I just got a Glock 30 yesterday but when I got it home the slide wouldn't stay open without a magazine and wouldn't close with a magazine in place.  It looks like the magazine is pushing up on the slide lock somehow.  Anyone have this happen before?  Is there an easy way to fix it or should I take it back?  Thanks for your help.

The magazine follower is designed to push up on the slide catch. That is how the slide locks back after the last round is fired. Will the slide not close with a loaded magazine in place? Please only try this test on a range. No need to put holes in things.

I can't get the lock button down with an empty magazine in place, haven't tried loaded (at range).  Might go this afternoon and see.  Why won't it stay open without a magazine then?  Do you always have to manually push the button up to lock the slide open without a mag?  I have shot Glocks before but they had been used and somewhat abused so things were a little more loose.  Could the problem be that is it so new and needs to be shot some before it will work better?

Thanks for the info.  Guess I didn't know as much about Glocks as I thought I did!  Maybe I'm just to wimpy to push the lock down with a mag in it!  Thanks again for the help.

You really should try to avoid using the slide lock to drop the slide forward. It's hard on the slide lock, and gets you in the habit of use fine motor skills to release the slide.

Reach overhand and grab the top of the slide and pull it backwards, then release and it will slingshot forward. This uses gross motor skills, where your less likely to fumble when under stress.

Can this only be done with a full mag?  I did get a chance to shoot it today and the release is much easier with a full clip than an empty one.  Just wondering, but why is that?  Thanks for all the info guys.

Overhand/slingshotting the slide works when the gun is  loaded and unloaded, with or without a mag in the gun.

The slide should not lock on it's own if there is a loaded mag in the gun, or no mag at all.

The slide should lock on it's own if you cycle the gun with a empty mag

So should the slingshoting work with an empty mag in place?  It works when there is no mag but the lock must be pushed to close the slide with an empty mag.  Is that right?  

When the slide is locked to the rear with an empty mag in place, you have to overcome both the forward pressure of the recoil spring and the upward pressure of the mag spring against the slide catch to get the slide to close (go forward)...this is fairly difficult, especially with the puny little Glock extension. With a round in the magazine, there is no upward pressure being exerted by the mag follower, so you can release the slide catch easily by either pushing down on it or by the slingshot method. (When you pull the slide slightly to the rear, the catch will drop out of the way of the slide) With no mag in place, you must manually provide the upward pressure to get the slide catch to engage in the notch while holding the slide to the rear.

Your gun is working correctly. Get some dummy rounds if you want to work with it at home.

7_62_54,

You should look into getting some training from an NRA certified instructor.

Thanks for all the help.  I think I finally have this figured out.  I will definately check into some training.  Would like to do some tactical someday anyway.  Anyone know of a good instructor in Boise, ID by chance?

read glock manual

Quoted: read glock manual

Thanks for such wonderful advice, NOT!  I already did and it didn't say much.  They need to learn to write a better manual.  English on one side and jibberish on the other, how is anyone supposed to read that?!