I disassembled my new G 17 today. After reassemble I did a functions check and noticed that, with no magazine in, when I pulled the slide to the rear the slide stop lever would engage and would not go forward until I pushed on the slide stop. Is this normal and I'm just thinking something is wrong? Also, when it does engage it is only going halfway or less into the knock on the slide.

My only guess is that I have positioned the spring on the slide stop lever in the wrong place. The end of the spring is currently going over the top of the locking block pin. Does it need to go under it? Is it possible to put the wrong end of the pin in first? Is there any other possible causes to this? I have not fired it yet.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Check and make sure that the slide stop spring is UNDER the locking block pin (the top pin).  The proper reassembly order is to install the locking block pin, then slide the slide stop into place with the spring leg under that pin.  Then slide the trigger pin into place.  

ETA: I just finished reading your entire post....  That is absolutely your problem.

Yep.  End of spring should be under the locking block pin. Reassembly is easier, if you insert the trigger pin from right-to-left, while jiggling the slide stop lever fore and aft.

This, I did the same once

Ptlm 724, if I am ever in NJ I owe you a few cold ones. It's amazing the simple things we mess up. This is why arf.com is great ! Thanks again, everyone.

No problem man, you owe me nothing, but I'd be glad to throw a few back with yeah...

I put the locking block pin so the spring is under it. With no mag in, everything is working great. With an empty mag in, when I pull the slide to the rear it  lock back as it should. I have to press on the slide stop to release it, or should I have to simply pull the slide to the rear a small amount to release it.

Just want to double check my work before I go to the range. Thanks for the help.

With an empty mag in place, you'll have to depress the slide stop to send the slide forward. Pulling the slide to the rear wont do anything since the follower is pushing the slide stop up.

your first mistake was doing a detail strip at all. until something breaks (which in your average glock will be a very long time) there is no need what so ever to detail strip.

Detail stripping is absolutely a procedure that has its place even with a Glock; ESPECIALLY with guns you plan to use for self defense or duty use.  I try to do complete detail strips of all of my department's handguns at least once per year.  It's not for reasons of required maintenance, but it is absolutely worth the time in simply finding possible issues or broken parts before they cause a stoppage at the most inopportune time.  Its not often that I find broken parts, but it has happened and quite a few times it could have been disastrous if the part was found to be faulty at the wrong time (which is often when it happens).  I've been a factory Glock armorer for more than 10 years so I guess it's a process that's quite simple for me at this point.