[Austin1776]

I'm sure this has been chatted about, over, under, around, through and ad naseum...but I was in in my local gun store a few weeks back using the Silencer CO kiosk to send in my fingerprints and signature for a suppressor purchase (totally awesome!). I was browsing the selection of HKs they had and was looking them over. It was a busy day and I was sure a salesmen would not get to me (aka bother me), but one did. He asked, "Do you like HK handguns?" I have to admit I played dumb (easily done in my case).

I said, "I'm not sure, why don't you tell me about them." So he pulled one out, a USP 9 Full Size and ran me through the features. He got to the magazine release and said, "Here's is the major problem with HKs. They have a horrible magazine release." I said, "Oh, really?" He said, "Yes, look how hard it to release the magazine with your shooting hand." He was right handed as am I. He fumbled around with his shooting hand thumb and had a hard time.

I simply said, "May I see it?" He handed it to me and I checked it for safety (for you safety Nazis), and then proceeded to demonstrate how quickly you can get the magazine out using your shooting hand's index finger, aka, the shooting finger. He was blown away and I may as well have been the guy who invented sliced bread at at that point. I went on to explain how easy I thought it would be to press down the paddle with your trigger finger, while rotating it and ejecting the mag while reaching and grabbing for an empty magazine from your belt. It was a genuine light bulb moment for the guy.

Today I was in there again to pick up some stuff and the same salesman had purchased an HK and was wearing it and said, "Wow, you were right, this mag release paddle is awesome."

Another convert to HK.

 

[AGG]

I find that most gun shop salespersons are a jack of all trades, but a master of none!!! :biggrin:

Tony

 

[Austin1776]

I find that most gun shop salespersons are a jack of all trades, but a master of none!!! :biggrin:

Tony

Yes, it is painful to just stand at the counter and listen to the crap they tell people who do not know any better. I have to bit my tongue.

 

[lifesizepotato]

I mentioned it in the "USPs still relevant?" thread but that just drives me bonkers and I've heard it way too often. At the risk of sounding insulting, it really shouldn't take a moment of piercing brilliance to figure out that you have other fingers that can do stuff.

 

[landseer]

I love the magazine release on all HK pistols. I found that when I sometimes would shoot my sig220, I would hit the magazine release and drop the magazine just enough so it would not feed. In my opinion, anybody who complains about the HK magazine release should go back and play with cap guns!!! All HK pistols are second to none!!!

 

[azimuth]

I used to own a GTI. It was simultaneously the most gratifying and frustrating car I had owned to date. Why? German engineering. Because of German engineering it was fast, nimble and reliable. Because of German engineering, it took some patience to do more than periodic maintenance. Weird fasteners with no visible way to remove them, strange locations and curious configurations made for lengthy repair sessions. It took me 12 hours to change out the clutch for that reason alone.

I say all of that to say this: Once a person learns to thing like a German engineer, it all makes sense and one can see it really is a better way. It's that simple. German engineers think outside the box. That paddle mag release was curious to me until I learned to use my trigger finger to depress it. Now button releases seem...........clumsy. Things like this make up the nuances of HK design that appeal to me. So, if you find yourself baffled by your HK some time, change out a GTI clutch. By the time you are done, it will all make sense. :biggrin:

ETA: the only thing that I would have improved on the original paddle release is to make it slightly larger because some of us have sausage fingers. lol

 

[Bucky]

I like the fact that they are less likely to be inadvertently dropped than a traditional button. Took the wife out one night to a theater (amateur play) that had really tight seats. When I got home, my Glock 23 magazine was not seated. Far less likely to happen with a paddle release.

The down side is so few guns have it, so muscle memory is in favor of the button. Even Walther is moving away from it. Still, the limited time I've shot my P30L in competition, I never flubbed going for the mag release. I did flub once transitioning back to the 1911, which is bizarre as I've been competing with that platform for 24 years.

 

[mneblett]

ETA: the only thing that I would have improved on the original paddle release is to make it slightly larger because some of us have sausage fingers. lol

Which H&K(s) do you have? FS and compact USP .45's can use the larger HK45c mag release paddle.

 

[azimuth]

Which H&K(s) do you have? FS and compact USP .45's can use the larger HK45c mag release paddle.

Yep. I've swapped out all but the P2000sk release. I meant to do it but forgot to order it on my last HKParts order.

 

[sweersa]

Never knew anything but the paddle release, the buttons are awkward for me when I shoot other pistols. I use my thumb for the paddle mag release, no problem but I do have larger hands. I can even use my trigger finger to drop a mag out of a G36 with the standard non extended paddle mag release.

