Switching mag-release so you can use your index finger?

[Duane Thomas]

Believe it or not Max's hands are small enough that he has to "Flip" his grip to release the mag, and then flip it back. As you can imagine with all his practice, he can do it lightening fast.

If you watch 3GM and Max's section on the speedload, it's not that his hands are particularly small, it's that he chooses not to run an extended/enlarged mag release button because he doesn't like the part's tendency to be accidentally depressed during a table start. Most people running a stock configuration button do have to "flip" the gun in their hand to get their thumb on the mag release. This in an intentional part of autopistol design.

[Duane Thomas]

I tried it on my M&P it didn't work to well for me. I kept hitting it while drawing

Also, another problem with putting the mag release on the outboard side of the gun, if your match gun is also your carry gun, is that, when carrying the gun in a holster, that exposes the mag button to accidental depression should you happen to bump into a hard object. With the mag button in its normal place, OTOH, it's shielded between gun and body while being carried.

My assessment: reversing the mag button = bad idea. On the other hand, if I was a barely 5" tall lady shooter with proportionally tiny hands firing a fat gripped gun like an S_I, didn't carry, and was only looking at it as a mod for my match gun, would I consider it? You bet I would.

[Duane Thomas]

I'm left handed, so I'm basically born with what you're talking about modifying your gun to accomplish, and I shoot Single Stack so flipping the mag release isn't an option.

What Lisa does is run an ambi mag release then have the "normal" side button ground down flush with the frame. If you tried that it could solve all your problems and add no weight to the gun at all.

[MemphisMechanic]

Just to throw a little something more into the discussion...

I'm left handed, so I'm basically born with what you're talking about modifying your gun to accomplish... My problem has been hands too big to get my trigger finger back to the mag release unless I shift the gun in my hand to release the mag... I now snake my support hand index finger between my strong hand trigger finger and strong hand middle finger to depress the mag release.

You were doing it wrong, and you're now doing it wrong and slow instead.

Hold the gun in your left hand, trigger finger extended along the frame. Halfway break the grip with your fingers on the gun, and roll your ring finger up the grip. Depress the magazine catch with the first knuckle of the ring finger. Very little shifting of the hand, and because my thumb and trigger finger never move on the pistol, it's been 100% consistent in terms of reestablishing the correct grip on the gun. And it's fast.

It works for me on Glocks, CZs, M&Ps, and 1911s really well - without extended mag catches. I have to twist a SIG just a big to hit the button, but it works there too.

I shoot with two other lefties that use the tip of the trigger finger to drop the mag, so I gave it a try. I really hate how completely flexed into a "U" the digit has to be in order to come all the way back to the button.

Edited July 4, 2009 by MemphisMechanic

[1bigshooter]

I've switched it on M&P's for both my wife and 13 year old daughter - they really like it.

I will suggest to them to try some of the other 'fingers' or 'knuckles' as mentioned here.

Good discussion!