Autoloading firearm magazines are an essential part of the gun, and I have long preached the need to clean them along with the rest of the gun. The most recent example of my own experience was just last week when I disassembled two P320 mags that had been used for a range session that involved dropping them on the ground during reloads. I found that two of the four mags had small rocks inside when I took them apart.

In researching a matter recently, though, I was reminded of how hard it is for me to disassemble Glock magazines. The factory owner’s manual says nothing about maintaining mags except to push on the follower to ensure it’s not stuck. So, my question is how often do you disassemble your Glock magazines to clean them?

The “As necessary” response refers to times when there is a strong possibility that some contaminant has gotten inside the mag, for example mud and water from a puddle or fine dirt or sand from a range session in a dry and dusty area; i.e., there is a specific reason to clean the mag.

The routine response refers to a practice of cleaning the magazines at a set interval, such as every six months or at the first of the year. It also can refer to cleaning just because it seems to be time: “I’ve got another match coming up, so I guess I should check and clean them.”

Thanks for all the responses.

Question:
When do you do it?
.

Choices:
When I clean the rest of the gun.
As a routine.
As necessary.
Very rarely.
Never.

 

My First Sargent hammered into us that the weapon is clean only when the WHOLE weapon is cleaned

only if they get mud or dirt in them.

rain or snow, I just shake it and put it back.

Only if I get some known debris in them or if I experience an issue. I wipe them down after every use and clean the follower / feed lips though.

No. I bought some tool that makes it easier to disassemble but I honestly still don't. If they got dirty I would but I have never seen the need so far.

I have a tool for my Glock Mags. I think it’s called the Mag Claw or something. It makes it easier to get the baseplate off. In the armors class I was taught to use the Glock tool or a 3/32 punch. That’s very hard to do on a new mag.

I clean my carry mags when ever they are used, regardless if they are dropped in anything. Range mags rarely get cleaned.

I use the same routine for my S&W and Sig mags.

I will take them apart once a year and just inspect them and wipe them down. I do this with all my magazines, regardless of make. I have a tool that helps with Glock mag disassembly.

forgot to post this. if someone needs a good tool.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:
forgot to post this. if someone needs a good tool.

A good cheap tool for the Glock mag. It is used maybe twice a year, but it easy easier on you and the mag. Trying to take alert mags w/ the armorer’s punch sucks. It also chews the mag base “hole” up.

If the Glock magazine disassembly tool you're using does not compress the sides of the magazine during floorplate removal, you are tearing up your mags:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...320009605#4320009605

I have that tool. I didn't remember it was called the GTUL. I must be quite the Nancy because I have at best a 50/50 chance of getting the baseplate off with it. I love Glock mags but they suck for disassembly. I suppose that is a good thing since they probably never self immolate either.

I HATE taking apart Glock mags. In fact, there's not much that I like about Glock mags period. They are definitely reliable, but so are other designs that are more space efficient, drop free better, and are easier to service. I do miss my G26 a little bit, but I don't miss the mags at all.

I would only clean them if I'd had a particularly nasty range session or there appeared to be a reason that it might need it, like grit on the follower or something rattling around in there. My other mags get more regular attention, simply because they're a lot easier to take apart.

I’m currently sans-a-Glock (but looking to correct that situation ASAP) - that said, when I was shooting the likes of 17s, 19s, and / or 26s regularly, I cleaned the mags following every range session.

I used the Glock armorer’s tool to assist with the takedown of the mags.

On further reflection, the only Glock magazine that I didn’t clean as regularly was the 33-rounder I owned for a time, only because it rarely saw range-time.

That seems excessive. Did you have a bad experience that led you to do this or just being proactive?

I've had very good results disassembling Glock magazines with the GTUL. It compresses the magazine body enough so that I can easily slide the floor plate off.

I first push in the insert/lock plate with a punch far enough to pop it out of alignment. Then I use the GTUL and a punch to remove the floor plate.

https://mygtul.com/product/gtu...rush-combo-9mm-40sw/

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JackBlundell,

I clean Glock mags rarely, if ever. I have six Gen5 mags in my range bag that I train with. You can barely see the orange on the follower it’s so grimey. When they stop working, I’ll do something about them. Duty mags get replaced every year and are only cleaned if they get submerged or something extreme like that.

Same way with AR mags.

This whole Forrest Gump “Drill Sergeant said”business on modern magazines is not based upon any form of reality. No more than the Marine Corps prohibited placing the magazine on the ground was.

I have more than 30 Glock magazines. I sold most of my Glocks, but kept all of the 9mm mags. I clean them in batches about once a year. And I run a lot of rounds through them.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
That seems excessive. Did you have a bad experience that led you to do this or just being proactive?

I’ve just long been in the habit of cleaning the magazines for any pistol after shooting it. Haven’t treated the Glock(s) any differently.

When I had one, there were no fancy tools for compressing the sides of the magazine body to slide off the baseplate. I used a small C-clamp, IIRC. Although I was successful in that it worked and the magazine functioned properly afterwards (only now with tool marks on the outside), I decided this would do more harm than good over time. I went with "very rarely." "As needed" would perhaps have been more appropriate, but I wasn't subjecting the magazines to any adverse conditions.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I used a small C-clamp, IIRC. Although I was successful in that it worked and the magazine functioned properly afterwards (only now with tool marks on the outside), I decided this would do more harm than good over time.

Yeah, I tore up a couple of G17 magazine bodies so badly by using this technique, I threw them away.

It's bad advice, don't do it.

The pressure needs to be at the very bottom of the sides of the mag body. A c-clamp won't do it without permanently deforming the mag body.