Finally

Well, I finally did it. I finally bit the figurative bullet. I finally found a gunsmith, who when asked about removing the magazine disconnect feature of my HP didn't say something along the lines of, "Well, if the manufacture made it with that safety feature, then they must feel it needs the safety device." This guy was cool. Once he was sure I wasn't using it for a duty weapon, he yanked it right out of there. The gun was gone less than 24 hours and it cost less than $40. The trigger is much, much less mushy feeling and the magazines, even empty, fall free of the gun when you hit the release.

Let's briefly discuss magazine disconnect, shall we. What the f***? They have to be the most wishy washy safety device ever. You can argue either way and be neither right or wrong. The idea is that by removing the magazine, the gun won't fire. So if you are a LEO and someone tries to take your gun, you can disable it by dropping the mag. On the other hand, if the offender drops your mag, of it gets dropped accidently in the tussel, you don't have the shot in the chamber, unless you get a clip back into the gun. It's a quick way to turn a firearm into a club.

Now, even if you think the magazine disconnect is a good feature, surely you need to stress that it needs to be done well. Of the various Hi Powers out there, only the FM's from Argentina let the clip drop free of the gun. Otherwise, it lets go, but the clip just hangs there. A quick spank of the bottom of the clip resets it, so the disabling during a fight isn't very effective. Secondly, a speed reload is impossible. You have to use your fingernails to pry the clip out, unless you have bumpers on the magazines. Even with the bumpers, you have to pull the clip out of the gun. Secondly, it makes the trigger feel longer with a lot of take up. Smith and Wesson uses magazine disconnects, yet they manage to design them so they don't interfere severly with trigger or reloads. You would think FN would redesign the thing a little. I mean they aren't bargain basement priced firearms. The trigger is much crisper and reloads much easier. The pressure needed to fire the weapon doesn't change, but the take up disappears and the trigger just feels much nicer.