Glock 21 Gen4 Mag Release Install Tutorial

Keep in mind that no matter what you see in this article, YOU are responsible for your OWN actions, your own work on your own gun, and YOU are responsible for your OWN mistakes. We are not. Any work you do is done at your own risk. If you don’t have the means or experience to do any kind of work, PLEASE take it to a qualified gunsmith. Consider this your warning!

INTRO

Whats up AP team. I am sure most of you already know how to change out the Mag Release on your Gen4 Glock, but there may be a few of you that do not. I recently bought a new Vickers Mag Release for my Gen4 G21 so I thought I would show you all how I do this particular procedure. Its really not difficult at all, but f you have any hesitation, just take it to a gunsmith.

Safety FIRST!

The first thing EVERY Gunsmith does when he works on a gun is check to be sure its safe. I don’t care if I just set it down 1 minute ago, I ALWAYS check. Always Always ALWAYS. Even if you know its not loaded, it is still a good habit to get in to. So do it. ALWAYS do it. So, the first thing I do is drop the mag and check it. With the mag out, I proceed to rack the slide to the rear and lock it back. Then I check the chamber in the rear. (No dirty jokes y’all!) I check it with a visual inspection, AND I check it with a tactile inspection. I push my finger into the rear of the chamber and make sure there’s nothing in there. Doing a visual and tactile check is always your best bet.

Next, I take any and all mags and any ammo out the room I am working in. Next, if there is anyone else in the house, I let them know I am working on that gun and I ask them not to touch it. Usually my wife will tap it with her finger to be a smart ass but that’s my southern wife. Southern girls, eh? Anyways, in essence, I am creating a “cold room”. Kinda like the armorer and Alec Baldwin should have done on Alec Baldwins movie set. Check, check, re-check, instruct anyone nearby, and ensure a “cold area”.

Working On The Gun

Once the gun is safe and you are ready to start working on the gun, you can go two ways. You can remove the slide like you would if you were going to clean the gun. Then you would do all the work on the frame without the slide on it. Or, you can do it the way I do it. You work on the gun without taking the slide off. Either way works. You tend to have more room and better access with the slide removed, but I didn’t feel I needed to for this project. Its up to you though. Its clearly possible both ways.

Gather Your Tools (or Tool) And Your Parts

Once you determine how you want to work on the gun, gather your tools and your parts. I prefer to have a few options for tools so I can quickly switch to another one if that serves my purpose better in that moment. For this project, I grabbed a small prybar I made for myself in gunsmithing school. It is made from an old file, has a perfect curve for most prying tasks, and the bottom of the handle has a small rounded out slot in tip for holding small parts and making it easier to move them, such as the spring rod used in the mag release construction of the Glock handguns (you will see it soon).

What’s inside?

Now that you have your tools and you’re ready to start, put the frame of your gun in your hand. I’m guessing you know where your mag release is, but if not, take a look at what’s inside the frame. Do you see an area that looks like the picture below? That is the area we will be “doing surgery on” today. If you are still not sure, take a look at the diagram below. The red circles denote the area we are working in.

Time for Tools

OK, now its time for tools! We want to get our flathead screwdriver or any tool you have that will accomplish that same task. I have seen this done with a different type of file, straight of course, a small pair of needle-nose pliers, and even dental tools. Yes, dental tools. Those little picks are awesome for gunsmith work. In this tutorial, you will see me using a screwdriver for some parts, and one of the tools I made in another part. Use whatever tool works well for you in the moment.

Go ahead and put your flathead screwdriver in the frame and up against the mag release spring rod. (See the area inside the red circle)

Flex The Spring Rod

Then, you’re going to flex the Spring Rod to the right and through the notch shown in the pics above. Once you have that spring rod on the outside of the mag release bar, as seen in the pics above… again. Once you have the rod on the outside, you can move on to the next step.

Slide The Factory Mag Release Bar Out

Next up, you insert the screwdriver (or any tool that will work for this) behind the spring rod (Pic #1). Then you will want to flex the rod “outward” to give you room to slide the factory mag release bar out from left to right (Pic #2). It may take a bit of wiggling and angling it to get the bar out, but it will come out (Pic #3).

