Concealed carry pistols continue to be one of the consistent growing segments of the shooting industry. With the advent of more indoor ranges, more public discussion of firearms in the media and more people wanting to have a daily means of protection, concealed carry pistols are popular. A solid Top 3 in most regions of the country are the Springfield XDS-9, Smith & Wesson M&P-9 Shield and Glock 43. So what is one attribute that all three of these pistols share and a plethora of ones I did not mention?… Nearly all concealed carry pistols become, or serve the dual purpose, of being a range pistol. That is where a company like Tyrant Designs comes to help out.

Similar to a fire extinguisher, a car’s seatbelt, medical insurance, the examples and metaphors can go on and on… these are all things we have, but hope we never use. Better to have and not need than need and not have. So with concealed carry pistols, like the examples previously stated, we as consumers begin to get longer magazines to shoot these pistols at the range more. The more comfortable, confident and regularly we practice the better we will be in that once-in-a-lifetime moment when all motor skills are lost. So aftermarket magazine extensions are very popular add-ons.

Tyrant Designs fits that category of aftermarket components to make your concealed carry pistol more pleasant and easy to shoot at the range. They have a Smith & Wesson Shield +2 Mag Extension for flush fit magazines that work for the .40 S&W and 9mm. We will review this today!

tyrant designs: s&w shield +2 mag extension

The Tyrant Designs S&W Shield +2 Mag Extension works for both your 9mm and .40 S&W flush fit magazines. At this time, they do not have an extension for .45 ACP in a Shield. The specifications and rounded out details for this product, as provided by Tyrant Designs, are as follows:

• Designed to Work w/ Stock Spring
• Quickest Installing Magazine Extension EVER
• Fits 7 Round Magazine for 9mm (Holds 9 Rounds of 9mm)
• Fits 6 Round Magazine for .40 S&W (Holds 7 Rounds of .40 S&W)
• Fits NEW M&P Shield M2.0
• Perfect Profile Match
• Added Control & Increased Purchase
• Smooth Chamfered Edges
• No Tools Necessary
• Length: 1.15″
• Width: 0.90″
• Weight: 1.2 Ounces

Using a proprietary design, our M&P +2 mag extension installs in less than 10 seconds with no tools necessary!

Our Shield mag extension is CNC Machined from aerospace grade aluminum and merges flawlessly with the ergonomics and styling of your MP shield. In addition to holding an extra two rounds , the profile of our M&P magazine extension has chamfered edges which helps ensure that your S&W Shield conceals well despite the added length.

Quality is truly high end from start to finish. Install happens in seconds and the added weight to your Shield magazine will help you save time during reloads!

Like all of our products, this is designed and machined 100% in the USA! Whether you are an avid concealed carrier, an active competitive shooter or anything in between, our S&W M&P Shield 9mm +2 magazine extension and S&W M&P Shield .40 +1 magazine extension is your best solution!

This component retails for $29.95 on Tyrant Designs’ website.

installation: tyrant designs s&w shield +2 mag extension

The shade-tree mechanic/gunsmith that I am I did not watch the Tyrant Designs installation YouTube video. The key take-home trick from their informative video is to add the +2 Mag Extension with the extension grounded on a table or surface.

When the +2 Mag Extension was added, my stubborn German/Polish demeanor had me flexing/holding the mag extension in one hand mid-air while trying to perfectly compress the spring and mag body into place with my other hand. There are obviously easier methods which I have now learned. Nonetheless, it installed just fine. Placing the +2 Mag Extension on a counter and gently compressing the spring and mag body into place like Tom outlined is definitely the way to go.

range time: tyrant designs s&w shield +2 mag extension

Once the component was installed and passing a simple function check, I headed off to the range. I was afforded two sets from Tyrant Designs to test and play with; a black and blue set. After shooting roughly 100 rounds through each magazine, I came to one simple, but complete conclusion: they work perfectly. As mundane and anti-climatic as it may sound, the Tyrant Designs S&W Shield +2 Mag Extension worked with no hiccups.

The magazine extensions had a clean, flush fit to the frame of the pistols. The machined aluminum make up of the components gave me as a user more confidence versus plastic (that counts for something). I did not perform a run ’em over with your pickup truck, and blow ’em up with Tannerite gauntlet test, but the machined aluminum is a definite plus.

final thoughts: tyrant designs s&w shield +2 mag extension

After fondling these pieces for a few days, finally installing them, shooting at the range and bringing everything home to simmer, I had some final thoughts. Watching the Tyrant Designs’ YouTube installation video might sound like overkill if you are familiar with the Smith & Wesson Shield, but it will make your life easier. Aside from a significant boost in curb appeal, the +2 Mag Extension worked flawlessly.

If I were to state anything negative about these components, the blue color is not my cup of tea. Purely a biased opinion, but that is why Tyrant Designs offers black, red, machined aluminum, grey and blue. The black also was not a perfect match-up to the color of the slide on a Shield and the other factory metal components. I understand this can be a tough ask considering the Tyrant Designs components are aluminum while the slide is steel. To match color finishes across different material make-ups is a tall task.

Overall, the Tyrant Designs S&W Shield +2 Mag Extension worked as intended, increased your functioning, improved your street-cred/curb-appeal and are fairly priced. I would not have any hesitations in purchasing any of these components.

THANK YOU to Ammunition Depot for providing the ammo to complete this review! If anybody is in need of ammo (let’s be honest, we all are) head on over to Ammunition Depot to see what they have to offer to fill the voids in your arsenal!