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Install a Glock extended magazine release with only a screwdriver. We've got a complete walkthrough with video, photos, and tricks learned from our fails.
PPT Editor. Marine vet, hunter, and long-range shooter. Articles in 10+ major publications
Looking to make magazine changes faster and easier? You’re in luck, because replacing the factory Glock magazine release with an extended mag release is one of the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can make.
And you can do it at home in just a few minutes without any special tools!
In this guide, I’ll walk you through five easy steps to install a Glock extended magazine release. Let’s go!
Must-Have Tools
Nice-to-Have Tools
For this guide, I’ll be using a Glock 45 Gen 5 MOS and a Tyrant CNC extended magazine release. Regardless of which Glock and mag release you choose, the process will basically be the same. (If your pistol is set up for left-handed shooting, much of this will be reversed.)
Now that you have everything you need, let’s get started installing that extended magazine release!
If you don’t remember how to take your Glock apart, check out this video. For this job, you just need to separate the frame from the slide – don’t worry about going any further than that.
Before you do anything else, make sure your Glock is unloaded and safe to handle.
To do this, follow these steps:
Once the pistol is clear, you can return the slide to the forward position for disassembly.
Unlike when you clean and lubricate your Glock, installing an extended magazine release doesn’t require you to fully field-strip the pistol. All you need to do is separate the frame from the slide.
With a clear pistol pointed in a safe direction, pull the trigger. It should stay to the rear when you take your finger off it.
Gently pull the slide to the rear about a quarter of an inch with one hand. While holding it there, use your other hand to pull down on the tabs on each side of the frame.
Manually move the slide forward until it comes completely off the frame.
That’s it! Easy, toolless disassembly is one of the things I love about Glocks.
Secure the frame of your Glock in a vise or hold it with your left hand, keeping the front of the frame pointed to your left.
Insert your small, flathead screwdriver into the frame from the top and position it between the straight, metal spring and the side of the frame closest to your body.
Gently pry it away from you and to your right (toward the rear of the frame); the top of the spring should pop free and stick out into the empty space where a magazine would go.
Press your magazine release into the frame from the left side, and gently pull it out the right side of the frame.
I’m right-handed, but I think this method will give you the best view of the spring, even if you’re left-handed.
To install your extended magazine release, simply work in reverse order.
Insert it into the frame from the right side, being careful not to catch the spring and bend it.
Once the magazine release is in place, use the screwdriver to pry the spring away from you (to the pistol’s right) and into the notch in the frame and mag release. It should look exactly the way it did when you started.
Give the extended magazine release a few taps, just like you would during a reload. It should move freely, and bounce back into position when you release pressure with your thumb.
Glock reassembly is even easier than disassembly. Return the slide to the frame starting from the front of the frame, push it all the way back, and return it to the normal forward position. Yeah, that’s really all there is to it.
Whenever I take a firearm apart and put it back together, I perform a function check to make sure everything works as it should.
Here are the steps Glock recommends in the owner’s manual:
If all that goes to plan, your pistol is fully functional and ready to go!
There isn’t much to mess up with this upgrade, but I will caution you about a few issues that could cause problems.
It probably takes less time to install a Glock extended magazine release than it does to read this article. Once you’re done, you can take pride in a job well done and enjoy a more pleasant shooting experience.
Is a Glock extended magazine release necessary? Of course not, but having one can definitely make reloading faster and easier, especially if you have trouble reaching the original magazine release.
What’s the best modification you’ve made to your pistol? Let us know in the comments. Looking for more ideas? Check out our guide to the Best Glock Upgrades!
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