Gear Review: Vickers Tactical Mag Release

I’m a new Glock convert. I never thought that this day would come, but it has. I’ve traded off most of my HK’s and now shoot stryker fired pistols. Don’t worry I still have a 1911, because any self respecting shooter at least needs one in the collection.

I shot my second defensive hand gun course (shot out to Advantage Group) with it this past weekend and noticed that I was having troubles doing magazine changes. I could reach the mag release slightly with my thumb but not enough to put the pressure necessary to eject the magazine consistently. I wound up having to rotate the pistol in my hand drastically in order to do a mag change. This in my mind was no bueno.

So with the need to fix the issue and the simple fact that I was dying to get an aftermarket part for the pistol, I decided to buy a new mag release. Luckily I already knew what I wanted. One of my friends at the class had a Glock with the Vickers mag release already on it. Aren’t friends great in helping you spend money? After two seconds of playing with it, I knew that it was the one for me.

What I really dig about the Vickers mag release is the fact that it’s extended, but not so much that it causes the mag to drop free unexpectedly. My normal hand grip works and does not cause me to hit the release unexpectedly.
It’s got a nice rounded dome shape to it and isn’t very aggressive. It’s got a sexy sleek look to it.

Installation was quick and easy. Took all of 2 minutes. I decided to go with the FDE mag release to go with the FDE ATOM slide that I will be purchasing as soon as they are available from Unity Tactical.

I’m happy with my purchase and would definitely recommend anyone that needs an extended mag release to try the Vickers Tactical version. I purchased mine from SKD tactical. Look for them soon at my shop, Interstate Guns.

Advantage Group Gunfighter 1 and Carbine 1

Just wanted to give a quick review of a couple of shooting courses that I was able to take this weekend by a training company that goes by the name of  Advantage Group. They are the training component of Unity Tactical.

I have been looking for a company that did training in my area for many years. Till now, I always counted on receiving my training from sources inside the Marine Corps. Since I have been out for a little over two years now it has been difficult to find something that is close to me that is affordable. Most classes are either in Texas or Florida and the added cost of travel has made these classes unaffordable to a guy like me. Enter Advantage Group!

Not only is this class affordable, but the classes are created and instructed by a real life high speed operator. I say that semi sarcastically, however Nate Stokes has a pretty impressive resume including being an Army Ranger as well as working with JSOC. The guy has been in the thick of it and he gives you a GIANT buffet of information to his students to choose from.

I stole the term “buffet” from Nate, but as he explains: as you go through this course he gives you all this information. He wants you to go through and pick the things that personally work for you and add it to your “plate”. As you go through other courses pile more on your plate until you have this plate full of information.

I recommend both of these classes to anyone regardless of skill level. In both classes we had students ranging from a 65 year old retired school teacher, to LEO, to ex-military, and civilians who just wanted to learn how to run their weapons when/if they needed to.

Starting with their “Gunfighter 1″ class, I highly reccomend this class to anyone who uses a weapon for protection whether it is every day as in LEO, or anyone who carries a CCW weapon, to the person that has a pistol in their car or nightstand.This class teaches you everything from drawing the weapon in a gunfight (which occurs up close and personal) to shooting from alternate positions while using cover like behind a car, under a bed, around a corner in your home, etc. Shooting on the move, shooting offhand, as well as offhand manipulations were all covered as well. This class is jam packed with material.

Shooting While Moving

What I really like is that Nate preaches the psychology of gun fighting in his class as well. Students walk away knowing that it is the more motivated of the two engaged in the fight that walks away with their life. “Violence of action” is a phrase that is heard again and again throughout the course.

The following day I was able to shoot the “Carbine 1″ course. Again I recommend this course to anyone regardless of experience level. The class had a good mixture of novice civilians, LEO, and ex-military. After getting out 100 yard zero, we covered how to present the weapon to the target, including proper gun fighting stances. Shooting on the move was covered as well as alternate shooting positions were covered. As in the gunfighter class, the carbine class had a good mixture of instruction as well as practical application. Plenty of scenario-based tactical problems were presented to students to make them used the skills they learned throughout the day.

Alternate Shooting Position VTAC 9 Hole Drill

This class definitely reinforces that shooting is a perishable skill. Going to the range, staging in front of the target is not enough in my opinion. Is it better than nothing? I guess. If anything I think it just presents training scars that teach us the wrong way to do things. In terms of formal instruction I can not say enough about the value you get out of a training course from Advantage Group.

I’m glad that I could find such a professional training group so close to home that I can take “advantage” of.