Firearm magazine release lever apparatus and related methods

1 . A magazine release lever apparatus comprising:

an engagement portion to engage a portion of an ammunition magazine to secure the ammunition magazine to a firearm,

a lever arm extending from the engagement portion, the lever arm pivotable about a pivot axis to move the engagement portion between a magazine securing position and a magazine release position, the lever arm to be adjustably mounted to the firearm to permit adjustment of a position of the engagement portion relative to the pivot axis; and

an adjustment block pivotably connected to the firearm, the lever arm connected to the adjustment block to pivot with the adjustment block, the lever arm movable relative to the adjustment block and the pivot axis to permit adjustment of the position of the engagement portion.

2 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lever arm is adjustably connected to a trigger guard of the firearm.

3 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lever arm includes a recess receiving at least a portion of the adjustment block.

4 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adjustment screw threadingly engaging the adjustment block such that rotation of the adjustment screw moves the lever arm relative to the adjustment block.

5 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mounting bracket to attach to a firearm, the mounting bracket including a first side flange spaced from a second side flange, the lever arm disposed between the first side flange and second side flange and pivotably connected to the first side flange and second side flange.

6 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a spring biasing the lever arm to the magazine securing position.

7 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first stop to limit movement of the lever arm from the magazine release position toward the magazine securing position, the first stop being adjustable to set a first stop position of the lever arm.

8 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first stop includes an adjustable screw threaded to the lever arm.

9 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a second stop to limit movement of the lever arm from the magazine securing position toward the magazine release position, the second stop being adjustable to set a second stop position of the lever arm.

10 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lever extension connected to the lever arm and having a lever engagement portion, the lever extension to support the lever engagement portion proximate a trigger of a firearm.

11 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 10 wherein the lever arm includes an attachment slot and the lever extension includes an attachment portion slidably inserted into the attachment slot to connect the lever extension to the lever arm.

12 . The magazine release lever apparatus of claim 1 in combination with a firearm, the firearm comprising a magazine receiver having an opening to receive a magazine and a magazine seating portion adjacent the opening,

wherein adjustment of the engagement portion of the lever arm relative to the pivot axis adjusts a size of a gap between the engagement portion and the magazine seating portion of the magazine receiver.

13 . A method of installing a magazine release lever to a magazine receiver of a firearm, the magazine receiver having an opening to receive a magazine and a magazine seating portion adjacent the opening, the method comprising:

mounting the magazine release lever to the magazine receiver at the opening of the magazine receiver;

adjusting a position of the magazine release lever relative to the magazine receiver to adjust a size of a gap between the magazine release lever and the seating portion; and

wherein adjusting the position of the magazine release lever includes shifting the entire magazine release lever relative to a pivot axis of the magazine release lever.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein adjusting the position of the magazine release lever includes rotating an adjustment screw to shift the magazine release lever toward or away from the seating portion of the magazine receiver.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the firearm includes a trigger guard coupled to the magazine receiver,

wherein the adjustment screw engages an adjustment block pivotably connected to the trigger guard such that rotating the adjustment screw shifts a position of the magazine release lever relative to the pivot connection of the adjustment block.

16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the magazine release lever is pivotable between a magazine securing position and a magazine release position,

the method further comprising adjusting a stop to limit movement of the magazine release lever from the magazine release position to the magazine securing position or from the magazine securing position to the magazine release position.

17 . The method of claim 13 wherein mounting the magazine release lever to the magazine receiver includes securing the magazine release lever to a trigger guard of the firearm.

18 . A magazine release lever apparatus comprising:

a lever arm having an engagement portion at a first end of the lever arm, the engagement portion to engage a portion of an ammunition magazine to secure the ammunition magazine to a firearm,

a mounting portion of the lever arm to be pivotably mounted to the firearm to permit the lever arm to pivot about a pivot axis and to move the engagement portion between a magazine securing position and a magazine release position;

an effort arm portion of the lever arm extending from the mounting portion opposite the engagement portion;

a lever extension attachable to the effort arm portion of the lever arm, the lever extension having a lever engagement portion, the lever extension to support the lever engagement portion proximate a trigger of a firearm; and

wherein the effort arm portion includes an attachment slot and the lever extension includes an attachment portion slidably inserted into the attachment slot to connect the lever extension to the lever arm.