How To Paint A Glock Slide

Learn how to paint a Glock slide and make your handgun standout with this badass gun customization.

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In this article:

1. How to Paint a Glock Slide
   1. Break Down the Slide
   2. Clean with Alcohol
   3. Tape the Slide
   4. Tape the Sights
   5. Sand Lightly
   6. Clean Outer Slide with Acetone
   7. Heat Slide at 150 Degrees Fahrenheit
   8. Hang and Spray
   9. Let Dry

How to Paint a Glock Slide and Make it Stand Out

How to Paint a Glock Slide

There is no doubt that the Glock pistol is now the most popular handgun in America, and for many good reasons. Thus, custom handgun painting is trendy with gun carriers these days to make the gun stand out.

It has low recoil, light, simple, durable, and features a unique safe action system. It is also resistant to rust through the manufacturer’s patented teniferation process plus, the Glock has its own unique brand of beauty.

What Is A Teniferation Process? Tenifer is one of the trade names for a finishing process using salt bath nitriding for firearms, thus the Teniferation process.

Yet, since the Austrian-made pistol is the standard issue for the country’s law enforcement, making the Glock stand out can become a challenge. Being a civilian user’s favorite also adds to the challenge.

The quick, cheap and simple way to personalize your pistol is by painting the slide. There are a number of additional methods you can use following these steps, including employing your own custom stencils.

But the key to a custom handgun painting is not mucking up your hardware. Here’s how.

Step 1. Break Down the Slide

First, work on how to prep a gun for paint jobs as you would in any paint jobs. Begin by breaking down the slide, making sure all the attached pieces are removed.

Start with the barrel, recoil spring assembly, firing pin, spacer sleeve, firing pin spring, and spring cups. For the sights, see Step 5.

Step 2. Clean with Alcohol

Clean the inside with 91% (or higher) isopropyl alcohol. You can get this at any drugstore and most grocery stores.

Don't use cheap paper towels or anything else that will leave a gunky residue.

Step 3. Tape the Slide

Tape the bottom portion of the slide, particularly from the grooves of the side rails so that the gun paint will not affect the slide’s movement. The same goes for the channels.

RELATED: Everything Guns Episode 4 | Glock Handguns Cleaned

Step 4. Tape the Sights

Tape off the sights carefully. Not even a master marksman could place a shot with a paint-clogged sight.

Step 5. Sand Lightly

Sand the surfaces lightly to help the paint stick. This takes a little practice as you don't want to sand too hard.

Step 6. Clean Outer Slide with Acetone

Clean the slide’s outer surface with acetone. You want to make sure you get every bit of sanded dust off, otherwise, your paint job could look muddled.

Step 7. Heat Slide at 150 Degrees Fahrenheit

Heat the slide in an oven at 150°F for 5 to 10 minutes. The key here is you don't need a ton of heat, but if you are unsure about the settings on your oven, make sure you plop in a thermometer in there beforehand.

Don't push it much further than 150 on this step.

Step 8. Hang and Spray

Use a strand of paracord or thick string and tie it around the hole for the recoil spring. Use the paracord to hang the slide.

Spray it down with your paint of choice. Just make sure you are using a paint rated for the surface of your gun.

You'll find the best paint for guns for cheap at auto shops. Several thin coats give better and lasting results than a single thick coat which also makes it a durable gun paint.

If possible, put the slide back in the oven for the same temperature and duration as indicated in Step 7.

Step 9. Let Dry

After 6-7 paint coatings, let the slide dry for 1-2 hours and remove the tape. Don’t use it for a few days.

Check out the full video by CaptainBerz on painting a Glock slide:

That's all there is to painting Glock slide. All you need is knowledge of disassembling a Glock, cleaning the inside surface to prevent slide issues, and carefully taping surfaces excluded in the paint job.

Painting your gun is an art in itself–no need for a rush but a serious enthusiasm only gun carriers understand. Let dry and enjoy your Glock's new look!

Did you undergo the same steps when you painted your Glock slide? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

Editor’s Note: Legal “Loophole” Allows You To Carry Concealed In 28 States

Up Next: 

• Want More Gun Control? Texture Your Grip For Better Handling
• The Glock: Ultimate Gun for Home Defense and Survival?
• Glock 19 for Concealed Carry Review

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on March 18, 2015, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.