Your Glock 17 is only as good as the maintenance you give it. Do you just wipe your gun with a rag now and then? That won’t do much good — it’s time for a more thorough cleaning.
If you don’t clean the gun after shooting it, the gunpowder residue will build up over time and cause problems like rust or misfires. So how do you keep a Glock 17 clean?
The best way to keep your Glock in tip-top shape is to use lubrication and cleaning products specifically designed for guns. First, remove the slide from the frame, then disassemble it by separating the recoil spring and guide rod. Next, use a brass brush to clean out the dirt from inside the slide, barrel, and chamber.
If you’ve never cleaned your Glock 17 before, don’t worry! We’ll walk through the process step-by-step so that cleaning your pistol becomes second nature.
Ready? Let’s go!
Here’s How to Clean a Glock 17 in 5 Easy Steps
Glock pistols are well known for their reliability and durability, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect proper maintenance. So what are the basic cleaning steps you need to take for your Glock 17? Let’s find out!
1. Clear the Ammunition from the Firearm and Disassemble
Make sure your Glock 17 is unloaded by visually inspecting the chamber and magazine. Next, remove any rounds left in the chamber by pressing the slide release lever on top of your pistol grip and pulling back on the slide. This step should eject any remaining bullets out of their chambers. Rack the slide at least three times to ensure the chamber is empty.
Similarly, check to make sure there’s no ammunition in the magazine. It’s important to double-check the chamber and magazine every time before cleaning your Glock 17 so you don’t accidentally leave some rounds behind and cause an unintentional discharge!
Safety tip: Keep your finger off the trigger until all rounds are removed from both chambers and magazines.
It’s probably a good idea to dry fire your weapon before you clean it. Dry firing is when you pull the trigger on a gun that’s empty and not loaded. It can be used to test your weapon’s safety or do some sight-in work for hunting and shooting competitions.
Dry firing is safe as long as you ensure there isn’t any ammunition in the chamber.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to get down to business. First, disassemble your gun into its major components: barrel, slide, frame, etc. These pieces must remain separate while you’re cleaning them so they don’t get mixed up or damaged before they can be reassembled properly.
Read your owner’s manual and learn how to disassemble your gun, what the lubrication points are, and how to clean them. Once you understand how to take apart your Glock 17, you can start cleaning it.
You can put the pieces on a gun cleaning mat. It provides a soft, padded surface for you to lay your firearm on as you clean it, which prevents scratches and other damage to the metal.
2. Clean the Barrel
The barrel contains dirt and other debris, which can affect the accuracy of your shot. The accumulated residue must be removed to ensure your shots hit their intended targets.
The process starts with a dry brush. Put a dry brush on your cleaning rod to knock loose any debris in the chamber. Moreover, it helps prevent any buildup of carbon deposits on your patch or solvent-soaked cloth that might prevent you from getting a good clean.
Note: Dry brushing involves using an old toothbrush with no soap and running it through the barrel from chamber to muzzle (the end where bullets come out). This method is quick but doesn’t always fully remove the dirt particles out of the barrel, as some may remain stuck in crevices between metal parts in your firearm’s inner workings.
So use a solvent-soaked patch to clean your barrel hood and feed ramp. Afterward, run another solvent-soaked patch through the chamber to ensure everything has been cleaned off completely.
Next, put a foster bronze brush on your cleaning rod and slide it inside the barrel several times. This brush has thousands of tiny bristles that will get into those hard-to-reach places and scrub away any remaining residue or grime.
After that, use another solvent-soaked patch to wipe down every inch of your barrel again. Run the gun cleaning patch through the barrel and then follow up with another dry patch until no more carbon deposit comes out of the barrel.
Focus on keeping the striker channel dry by holding the slide muzzle end down. If you’ve accidentally wet this part, place a clean, dry cloth in the channel to absorb the excess solvent and let it air dry for several hours. This step will give the solvent time to evaporate out of the channel.
3. Wipe the Slide Recoil Spring and Guide Rod
The recoil spring is responsible for returning the slide to its original position after firing a round. It also acts as a shock absorber, so your gun can function optimally. Over time, dirt and debris can accumulate on the recoil spring and make it difficult to perform its job properly.
Use a dry brush to sweep away any dirt and debris from the slide rail cuts and guide rod. You must use the brush gently so it doesn’t damage the spring or create unnecessary wear. You can also use an old toothbrush with soft bristles for this step.
Apply a thin layer of lubricant to a clean rag and wipe down the interior and exterior of the slide until there are no visible streaks.
Lubricate the back ends of the slide rail cuts with quality gun lubricant to prevent rusting. Hold the recoil spring vertically so the lubrication runs into the grooves. Next, clean the recoil and guide rod using a patch dampened with gun solvent or lubricant.
4. Gently Rub the Frame
After you’ve cleaned the slide and barrel of a gun, it’s time to move on to the frame. The frame is what holds the gun together and houses its moving parts.
Start by removing excess dirt from the trigger guard using a gun cleaning brush. Then move on to each part of the frame: magazine release, grip panels, and slide lock.
If you have access to compressed air, you can also blow out any dust or dirt from hard-to-reach areas, such as inside cracks or around screw heads, instead of brushing them manually. Then wipe down your frame with a solvent-soaked cloth to remove any remaining grime.
Once the gun is clean, lubricate the trigger assembly with a drop of lubricant. Next, apply a sparing amount of lubricant oil on a gun cleaning patch to clean the rear frame. To protect your investment and ensure your weapon’s functionality, use a quality lubricant with each cleaning session.
Now that your gun has been scrubbed, let it dry completely before reassembling it. You can use a blow dryer on the lowest setting to speed up the process, but be sure to avoid getting any moisture inside the barrel.
5. Reassemble Your Glock 17
The final step is to reassemble your gun, which means putting all of those little pieces back in their proper places. This part can be tricky — sometimes it takes a few tries! Don’t worry if it doesn’t work right away. Just give yourself some time to play around with it until you get it right.
Here is how you can reassemble your Glock 17:
- Put the slide back on the frame and make sure it’s secure.
- Make sure the barrel is properly aligned with the slide.
- Put the magazine back in the magazine well at the bottom of the frame.
Now that your Glock 17 is clean and assembled, it’s time to test fire it. Before you do, make sure no rounds are present in the chamber and magazine.
The best way to test-fire your Glock 17 is by aiming downrange at an imaginary target and pulling the trigger. This step will ensure the gun is functioning properly before you take it out into the field for live fire practice.
Safety Tips to Follow
You can take some basic protective measures to ensure your safety while cleaning a Glock 17. First, you should always wear safety goggles when working with firearms. This step will help protect your eyes from debris that may fly off the gun or its parts during the cleaning process.
Second, always wear protective gloves when handling guns. Gloves will prevent your hands from getting contaminated by harmful chemicals or harsh cleaning solvents.
Third, clean your Glock 17 in a well-ventilated area to prevent exposure to harmful fumes and vapors that may be emitted by solvents used for cleaning purposes.
Final Words
There you have it, folks! We hope you now have a better understanding of how to clean a Glock 17.
Always apply an approved cleaning solution on a soft cloth or brush to remove dirt and dust. You’ll be good to go if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication.
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