[dovedescending]

It's either my hands or just the nature of the beast, but I cannot press the mag release on my cz82 without first modifying my grip, losing the advantage of maintaining my shooting grip during the entire reload.

What I've been practicing is something along these lines (I hope it makes sense without diagrams).

1) Bring my support hand up around the pistol, and pull it to the side, so that my shooting hand can press the release with the thumb.

2) Remove empty magazine FIRST, grab the new magazine, insert into magwell.

3) Push pistol back into proper position using support hand, then return support hand to support role.

Is there a better way to do this?

[uspJ]

I won't say a better way, but I have the same problem with most pistols except for my usp. What I do is use my support had thumb to hit the mag release button when doing a tactical reload. I first grab the fresh mag, hit the release with my support hand thumb and insert the fresh mag. This allows me to keep my strong hand on my pistol with the sights still on target.

This method may not be for everyone but it works for me. I injured my support hand a few years ago and the nerves are all screwed up (feels like I'm using someone else's hand). This is the only way I've found to be able to do it with any kind of speed and consistance. Hope it helps, if not it's worth what you paid for it :)

[dovedescending]

That sounds pretty decent, I'll give it a run through or two this evening. It can't be any worse than my current method :/

[Gato Montés]

If it makes you feel any better, I've always found the mag release to be a PITA on the 82. Not only is it stiff and hard to depress, but the thumb rest on the grip gets in the way.

Since the release is ambidextrous, have you tried to drop the magazine with your trigger finger instead?

[dovedescending]

I found a take-down of the 82 on this website http://sailorcurt.blogspot.com/
and he has a section on getting that release to work a little better. As to using my trigger finger... also an idea, but that might be a little fiddly, tucking my finger behind the trigger and pulling it out again... I would hate to negligently pull the trigger if I'm doing a tactical reload. Still, any ideas are great.

[Rexster]

Pistols are designed to keep the mag release out of reach of the thumb during a normal firing grip, lest the shooter dump his mag while firing the pistol. Having to change one's grip to reach the mag release with the thumb is normal.

This is one reason I like shooting my SIGs in lefty mode; I can release the mag with my trigger finger. I think of my SIGs as better guns for lefties than righties. (I am largely ambidextrous with handguns.)

If one's preferred handgun has a mag release that works with one's preferred hand's trigger finger, that is a gift.