How to Build a Glock Handgun at Home
Among handguns, the Glock pistol is almost the same as the AR15 in a world of rifles. You can customize it and make it unique to your taste.
Or you can even build your own Glock by purchasing each part separately.
This can be a lot of fun and you may gain more knowledge about the Glock pistol mechanism.
Before You Start
Before you look for Glock parts to assemble your handgun, choose a generation and type of Glock you want to build.
For example, if you’re going to build Gen4 Glock, look for Gen4 parts. If you’re going to build Glock 19, you’ll need parts made for it. You won’t be able to fit different parts made for different types and generations.
After you’ve figured out this, you can proceed with the building process.
Below is a list of steps to follow when building your first Glock pistol.
10 Steps to Build a Glock
- Choose a frame
- Choose a slide
- Choose a barrel
- Choose a magazine
- Choose sight
- Choose lower parts
- Choose upper parts
- Assemble all parts
- Test everything
1. Choose a frame
The handgun frame is the first part to look for. It’s a vital component of each handgun - it’s like a skeleton of the human body. On a pistol frame, you will mount all other parts required for a handgun to work.
Glock frames are made of polymer 2, made from a high-strength polymer material. This makes frames lightweight, and durable and gives them resistance to impact, corrosion, and hard conditions.
It’s important to consider which size your Glock wants to be. If you’re going to build Glock 19, go with parts for Glock 19. For example, you can Nomad 9 Enhanced Frame, made for Gen4 Glock 19.
It’s a stripped frame weighing 3.4oz made to fit comfortably in your hand and its ergonomics make it easier for you to handle your future handgun.
Always double-check the frame size before proceeding with further steps through the building process.
Also, we would also suggest looking for Polymer80 pistol frames, as they are a well-known and established brand in the handgun parts market.
However, when building your handgun, check your country's laws regarding handguns as in some states the serial number is required even if you’re making a handgun for yourself.
2. Choose a slide
When it comes to a slide, there are lots of options available on the market, from those basic Glock slides to more advanced aftermarket and more expensive slides. You can check our article about the best aftermarket slides for your Glock build.
Also, depending on your budget, you can from mid-range slides those expensive.
You can start with Faxon Firearms G19 Patriot Slide which costs $293.48.
On the other hand, we can tell that going with a factory slide is the best starting point, but usually, those slides are hard to find.
If however, you’re willing to spend more money on a handgun and save time, you can try out Trinity Nevada Deimos Complete Slide For Glock 19 which costs about $600 at the moment of writing.
There are options that cost even over $1000. However, these are complete slides, meaning you won’t have to assemble the upper part of the Glock pistol.
It’s worth noting that aftermarket parts usually have better compatibility with different accessories made for handguns.
3. Choose a barrel
Choosing the right barrel for your Glock is not complicated despite having too many options available there.
If you’re completely new to Glock pistols, you may go with the original stock Glock barrel without any add-ons.
However, there are still a few things to consider when choosing a barrel.
If you take a look at our offer of handgun barrels, you can notice there are models marked with fluted or threaded (non-threaded).
In short, threaded barrels support muzzle devices like suppressors (if you plan to use them in the future) while fluted barrels are barrels having grooves on them making them lighter and easier to cool down.
If you want to add muzzle devices in the future, go with threaded barrels, if not, non-threaded barrels will do the job.
You can also take a look at our article with our top pick for the best Glock barrel.
4. Choose a magazine
Choosing the right magazine for your Glock handgun should not be a hard job.
There are always multiple options for each Glock component, but choosing the right magazine is simple. You can always choose a factory magazine for your pistol.
The basic magazine for Glock 19 in 9mm caliber is 15 rounds, however, there are extended magazines too but they will cost you more.
It’s up to you to choose which option works best for you. You can always switch to a different magazine capacity or choose another option to esthetically upgrade your handgun.
5. Choose a sight
Choosing the right sight for your Glock shouldn’t be a huge problem.
There are two types of sights: iron sights and red dots.
