Whether you need to spruce up your gun’s appearance or improve its performance, Glock slides can be a great place to start. These custom-machined aftermarket options are more than just durable and aesthetically pleasing. Modifying Glock handguns have become a popular pastime for many gun enthusiasts, from trigger swaps to barrel comps. One common modification that is often overlooked is the slide upgrade. The slide is a crucial piece of your Glock pistol and can be upgraded in many ways. There are endless options to customize a slide from finish to ergonomics. Some offer a Glock slide with an OEM-style profile, angled front sight windows, drastic weight reduction through ported slide windows, and aggressive serration cuts.
Custom Engraving
In the not-too-distant past, getting a custom slide for your Glock required sending your Glock off to a machine shop, waiting for what seemed like an eternity, and shelling out some serious cash. Now, numerous companies offer custom-machined aftermarket Glock slides ready to use right out of the box. This glock 19 custom slide can be engraved with words, patterns, or pictures for a unique look that reflects the owner’s personality. They also make an excellent gift for someone special.
Serrations
The Glock has a new grip cutout that takes up more space, which some people don’t like. One way to get around this is with stippling, which gives you a better grip on the gun without detaining from its aesthetics. Another option is adding front serrations, making the slide easier under sweaty conditions. These can also help you place your shots more accurately. Another excellent slide upgrade is to have it nitrided, which makes the steel many times harder and stronger while also being more resistant to corrosion, pitting, and scratching. It’s an excellent option for law enforcement officers working with harsh environments and abrasive materials.
Ported Windows
The newest gunsmith trend in the firearm world is installing ported windows on your Glock to maximize the accuracy of red-dot optics. These cuts reduce the surface area that would be impacted by dust, dirt, or other debris, so your sight won’t get clogged, and you’ll still have a clear view of what’s ahead. This modification also helps reduce the reciprocating mass of your slide, especially when coupled with larger brakes or compensators. This can allow you to use lighter loads without risking malfunction or equipment breakage in pursuit of millisecond gains in performance.
Barrel Cuts
Glocks are designed to function within reasonably tight parameters, including how much recoil energy they can handle. However, some owners like to tinker with these features in search of millisecond gains that may not be worth the risk of malfunctioning or broken equipment. Adding large brakes and compensators can rob the slide of some energy it needs to cycle, reducing the overall recoil force the pistol can absorb. Luckily, there are aftermarket upgrades that reduce the reciprocating mass of a Glock’s slide by cutting away some of the material around the barrel. This is commonly done with ported barrels but is also available on full-length slides. The result is a lighter and more reliable slide.
