stiff mag release

[aiformula]

Alright, it's time to gripe about the one thing I just do not like about these guns. The mag release button is a bear to press w/ a mag inserted. I haven't stripped it down yet to inspect everything, but I was wondering if there was anything I could do to lighten the release pressure some.

I have watched several other xd shooters struggle w/ this from time to time at the range and at a couple ipsc matches. I have nerve damage in my gun hand resulting in significantly decreased strength in my fingers. As such, I am a stickler for a good relatively light trigger and don't like a lot of muzzle flip. The best mag release mechanism ever has got to be the HK USP setup. It is intuitive and effortless and 110% secure.

[[TASF]Overkill]

With a mag inserted, or a FULL mag inserted?

If you're talking a full mag... why would you ever need to quickly eject a full mag?

[cekxd40]

Check for excess lubrication. Blow it out with canned air if possible.

[Verm]

It SHOULD be hard with a full magazine inserted. The top round is resting against the bottom of the slide and is exerting pressure downwards which is then putting pressure on the mag release lever. As you take out rounds, you lessen the pressure by decompressing the spring, making it easier to eject the magazine.

If you want to eject a full magazine easily, press upwards on the bottom of the magazine while hitting the release button. Then let it drop out.

[potatoho]

I'm sure there are several things. I usually just mess with the magazines. Closer magazine lips will reduce the top round height, and thus the amount of pressure to seat the mag, and the amount of tension on the mag release. You can get an extra mag and experiment a little. Careful and don't shoot yourself! Use dummy rounds if you can, at least the top one.

I suppose also that the top edge of the catch hole on the magazine could be slightly polished too. I've never done that.

[aiformula]

Overkill - both. and to answer your other question, competition strategy often requires dumping partial mags.

cek - already did this. Even tried contact cleaner, no joy. It just feels like the spring pressure on the release pin is way too much. I thought about lapping the pin hole after i strip it down in case the pin is too tight in the hole.

[[TASF]Overkill]

AiForumula,

"Partial mag" is different from "a full mag with the slide closed"...

If it's tough to drop even a non-full mag (As in, not full to capacity) then yeah, I'd say you have a unique setup.

[señorballistico]

I agree with aiformula. IMHO, this is the biggest problem with the XD for IDPA or IPSC shooting. Rather than having the mag release pin also act as the mag release (like Sig, CZ, 1911, ...) , the XD designers went with an additional piece in the mechanism. The mag release pin must activate the magazine catch. Additional parts, poor mechanical advantage in the mechanism, and more internal friction to overcome make this system more trublesome during a quick reload.
The good thing about this mag release system is that when I am reloading my XD on the run, I have to have my trigger finger bracing against opposite side of the frame of the gun in order to get enough leverage to activate the mag release. This lowers my probability of a DQ for having my finger in the trigger guard during movement/reloads.