Consensus on Glock extended basepads?

[GAP]

When reading the last from @GAP I found myself thinking along the same lines. When I got my first 26 (about the time they came out) I was doing a lot of gym rat time. Deadlifts, pull-ups, etc helped develop a great deal of grip strength. After getting a red 26 (with a flat bottom profile), it went to the mat room and was "rolled around" with. This was before AIWB and was done with Kramer leather products. They survived! The stubby slide did hamper gun grabbers when the gun was out of the holster. The stubby grip made it harder for grabbers trying to snatch it from the holster. The strong 2 finger grip did not hamper weapon retention abilities in or out of the holster. I think its size made it easier to cover while in the holster.

In the spirit of "chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry" everyone has what works for them. I shoot from a more or less traditional position. Being a bigger mammal, I have some weight behind the gun. G26 recoil seems to come straight back into my hands with less muzzle rise than one would expect from the little gun. This is even so with a one handed grip from awkward positions. The 43x does not feel the same. The 43x is workable but the fatter 26 grip feels better and (for me) is easier for sight tracking.

I also like how the 26 is "scalable" for task/conditions/location based on magazines. Fair warning to those who are tuned off by this: I'm going to apply some cop context here but it is likely applicable to non-cops too :-)

I frequently carry the 26 off-duty. Usually with a G19 reload and now with a 10 round OEM mag in the gun. This provides a great deal of capability. The small, reliable, easy to carry/deploy package makes for a great "save me" gun. (Think robbery, etc.) The longer reload gives a little more time in the game with one manipulation of the gun versus another 10 round for a reload in the less likely event of an extended "save me" scenario. (Think multiple robbers or a targeted attack.) The gun can also be scaled up with bigger/more mags if going someplace in which there may be legal, moral, or ethical imperative to have a "save others" gun . (Think employment or school shooting rather than a coordinated terrorist action.)

The gun can also be scaled down to comply with mag restriction laws. From where I live, any travel in a northeasterly direction requires flat bottom mags in the gun and on the belt. I even keep 3 OEM 10 rounders in my vehicle. Sometimes I have to make an unplanned journey to those places.

All things considered, the little beast is pretty versatile! As others have mentioned, If limited to only one pistol, given my needs for the foreseeable future, the 26 would very likely be the one.

Excellent context; thank you.. need this one in the G26 thread! @Jason M

[Jason M]

It is done, Sir! Good call!

[spyderco monkey]

I've had good luck with Taran and OEM extensions. I've used both, a lot, and haven't had a failure from either. Beyond standard USPSA use I've run 12+ biathlons using both. They've taken some hard hits while running through obstacles and haven't popped off yet

Anecdotally some have said various revisions of Glock mags have more or less engagement with the baseplate. All of mine are on older Gen3 and Gen4 mags.

I've had far better service from OEM and Taran extensions than Magpul or ETS 21 rd mags. ETS is literal junk, and Magpuls have a short lifecycle IME.

The OEM 24 rd is a great option(and vastly more cost effective) if it fits the rules of your game.

ETA: the Taran extensions I've used are the smaller +4/3 type. Ive used them on both 17 and 15 rd mags.

For the +3/4 small basepad, what spring are you using in them?

I had figured 10 coil for the G19, 11 coil for the G17.

And in the 17, do you get a full 21rd? And is it able to be seated with the slide closed?

[RJ]

Ray that is most generous of you. I’ll send you a PM shortly.

I’ve heard about and used several basepads, extended and +0, for my double stack Glocks I’ve owned (26, 19, 34) but I wasn’t even so much as aware that Ghost made these for the 43X/48. I will certainly give them a run, post the results and send them back to you.

Very much appreciate @rayrevolver's generosity for sending me, gratis, a pair of these +4 Ghost mag extensions to try on my Glock 48 magazines. Here's what happened when I tried to use them today.

Parts that come with the kit are a +4 base extension for the mag tube, and a longer spring.

Packaging, Ghost Mag Tube Extension and Spring at left, OEM Magazine Tube, Spring, Follower, Floor plate at right.


I tried them out on two previously used two OEM Glock 43X/48 stock mags.

Mag 1: Disassembled. Swapped in new Ghost spring, and attached Ghost mag tube extension. The follower did not "click" into place on the new spring. Otherwise it all snapped in. I could only load 12 rounds with this mag. (spec is +4). Removed all rounds (brand new American Eagle 124 FMJ, I've shot this box before), and tried again. Even with my Uplula, I could not get more than 12 rounds into this mag. Hmmm.

Mag 2: Same install process. Same issue with the new spring not clicking onto the follower.

