Shield Arms magazine for G48

[Ryan Taylor]

Shield Arms just dropped a 9rd g43 mag. I let my last GF/whatever keep my 43 since she earned it. Just got a43 frame last week, will throw a Suarez upper on it.

https://youtu.be/H3H2lqs4WQw

[LawDog]

The Z9 magazine boasts 3 rounds over factory capacity, but virtually no one is using the flush-fit 6-rd magazine. I experimented with +1 and +2 baseplates from everyone--SI, Taran, Vickers--and eventually settled on the Pearce +1 as my favorite. Lots of people are running +2 extensions. So the Z9 actually only increases capacity 1 or 2 rounds, and it is about the same length as the +2 extensions from everyone else. So if you are trying to compare apples to apples, you have to compare the Z9 to the +2 extension from everyone else--meaning you get one extra round.

I'm not disregarding the benefit of an additional round. Though it may be only one round, it might be that last round that finishes the fight. But there is more to this than just counting cartridges. No matter how tough they claim the Z9 to be, I am willing to wager my retirement on the bet that the Glock OEM mag is still stronger. Also, you have to change out the mag release, and at that point you will chew up any OEM mags. You have to commit to running Shield mags entirely or OEM mags entirely; mixing the two creates problems. And the S15 mags went through a fair amount of teething problems before they settled on the 2nd Gen mags. (And I'm not convinced that we won't see a 3rd Gen at some point.) I expect the Z9 mags to have the same problems.

For me, it's just not worth it. I'll stick to the OEM mags with a +1 extension. A 7+1 gun was, after all, "good enough to win two world wars." The calculus for the 43 just doesn't work out the same as it does for the 43X/48.

[Ryan Taylor]

The Z9 magazine boasts 3 rounds over factory capacity, but virtually no one is using the flush-fit 6-rd magazine. I experimented with +1 and +2 baseplates from everyone--SI, Taran, Vickers--and eventually settled on the Pearce +1 as my favorite. Lots of people are running +2 extensions. So the Z9 actually only increases capacity 1 or 2 rounds, and it is about the same length as the +2 extensions from everyone else. So if you are trying to compare apples to apples, you have to compare the Z9 to the +2 extension from everyone else--meaning you get one extra round.

I'm not disregarding the benefit of an additional round. Though it may be only one round, it might be that last round that finishes the fight. But there is more to this than just counting cartridges. No matter how tough they claim the Z9 to be, I am willing to wager my retirement on the bet that the Glock OEM mag is still stronger. Also, you have to change out the mag release, and at that point you will chew up any OEM mags. You have to commit to running Shield mags entirely or OEM mags entirely; mixing the two creates problems. And the S15 mags went through a fair amount of teething problems before they settled on the 2nd Gen mags. (And I'm not convinced that we won't see a 3rd Gen at some point.) I expect the Z9 mags to have the same problems.

For me, it's just not worth it. I'll stick to the OEM mags with a +1 extension. A 7+1 gun was, after all, "good enough to win two world wars." The calculus for the 43 just doesn't work out the same as it does for the 43X/48.

I had a Magguts +2 on one of the mags that seemed pretty perfect, actually, though I didnt carry it much when I had it.

I bit on 2 Shield 15rd mags in the beginning. Idk where they are at, anymore.

[cockedlocked01]

The Z9 magazine boasts 3 rounds over factory capacity, but virtually no one is using the flush-fit 6-rd magazine. I experimented with +1 and +2 baseplates from everyone--SI, Taran, Vickers--and eventually settled on the Pearce +1 as my favorite. Lots of people are running +2 extensions. So the Z9 actually only increases capacity 1 or 2 rounds, and it is about the same length as the +2 extensions from everyone else. So if you are trying to compare apples to apples, you have to compare the Z9 to the +2 extension from everyone else--meaning you get one extra round.

