I prefer paddles, faster, don't have to change grip, you can still use your thumb if you desire, etc...

Americans are just stubborn. Hence why we don't use the metric system and can't show boobs on regular tv.

I prefer button mag releases but if I had to use a paddle I prefer the walther over an HK. All the HK's I've tried, the mag release was too far forward for my thumb or too far back for my index/middle finger to actuate without rotating the gun. The walther on the other hand has the nice long lever along the trigger guard. That said, I can't objectively say a paddle is faster than a button without doing a scientific test, however I don't see how bringing your thumb down to hit a button is any slower than bringing your finger down to actuate a paddle, and vice versa. It's just preference imo.

The thing that slows a mag change down for me is how fast I can get the loaded mag back into the gun. Getting a box into another box essentially. So I worry about that instead of the mag release. Considering that ejecting the empty and grabbing a fresh mag are usually done simultaneously, again I don't see how a button or paddle can be slower or faster in the overall scheme of things. You'll only be as fast as you can get the fresh mag into the gun and the slide back in battery. As for why it's not more popular? It's not appreciably faster than a button (if it is at all) and the majority of the population is right handed. Just my two cents.

I also prefer the paddle. On my P2000s, no way that mag is getting released when I have the gun in my hand. That's me personally. I don't have an issue with the button release either, just prefer the paddle on my HKs.

I suspect it's because Most shooters have already developed an intuitive Reflex towards the button.

Of course it's because this is 'murica and if we needed a paddle mag release Lord Jhon Moses Browning himself would have put one on the 1911.

John Browning didn't put a button release on a gun until the US Army told him to... after they had seen a Luger. The "American" vs "European" stuff is just precisely backward at its origin.

quote:

Originally posted by grumpy1:
I found a downside of the HK paddle release. I had a minor irritation on my trigger finger and as a result I was putting more finger on the trigger than usual with my P30SK and was actually activating the magazine release when shooting the pistol with the recoil pushing against my finger enough to cause the release. I posted on an HK forum about this and found I was not alone experiencing this but certainly in the minority.

Here is picture of my hand on my P30SK when I put a lot of finger on the trigger.

Very interesting!!! So it doesn't even do what I want them to do....BE secure!

I've always in theory preferred the paddle release as I thot it was more resistant to inadvertent release and certainly makes holster-making easier {I make holsters}. Many holsters exist that will trip a button release if side pressure is applied to the holster body so we have to use design tricks to preclude that, especially with left hand holsters.

But I've never owned a paddle release.

In truth, excepting the weird in-grip button on old Beretta's, we have basically the 3 types; paddle, button and heel. I like a very positive release that doesn't have any potential for unintended release as I ski with my pistols and when falling, all sorts of mayhem happens. But a handgun is just that and the pistol should be capable of being shot and reloaded with one hand.

So if the paddle doesn't really have the advantages it appears to have and the heel makes one-hand reloading more difficult if not impossible in some cases, we are left with the button.

I actually like the left side button position as I am left-handed and prefer using my trigger finger for actuation of the button, but...they could be better set up IMO. I want a well-fenced button. None I know of ARE actually made that come anywhere near that "requirement", but that is what I want.

Most of my pistol shooting is with HK's which have shot for 15 years and Walthers. As a lefty I love them. I also like that paddles are as easy to use with a support had as with my trigger finger.

I do not think it is very difficult to switch between a button and a paddle provided either one fits the hand without needing to repositon your grip

My paddle problem is that I have been shooting for "awhile" and bought my first paddle gun (P30s) 3 years ago. While I love the gun, practicing with it means I shoot other guns far less - resulting in me having a decent pile of guns that I don't shoot much anymore.

That makes me think about going back to a button gun as a primary handgun just to have a more similar manual of arms with other tools in the tool box.

-shooter

Because the HK implementation is inferior to the Walther PPQ M1 implementation but the HK paddle release is what people are familiar with.

I wish all of my pistols had the PPQ M1 style release.

I agree that the Walther design is better. I doubt many people have considered that there's more than one way to design them. If paddle releases were more popular I'm sure that we'd see some more innovation, especially from the aftermarket.

The early Walther design is more HK like.

I do agree the newer full length design is better but I prefer the smaller HK/earlier Walther Design.

I didn't understand the paddle and thumbed it for years. After reading a post about using my index or middle finger the bulb finally went on. Now I'd paddle all my guns if I could. I don't seem to have the oft bandied problem of being stuck on one system for pistols or rifles though.

I hace not owned a walther with paddle release. I have held them. I vastly prefer the HK release. Out of the multiple tens of thousands of rounds i have shot through my USP's, i have never had a non intentional mag release.

I honestly do not see how it is possible for me to. I can see other people having issues depending on hand size and how much finger they have on the trigger. Even then, like the posted photo, it seems to be a ludacris amount of finger on the trigger.

quote:

Originally posted by grumpy1:
I found a downside of the HK paddle release. I had a minor irritation on my trigger finger and as a result I was putting more finger on the trigger than usual with my P30SK and was actually activating the magazine release when shooting the pistol with the recoil pushing against my finger enough to cause the release. I posted on an HK forum about this and found I was not alone experiencing this but certainly in the minority.

Here is picture of my hand on my P30SK when I put a lot of finger on the trigger.

No only this but also it irritated my trigger finger after just a mag or two.

You shoot with your trigger finger wrapped around the trigger?

I'm weird I guess... I only have one HK, a USP Compact .40, and I operate the paddle using both thumb and forefinger simultaneously. I haven't shot it in over 10 years, haven't carried it in probably 15; but I fondle it frequently.

quote:

Originally posted by SigFan:
I'm weird I guess... I only have one HK, a USP Compact .40, and I operate the paddle using both thumb and forefinger simultaneously. I haven't shot it in over 10 years, haven't carried it in probably 15; but I fondle it frequently.

I do the same but one finger works just as well.

In two words: "Established base."

I fondled a VP9 at the fun store a couple months ago and it took all of about two NY heartbeats to become one with the paddle release. Loved it. But, with all my existing pistols having button releases: Decided it was a negative.