips and tricks, feel free to share in the comments.