Difficulty Reaching Mag Release

[CigarStix]

Last night, I was doing some dry fire drills, working on mag changes. I have large palms, but smaller fingers and the mag release is difficult to engage. When I would release with my thumb, the mag would get caught in my palm and not release. My movements had to be so incredibly deliberate that I'd be dead before getting a mag changed. Does anybody release their Mag with their weak hand?

Thoughts? Ideas?

Thanks.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[palmcoaster]

6 to one half dozen of another. You figure in a defensive action it will be minimal shots that need to be fired but during the comotion,you could probably use your weak hand if needed. IMHO

[Weeg]

many people, myself included, often have to 'flip' the gun in the shooting hand to reach it.


With practice, it is done and quickly back to shooting grip.



Easy Breezy

[CigarStix]

6 to one half dozen of another. You figure in a defensive action it will be minimal shots that need to be fired but during the comotion,you could probably use your weak hand if needed. IMHO

I'm thinking about best technique for IDPA as well.

[TSiWRX]

There's many ways to skin a cat.

And yes, using the support/reaction hand to drive the magazine release button - and even to proactively "rip" the magazine out of the gun - is a technique taught by many schools/instructors: TDI and DRM are just two that come right off the top of my head.

[AOK]

Obviously you don't want to be deliberate with the mag change but hopefully if you are under fire you are executing this while on the move or behind cover rather than just standing there as a sitting duck out in the open.

Personally for me....

I bring the gun up into my "workspace" and between my fingers and my palm I ever so slightly break my grip so the mag release moves to where I can release the mag with my thumb and the bottom of my palm moves out of the way. Very simple with a little dry practice. With that said, as TSi mentions, many ways to skin a cat.

Edit: Just to add to this comment, while you can use your reaction hand to release (and/or rip out) the mag, it is still good to learn how to do it with your dominant hand only should your reaction hand be injured.

[Mike1956]

Last night, I was doing some dry fire drills, working on mag changes. I have large palms, but smaller fingers and the mag release is difficult to engage. When I would release with my thumb, the mag would get caught in my palm and not release. My movements had to be so incredibly deliberate that I'd be dead before getting a mag changed. Does anybody release their Mag with their weak hand?

Thoughts? Ideas?

Thanks.

I always release the magazine and strip it from the mag well with my non-firing hand.

[tacman605]

First what firearm are you using? I am trying to follow along with what you are saying here but I am a bit confused. The palm of your non dominate hand should not be anywhere around the base of the magazine unless the gun you are firing is so small or hands so big you are simply enveloping the whole gun.

Unless you firearm fits your hand correctly you will have to break your grip to a point to hit the magazine release button. The practice of using your off thumb to hit the mag release and ripping the mag out will slow down the reload itself as you are not turning what should be a one handed operation into a two handed one. The mags should fall out on there own I even give them a little assist. As I hit the mag release I will flip the butt of the gun giving the magazine some more inertia to the empty mag coming out in order for it to clear the gun for the new mag coming in.

This is a training issue that can be worked out and I applaud you for dry firing it is more than most do. Take some pics of your grip and such that may be part of the problem.

[CigarStix]

First what firearm are you using? I am trying to follow along with what you are saying here but I am a bit confused. The palm of your non dominate hand should not be anywhere around the base of the magazine unless the gun you are firing is so small or hands so big you are simply enveloping the whole gun.

Unless you firearm fits your hand correctly you will have to break your grip to a point to hit the magazine release button. The practice of using your off thumb to hit the mag release and ripping the mag out will slow down the reload itself as you are not turning what should be a one handed operation into a two handed one. The mags should fall out on there own I even give them a little assist. As I hit the mag release I will flip the butt of the gun giving the magazine some more inertia to the empty mag coming out in order for it to clear the gun for the new mag coming in.

This is a training issue that can be worked out and I applaud you for dry firing it is more than most do. Take some pics of your grip and such that may be part of the problem.

It's my dominant grip palm that is the problem. The guys in the videos I watch are either so well practiced or have large enough fingers, they make mag releases look so easy. I guess I'll just need to practice, practice, practice.

Im actually going to my first IDPA match tomorrow night. Perhaps, I can get some pointers there!

Thanks!

[Bill MO]

I try to keep things simple, I have a job that needs to be done, answer. Get it done. don't worry about how it looks, do whatever it takes to get it done in the fastest way possible. Trial and error in your bedroom is what will find that answer. Common sense is your friend.

Find your way then practice it and make it reactionary.

[cj]

Sometimes it's necessary to rotate a pistol and change your grip to either reach, or in many cases, have enough finger strength/leverage to press the mag release. With some practice, it can be very fast to flip/release/flip back to firing grip...but it does take some practice, especially to 1) maintain a safe muzzle direction through the process, and 2) return quickly to a firing grip. Also, if your hands are so big as to wrap the bottom of the mag well, I'll add 3) insert a new magazine without pinching your hand (which I just now did trying this out ).

I'm fortunate enough to have ape-like long fingers, so even pistols where everyone goes gah-gah over extended magazine releases I can reach without having to change grip, but you may want to see if your chosen pistol has that option available.

[CigarStix]

Trial and error in your bedroom is what will find that answer.
Find your way then practice it.

That's exactly what I keep telling my wife!!!

[CigarStix]

Sometimes it's necessary to rotate a pistol and change your grip to either reach, or in many cases, have enough finger strength/leverage to press the mag release.

THAT's what I should have said!! I can reach the release, but I don't have the LEVERAGE to press it! Thank you for clarifying my own thoughts.

[JMB]

It is not uncommon to have to rotate the pistol slightly in the hand in order to operate the magazine release. IMO, relying on the support for this is very inefficient and will slow you down significantly.

If I were you, I would find someone (maybe at the IDPA match?) to teach you how to do it correctly / safely.

[CigarStix]

It is not uncommon to have to rotate the pistol slightly in the hand in order to operate the magazine release. IMO, relying on the support for this is very inefficient and will slow you down significantly.

If I were you, I would find someone (maybe at the IDPA match?) to teach you how to do it correctly / safely.

Sounds like a plan. Thanks.