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[How-To] Glock 25 Cent Trigger Job

Easy step-by-step guide to polishing the correct trigger surfaces of the Glock 25 Cent Trigger Job with polishing compound and either hand or Dremel tools.

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By
Eric Hung (Founder, CEO)

PPT Founder. NRA Pistol Instructor. USPSA/3-Gun/NRL22 Competitor. 250+ articles

Updated Mar 18, 2026
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Want to smooth out your Glock trigger in the comfort of your own home?

The Glock 25 cent trigger job uses polishing compound on a few internal surfaces to achieve a smoother trigger pull.

Set of Glocks

The purpose of this trigger job is just to polish the internals, not to remove any actual metal.

I've done this on two separate guns, one that had 500 rounds through it, and one that was around the 2000-round mark. I felt noticeable improvement in both guns, which is great considering how cheap and easy this method is.

So if 25 cents for a better trigger sounds like something that interests you, keep on reading!

Why Do The 25 Cent Trigger Job?

When it comes to guns, the more you shoot them, the more the parts will naturally rub against each other. After enough rounds, all that rubbing will eventually polish those surfaces, resulting in a smoother feel.

But waiting for that to happen naturally can take a lot of rounds, which can be a lot of time and money.

You can speed this process up by using a polishing compound in conjunction with either hand-rubbing with a rag, Q-Tip, or Dremel tool to achieve the same or better results as just shooting the gun a ton.

While it isn't actually 25 cents, it is still very cheap and is the most cost-effective way to clean up your Glock Trigger.

Disclaimer: Incorrect application of the polishing compound can cause the gun to not function properly.

What You Need Before You Start

Must-Have Tools

Nice to Have, But Not Needed

  • Dremel Kit with the polishing attachment, if you want to speed things up even more.
Polish and Dremel
I prefer the polishing compound since if it's good enough for a clear coat, I'd have to really mess up to take off metal on my gun parts. However, plenty of people prefer Flitz.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Fully Disassemble Your Glock

In order to access the parts required to complete the trigger job, you must first disassemble both the frame and slide of your Glock.

Below is an excellent video from Tactical Swede showing the full disassembly and reassembly of a standard Gen 3 Glock.

Step 2: Polish the Safety Plunger

You can polish them in any order, but we will go ahead and take a look at the safety plunger first.

For this step, you will want to polish the entire flat bottom of the safety plunger (circled in red).

The circled part is where you will polish.

To polish the part, you will first apply a light amount of Flitz or polishing compound to the area using either a Q-Tip or your finger.

Once the polish has been applied soft, clean rag and firmly rub the areas with the polish on them to buff the surfaces.

Glock Safety Plunger Polish
You can see some of the material starting to smooth out on this plunger.

Repeat this step a few times until the surface has a shiny, almost mirror-smooth appearance and feel. A good test to make sure the surface is smooth is to run a Q-Tip across it and see if any fibers get stuck.

Note: If you are using a Dremel tool, make sure the polish/buffer wheel is attached and that you are at a relatively low-medium speed setting. While a Dremel can speed up the buffing process, they also bring a higher risk of removing too much material and causing issues. Less is more, and patience is key.

Polished Glock Safety Plunger
The end result should look something like this.

Step 3: Polish the Connector

The next part to polish is the connector. I am using a Ghost 3.5-pound connector here, but the process is the same for the OEM connector.

You will want to apply polish to the circled area, then use the same buffing process with the rag or Dremel as in the previous step.

Glock Connector Polish
Glock Connector Polish

You only need to polish the side where the lips are facing up, and only about halfway down the connector.

While you can polish the entire length of this connector, it is unnecessary, as the circled area is the only part that interfaces with another piece.

Step 4: Polish the Firing Pin

Next up is polishing the inside of the rear surface of the firing pin, using the same buffing process with the rag or Dremel as in the previous step.

Glock Firing Pin Polish
You only want to polish this area of the firing pin.

You will want to take extra care not to round the corner/top edge of this piece. If that top edge becomes rounded, the firing pin will likely stop functioning correctly.

Step 5: Polish the Trigger Bar

This step is a little more involved, as it requires polishing three separate parts of the trigger bar.

The first area you want to polish is the upper part of the cruciform, or cross-shaped, area of the trigger bar.

If you want, you can polish the entire top of this cruciform area, although only the upper and side portions are necessary.

Glock Trigger Bar Polish 1
You will want to polish these flat parts of the cruciform area.

Next up is polishing the inside face of the trigger bar that is located underneath the cruciform area. This is the area that interfaces with the connector.

Glock Trigger Bar Polish 3
Polish this area on the inside of the trigger bar, located below the cruciform part.

For the last area, you will want to locate the tab that sticks out near the front of the trigger bar. There is a raised lip on one side of this tab. You only need to polish the very top narrow edge of this tab.

Glock Trigger Bar Polish 2
This is a very small area that needs polishing.

For further reference, check out this excellent video that details the entire 25 Cent Trigger Job in high-def.

Step 6: Reassemble and Function Check

Once all of the parts have been polished, reassemble your Glock.

After the gun is reassembled, check the trigger for functionality by dry-firing the pistol when empty to ensure it works, and verify that the trigger resets properly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overpolishing – Using too much polishing compound and/or buffing the area too much or too hard can remove too much material. Use a light amount of compound and take it slow while applying light to medium pressure. If using a Dremel tool, work quickly at a low-to-medium RPM and use it with a light touch.
  • Rounding off corners – Almost all of the surfaces that need to be polished are relatively flat. Avoid using too much pressure near the edges of the surfaces, as it can cause you to inadvertently roll the compound over the edges. Keeping the parts on a flat, stable surface while polishing helps.
  • Incorrect Reassembly – Some parts on Glocks, such as the connector and trigger springs, require very specific angles and orientations to function correctly. If your trigger isn't working after reassembly, we highly recommend rewatching the disassembly/reassembly video to ensure everything is installed correctly.
The Glock 17 is the original double-stack 9mm from the Austrian manufacturer.

FAQs

Q: How long does this take?
 A: The whole job can be safely done in around an hour if you are familiar with the disassembly and reassembly process.

Q: Can I do this without a Dremel or rotary tool?
 A: Absolutely. You can polish the parts by hand with a rag. If you are unfamiliar with operating a rotary tool, going by hand may be preferable to prevent over-polishing.

Q: What if my trigger isn't working after I am done?
 A: Before you panic and start thinking you did too much polishing and removed too much material, first disassemble and reassemble the gun again. Sometimes the issue could be as simple as the connector bar or other part not being reinstalled correctly. If the issue persists, you can then move on to replacing parts.

Q: Can I do this on a Gen 6 Glock?
 A: Yes. Although some of the parts are shaped differently, you can still polish the areas where they interface to achieve similar results.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Following these steps and taking everything slow and easy should result in a smoother trigger pull on Glocks with lower round counts.

So now that you know how to do the 25 Cent Glock Trigger Job, it is time to grab some polish and smooth everything out!

Group of glocks

Don't want to fiddle with polishing it yourself? Then check out some aftermarket options in our hands-on article covering the Best Glock Triggers!

Latest Updates

March 2026: Included additional videos and various media.

Eric Hung

Written By
Eric Hung
Founder, CEO

I'm Eric Hung, the founder of Pew Pew Tactical, and I love guns. For over 10 years I've been soaking up as much information as possible online, in competitions, classes, and from my own testing. Now I hope to bring that info to you! I've written over 250 articles on Pew Pew Tactical that are read by millions a month. I'm also an NRA certified pistol instructor and avid USPSA/3-Gun/NRL22 competitor. Learn more at About Us.

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