Two handed magazine release?

[anthonymax007]

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a newbie question for you all. Two handed mag release...Am I the only one who trains them? I find my strong hand thumb can’t reach the mag release on either of my pistols (currently an M&P Shield and a Glock 19) without adjusting position and losing a good firing grip. It’s much easier and more efficient for me to use my weak hand thumb and release the mag prior to reloading with a new magazine. Does anyone have any thoughts regarding this? I don’t want to be instilling bad habits, but I’m really noticing a difference I terms of reload speed and shot consistency since training this way. I’ve debated installing a mag release extension, but I’m not seeing any benefit after using this method.

[Robinson]

I have short thumbs and also have to shift my pistol in my hand in order to drop the empty magazine. But during a reload my non-firing hand is already reaching for a fresh magazine while my shooting hand releases the empty one. I use a pretty positive movement of my shooting hand to bring the pistol somewhat sideways in order to make sure I engage the magazine release. It doesn't take long to do and becomes pretty much automatic with practice.

Also, when doing an administrative reload (at a class for example) I think it's better to bring the new magazine up before releasing the partially spent magazine from the gun. That way the support hand can control both magazines at the same time without having to dump the partially spent one on the ground.

[JAD]

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a newbie question for you all. Two handed mag release...Am I the only one who trains them? I find my strong hand thumb can’t reach the mag release on either of my pistols (currently an M&P Shield and a Glock 19) without adjusting position and losing a good firing grip. It’s much easier and more efficient for me to use my weak hand thumb and release the mag prior to reloading with a new magazine. Does anyone have any thoughts regarding this? I don’t want to be instilling bad habits, but I’m really noticing a difference I terms of reload speed and shot consistency since training this way. I’ve debated installing a mag release extension, but I’m not seeing any benefit after using this method.

As Robinson said, it's a really good idea to at least have your hand on your spare if not to have it most of the way to the gun before initiating the gun part of the reload. There's a lot of good reasons -- you might drop it on the way to the gun, you might have already used your spare, you might have lost it in a tussle or on the run, or you may have forgotten to put it on that day. Plus, it's faster and more efficient to stack the two actions rather than making them purely sequential (it takes time for your arm to move down to the spare and back, and in your reload that time can't start until you've turned your gun into a single shot).

Shifting the grip will become more comfortable with practice. I do not believe in wasting training time on a low probability event and do not train reloads except as they happen during shooting (http://pistol-training.com/archives/9715), but I make sure to make all of my reloads count when practicing (I never do a lazy administrative reload).

[HopetonBrown]

I don't think this guy is talking about speed or administrative reloads, so I'm not fully digging the advice so far.

Is your 2 handed reload faster, or feel faster? Have you tried both ways with a shot timer?

I think most people can't reach the mag release on a G19 without shifting their grip. I know I can't.

[anthonymax007]

I don't think this guy is talking about speed or administrative reloads, so I'm not fully digging the advice so far.

Is your 2 handed reload faster, or feel faster? Have you tried both ways with a shot timer?

I think most people can't reach the mag release on a G19 without shifting their grip. I know I can't.

I’m less concerned about speed and more concerned with maintaining a optimal grip. Using my strong hand thumb takes me out of my usual grip (being high up on the gun) since I have to drop my thumb down and over to hit the release. I end up with poor recoil management and overall accuracy since my new position is lower. Using my weak hand thumb to hit the mag release just allows me to keep that strong hand nice and high without feeling like I have to juggle a firearm in my hand to reposition and start shooting again. Not sure if that makes any sense.

[Duelist]

I don't think it's that big of a deal to shift the grip during a reload. If you are reloading, you aren't shooting. Get done reloading, get your shooting grip lined back up.

I grew up shooting revolvers. Efficient reloading requires grip shifting and both hands getting into it. Adjusting the gun slightly on a GLOCK just doesn't seem that big of a deal to me. If it is on a particular gun, an extended mag release button takes care of it.

[HopetonBrown]

I’m less concerned about speed and more concerned with maintaining a optimal grip. Using my strong hand thumb takes me out of my usual grip (being high up on the gun) since I have to drop my thumb down and over to hit the release. I end up with poor recoil management and overall accuracy since my new position is lower. Using my weak hand thumb to hit the mag release just allows me to keep that strong hand nice and high without feeling like I have to juggle a firearm in my hand to reposition and start shooting again. Not sure if that makes any sense.

Please do not confuse you performing a technique incorrectly with the technique itself being flawed.

Having a faster reload and an optimal grip after performing the reload need not be mutually exclusive.

Here are 2 good reload vids.

https://youtu.be/VfIaMB1TvLI

https://youtu.be/7aspKTH1BYg

[Rex G]

I had long thought that the reason the mag release button is a bit beyond the reach of the normal grasp of the thumb, is to lessen the likelihood of an unintended release. I cannot cite a source, but believe I learned it decades ago.

[JSGlock34]

I'd consider a different pistol, an extended magazine release, or perhaps using the trigger finger to engage the magazine release (possibly utilizing a reversible magazine catch to make it accessible to the trigger finger) before I'd consider using my support hand to engage the magazine release.

[olstyn]

I'd consider a different pistol, an extended magazine release, or perhaps using the trigger finger to engage the magazine release (possibly utilizing a reversible magazine catch to make it accessible to the trigger finger) before I'd consider using my support hand to engage the magazine release.

Yup, reversible and/or paddle mag releases are a big benefit if you don't have long thumbs. Paddles also have the extra benefit of being REALLY hard to accidentally actuate.