I'm not disregarding the benefit of an additional round. Though it may be only one round, it might be that last round that finishes the fight. But there is more to this than just counting cartridges. No matter how tough they claim the Z9 to be, I am willing to wager my retirement on the bet that the Glock OEM mag is still stronger. Also, you have to change out the mag release, and at that point you will chew up any OEM mags. You have to commit to running Shield mags entirely or OEM mags entirely; mixing the two creates problems. And the S15 mags went through a fair amount of teething problems before they settled on the 2nd Gen mags. (And I'm not convinced that we won't see a 3rd Gen at some point.) I expect the Z9 mags to have the same problems.

For me, it's just not worth it. I'll stick to the OEM mags with a +1 extension. A 7+1 gun was, after all, "good enough to win two world wars." The calculus for the 43 just doesn't work out the same as it does for the 43X/48.

Very good points. I've thought about getting a 43X, but it's no shorter (Grip length) than my G19. The slide's shorter, but that's not an issue to conceal. Then I still have to get an after market metal mag release & ONLY use the Shield Arms mags (Which may or may not be as reliable as the OEM 10 rounders). Instead, I have my G19 & 43 (Both with red dots) & use +1 or 2 extensions & I carry US made plastic ETS mags (9 rounds) on the belt.

[henri]

I shot a friends' 43x and liked it so I bought one, picked up 5 shield mags for it, all have functioned without issue. I test them by doing mag dumps of at least +/-150rds on each, shoot reload repeat, rapid fire, slow timed fire, left/rigth hand no issues at all with pistol or mags. Granted an anecdotal sample of one, and limited round count per mag, but no issues makes me confident of their function. Same with the three OEM Glock 10rd mags, and you guessed it, no issues either.

[LawDog]

When testing mags and trying to conserve ammo, focus on shooting the top two and bottom two rounds. Magazines that have a problem usually first manifest the problem either on the last rounds or the first rounds. So rather than firing through an entire 15 round mag over and over again, start by loading a full mag, firing two rounds, and then topping off the mag. Do that repeatedly to see how the gun does feeding from a full mag. Later, fire from a mag that only holds two rounds. Then load another two, and so on. That will show you if the gun is failing to lock the slide back. The middle of the mag is the least likely area to have any problems. Doing it this way requires a lot more stopping to load, but it conserves ammo and could arguably create more focused practice.

[Redneck Zen]

The Z9 magazine boasts 3 rounds over factory capacity, but virtually no one is using the flush-fit 6-rd magazine. I experimented with +1 and +2 baseplates from everyone--SI, Taran, Vickers--and eventually settled on the Pearce +1 as my favorite. Lots of people are running +2 extensions. So the Z9 actually only increases capacity 1 or 2 rounds, and it is about the same length as the +2 extensions from everyone else. So if you are trying to compare apples to apples, you have to compare the Z9 to the +2 extension from everyone else--meaning you get one extra round.

I'm not disregarding the benefit of an additional round. Though it may be only one round, it might be that last round that finishes the fight. But there is more to this than just counting cartridges. No matter how tough they claim the Z9 to be, I am willing to wager my retirement on the bet that the Glock OEM mag is still stronger. Also, you have to change out the mag release, and at that point you will chew up any OEM mags. You have to commit to running Shield mags entirely or OEM mags entirely; mixing the two creates problems. And the S15 mags went through a fair amount of teething problems before they settled on the 2nd Gen mags. (And I'm not convinced that we won't see a 3rd Gen at some point.) I expect the Z9 mags to have the same problems.

For me, it's just not worth it. I'll stick to the OEM mags with a +1 extension. A 7+1 gun was, after all, "good enough to win two world wars." The calculus for the 43 just doesn't work out the same as it does for the 43X/48.

That's the way I was leaning as well. My double stack Shield mags do well with the steel mag catch and make the trade-off worthwhile, IMHO. Wasn't so sure about the 43. I don't carry it as much as I used to 'cuz the 43x/48 is so flexible, so I'll probably do as you and keep both of my 43s stock.