Magazine release apparatus and firearms including such magazine release apparatus

1. A magazine release apparatus for use with a firearm, comprising:

a magazine retaining arm comprising a longitudinal slot;

a first handle to protrude from a first side of the firearm;

a second handle to protrude from a second side of the firearm, the second handle comprising a rocker arm comprising a feature to be supported on a receiver of the firearm, the first and second handles being actuatable to move the magazine release apparatus between a magazine retaining position and a magazine releasing position, in the magazine retaining position, the second handle is at least partially supported by the longitudinal slot and the feature extends toward the receiver.

2. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a front of the second handle is supported in the longitudinal slot extending in a firing direction and a rear of the second handle comprises an actuation end.

3. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a front of the second handle is substantially positioned within the longitudinal slot in the magazine retaining position.

4. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second handle is coupled to the magazine retaining arm in an articulating manner within the longitudinal slot.

5. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magazine retaining arm is biased toward the magazine retaining position.

6. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein movement of the second handle is at least partially guided by an interaction between a surface of the second handle and a guide surface of the magazine retaining arm.

7. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein actuating the first handle or the second handle is to move the magazine retaining arm to the magazine releasing position.

8. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first handle or the second handle comprises a slip resistant surface or surface structure.

9. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magazine release apparatus is to be used to retrofit the firearm.

10. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retaining arm and the first handle are unitary.

11. A portion of a firearm, comprising:

a receiver; and

a magazine release apparatus for use with the firearm, the magazine release apparatus comprises:

a magazine retaining arm comprising a longitudinal slot;

a first handle to protrude from a first side of the firearm; and

a second handle to protrude from a second side of the firearm, the second handle comprising a rocker arm comprising a feature to be supported on a receiver of the firearm, the first and second handles being actuatable to move the magazine release apparatus between a magazine retaining position and a magazine releasing position, in the magazine retaining position, the second handle is at least partially supported by the longitudinal slot and the feature extends toward the receiver.

12. The portion of the firearm of claim 11 , further comprising a projection adjacent the first handle or the second handle.

13. The portion of the firearm of claim 11 , wherein the feature comprises a bulge.

14. A magazine release apparatus, comprising:

a magazine retaining arm defining a longitudinal slot;

a rocker arm coupled to the magazine retaining arm to enable the rocker arm to move the magazine retaining arm between a magazine retaining position and a magazine releasing position, in the magazine retaining position, the rocker arm is at least partially supported by the longitudinal slot and a pivot axis of the rocker arm is to extend toward and be supported against a receiver of a firearm.

15. The magazine release apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the rocker arm is coupled to the magazine retaining arm in an articulating manner within the longitudinal slot.

16. The magazine release apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the magazine retaining arm is biased toward the magazine retaining position.

17. The magazine release apparatus of claim 14 , wherein movement of the rocker arm is at least partially guided by an interaction between a surface of the rocker arm and a guide surface of the magazine retaining arm.

18. The magazine release apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the rocker arm comprises a first handle to protrude from a first side of the firearm, further comprising a second handle to protrude from a second side of the firearm, wherein actuating the first handle or the second handle is to move the magazine retaining arm to the magazine releasing position.

19. The magazine release apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first handle or the second handle comprises a slip resistant surface or surface structure.

20. The magazine release apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the magazine release apparatus is to be used to retrofit a firearm.

21. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feature is to engage the receiver in the magazine retaining position and the magazine releasing position.

22. The magazine release apparatus of claim 1 , further including a bolt coupled between the first handle and the magazine retaining arm, the second arm being coupled to the magazine retaining arm via a pin, the feature being positioned between the pin and the coupling between the bolt and the magazine retaining arm.

23. The magazine release apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the bolt and the magazine retaining arm are integral.