In this case, I was able to load 14 rounds, however, at about the 12th or 13th round, the rounds started to get really loose, like all the tension had gone out. Very weird.

I pushed in the 14th round and stopped. At this point, there was very little pushing up on the cartridges. I started to eject the rounds, and they all basically "fell" out of the mag tube, up until about 7 or 8 rounds. Then none came out. No follower, nothing. Zip. Nada.

I removed the floor plate, and then very suddenly the rest of rounds spilled out, followed shortly after by the spring, which bounced enthusiastically off the wall.

I reassembled the mag again with the new parts, and repeated the above sequence, pretty much verbatim. Except this time I was ready and caught the spring before it launched itself across the room. I had to use my BF dead blow hammer to separate the mag tube from the Ghost tube extension. It came off after a light tap or two. I decided to put them back in the package, and put the Glock OEM parts back on.

I don't know if anyone at Ghost actually tried these things, but I'm not really sure I'd like to use them at the range.

[littlejerry]

For the +3/4 small basepad, what spring are you using in them?

I had figured 10 coil for the G19, 11 coil for the G17.

And in the 17, do you get a full 21rd? And is it able to be seated with the slide closed?

Oh man, it's been a while since I set them up. I think used a spare G17 magazine spring in the 15+3 mag, and I bought new springs for the 17+4 mags.

When brand new I recall they weren't easy to seat, but at this point I don't have any issues. You definitely need a mag loader to get that 21st round in, but the mag isn't difficult to seat.

[rayrevolver]

I reassembled the mag again with the new parts, and repeated the above sequence, pretty much verbatim. Except this time I was ready and caught the spring before it launched itself across the room. I had to use my BF dead blow hammer to separate the mag tube from the Ghost tube extension. It came off after a light tap or two. I decided to put them back in the package, and put the Glock OEM parts back on.

I don't know if anyone at Ghost actually tried these things, but I'm not really sure I'd like to use them at the range.

Ouch. Thats what you get for accepting free crap from strangers!!! Sorry man.

I installed 1 of the kits 2 nights ago. It did not feel like it fit flush on the front. I hit it with a small mallet but it didn't seem to close the small gap. The follower, when pushed down, didn't quite come back all the way up. Hmmm.

I was able to use a maglula to load 13 rounds and the 14th by hand. So now it sits with 14 rounds loaded until my next range session. I predict it will not lock back when empty. I am not impressed and imagine this mag will go back to standard.

...that said, I might have 2 more kits for someone who thinks they can make it work. Preferably a sight supporter.

[spyderco monkey]

As an aside, does anyone know if Glock is still making the black factory G17 +2 mags? I can only ever find the tan ones when I look online.

I did a simple mod for the Tan 19X 17+2's, as I didn't care for the color, but also didn't want to risk weakening the mag by taking off the base pad and swapping it for a black one.





https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Tape-W...dp/B01F867314/

My OCD color matching is satisfied, and I also think the hockey tape ads a little bit more grip when pulling the mag from a pouch.

Tape is low enough on the magazine body that it doesnt create any drag on dropping free.

[rd62]

Just picked up another 10 G17 mags from Brownells. My standard parctice is to carry a G17 with OEM +2 baseplate as a reload for whatever 9mm Glock I may be carrying. I prefer the extra grip/length when running reloads from IWB and the extra couple of rounds is really just an added benefit. I'd like to add OEM +2 baseplates to a couple of the new mags as well. Can anyone recommend a source for them and an 11 coil mag spring. Its been ages since I converted the last ones and can't recall the particulars of the springs specifically.

[ViniVidivici]

I believe recent production G17 mags already come with 11-coil.

In years past I ordered OEM +2s directly from Glock.....but they have stopped doing that, it seems.....and everything's hard to find right now. I'd check the usual suspects.....optics planet has them for backorder......

https://www.opticsplanet.com/glock-4...ag-insert.html

My 2 cents on 'em, I've used them for years on G17, G23, and G22 mags, never any kind of problem. In .40 they only give you +1. I think they're great.

I also think Magpul 21 rounders are great, mine are 100% reliable (with brass or nickel ammo), and kind of negate the value of future acquisitions of OEM +2s for me, I already have plenty anyway.

My 2 cents on the G26: outstanding pistol, I'm always amazed at how it handles so very much like a G19 when I shoot....very versatile gun. And the Magpul 12 rounders are great forthose, too, in my experience.

[Jason M]

The Magpul 12 round mags work great in the Gen 2.5/3 G26s. My 26.5 dislikes them with a white hot hate.