Glock slide pitting

**DDB** · 05-11-2023, 11:58

Hi all
I recently noticed some pitting on my Glock 26 Gen5 slide (photo attached). It is only on the side that contacts my body so its likey from IWB carry with not enough preventative maintenance on my part.

Any ideas on what steps to take? Will this get worse? Is this minor enough to ignore?

Many thanks in advice.

**zguy** · 05-11-2023, 14:45

Your sweat can be pretty corrosive.
I would suggest a good cleaning and then something like Boesheild or eezox treatment to help prevent further issues.
Or at the least, a weekly wipe down with Ballistol.

**A-R** · 05-11-2023, 15:17

It is indeed your perspiration that is chewing on the slide.

Yes, regular maintenance is required.

However, your holster is also not keeping the slide off your skin, hence the contact with the perspiration. Find a holster with a proper sweat shield that keeps your skin and slide far apart.

The slide on mine developed deep pit marks before I smelled the roses and changed my holster. Not all holsters are made equal.

**oafpatroll** · 05-11-2023, 15:24

This stuff is excellent for keeping the tin worm at bay

https://www.thequartermaster.co.za/p...tive-Wax-300ml

**zguy** · 05-11-2023, 15:25

To add to AR's comment , apparently chrome tanned leather can also pit/rust firearms. The salts from the tanning process remain in the leather. Vegetable tan leather is better.
If you are using leather.

**aimpoint** · 05-11-2023, 15:33

Bliksem! You guys haven’t really answered the question. Obviously its the sweat chowing it, but is that normal for glock?

I carry a sig and i sweat battery acid, my slide has gone white where it contacts my body, however i have no pitting?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**oafpatroll** · 05-11-2023, 15:39

Originally Posted by aimpoint

Bliksem! You guys haven’t really answered the question. Obviously its the sweat chowing it, but is that normal for glock?

I carry a sig and i sweat battery acid, my slide has gone white where it contacts my body, however i have no pitting?

Steel corrodes when bathed in salt solution regardless of what gun it's made into. Whatever coating is applied to it just slows it down but will eventually fail. You SIG will corrode eventually too.

**Gleock** · 05-11-2023, 16:00

Originally Posted by DDB

Hi all
I recently noticed some pitting on my Glock 26 Gen5 slide (photo attached). It is only on the side that contacts my body so its likey from IWB carry with not enough preventative maintenance on my part.

Any ideas on what steps to take? Will this get worse? Is this minor enough to ignore?

Many thanks in advice.

Those look like indentations from the vice when your sights were fitted.

Edit to answer the original question: Eezox

**A-R** · 05-11-2023, 16:17

Originally Posted by Gleock

Those look like indentations from the vice when your sights were fitted.

Edit to answer the original question: Eezox

It could well be that the vice jaws marked/damaged the surface coating and this accelerated the corrosion pitting.

All metals will eventually get damaged if exposed to sweat for long enough. Some finishes postpone the process a bit longer than others, but none do it forever.

For those who didn't know, stainless steel guns suffer from this too. The plastic (polymer) frames are mostly impervious.

**Gleock** · 05-11-2023, 16:28

Originally Posted by A-R

It could well be that the vice jaws marked/damaged the surface coating and this accelerated the corrosion pitting.

All metals will eventually get damaged if exposed to sweat for long enough. Some finishes postpone the process a bit longer than others, but none do it forever.

For those who didn't know, stainless steel guns suffer from this too. The plastic (polymer) frames are mostly impervious.

I would bet my left nut that there is no corrosion in those indentations, even under a microscope.

I have never seen pitting on firearms with that level of definition in the edge of the pitting, with the pitting only limited to the high spots.