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Fix My Glock

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Revision as of 19:56, 23 January 2026 by Kopsis (talk | contribs) (Glock clone testing and troubleshooting information.)
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My Glock doesn't Glock! Help!

Work In Progress

Glock clones are enticing builds for beginners. There are lots of reasons but some of the top are:

  • the Glock itself is one of the most widely known handgun designs in the world
  • the design uses relatively few parts
  • the non-printed parts are widely available in the US
  • the frames are relatively easy to print

Despite the brilliant simplicity of the design, it's still a precision machine that relies on well made parts, correct assembly, and maintenance of precise tolerances. Beginners expecting a "cookbook" build often find themselves with a malfunctioning gun and no idea how to fix it. This guide

Troubleshooting Your Print

Coming soon.

Troubleshooting Your Build

Functional Testing

WARNING: DO NOT FUNCTIONAL TEST WITH LIVE AMMO. FUNCTIONAL TEST EMPTY OR WITH DUMMY ROUNDS ONLY!!!

If you do not have dummy rounds, you can print some: https://odysee.com/@spaceboundtactical:9/SnapCaps-Dummy-Rounds:9 . These won't function quite as well as commercial dummy rounds (a.k.a. snap caps) but they're good enough to get through most functional tests.

You're going to start with your frame and slide completely disassembled, so it's best to go through these tests as you do your initial assembly. If your gun is already assembled, take it apart so you're starting from scratch. Complete disassembly is easy and good practice.

  1. Insert the front rail (not mounted in the frame) into the slide and check that it moves freely all the way to the front. Remove it from the slide.
  2. Insert the rear rail (not mounted in the frame) into the slide and check that it moves freely up to the ejection port. Remove it from the slide.
  3. Install (only) front and rear rails and locking block into the frame. Mount the slide to the rails and verify that you can move it all the way to the rear and back to the front with almost no resistance. Remove the slide.
  4. Install the slide lock (bar in front of the locking block) with its spring. Mount the slide to the rails and verify that it still moves without resistance. Remove the slide.
  5. Install the barrel and recoil spring assembly (recoil spring and guide rod) in the slide. Mount the slide to the rails and verify that it "catches" on the slide lock bar and will not move forward beyond that point.
  6. Pull the slide to the rear and verify the only resistance is the force of the recoil spring. Remove the slide.
  7. Remove the rear rails and the two locking block pins. Install the complete trigger assembly with rear rail, slide release, and locking block pins.
  8. Mount the slide to the rails and verify that it moves as it did in the previous check. Make sure it does not hit the ejector or trigger block. Remove the slide.
  9. Install the firing pin assembly (firing pin, firing pin spring, spring cups, spacer) in the slide and install the backplate to hold it in place. Do not install the firing pin safety, extractor, or extractor spring assembly yet.
  10. Mount the slide to the rails. Pull the slide all the way to the rear, then ease it forward into battery. Verify that the trigger "resets" and moves all the way forward. Partly retract the slide and verify the chamber is empty (no dummy round and definitely no live round). Ease the slide back into battery.
  11. Pressing only on the edge of the trigger (to avoid depressing the trigger safety lever) gently depress the trigger. You should feel and see the trigger safety lever catch on the frame and prevent any further rearward trigger movement. Repeat this test pressing from different angles and with different amounts of force until you are confident that the trigger will not move fully rearward unless the trigger safety lever is also depressed.
  12. Pressing on the trigger such that the trigger safety lever is depressed, gently depress the trigger until you feel it meet resistance. Release the trigger and verify it moves freely back to the forward position.
  13. Pressing on the trigger such that the trigger safety lever is depressed, gently depress the trigger until you feel it meet resistance. Gradually apply additional force until the trigger "breaks" and releases the firing pin. You will hear and feel the firing pin release. Release the trigger and verify it remains in the rearward position.
  14. Pressing on the trigger such that the trigger safety lever is depressed, hold the trigger in the rearward position while you pull the slide all the way to the rear. Ease the slide all the way forward while still holding the trigger to the rear. Gradually ease the trigger forward. Part way through it's travel you should feel (and hear) a "click" as the trigger resets.
  15. Pull the trigger until the firing pin releases. Release the trigger and cycle the slide. Verify that the trigger resets and moves all the way forward. Pull the trigger again and verify the firing pin releases. Repeat this test 5 - 10 times.
  16. Remove the slide. Remove the slide backplate. Install the firing pin safety plunger and spring, ejector, and ejector spring assembly. Reinstall the slide backplate.
  17. Mount the slide and repeat the trigger functional tests. Remove the slide.
  18. Install the magazine release and magazine release spring in the frame. Without mounting the slide, insert an empty magazine into the magwell. Verify the magazine locks in place.

Troubleshooting:

Live-Fire Testing

WARNING: DO NOT LIVE-FIRE A GUN THAT FAILS ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONAL TESTS! Live ammo will not fix functional problems and shooting live ammo in a gun with known issues can put yourself and others at risk of serious injury or death.

Asking For Help

The amount of help you can expect depends on how much information you provide. If you're going to ask for help, provide as much of the following info as you can:

Build Info

  • Type of frame you printed (i.e. which rails does it use: FMDA, PY2A, P80, Dagger, etc.)
  • Specific design you printed (e.g. Chairman Won, Unseen Killer, Broken Bullets, etc.)
  • Type of Glock slide in use (17L, 17, 19, 26, 43/48, etc.)
  • Brand/model of slide in use
  • Rail supplier
  • OEM (Glock) or aftermarket Lower Parts Kit (LPK)
  • OEM (Glock) or aftermarket Upper Parts Kit (UPK) if you used a bare slide
  • Filament used (type and brand)
  • Nozzle temperature
  • Number of walls
  • Type and percentage infill
  • Chamber? (none, open, closed)
  • Filament drying before print
  • Any post-processing (annealing, moisture-conditioning, etc.)
  • Print orientation (rails-up or rails-down)
  • Print angle (relative to horizontal)

Function Info

  • Which tests in the Function (dummy round) Test section passed?
  • Which tests in the Live-Fire Test section passed?
  • What brand and bullet weight ammo did you live-fire test with?
  • What behavior do you see on the failing test(s)?

Photos/Video

  • Detailed photos showing the isolated problem area
  • Photos of the inside of the frame with the slide removed
  • Video of the failure if it shows something happening
  • Not usually useful: photos of the fully assembled gun, photos without explanation/context, video of you racking the slide and/or pulling the trigger a dozen times in rapid succession (save the rapid hand movements for other things)
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