Glock +2 Baseplate Failure

[Chuck Haggard]

One of the reasons I prefer the +2 baseplate isn't the capacity, they carry better next to the body when concealed, and eat at uniform shirts less than any other base pad I've tried.

[blues]

One of the reasons I prefer the +2 baseplate isn't the capacity, they carry better next to the body when concealed, and eat at uniform shirts less than any other base pad I've tried.

What position do you carry them in concealed, Chuck, if you don't mind my asking?

[Chuck Haggard]

What position do you carry them in concealed, Chuck, if you don't mind my asking?

Either about 7:30 or at 11, depends on what I'm wearing.

[blues]

Either about 7:30 or at 11, depends on what I'm wearing.

Thanks, Chuck.

[littlejerry]

I would not assume aftermarket straight walled mags are more reliable than OEM +2s. I've seen ETS 21 rounders disassemble when dropped on dirt and 17 rounders when dropped on concrete.

So far I haven't had any issues with my OEM +2s, but I also haven't had problems with Taran extensions, so what do I know.

[pangloss]

The OEM G26 mags with the factory +2 are money. Seriously, a great combo.

My experience is a tiny fraction of Chuck's, but I tend to disagree. I bought a G26 mag with the factory +2 in, I think, 2011. After confirming function with FMJ and Gold Dots, this was the mag I kept loaded and in my G26 carry gun all the time. After the mag was about three years old, I looked down one day and noticed that the +2 extension was starting to separate from the mag tube. The extension had fatigued and had considerably less engagement with the tube than it was supposed to have. I swapped it out for another factory 10+2, but now I regularly inspect the extension to make sure it's not starting to pull away from the tube. I didn't try to pull off the extension, but I don't think it would have taken much force to pop it off. Keep in mind this is an observation based on exactly one mag, but it was enough to keep me from being entirely comfortable with the G26 10+2 mags. I bought a couple of the Magpul 12 rounders to use as range mags and they've worked well. Unless I encounter some problems, my plan is to ditch the Glock 10+2s and carry the Magpuls.

As a bit of thread drift, I have some CZ-75 and Sig 226 Mec-Gar mags with the +2 baseplates, and the baseplate on one of those mags popped of when I dropped an empty mag one night. Obviously this has nothing to do with Glock mags, but it raised my skepticism of mag extensions.

[ST911]

My experience is a tiny fraction of Chuck's, but I tend to disagree. I bought a G26 mag with the factory +2 in, I think, 2011. After confirming function with FMJ and Gold Dots, this was the mag I kept loaded and in my G26 carry gun all the time. After the mag was about three years old, I looked down one day and noticed that the +2 extension was starting to separate from the mag tube. The extension had fatigued and had considerably less engagement with the tube than it was supposed to have. I swapped it out for another factory 10+2, but now I regularly inspect the extension to make sure it's not starting to pull away from the tube. I didn't try to pull off the extension, but I don't think it would have taken much force to pop it off. Keep in mind this is an observation based on exactly one mag, but it was enough to keep me from being entirely comfortable with the G26 10+2 mags. I bought a couple of the Magpul 12 rounders to use as range mags and they've worked well. Unless I encounter some problems, my plan is to ditch the Glock 10+2s and carry the Magpuls.

Echo Chuck. I really like the extensions on G26 mags, and haven't had issue. Something to consider, unique to the subcompact mags...

The G26/27/33 magazine uses the same 9-coil spring standard in the G19/23/32. In it's regular 10rd tube length, that is quite a bit of spring for that magazine. The standard 10rd tube used with the (+) extension would actually be under less stress at the mating surfaces than if that tube were used with the regular baseplate. Further, there is no difference in the groove dims of either the standard or extended.

[pangloss]

Echo Chuck. I really like the extensions on G26 mags, and haven't had issue. Something to consider, unique to the subcompact mags...

The G26/27/33 magazine uses the same 9-coil spring standard in the G19/23/32. In it's regular 10rd tube length, that is quite a bit of spring for that magazine. The standard 10rd tube used with the (+) extension would actually be under less stress at the mating surfaces than if that tube were used with the regular baseplate. Further, there is no difference in the groove dims of either the standard or extended.

It's quite possible that I just got a bad +2 extension. It didn't concern me enough to quit carrying the 10+2 (yet), but I do think they deserve closer scrutiny than regular 10 round G26 mags. Also, I had no idea the 10 round mags use the same spring at the 15 round mags! Thanks for that info.

[Chuck Whitlock]

I've often wondered why use extended mag baseplates, instead of the longer tube with a baseplate that surrounds the tube and fills the void like Kahr and the 10-8 floorplates for the 14 round M&P .45 mags? Seems like it would be a far more reliable, and better than mag sleeves as well.

[STI]

One thing I noticed is that the G26 grip has a ridge on the front bottom edge of the "magwell" so to speak, which would mechanically interfere with the factory +2 baseplate from moving in the "disassemble" direction more than about .030. The larger pistols won't have this same engagement, which is probably why they don't survive the "fully loaded pistol dropped on the rear corner of the baseplate" scenario. This interlock, in addition with the several ounce lighter package of 11-12 rounds in a G26 vs. the larger pistols, makes me significantly less concerned about dropped loaded G26 disassembly.