The heart of any semi-automatic pistol is its feed system, the detachable box magazine. In this respect, even the revolutionary Glock pistol�s plastic-cased / metal-lined magazine is, in both layout and general design, no different from other pistols.

One thing their engineers came up with was a �belt and suspenders� approach to ensure that the detachable magazine floorplate would not accidentally come off. While it is nominally located and locked with the usual retaining plate with a central pin that protrudes through the floorplate, the Austrians also use a very small pair of molded tabs that extend outward from the tube on either side that also engages the floorplate.

These tabs make it a pain to remove the floorplate using only a pin punch. When I was asked to perform a complete strip and clean of a pistol, I found this to be such an off-putting operation I took to simply using a volatile aerosol cleaner (Birchwood Casey�s �Gun Scrubber�) and blasted the mag while upside down to let it drain and air dry and called it good. For most folks, this would probably also be good enough, except for those of us who prefer knowing absolutely for sure that their magazines are internally clean. (Squeeze the magazine between thumb and forefinger enough to flex the sides away from the floorplate to disengage the tabs. - Editor.)

Enter the �GTUL.� These American made products are ingeniously simple. They appear to be manufactured out of nylon plastic and are a semi-closed �U� in shape.

Slide the device, molded logo �up,� over the top of the magazine, open end to the rear, and push it all the way down to the floorplate. Lightly squeezing the two arms together depresses the magazine body�s locking tabs away from the floorplate and then you insert a pin punch or the company�s combination punch/magazine cleaning brush into the retaining pin and slide the floorplate off. Elegant and simple, not to mention easy!

A couple of quick runs with the brush through the magazine body removes powder and dirt. Brush the magazine spring and follower and reassemble. Done.

The products come with the necessary tools for disassembly of the 9mm/.357SIG/.40S&W mag bodies, as well as one for the 10mm/.45ACP mag bodies. This item retails for just $21.95, or if one simply wants just the tool itself without the punch/brush, for $11.95. There is also one available for the single stack G36 .45ACP.

You might scoff at the price for a molded piece of plastic, but trust me, if you�ve ever tried to pull a Glock magazine apart without it, you�ll say �Thank You!� the first time you use it. It works like a charm, no cursing required. I think that the magazine brush and punch is brilliant and will serve well for any magazine maintenance for your other auto pistols.

The company also offers the �STUL,� a Slide Disassembly Tool for those of you who have huge fingers, maybe arthritic, and find the small disassembly tabs on the Glock frame difficult to use. It is currently the company�s best selling product. These are available through the company website at www.mygtul.com and the products are also carried by major retailers.