I’m very technically inclined and usually do all of my own armorer work, etc, but I have to say these Glock mag base plates are a total bitch. I feel like I’m literally about to crush/damage the freakin mag body using the channel lock pliers method. Has anyone else had any mags that were this difficult? I’m now considering cutting these damn things off with a dremel cut off wheel, just to get these FDE LAV/Tangodown plates on. WTF
My method is to throw on a pair of mechanix gloves, slide a punch into the base plate hole, place the mag body on the work bench, and squeeze the sides by hand and push down on the punch.
I just did 5 the other day to swap out for Vickers base plates. Yeah they are a bitch, but I’ve never had a problem getting them apart.
Make sure you are able to push whatever you sue into the base plate hole up are enough it goes up past where you squeeze the magazine body in. Other wise if you don’t push the magazine insert up past you need to squeeze the mag body, you are just pushing the mag body against the insert. This will prevent you from squeezing the body inward enough to allow the baseplate from sliding off.
It’s a pain either way, compared to other designs…
Never used anything other than my hand to squeeze. Some are easy some or more stubborn. You shouldn’t need anything more than two hands and a punch though.
In the field I use a 1/8" x 3" flat screwdriver vs a glock tool. Works everytime with no damage to the floor plate etc… Have seen plenty of glock tools bend. They just don’t reach in deep enough.
You must be a monster. I see no way to get a Glock base plate off by hand.
I usually hold it in a vice, stick something in to depress the insert, tap the pad off with a little bitty hammer.
It’s really pretty simple.
GTUL is a great accessory to alleviate frustration on disassembling new glock mags. Eventually the tabs wear a bit and it gets easier.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2895398234/gtul-glock-magazine-disassembly-tool-polymer
I second the GTUL. It makes removing baseplates a breeze.
This…I’ve been doing it this way since 1988. Never had a base that did not easily remove regardless of generation. Aftermarket special pliers and other gimmick tools are not needed.
Ditto on the vid. No real problem at all with Glock mags. Not exactly easy, but certainly not difficult.
Far easier than correcting the tendency of Glocks to shoot left:):)
John
I press the tab in with the small screwdriver on a Leatherman tool, pin the mag to a hard surface, and pop the baseplate off. I replaced 32 of them with Vickers plates the other day & still maintained my sanity.
I do the same, except I hold a punch in the same hand that I use to hold the magazine down on the edge of a table, and give that a few love taps with a brass hammer.
I can also recommend the GTUL. A lot easier than using your hands.
I don’t ever pinch the sides of the tube… I put a punch in to push the base plate as far as it’ll go, put the mag down on the edge of my bench, then force the floor plate off by downward pressure on my punch. I saw this method on YouTube years ago and have never looked back…
Jam a punch or Glock tool in there and slide it off.
Until I figured it out I would battle them but once you figure it out they just slide off like nothing.
Just make sure you jam straight down (not with the slope of the mag) and then slide off.
You don’t necessarily have to squeeze the sides real hard or at all. Just hold on to it tight. Some are harder than others.
Yeah. WTF??
Yup. And we don’t egg out the hole on the bottom of the base plate. A Glock armorer showed me the vice and hammer method a looong time ago. I can remove base plate as many times as I want and you’d be hard pressed to tell it had ever been removed.
Dragging the plate off with a punch through the pin hole unnecessarily boogers it up.
yeah… you can do a little cosmetic damage to the plate hole if you’re not careful. But if I’ve got a mag dirty enough to need to take the plate off, it’s not going to bother me too much.
This is the reason I am excited for the magpul glock mags.