.45 Shield Magazines and Extensions

[cfreger]

I have a Shield in .45 ACP and I am wondering what options are out there for pinkie extensions, increasing the capacity of the stock magazines, and adding higher-capacity magazines. There seem to be a lot of choices for the 9mm Shield, but for the .45 cal... not so much.

Pinkie extension for the 6-round mag: Looking for the smallest and best fit and function. Amazon reviews are of little help. What do you use that you like?

I saw a YouTube video of someone testing a Magguts (or Magguts-like) set of parts to increase the capacity of the stock .45 magazines, but IIRC they did not function too well, and I didn't bookmark it. Now, I cannot find any references to the video or these parts anywhere on the internet. Does anyone know about this?

Extra-capacity mags: Hyve, or is there something better?

 

[kthom]

I have liked the Pearce Grip extensions for a good long while. They are probably not the smallest in size, but the rear side of the mag remains very close to the original base plate while the front allows another finger to fit the grip and the angle of it pleases me. These are also not as expensive as some others available and I have never had one fail me.

I have no experience with extra capacity mag extensions. Some undoubtedly work OK but I've read and heard of many that don't work all that well. I don't need or want that kind of trouble for myself. But I do appreciate the ability to get a better full sized grip with the six round mags for my Shields. That includes my Shield 45. Good the website for Pearce Grips for your specific handgun and I think you will find them for sale for about ten bucks. Shipping is pretty fast and I get along just fine ordering them directly from the manufacturer. As I said, these work very well for me. YMMV?

 

[Not Getting Any Younger]

I'm in the same camp as 'kthom' and have a few of the Pearce extensions.
I like them as they feel good in the hand. They are a pain to load using a Maglula loader since they don't allow the magazine to stand upright on a bench, but that's not what they're for - they're for shooting, not loading!

I also heard the same thing about increasing mag capacity so I gave up on that. If I need more rounds, I'll use my USP45.

Just got a 9mm 2.0 compact 3.6" which is thicker and about 1/4" longer than my 45 Shield, but other than that, it's almost the same size as the 45 Shield with the 7 round magazine.

 

[Buz Carpenter]

I've installed pinkie extensions on my Shield 9mm and couldn't be happier with the results. I have found through trial and error that you don't have to pay a lot to get a good product. I have ordered Pierce, Garrison and several Chinese knockoffs for comparison and guess what? they are all exactly alike. The prices for the exact same item ranged from $6.95 to $16.95, so be aware. You can get extensions in 1/2'-1.25" lengths, all according to how you like the profile to look and concealability. I also installed a Hogue beavertail grip along with the extension and now the Shield feels just like a full sized model in my hand. Delving into the +2 extension soon to see how they function, but from reviews I've read, they work quite well.

 

[kthom]

The Pearce grip extensions are all I need for my Shield 45. If I'm needing more rounds, I'll just take my 2.0 M&P 4" barreled 9MM. Also have a 1.0 M&P45 4.5" that works a treat. Why make my Shield almost as large as either of these two M&Ps? 15 rounds in the OEM mags for the 2.0 and 10 in the .45 as opposed to just a couple more with the mag extensions for the Shield and the potential for problems with them. That's just my take on this situation. I like carrying the Shield because of it's smaller overall size these days, and I am comfortable with the OEM mags with the grip extensions as opposed to the larger guns.

 

[cfreger]

The Pearce grip extensions are all I need for my Shield 45. If I'm needing more rounds, I'll just take my 2.0 M&P 4" barreled 9MM. Also have a 1.0 M&P45 4.5" that works a treat. Why make my Shield almost as large as either of these two M&Ps? 15 rounds in the OEM mags for the 2.0 and 10 in the .45 as opposed to just a couple more with the mag extensions for the Shield and the potential for problems with them. That's just my take on this situation. I like carrying the Shield because of it's smaller overall size these days, and I am comfortable with the OEM mags with the grip extensions as opposed to the larger guns.

I don't disagree with you, and in fact I have the same combination as you (M&P 2.0 9c 4" and Shield .45).

However, IF there is a Magguts-type modification for the .45 Shield that allows either or both of the standard mags to hold more rounds, and it's reliable (both points not clear to me at this point), and/or there is either a reliable mag extension or an extended mag that I could use as a backup, why not?

 

[kthom]

I personally have not looked for one that allows the mag to hold more rounds so I can't say. I can say that I seem to hear as many difficulties with some of that type as I hear good comments. But as i said earlier, I'm not interested in more rounds for my Shield beyond OEM mag that came with the gun that holds an additional round. I carry it for a reload in case I need that. Only advice I can give is to do a bit of searching here on the forum and other placess to see what kind of reviews you can find and then buy one or some and see how they work for you! Good Luck!!

 

[Real Old Navy]

I'm not sure who makes extensions for the .45 Shield. I have a 9 Shield...the 7rd mag has a Strike Industries +2 ext and all my 8rd mags (5) have Hyve +2 ext. I did have a Pierce pinky on my 7rd...liked it...but put the Strike Industries on instead. That's a total of 60rds I carry...concealed.