Glock Magazine Disassembly

R

Rickmeister

New member
For all the meticulous care that I lavish on my guns, I have never---in the four months that I've owned it---taken apart my G17's magazine. Last night I jabbed my left hand with a hex wrench after fruitlessly trying to slide the baseplate off.

No matter if I press the release button; no matter if I push hard on the baseplate in the direction of the rounder edge; no matter if I pry the bottom of the magazine to separate the tab thingies on either side from their corresponding notches---it just won't budge.

There's gotta be an easier way! What am I overlooking?
 
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I know some people can do this pretty well, but I'm like you. Couldn't get my G29 mags apart to save my life. So, I took an unorthodox approach. I took an exacto knife and very carefully cut the baseplate down the middle so I could spread it and twist it off. Since I was using Pearce extensions I figured I wouldn't be needing the old base plate anyway. If I need more of them I'm sure they cost all of 25 cents or something. Seemed to me it was better to just cut off the old base plate rather than risk damaging the mag by squeezing it too hard. Put on the new Pearce extension and I'm set!
 
I have seen some people use an exacto blade and trim the notches on the side since thats whats actually keeping it in place once you have pushed in the plunger.
 
I, too, had never removed a baseplate from any of my Glock magazines. But, when I read this thread, I thought I'd do it to take a looky-look inside. Well, what a problem! I tried the process described by TopGlock, but all I succeeded in doing was wedging the internal plate down between the spring and the mag wall. Fortunately I had a few extra baseplates that someone gave me recently. So I used a Dremel tool with a cut-off disk and cut the old baseplate in half being careful not to cut into the mag as well. Once it was off, snapping on a new one was easy.
 
A Glock armorer showed me how he does this; he takes one of the disassembly tools, sticks it down into the magazine (at least 2") through the baseplate hole, (this tips the internal catch) then just levers the floorplate off towards the front. The first time I saw him do this, I thought, "That can't be right", but it works on every mag I have, and I don't hack my hands to pieces.
 
SDC,

That's pretty amazing since the pin on the Glock armorer's tool is only 1-3/8" long. There's no way that you could stick it 2" down into the mag thru the baseplate hole. Are you sure you got that right? :rolleyes:
 
Discovered this the other day while replacing the baseplate on a 29 mag....

1. Put your Glock mag (butt up) in a vice, but do not over tighten. Tighten only enough to hold the mag securely.
2. Have a friend press in the mag catch with something small...an Allen wrench works well.
3. Place the flat end of a screwdriver against the back of the baseplate.
4. Tap the screwdriver LIGHTLY with a hammer until the base plate moves forward.
5. Slide the baseplate off by hand.

Hope that helps.
 
Very simple

I used a punch and pressed in the center tab button on the floor plate.Then I took a butter knife and wedged it into the back of the mag and floor plate.With the button pressed in push the floor plate to the front of the mag well and the floor plate should easily slide off.It worked on all my mags.SAFE-SHOOTING!
 
I use a two inch C-clamp with dime-sized pads and tighten just enough to disengage the tabs.

You can buy a pack of these at OddLots for $1.99
 
After you've done it once, it's easy.

Use the Glock Armorer's Tool!

1) Insert the tool all the way in until it stops at the handle.

2) Push the tool (with the baseplate sliding) forward.

3) Cover the bottom of the magazine, before you slide the baseplate all the way off, so the spring doesn't fly out and hit you in the face.
 
What sort of disassembly tool are you using, Batwing? Both of the ones I've got are at LEAST 2" long, with the Glock logo at the rear of the handle.
 
SDC,

That's most interesting. My Glock armorer's tool came from the factory and has the Glock logo and and part number 3360 at the rear of the handle. I didn't mean to doubt your word, but I didn't think there were two different armorer's tools made by Glock. Thanks for the input.
 
i use the small c-clamp too. just tighten it up until the ears clear the notches, press in on the bottom disassembly pin and slide the bottom off
 
I like shooting my G26 but I dread magazine disassembly. I use the C-clamp & vice to do it. Why should such a great pistol have such difficult mag cleaning?

Regards,
George
In sunny Arizona
 
Thanks, all of you, for your replies!

Of all the methods tried, I eventually settled for one (adding a little twist of my own).

First, I insert an Allen wrench about 1/2" into the button hole. Next, I carefully insert the tip of a butter knife between the baseplate and the magazine, pushing it slowly through the crack until it meets the Allen wrench. Then, firmly but carefully, I "swivel" the butter knife back and forth along the crack until...voila! the baseplate pops off.

It's hard to express my joy in this accomplishment. I was beginning to believe that it wasn't practical to attempt; and that, in trying it, I might do severe damage to one or more of the magazine components. But now I know better.

I can now practice on my G17 the kind of maintenance that until recently seemed reserved to my other guns. WHAT A RELIEF! And to that, my friends, my left hand will attest! :)

Thanks again!
 
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