new glock having some trouble handling

Bagels

Regular
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Location
Toronto
Ok so i just got my first handgun today, the Glock17 gen 5. I have hardly handle any handguns prior to this. I am a noob so im probably making really obvious mistakes. Thast why i need calrifying. With the empty magazine in i go to rack the slide and it stays open. But I cannot push the slide release button after that. IT jsut wont budge at all to release the slide. What am i doing wrong? OR is this a problem with the gun? I simply cannot use the slide release button no matter what once slide is locked back. I have to manually rack the slide again to close it.
 
If you have an empty mag in the slide release generally doesn't work. You have to have a loaded mag or no mag in for the slide release to work.
 
The slide is designed to hold open on the last round. It is normal to have the slide lock back on an empty magazine. If you want to rack the slide on an empty mag you will have to hold the slide stop lever down while you do it.

Are you sure it "won't budge at all"? Is it just very stiff? Try with both thumbs. It will eventually work itself in after a few hundred rounds. If you are really struggling I would suggest ordering an extended slide stop lever.

Note that it isn't actually designed to be a "slide release lever" and using it in that way will prematurely wear it making the slide eventually fail to lock back on an empty mag. Best form is to always pull the slide back a little before you push the lever down...
 
Last edited:
IF i take the mag out i can only use the button if i use both my thumbs one on each side of the guns release buttons and doing it with ALOT of force.. So its not possible to do while holding the gun in any normal position. Its EXTRMELy difficult to do even like that. hurts my thumbs doing it. IT doesnt seem right at all. I feel like the right side button is in an ever so slightly 'looser' position than the left side. the left side which is the used side for a right handed shooter like myself wont budge at all by itself.
 
The slide stop should work whether there is a mag in or not. It will lock back on empty but you should be able to just use thumb or finger pressure to press it downwards. This is true of most guns I can think of.


I’ve racked many Glocks and I’ve never seen this issue.

Just read your post. Sounds like either you have weak fingers or there is something wrong with your gun. It really should not be difficult at all.
 
It's just tight, brother. My Gen 4 was tight as well, I could not get enough force on it from a normal grip position with the factory slide stop lever. I had to shift my grip to get enough force on it. Put 500 rounds down the pipe and try again. And find a Gen 5 ambi extended slide stop lever...

Also note it's not actually meant to be a "slide release". Using it that way will prematurely wear it and cause the slide not to lock back on an empty mag. Glock wants you to pull the slide back slightly with your other hand before hitting the slide stop lever...
 
Yes, im pressing it down, not into the gun. its not finger weakness causing this. its not even budging on the left side even with two thumbs on it. seems like the right side works a little better. it only works with alot of pressure on both sides of the gun at the same time, enough to hurt my thumbs. to me it seems like somewthing is wrong but its my first handgun so im no pro
 
Yes, im pressing it down, not into the gun. its not finger weakness causing this. its not even budging on the left side even with two thumbs on it. seems like the right side works a little better. it only works with alot of pressure on both sides of the gun at the same time, enough to hurt my thumbs. to me it seems like somewthing is wrong but its my first handgun so im no pro

Give your manual a read through. Lubricate the slide lock mechanism. Put 500 rounds through it.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/glock-slide-stop-is-hard-to-work.526225/
https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/slide-release-almost-impossible-to-depress.1514995/
https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/cant-push-down-on-slide-release-for-the-life-of-me.1520733/
 
Thanks for the articles ill have a read.

I was looiking at the aftermarket slide release buttons. Does an aftermarket extended slide release make a big difference in ease of closing the slide when pushed? Wonder if i should buy one and install it.

I truly hope this is me making a mistake and it notn being broken or jsut somehow too hard for me which i doubt that its to hard. Pulling the slide and then pushing rhe button releases it quite easy at least

Also, side note, when not stored, should the trigger be cocked or should i dry fire it once before storing it?
 
Last edited:
Honestly if it's gonna require warranty work it isn't going to matter whether you've put rounds through it or not. So I'd just lube it and put some rounds through it and see if it loosens up like mine did.

