Custom slide buyer's guide
By The Button Land Customs shop, machinists and gunsmiths
Choose a custom slide in this order: the model and generation it fits, the optic footprint you'll run, how it's machined for grip and weight, then the finish. Ours cost $215 to $365 in bare stainless, Cerakote adds $35–45, and each is made to order.
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Will the slide fit your pistol?
Fit comes first. A slide is made for one model (a Glock 19 slide is a different length from a Glock 17 slide) and for certain frame generations. Our Glock slides say which generations they fit in each listing.
| Pistol | Designs | Price (bare) | Generations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glock 17 | 3 | $225 to $305 | Gen 1–3 |
| Glock 19 | 10 | $215 to $365 | Gen 1–3 |
| Glock 26 | 2 | $255 | Gen 1–3 |
| Glock 43 | 3 | $255 | Factory Glock 43 |
| Sig P320 | 3 | $315 to $330.75 | See each listing |
Not sure which generation you have? The Glock generation compatibility chart shows how to tell.
Do you want an optic cut?
If you'll run a red dot, the slide needs a cut that matches your optic's footprint. RMR is the common full-size footprint; RMSc is the narrower carry footprint. Several of our designs are offered with an RMR cut, and the G19 Griffin is designed for the enclosed Holosun 509T. The optic footprint guide matches dots to cuts.
How do serrations, windows and pockets change a slide?
- Serrations and pockets give you more to grab when you rack the slide. Front serrations help with press checks.
- Windows remove weight and show off the barrel. Some designs leave them out on purpose: the Bulldog is our no-window duty design, and the Shift has no windows for dust and dirt to get into.
- More machining costs more. That's most of the price difference between designs.
Bare stainless or Cerakote?
Every slide comes in bare stainless at its listed price, or in Cerakote for $35–45 more. Slide colors are bare stainless, graphite black, sniper grey, flat dark earth, OD green, cobalt and burnt bronze. The Cerakote colors and care guide covers colors, patterns and looking after the finish.
What else do you need to finish it?
Our slides ship stripped, so a slide needs a barrel, a recoil spring assembly, the internal slide parts and sights or an optic before it'll run. See the Glock slide build parts checklist, or pick a build kit on a slide's page.
How long does it take, and can you return it?
Slides are made to order and ship in 2–3 days. Custom designs add about 3 weeks, plus your approval before work starts. Custom slides are made to order and can't be returned or refunded. If the coating is damaged in shipping, we'll repair it. Please don't install a damaged slide.
Prefer to keep your factory slide? We can mill it or cut it for an optic instead.
Custom slide buyer's guide questions
What should I look for in a custom Glock slide?
Start with fit: the right model and generation for your frame. Then the optic: an optic cut for the footprint of the dot you'll run. Then grip and weight: serrations, pockets and windows change how it racks and how much it weighs. Last, finish and lead time: bare stainless or Cerakote, and when you need it.
Should I buy a custom slide or mill my factory slide?
Buy a custom slide if you want a design built in from the start, or want to keep your factory slide as it is. Mill your factory slide if you like it and only want an optic cut, serrations or windows; slide machining starts at $57.75. Milling means sending us your slide and waiting for the turnaround.
Which pistols do you make custom slides for?
Glock 17, Glock 19, Glock 26, Glock 43 and Sig P320. There are 21 designs in all, from $215 to $365 in bare stainless. Each listing names the exact model and generations it fits, and the slides page lets you filter by pistol.
Can you make a one-off slide design?
Yes. Send a special request with what you want: the pistol, the cuts, the finish and any reference photos. Custom designs add about 3 weeks to the normal lead time, plus your approval of the design before we start machining.