Compare the Parts

Now we can compare the parts to one another. On the bottom, you can see what the factory mag release looks like. It isn’t all that much different that the new one, but there are some small, noticeable features. The Factory mag release has a flat faced button, whereas the Vickers Tactical version has more of a rounded button. The rounded Vickers button, when installed, sits more “proud” of the frame than the factory one. The size of it allows for faster mag changes and doesn’t get in the way on a rapid draw.

Install The New Mag Release

Now its time to install the new mag release. Grab the Glock frame and your chosen tool. Slide the tool in behind the spring rod and flex it outward, “away” from the frame. When I say “away” from the frame, I am referring to flexing the spring rod “into the magazine cavity. Take care to not flex it so much that it snaps or becomes useless. Be careful. (This process make take 2 or 3 tries, just take your time and do it right.)

Insert, Rotate, and Snap

Once you have the tool in behind the spring rod, and you have it flexed outward, slide the new mag release in behind the spring rod. You will need to kind of “rotate” it in at first to get the “curved” portion of the mag release past the rod. In the pic above, you can see me starting to rotate the mag release into place as I flex the spring rod outward. Then, once you have the new mag release slid in to place where it belongs, get ready to “snap” the spring rod into place. Its easy enough, just use the tool to press the spring rod to the right, far over enough to get it to “snap” in.

Installed & In Place

Here’s what it looks like when the new mag release is installed and the spring rod is in place where it belongs. You can see the multiple scratches and such inside the slot where the mag release sits, as well as a few scratches on the release itself. It is not a big deal and does not effect function, but it is worth noting. And the larger lesson is to always be mindful of any “damage” you may create to your own guns or a customer’s gun. (To mitigate this kind of damage, you can wrap you tools in blue tape, use a polymer tool for this purpose, or create your own tools. I may also start offering the various customer tools I make for myself to the general public.)

Testing The Mag Release- Final Function Checks

Testing the mag release in the final function checks is next. We do this one of two ways, with the first test being without any mag in the frame. Now that the release is installed properly, we get the pleasure of trying out our new parts! I don’t know about you, but this is one of my favorite parts of the modification process. In the pic below, you can see that the mag release sticks up “proud” of the frame. It protrudes significantly higher than the factory button. You will want to press the button in a few times to check initial function of the newly installed part. As long as this works, we move on the 2nd part of the final function checks.

Mag Release Comparison

In the picture below, you can see another comparison shot of the two mag releases. You can see the differences very clearly. Not only is there a size and depth difference, but there is also a difference in the overall shape of the button on the mag release. This mag release is a Vickers Tactical/Tango Down G21 Mag release for Gen4 Glocks with a larger frame. You can get these at Brownells for a little under $20.

Final Function Checks Part 2

Now that we know the mag release is installed right and the button depresses and works WITHOUT a mag inside the firearm, its time to perform Part 2 of the final function check. FIRST: Make sure there is no ammo in the room with you. NEXT: Go ahead and make sure the firearm is not loaded if you chose to do this install with the gun fully assembled. If not, go ahead and re-assemble your Glock fully, and safely. THEN: Make sure your “test mag” is not loaded. With the full unloaded mag and gun, go ahead and insert your “test mag” and fully “seat” the mag. Rack the slide and make sure the gun locks back. Activate the slide release and make sure that works to release the slide. FINALLY: Press the new mag release and see if the magazine drops free of the frame. Hint… It should. Once the mag drops free of the frame, re-insert the mag again and repeat the process. If you have various mags, try one of each kind to be sure they all work. The “Final Final Test” is performed at the range with a fully loaded mag seated into the firearm, shot thru it, and paying attention to the slide locking to the rear when the mag is empty.

Final thoughts

The final thoughts in a project like this are simple. This is not a hard project in any way. Almost anyone can do it, beginners or experienced gunsmiths. Just make sure you are safe at all times, make sure there is never any ammo in the room when you are working on guns, and always follow the 4 rules of gun safety. ALWAYS.

Finish Line

If you want one of these safeties for your Glock, check out any one of many different sites, or look at Brownells.com for many options. Or if you want to see every Glock mag release option they have, visit this link. If you want to see whats new at my website and see what training I am offering, check out: www.gunmetalllc.com and have a look around. What about check out some of my other articles, visit think link. If you have any questions, just email me at: [email protected] . Thank you for checking out my articles. Have a great day.

-TGA out.