I like the extended lever, it really made a big difference for my Gen 4. But I'm a girly man with small hands. Unfortunately the Gen 5 ambi extended lever is a little harder to find than the simple non-ambi Gen 4 extended lever. You may have to order from the US...

It will not make a huge difference whether the trigger is cocked or not during storage. The springs will all likely have to be replaced at around the same time anyway due to wear from use.
 
What you are experiencing is a new gun. The edges of the slide stop need to be rolled over a bit in order for it to become easier to operate. After a few hundred rounds things will smooth out.

In regards to storing it cocked or de-cocked, it does not matter. Springs only wear from compression & decompression and not from staying in a static position.


Thanks for the articles ill have a read.

I was looiking at the aftermarket slide release buttons. Does an aftermarket extended slide release make a big difference in ease of closing the slide when pushed? Wonder if i should buy one and install it.

I truly hope this is me making a mistake and it notn being broken or jsut somehow too hard for me which i doubt that its to hard. Pulling the slide and then pushing rhe button releases it quite easy at least

Also, side note, when not stored, should the trigger be cocked or should i dry fire it once before storing it?
 
Don't use the slide lock as a slide release.
Pull back on the slide after inserting a magazine. No fumbling for tiny Glock slide catch levers. You'll never miss grabbing the slide and pulling back to release it.
And yes all parts will loosen up and springs will relax as you actually shoot the gun. It's normal for a new gun to be stiff all over.
 
The manual doesn't supersede the laws of physics and anything making metal on metal contact that is tight can be lubricated.

That being said, keep the lube away from the firing pin channel.

The manual which has gone unchanged for nearly 40 years says nothing about lubricating the slide lock. My nearly 20 years of shooting Glocks and that of literally 100's of thousands of others would also indicate that the slide lock does NOT need to be lubricated. New gun with a new to handguns user equals NO ISSUE.
 
New gun with a new to handguns user equals NO ISSUE.

Yes we established that an entire page ago, thank you.

If he needs a hand on each side of an ambi slide lock lever to release it, a rub of oil isn't going to hurt things. If you took 30 seconds to read other accounts of super tight slide lock levers on Glock Talk you'd see many people have done it. I'm not sure why this offends you so much lol. For the record the Glock manual does suggest a field strip, cleaning and inspection before first use. Lubricating a tight part is not a stretch.
 
Note that it isn't actually designed to be a "slide release lever" and using it in that way will prematurely wear it making the slide eventually fail to lock back on an empty mag. Best form is to always pull the slide back a little before you push the lever down...

Can we all just stop perpetuating this “heard it from the internet” BS and go back to real world facts?
That’d be mighty swell of you guys.

I mean really guys? How many semi auto handguns utilize it as a slide release of practically identical design but some how you’re going to break a Glock if you don’t listen to outdated manuals of arms?
I suppose all the leading instructors who have abandoned the old over the slide/slingshot method are wrong too?
Give me a break, it’s a f**king Glock. You won’t break your precious.
 
Last edited:
Can we all just stop perpetuating this “heard it from the internet” BS and go back to real world facts?
That’d be mighty swell of you guys.

I mean really guys? How many semi auto handguns utilize it as a slide release of practically identical design but some how you’re going to break a Glock if you don’t listen to outdated manuals of arms?
I suppose all the leading instructors who have abandoned the old over the slide/slingshot method are wrong too?
Give me a break, it’s a f**king Glock. You won’t break your precious.

Thank goodness I was thinking I was being tarded all these years, can we confirm that yes Infact the Glock slide release can be used as a slide release ?
 
Thank goodness I was thinking I was being tarded all these years, can we confirm that yes Infact the Glock slide release can be used as a slide release ?

Well my approximate round count is as follows:

Gen4 Glock 17 - Close to 100k
Gen4 Glock 22 - Close to 45k
Gen4 Glock 21 - Close to 35k
Gen3 Glock 20 - Close to 15k
Gen3 Glock 26 - Close to 6k
Gen3 Glock 30 - Close to 6k

I use the slide stop roughly 90% of the time as a slide release and have never had a single issue. If its true i am really not sure when these apparent issues are supposed to start.
 
Back
Top Bottom