Tips & Techniques: Sticking Glock Mags

by
posted on July 26, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
sticking-glock-mags.jpg

Everyone who has shot a Glock has experienced it: You’re shooting a string of fire, the slide locks open and you go to perform an emergency reload only to find the magazine stuck in place—it can be quite frustrating. How can you fix it? Clean your gun differently. 

Many Glock magazines stick due to solvent or lubricant in the magazine well. To avoid this, clean the polymer frame with a baby bottle brush, dry scrubbing the dirt and debris out. These brushes have a wide but soft bristle that is designed to work well on plastic. You will see the crud come out quickly and easily compared to trying to get a cleaning patch into the nooks and crannies.

Once the frame is clean, apply a coat of car wax to both the inside of the magazine well and the exterior of the polymer magazine body. Just like on the body of your car, the wax will dry and become pasty. When it does, take a clean rag and buff both the magazine well and the magazine body. Make sure you get all of the dried wax away from the inside of the magazine release button. Your magazines should now jettison cleanly away on a reload.

Additional Reading:
Tips & Techniques: Rotate-To-Fire In Close Encounters

Tips & Techniques: Stay in the Scope
Tips & Techniques: "Take Out The Slack" To Keep Accessories In Place
Tips & Techniques: Stock Drag
Tips & Techniques: When Adjusting Sights, Remember "FORS"
Tips & Techniques: Cast Bullet Fit in Revolvers

Latest

Ukraine Operators
Ukraine Operators

Ukraine Operators Use Drone Round to Defeat UAS

Ukrainian operators recently tested and defeated drones with the Drone Round—a purpose-built cartridge that requires no firearm modifications, no new equipment and no additional training.

From The Counter: The Gun Store Prime Directive

When visiting a firearm retailer, know when it’s appropriate to interject, and when you should keep quiet.

Red-Dot Occlusion Training: A Performance-Booster for You & Your Optic-Equipped Handgun

Red-dot occlusion is a passive technique that shooters can use to remain target-focused, thereby speeding up their performance with optic-equipped handguns.

New for 2026: Dead Air Nomad Ti Over-The-Barrel (OTB) Suppressor

The Dead Air Silencers Nomad Ti OTB is designed to be a compact and lightweight suppressor for the backcountry hunter.

I Carry: Diamondback SDR in a Galco Hornet Holster

For our latest "I Carry" episode above, we paired the six-round Diamondback SDR DA/SA snubnose revolver with a simple leather holster from Galco, along with one of the latest EDC flashlights from Streamlight.

The Armed Citizen® May 8, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.