 

[Austin1776]

I have XXXL sized hands, but when I try to use my thumb to hit the paddle, I have to adjust my grip. When I use my trigger ringer, grip stays perfectly intact. Whatever works.

 

[RHG1117]

I bought my first H&K (USP .45 Compact) earlier this year to replace my Glock 30 after researching pretty extensively. I handled it in the LGS and tried the paddle mag release because I had never used on before. It was different but seemed functional. After taking to the range for test drive, the standard paddle just wasn't doing it for me. Came back and found this forum and found the solution. I put the large paddle mag release on and a set of Trijicon HD sights that I have on all my carry pistols and now I LOVE MY H&K! It's one of my favorite pistols. Like others have mentioned, I also have had magazines inadvertently release a couple of times while carrying without knowing it. I think the paddle mag release is a superior design. I'm kind of getting worried I might get the HK sickness and start replacing other pistols! Uh oh!

 

[Austin1776]

I bought my first H&K (USP .45 Compact) earlier this year to replace my Glock 30 after researching pretty extensively. I handled it in the LGS and tried the paddle mag release because I had never used on before. It was different but seemed functional. After taking to the range for test drive, the standard paddle just wasn't doing it for me. Came back and found this forum and found the solution. I put the large paddle mag release on and a set of Trijicon HD sights that I have on all my carry pistols and now I LOVE MY H&K! It's one of my favorite pistols. Like others have mentioned, I also have had magazines inadvertently release a couple of times while carrying without knowing it. I think the paddle mag release is a superior design. I'm kind of getting worried I might get the HK sickness and start replacing other pistols! Uh oh!

Do you use your trigger finger or your shooting hand thumb to release it?

 

[RHG1117]

Austin, I tried different techniques and this is what worked for me having short but thick fingers/hands in order of preference:
1) index/trigger finger works best
2) index finger and thumb not bad but a little slower reloading
3) thumb worst style but possible

 

[Rockets]

"Here's is the major problem with HKs. They have a horrible magazine release." I said, "Oh, really?" He said, "Yes, look how hard it to release the magazine with your shooting hand." He was right handed as am I. He fumbled around with his shooting hand thumb and had a hard time.

I prefer the paddle, I don't fumble around trying to find a button, been a fan since the USP and P99 days, six months ago I finally found a PPQ V1 new that had the paddle, if I have a choice the paddle is the only way to go, it's right there behind the trigger, not "someplace on the side of the gun. (And there is no real way you can accidently hit the paddle in the real world when due to grip I can see hitting the button by accident when it discharges.

 

[HwyStarJoe]

I certainly understand why that salesman fell in love with it once he was shown 'the right way'.
The first time I held a paddle-release was the VP9. I never touched one before but I had the concept down in seconds naturally. Some hate it, some love it. I prefer it over the buttons anyday. As with the rest of the VP, it's engineered ergonomics at its finest. Makes mag changes so much quicker and easier.

But I'm in a class of my own when it comes to the paddle... I use my shooting hands FU finger. It just works for me, and came natural from the start. An added benefit, at least in my eyes, is it gets my trigger finger up along the frame above the trigger when doing quick changes or holstering. Looks good to the range officers who call "Make safe and holster..." at the end of a stage too.

 

[markm]

Being new to HK handguns and only having all the USPs and a couple of P30's I can say that I hated the paddle release, I replaced all the USP ones with extended releases and they are passable, still can't stand the ones on the P30 and don't know if they have different ones or not. Haven't settled on the index or middle finger yet as i'm not sure which has less grip change. I can get some of them with my thumb but requires more grip change. I will say that I still prefer the button as I can shift my thumb while maintaining the same grip.
Yesterday I was shooting steel and when I switched back to my 229 I had a hard time finding the paddle.

 

[Austin1776]

Being new to HK handguns and only having all the USPs and a couple of P30's I can say that I hated the paddle release, I replaced all the USP ones with extended releases and they are passable, still can't stand the ones on the P30 and don't know if they have different ones or not. Haven't settled on the index or middle finger yet as i'm not sure which has less grip change. I can get some of them with my thumb but requires more grip change. I will say that I still prefer the button as I can shift my thumb while maintaining the same grip.
Yesterday I was shooting steel and when I switched back to my 229 I had a hard time finding the paddle.

Repetitio mater studiorum est

 

[svtpwnz]

I always get a kick out or the knuckleheads who cry and moan about the paddle mag releases on HK's. To me it is far better than the standard location for mag releases. The design just works and it works very well.

 

[dragnet]

I wish HK made a single stack 9 to replace my conceal carry. The paddle mag is so much better than buttons, but the P2K and P30 SK's are too chunky for me to conceal as well in business casual.