FBI medium length mag catch on Gen 3s for SSP

[HopetonBrown]

I'm currently using the OEM mag catch on Gen 3 Glocks. It's a little short (but so am I). The OEM extended is pretty long, and I find it rather sharp. The Vickers is a happy medium, but not SSP legal. Is anyone using the FBI mag release for the Gen 3? I can't seem to find much info on it on the interwebs, which is odd because it'd seem like it'd be popular for SSP.

[GJM]

I'm currently using the OEM mag catch on Gen 3 Glocks. It's a little short (but so am I). The OEM extended is pretty long, and I find it rather sharp. The Vickers is a happy medium, but not SSP legal. Is anyone using the FBI mag release for the Gen 3? I can't seem to find much info on it on the interwebs, which is odd because it'd seem like it'd be popular for SSP.

Isn't the FBI intermediate size mag catch for the Gen 4 and not the Gen 3? I have a bunch of them on Gen 4 pistols, and Midway sells them for $4, as I recall.

School solution for Production/SSP on Gen 3 is the extended OEM mag catch, whittled down.

[HopetonBrown]

I've seen it referenced by TLG here:

http://pistol-training.com/archives/5092

Much like the FBI mag button for gen3 guns (or, as we like to call it, “the mag catch Glock stole from Larry Vickers”)

[JSGlock34]

Isn't the FBI intermediate size mag catch for the Gen 4 and not the Gen 3? I have a bunch of them on Gen 4 pistols, and Midway sells them for $4, as I recall.

School solution for Production/SSP on Gen 3 is the extended OEM mag catch, whittled down.

For whatever reason, the Glock OEM magazine release in FBI length was never commercially released for the GEN3, but is readily available for the GEN4. The Vickers release mirrors the length.

[vcdgrips]

I strongly suspect it is exponentially cheaper to buy the oem extended and work it down v. buying a Vickers.
YMMV greatly

[0ddl0t]

Does Glock still make the fbi-length magazine release for gen3?


I strongly suspect it is exponentially cheaper to buy the oem extended and work it down v. buying a Vickers.
YMMV greatly

Is that SSP legal?

[vcdgrips]

CAVEATS

I am a local IDPA competitor only on my best day. I shoot ESP given the texturing on my Glocks the vast majority of the time or I shoot CDP with a 1911. I would defer to a more experienced competitor readily.


When I read the rules below together, In 2020, I think the school solution is to drop in a Gen 4 FBI sized release into a Gen 3 gun as per below in Rule 8.2.1.2
Also, as I believe you can shoot a G34 in SSP, you could use the extended one that comes on it from the factory as it "drops in" and comes "factory installed" such that it could be used in an otherwise Glock SSP platform. In that vein, you could pick up the OEM extended mag release as I suspect.


Finally, a hard reading of the rules 8.1.7 and 8.2.1.3 together might allow you to shave down an OEM extended to so long as it did not protrude more than 0.2 and was not "visibly" modified.

Having said all of that, not missing -0 zones and faster transitions between shooting positions is going to place you higher in matches v. any time picked up manipulating the weapon with extended parts, IMHO and experience, direct/indirect/anecdotal.




8.1.7

D. An extended magazine release button may not be oversized in diameter or protrude more than 0.2” out from
the frame. The measurement is taken at the rear most part of the magazine release, where it exits the frame.
When the magazine release area is recessed into the grip frame, the grip frame to the rear of the recess is used
as the base of the measurement.

8.2.1.2

C. 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.

8.2.1.3 SSP Excluded Modifications (Non-Inclusive list):

B. Aftermarket or visibly modified magazine releases, slide stops, safety levers, de-cocking levers, and hammers.

[1Rangemaster]

Reference vcdgrips comment on Gen4 mag catch into a Gen3: sorry, won’t fit. Gen4 is larger than Gen3(and reversible).
Field solution would be get a Gen3 extended and “work” it down a bit...

[vcdgrips]

1RM

Thanks for that. I only own Gen1-3 Glocks.

[JonInWA]

The Gen 3 FBI magazine release levers were, and are (even more so now) difficult to obtain. To remain within the boundaries of IDPA SSP rules, I would recommend using the Glock OEM extended magazine release, the sharpness of the corners isn't that much of a big deal in actual use in my personal experience (I'm running them on a Gen 3 G17 and a Gen 3 G19).

You WILL need to be judidious about your holster selection; if the holster is such that the holster wall comes into contact with the magazine release, theres a good chance it'll inadvertantly release the magazine; a holster with a cut-out for the release area is best.

You'll also need to be careful about placing the pistol left-side down on a flat surface, as pressing down on the pistol can also inadvertantly trigger the magazine release.

Best, Jon