What are the best magazine extensions for Glocks?
If you’ve ever wanted to add a couple more rounds to your standard Glock magazine, you’re not alone. However, there are a number of companies out there making baseplate mag extensions, and only a few are worth your money. If you’ve ever wondered what the best baseplate magazine extension for your Glock is, we’ve got the answer for you.
In our opinion, the baseplates by Taran Tactical come out on top. They are built to very high standards, as Taran Butler, the owner of Taran Tactical, is a world-renowned competitive shooter. If you’ve ever seen John Wick, you’ve encountered some handiwork from his shop and his training.
That being said, there are some other brands that you should look into as well, namely Pearce and Hyve. Both of these companies have some good options for us, and we’ll dive deeper into the pros and cons of each further in the article.
A Quick Note
One thing to consider before using a baseplate to extend your magazine and increase its capacity is why you’re doing this in the first place. It’s important to know that, if used in a self-defense scenario, a prosecuting attorney could use an increased magazine capacity against you. It sounds ridiculous, yes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. If you truly want to defend your freedom and protect yourself from criminal and civil legal action, then we’d recommend learning more about the USCCA’s self-defense insurance.
Another benefit of a baseplate extension is that the extra weight will help the magazine drop from the mag well, aiding in a faster reload for you. Sometimes the polymer magazines don’t quite “pop” out of the magazine well, and you’ve got to grip it and rip it. The extension is primarily a utilitarian addition, but let’s face it: they look cool, too.
Pearce Grips
Let’s start with Pearce Grips. Pearce makes a wide range of grips for all sorts of handguns and also rifles. If you’re looking for some slick 1911 style grips for your MSR, then you should check these guys out. For us Glock people, Pearce has both grip extensions and magazine extensions for the Gen 3, 4 and 5 series of pistols.
If you’re concerned about using something that adds rounds to your magazine, or just don’t want the extra rounds, then a Pearce Grip extension is perfect for you. It slides onto the magazine really easily, and they’re very affordable, usually around $10. This is a great option for those of you who carry something like a Glock 26 or 43, who want the better grip that a simple pinky extension provides.
This is an easy way to convert all of the factory mags you get when you purchase the gun without having to buy specific pinky extension mags from Glock or another company like Magpul. Don’t get me wrong, both Glock and Magpul make fantastic magazines, but if you just want the pinky extension on your existing mags, then go with Pearce Grips.
They also make frame inserts for those of you who want to want to plug the space in the grip on your Glocks. Pearce Grips offers a simple, affordable solution for most people, whether they want a pinky extension or a few extra rounds.
Hyve Technologies
Hyve Technologies is the next manufacturer of base plates and magazine extensions that we’re going to take a look at. Hyve offers a pretty wide variety of parts and accessories for your gun, and not just for Glocks. You can find all sorts of good stuff from Hyve: drop-in triggers, mag stops, pins, slides, magazine releases and of course base plates and extensions. All of these are available in different colors so you can really get a custom look on your Glock.
The baseplate extensions are available in +1, +2 or +3, and of course they have regular baseplates if you just want to change the weight and look of your magazine. If you really wanted to give your Glock a custom look, you could add the Hyve magazine extension, trigger, mag release, slide cover and pins with your favorite color(s).
These additions won’t break the bank, and will provide some slight performance improvements over the factory Glock parts. Hyve offers a 30 day return policy, plenty of time for you to make the changes and get out to the range to test everything out.
Taran Tactical Innovations
Now for our pick in the quest to find the ultimate baseplate mag extension! Taran Tactical Innovations, or TTI for short, is a leader in aftermarket firearms parts & accessories, gunsmithing and training. Taran and his team train a ton of celebrities out in Simi Valley, CA and they build some really awesome and functional firearms, too. They also make parts for rifles and shotguns, and will do custom work (including stippling) on your firearms as well.
The really cool thing about TTI is that they’re a small team, and Taran is still the front-facing leader of the company. Even with the fame they’ve gotten from recent movies and TV shows, it’s still a down to earth shop doing great work. Their magazine baseplate extensions are a signature item from the TTI shop and if you ever go to a 3-gun competition, you’ll probably see their baseplates (and magwells) on every other pistol.
They’ve also got completed magazines, if you’re looking for a fully assembled extended magazine. With the TTI baseplate extensions, you’ve got a variety of options. Your increase in capacity will depend on what caliber you’re shooting, but for the sake of this article, we’ll reference the 9mm extensions.
Their standard “Base Pad Kit” for double-stack magazines comes in several colors, and you have the option for +4 or +6. In a Glock 19, that gives you 21+1, without much added bulk to the firearm. TTI also has base pads for the extremely popular Glock 43 of +1, +2 or +3, allowing you up to 9 rounds in the magazine versus the standard 6. Taran Tactical’s base pads are made in the United States from billet aluminum and are hard anodized to ensure a long lifespan on the color coating.
Taran Tactical Innovations takes the number one spot in our comparison of the best baseplate magazine extensions for Glocks.
The Bottom Line
Adding a new magazine extension to your Glock magazines can give your gun a different look, and even if you get a +0 plate, the extra weight is going to help the magazines drop easier. There are a lot of simple additions you can make to improve the performance of your gun, and the items we’ve listed from these manufacturers are a great place to start.