Depending on your needs, you can choose from those two. However, if you’re looking forward to making a basic Glock handgun, go with an iron sight.
If however, you’re looking for red dot sight, check our article with the top 5 mini red dot sights for handguns.
6. Choose lower parts
When it comes to Glock pistols, lower parts refer to those parts mounting on the handgun frame.
In terms of firearm parts, the lower Glock parts usually come together as lower parts kits. These kits include components like:
- Trigger with Bar
- Trigger Housing
- Trigger Spring
- Trigger Connector
- Trigger Pin
- Trigger Housing Pin
- Extended Trigger Housing Pin
- Locking Block Pin
- Slide Lock & Spring
- Magazine Catch & Spring
- Factory Slide Stop Lever
- Locking block
An example of lower parts kit is Nomad Defense Hybrid Frame Parts Kit. This one is for Gen 4 and Gen 5 Glocks, so pay attention to this detail.
Also, some kits come without a trigger, so if you need a full kit, search for those offering a trigger inside the kit.
7. Choose upper parts
The upper parts of a Glock handgun are responsible for firing and cycling ammo. The components of the upper part are:
- Slide
- Barrel
- Recoil Spring Assembly
- Firing Mechanism.
As barrels and slides are sold separately, other parts can be purchased in kits, like lower parts.
For example, you can use ZEV Technologies Upper Parts Kit For Glock Gen 3/4 which contains the:
- Stainless steel Firing Pin safety & Firing Pin
- FPS Spring
- (2lb &3lb) Striker spring
- Backplate.
8. Assemble all parts
Assembling all parts require careful handling. But before proceeding further, always ensure safety before the beginning.
Here are steps to follow while assembling Glock parts:
Upper Assembly:
- Insert the barrel into the slide's barrel channel and ensure it is properly aligned.
- Place the recoil spring assembly onto the barrel lug, ensuring it is fully seated.
- Align the slide rails with the corresponding grooves on the frame's lower receiver.
- Slide the assembled slide onto the frame, making sure the rails glide smoothly along the frame.
If this looks complicated, take a look at the video below.
Lower Assembly:
- Insert the trigger assembly into the lower receiver, ensuring it is properly aligned.
- Guide the trigger bar into the designated groove on the trigger assembly.
- Attach the trigger housing pin through the frame and trigger assembly, securing them together.
- Insert the slide stop lever through the frame and into the designated slot, ensuring it is properly seated.
- Attach the locking block pin, ensuring it goes through the frame and locking block.
Full Glock assembly and disassembly.
9. Test everything
After you finished assembling all parts, do a few quick tests to check if everything works smoothly.
- First test the slide: manually cycle it to be sure it moves smoothly and locks back when empty.
- Second: reinsert the magazine to be sure the magazine catch and release works as they should.
- Perform a check by pulling the trigger making sure the firing mechanism works correctly.
*Note: Perform these tests with an empty handgun. Do not use ammo for these tests.
Final Words
Well, that’s it for now. By now you’ll probably be able to assemble your own Glock and have more knowledge of your firearm.
This will be also useful in the future when the time comes to clean your firearm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to build a Glock handgun at home?
Yes, it is legal to build a Glock handgun at home for personal use. However, it's crucial to understand and comply with your local laws and regulations regarding firearm manufacturing and ownership.
Be aware that some jurisdictions may have specific restrictions or require registration of self-built firearms.
What tools are needed to build a Glock handgun?
Building a Glock handgun typically requires a few basic tools. These include a Glock armorer's tool or a punch set for disassembling and assembling various Glock parts.
A mallet or non-marring hammer can be useful for installing pins, while a bench block provides a stable surface for working on smaller components.
It's also helpful to have a set of screwdrivers and needle-nose pliers for handling specific tasks. Make sure you have the necessary tools before starting the assembly.
Is it cheaper to build or buy a Glock handgun?
Generally today, it’s cheaper to buy a complete Glock pistol than to build it from scratch. However, building your own Glock may bring you more satisfaction and knowledge about your handgun’s mechanism.
Now! Once you get it built, you're going to want some Glock upgrades!
