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Shield Arms S15 Gen 3 Review: Extended Capacity Within The Same Footprint
Now that we’re into the summer months, I find myself carrying my Glock 43X MOS more than usual. While I love my 43X as much as the next guy, the 10+1 standard capacity leaves a lot to be desired.
For the last five to six years, people have been constantly talking about the Shield Arms S15 magazine, which increases your standard capacity by 50% within the same footprint. However, there have been a fair share of reported hiccups with earlier generations, which has caused me to stay away.
Magazines for all occasions.
However, with the latest Gen 3 being released, it’s supposedly the best one yet and has seen significantly fewer complaints than the earlier models. You can also now purchase an S15 with a +5 mag extension that delivers a staggering 20 rounds to your Glock 43X/48.
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Shield Arms S15 Gen 3 9mm 15 Round Magazine for Glock 43X, 48 Pistols
232 reviews
Original price was: $42.99.$29.99Current price is: $29.99.
DISCLAIMER: These products are not manufactured, authorized, endorsed, or warranted by GLOCK. GLOCK does not warrant or represent that these products are compatible with GLOCK pistols.
How much more capacity do you want?
Having a higher capacity is better, but if you can’t rely on those rounds, capacity is irrelevant. That’s why today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the S15 and sharing our first-hand experience with it. Enjoy!
Shield Arms vs. Glock
About the only similarity between the S15 and your OEM magazine is the overall size. As you’ll see below in the side-by-side comparison, they are almost identical from a height perspective, which is what makes the S15 that much more impressive.
Almost exactly the same, yet so different.
But that’s where the similarities end. The S15’s steel body is robust yet lightweight and finished with a corrosion-resistant coating for added durability, which is significantly different from the steel-lined polymer OEM magazine.
The raised ribs help positioning within the mag well.
The witness holes are not only placed in a different location (side vs. rear), but there are only three of them on the S15. I personally prefer how Glock includes a witness hole for every round. It’s not a deal-breaker in my opinion, but the more precise round count you can have, the better.
Both magazines feature numbered witness holes.
Shield Arms also opted for black anti-tilt polymer followers, as opposed to the bright orange ones that come with the factory Glock magazine. While I do like the aesthetic of the all-black magazine and follower, having a brighter color, like orange, helps you notice an empty magazine much quicker, so I always prefer to have a brighter color polymer.
OEM (top), S15 (middle), S15+5 (bottom).
If you take a look at the floor plates of the S15 and OEM Glock magazine, you’ll notice an additional notch cut out of the S15’s. I was surprised at how much that small notch helps with purchase, which is a subtle touch that aids in removing the magazine in the event it gets stuck. Regardless, the flush floor plates are definitely the way to go!
Range Test Results
For this review specifically, I put 165 rounds through the S15 and 120 rounds through the S15 with a +5 extension. I put a few more rounds through the standard S15 as it’s the one I would likely use between the two more often. So far, there have been zero malfunctions between the two magazines, but I still need to put a significant amount more through each for confidence’s sake.
The +5 extension provides more than enough grip real estate.
I shot them both outdoors and indoors, allowing the magazine to drop freely during reloads. That means they fell on grass, concrete, and a carpet-lined steel table. I’m happy to report that they kept on kicking through it all, despite getting banged and scuffed up.
The Steel feedlips and bodies took a few hits without a problem.
With the S15, reloads are very smooth. It glides into the magwell nicely and seems to fit great. However, it’s essential to note that Shield Arms recommends replacing your magazine release with one of its own to prevent excessive wear on the OEM polymer one. I believe it can also cause malfunctions if you do not use one of their mag releases, so you’ll have to either purchase one separately or buy a combo.
The S15 glides smoothly when reloading.
I tried the S15 in my Glock 43X with both the factory and aftermarket magazine releases (for science, of course), and I can confirm that it works much better with the aftermarket one from Shield Arms. It seats and holds the magazine much better. It’s one of the cons, though, that you have to purchase it separately and modify your Glock, albeit it’s a simple change.
The base plate and extension proved to be durable even against concrete.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- An additional 5 or 10 rounds over OEM Glock mags
- Side-facing witness holes
- Reliable (in my limited sample size)
- Nitrocarburized QPQ corrosion-resistant finish
- Spring For Life Guarantee
- Made in the USA
Cons:
- Requires magazine release swap
- More expensive than OEM Glock mags
- No aftermarket magazine can match OEM reliability
Parting Shots
It’s hard to argue with 50% more capacity within the same footprint, so it’s no surprise that the Shield Arms S15 has become so popular. We’ll likely never see Glock release a 15-round magazine for the 43X/48, so if it’s strictly capacity that you’re after, the S15 is your best bet.
That said, the confidence that a factory magazine instills can’t be beat, so I’ll continue to carry my OEM Glock magazines and reserve these for range time, due to the proven Glock reliability that has been earned over decades.
