Field stripping a Glock 19 for routine cleaning is a quick procedure once you understand the basic steps. In the video below, I demonstrate the process using a Glock 19 Gen 4.
The Glock 19 field strip procedure is similar across many Glock pistols. However, always consult the owner’s manual for your specific model and generation.
Safety First: Make Sure the Glock 19 Is Unloaded
Before beginning any disassembly, remove the magazine and lock the slide to the rear.
Visually and physically verify that there is no ammunition in the chamber and that the magazine has been removed. I recommend checking this twice before proceeding.
Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction throughout the process and keep ammunition away from your cleaning area.
How to Field Strip a Glock 19
After confirming the pistol is completely unloaded, release and close the slide and point the firearm in a safe direction and press the trigger.
The Glock trigger must be in its rearward position before the slide can be removed.
Retract the slide slightly—only a small amount—while pulling down evenly on both sides of the Glock slide-lock/takedown lever.
Allow the slide to move forward and remove the slide assembly from the front of the frame.
Remove the Recoil Spring and Guide Rod
Turn the slide upside down. Carefully compress the recoil spring assembly slightly to release it from its seated position, then lift the recoil spring and guide rod assembly out of the slide.
Remove the Barrel
With the recoil spring assembly removed, lift the barrel slightly, move it rearward as necessary, and remove it from the slide.
At this point, the Glock 19 field strip reveals its main components: the frame, slide, barrel, and recoil spring assembly. Additionally, this is as far as the pistol normally needs to be disassembled for routine cleaning.
What to Clean After Field Stripping
Once field stripped, you can perform normal maintenance on the barrel, slide, frame rails, and other accessible areas according to Glock’s maintenance instructions. Pay particular attention to carbon and fouling while avoiding excessive solvent or lubricant.
Watch this video for the complete cleaning of the Glock 19 Gen 4 Pistol:
After cleaning and lubrication, reassemble the pistol according to the manufacturer’s instructions and perform the recommended function and safety checks before returning it to service.
Glock 19 Field Stripping Is Quick and Simple
One of the advantages of the Glock design is how quickly it can be field stripped for normal maintenance. Once you are familiar with the procedure, removing the slide, recoil spring assembly, and barrel takes very little time.
The video above gives you a close-up look at the entire Glock 19 field-stripping procedure. If you found it helpful, check out the other Glock cleaning, maintenance, and disassembly tutorials on this site.
