[IDPA & Extended Mag releases]

On 1/5/2021 at 4:46 PM, Jim Watson said:

You are, of course, correct, that is .200" tall, not taller.

Are you shooting in SSP?  Seems a modified or shop made magazine catch is not allowed.  ESP is not clear but you could probably get by.

 

1. Magazine releases, slide stops, safety levers, de-cocking levers, hammers, and triggers, that are stock on one SSP

   legal firearm may be used on another SSP legal firearm from the same manufacturer provided they are drop in replacements. Parts in this list must come factory installed on standard production firearms. Special parts that are available installed only from a factory custom shop are not eligible in SSP.

 

I shoot Carry Optics.  And so far I've had zero luck in engineering any sort of legal mag release.  Still drives me a bit crazy, since it's a mod I use for real EDC guns as well.  

 

That said, too long a release can definitely lead to a malfunction - this particular release caused me a problem on an IDPA (local match) stage; started the stage gun on the table.  Had a failure to feed following my first shot; quickly got it running again, but reflecting later on, I realized that setting the gun down on the table must have been enough to partially actuate the mag release, partially unseating the magazine.  Maybe the rule makes sense after all, lol ...

[IDPA & Extended Mag releases]

Jim Watson - 

 

I realize this string is old now, but your reply is incorrect; i only know because I recently learned that I had misunderstood this rule as well.

I shoot a Walther Q5 Match SF.  Love the pistol; hate the stubby magazine release.

 

I ordered an extended mag release from Walther, and used my dremel to remove the lip from the top of extension (to keep in line with the 'not oversize in diameter' part of the rule).  http://www.carlwalther.com/images/q5_round_mag_release.jpg

 

Like you, I logically thought the rule was limiting how much LONGER THAN THE ORIGINAL the mag release could be; seems a reasonable frame of reference.  But as elguapo points out, the rule is incredibly clear.  The .2" is the absolute limit the release can extend from the frame, measured from the rear-most spot on the release.

 

I remain perplexed by the intent of this rule; I certainly wouldn't EDC a pistol whose magazine release I couldn't easily and reliably manipulate under stress, and the extended release from Walther is great in that regard.  I had to remold my Kydex holster to accommodate it, to be sure, but of course would do the same for an EDC pistol as well.

 

Nonetheless, that is the rule.  The Walther extended release, in addition to being oversize, extends about 0.318" from the frame, while the OEM release extends about 0.117" from the frame.

 

Hoping to shoot at my state IDPA match in 2021, so now I'm in search of a machinist to help me make a mag release as long as is legal.  Thinking I would start with the Water extended release, disassemble it, grind stuff down, and attempt to reassemble.  Unfortunately at the moment I don't have access to my workshop / materials, so I can't easily do it myself.