The Glock 43X with Shield Arms 15 Round Magazine
Glock 43X with the Shield Arms 15 round magazine
In 2014, Glock introduced the .380 caliber Glock 42 single stack pistol in response to the increasing demand for smaller, more concealable carry guns by the US population. While popular, consumers who preferred something in a 9mm platform were slow to adopt the 42. The answer to that concern would be the introduction of the Glock 43 in 2015. With a now small 9mm single stack carry pistol, the Glock 43 quickly gained traction in the defensive firearm world. However, the 6 round magazine and short grip left much to be desired from consumers concerned with capacity and ergonomics. Fast forward 4 years to 2019 and Glock introduced the Glock 43X. Now consumers had a very viable carry option with a 10 round capacity and longer grip. Without increasing the footprint of the firearm much over the 43, the 43X has become one of the most popular carry guns on the market with most stores struggling to keep them in inventory.
While I’ve liked the ergonomics of the 43X, I still preferred to carry my 19 simply because of the 15 round capacity. Like I teach in my classes, ammo capacity matters and I like having a gun with 15 rounds plus an extra mag. The 19 is a relatively large gun and adjusting my wardrobe to accommodate is always a concern even with inside the waistband holsters.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Shield Arms come out with a 15 round Glock 43X magazine earlier this year and I’ve been watching websites to see when I could snag one for a while. I was fortunate enough to find a couple and finally got my hands on them to test them out. With the 43X’s small footprint and a 15 round capacity, the 43X has now become possibly the best carry pistol for consumers.
Once I got the Shield Arms mags in, I cracked them open to see how they managed to squeeze in 5 more rounds over the Glock model. First I measured the inside diameter of both mags and found that due to the aluminum construction, the Shield Arms mags have an internal width of 19.16mm compared to Glock’s 17mm. That might not seem like much but that’s 12% wider.
Shield Arms mag on the left, Glock on the right
I took both Shield Arms mags to the range and shot about 120 rounds through each of them with zero malfunctions. Even though they weigh a little less, 58g compared to 64g on the Glock, the empty mags dropped out every time with no assistance or issues. The only bad I can point to is that it takes some significant hand strength to get the last few rounds in. Jamming 5 extra rounds into a space intended for 10 is not an easy feat even with the assistance of a loading device. If you can’t fully load standard mags to capacity, fully loading the Shield Arms mags will be a chore. Keep that in mind if you decide to purchase.
Shield Arms mag on the left, Glock on the right
I love my Glock 19. I’ve carried it for over 10 years and when I shoot it, it feels like an extension of my hand. I might not switch the 43X as my primary carry pistol but coupled with the Shield Arms mags, it will be very hard for me to reject the option. For someone who prefers a smaller carry platform and the capacity of a full size gun, this should be a serious consideration.