Mag Release: Can you reach yours without altering your grip?

Can you reach your mag release button without altering your grip?

  • Yes, easily

    Votes: 78 44.8%

  • No, I can't reach the button without altering my grip

    Votes: 96 55.2%
  • Total voters
    174
  • Poll closed .
krausb

krausb

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I have what I consider to be fairly average size hands and regardless of what semi-auto handgun that I shoot, I can never seem to effectively reach the mag release with my thumb without altering my grip on the gun. As much as I try, I can't seem to quite reach without changing my grip...

So this got me to thinking; is it just me? How many people can actually reach the mag release on their gun with our changing their grip? I'm usually not a big fan of polls but I am curious to see the results.

For the purposes of this poll, I am referring specifically to traditional North American style mag releases such as those found on 1911s, Glocks, Sigs, etc. Heel releases and HK style ambi releases are obviously different beasts.
 
med hands and i have to shift grip on some guns if a double stack ive practiced off hand thumb mag release and if going to grab mag hand is all ready there
 
I have medium sized hands - I can reach teh mag release on both the M&P40, and HK USP without changing grip. This was a critical part of the purchase phase, as IPSC is my use.
 
On both my M&P's I have the release on the right hand side of the pistol (normally the 'lefty' side) I use my middle finger to drop the mag without changing my grip. Other than that, since I have short fingers, no way.
 
maybe it's your grip- is the gun firmly bedded in the web of your hand?- the next time you go shooting, have somebody really take a look at your grip and stance and see if there's not something wrong there- the mag release on most pistols is usually pretty ergonomic-i'm a lefty so that's of no use to you
 
Now that I'm looking, I see that overall hand size is actually made up from two different components: the size of your palm and the lenght of your fingers... So if I had to pick, I think I have "average" sized palms and slightly shorter than average fingers... Maybe that's my issue? :confused:

But thanks for the suggestion about grip, t-star. I will definitely have a buddy at the range watch ne as I shoot and see if my grip might be out of whack. It would be nice if it was a simple fix like that.

I will also say that I have become a huge fan of the HK style ambi release. I work that one with my middle finger and I don't have to alter my grip at all...
 
I should point out that I have the same problem whether I'm shooting a double stack (Glock 17, 22; Sig 226) or even a single stack 1911. Maybe I have short thumbs... :confused:

So far the pol is split pretty even. Interesting...
 
I install an extended mag release button on all my Glocks.

While I can reach the standard button, the extended button is a bit more reliable on cleanly ejecting the empty mags. With the standard button sometimes the mag drags a bit on the way out.
LAZ 1
 
I can't hit the mag release with my firing hand thumb unless I tilt the gun inward in my palm.

No reason I can't use my support hand thumb to hit it though.
 
I have big hands, but I can't reach the release on my usual gun without pivoting my grip a little bit.

But it's a factory release on a Glock 20. You would have to be six foot ten to reach that thing!

I have been thinking about putting an extended mag release in it...I could probably hit it without moving my grip if it were just a tiny bit longer. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I think it matters or not.

I am more interested in running an extended slide release. I said when I bought this gun that I would run it for a year bone stock, then change anything I though I needed to. It's been ten months and I now think I would like to change a couple of things. The extended mag release would be an experiment, but if it makes me faster, but doesn't make the gun more prone to puking out its mag while in the holster, I'll go for it.
 
easily with OEM aluminum grips on a tanfoglio or CZ. Pretty easy on a Tanfoglio LImited Custom .40 as well.
 
while we're on topic,
anyone knows if an oversized magrelease such as this one can be oriented to accomodate left-handed shooters on a 1911 platform? Anytime I've seen these installed, the big part points backwards. Whereas a lefty I would need it to point downrange
 
Still split pretty evenly... So that means that roughly (perhaps VERY roughly as this poll is far from scientific) half of all handgun shooters cannot reach the mag release on their pistol without shifting the gun in their grip. Well at least it's not just me! :)

I know it's not the end of the world by any means, but in competition or an otherwise stressful situation, fumbling to switch your grip to release the mag and then switch back does cost time...

I guess that's why HK decided to re-invent the mag release altogether. Their design works for everyone regardless of which hand is dominant and how long your fingers are.
 
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