Here's our first look at Larry Vickers' slide stop for Glocks. It's hard to visualize what's different about LAV's part without seeing it next to its step brothers. So, rather than listen to me try to explain it, use the images below to see for yourself. There are a few perspectives that readily show the subtle and not-so-subtle differences. As I put this gallery of images together it became clear that Vickers ingeniously combined the size of the standard lever with the profile of the extended lever.
I've used stock, extended and recently the Vickers slide release, though I've only had a few sessions with the Vickers. I'm one of the lucky shooters that can run Glock's extended slide release without a lick of trouble. Not everyone can, though. The Vickers lever doesn't reach as far back as the extended lever so it won't be as easily caught by an errant thumb. Despite it's shorter length, it manages to offer far more traction thanks to it's hourglass-top shape and jimping. It sticks out a little farther than the stock lever, but you'll notice it doesn't stick out more than a mm or two than the triangular bump on the factory extended lever. There's little chance the shape would cause any more holster interference than the extended lever.
One minor difference that is barely worth noting is the way the spring is attached to the lever. Vickers spring base is doubled over and crimped, while Glock crimps only the single spring end and wraps it around the arm. Larry Vickers told me that there's no reason for the difference. He said, "it's just the way it's made." It's a subtle difference, and while it has no effect on performance it may play an unknown role in determining the part's durability compared to the stock lever.
Another minor point is the fit. The trigger pin hole fits perfectly. No slop. At all. Anyone that's broken down a Glock knows that getting the trigger pin out is contingent on the slide release lever finding it's way out of its groove as the lever is jacked back-and-forth. I've got a handful of Glock slide releases and tried them all with used and brand new trigger pins. Most let go of the trigger pin after about 10-15 seconds of wiggling the lever. One hangs on a little longer. But, wiggling the Vickers, it takes a lot longer to find the sweet spot. We're talking about a five minutes of cursing while giving the Glock a three-handed happy ending. I attribute this to a slightly smaller hole that is probably just inside tolerances. All things equal, though it's far better to be annoyed when working on the gun than it is for the pin dislodge during use.
While the Vickers slide release is undoubtedly an improvement over both of Glock's offerings, there's one thing that's going to keep me from switching over, the USPSA rules. I've been getting into pistol shooting sports and in order to stay in the production class, competitors are limited to parts found only on factory pistols. Since the Glock extended slide release is standard on the G34, it can be used across the board in the production class. If I weren't planning on competing, I'd go with the Vickers in a heartbeat. It's a no-brainer.
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