Recently at TFB we reviewed the Tyrant Designs Smith & Wesson Shield +2 Magazine Extension that is suitable for both .40 S&W and 9mm. If you are looking to invest money in magazine extensions an equally valuable addition can be a crisp and clean performing extended magazine release. Tyrant Designs offers one of those as well that matches in fit, finish and performance.

If you are looking to make finding the magazine release button easier, improving your magazine reload speeds or appreciate the aesthetic look of aftermarket extended magazine release buttons, this can be a valuable addition to any firearm. Does the Tyrant Designs Smith & Wesson Shield Extended Magazine Release potentially hit home on all of these key attributes? We will take a look at that in this review for you today!

specifications: Tyrant Designs S&W shield extended magazine release

A lot of aftermarket parts are circulating on the market for the Smith & Wesson Shield because it has been an extremely popular concealed carry pistol in the U.S. since its inception. What guarantees more staying power within the market than looks alone are the actual specs to which a component is made. The proof is in the pudding! So what kind of pudding is Tyrant Designs jiving with here?… The specifications for their Extended Magazine Release can be read below as provided by Tyrant Designs:

• Compatible w/ the Shield 9mm and .40 S&W (Original & M2.0)
• Extended Length over OEM for Ease of Use
• Crosshair Pattern for Added Texture
• Perfect Profile Match
• Added Control & Increased Purchase
• Smooth Chamfered Edges
• No Tools Necessary

This component, similar to the Shield +2 Mag Extension, is pretty straight-forward, but the extra length can be valuable for positive manipulation of the mag release. Tyrant Designs shares these words on their website to elaborate further:

Our Shield Extended Magazine Release is CNC Machined from aerospace grade aluminum and merges flawlessly with the ergonomics and styling of your M&P shield. In addition to functioning exactly like an OEM release, the profile of our M&P Extended Mag Release is slightly raised with chamfered edges which helps ensure that you eject your S&W Shield magazine quickly and with ease!

Quality is truly high end from start to finish. Install happens in seconds and the crosshair pattern adds just the right amount of texture to release your Shield magazine!

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 Extended Magazine Release and S&W M&P Shield .40 Extended Magazine Release your best solution!

This component retails for $24.95 on Tyrant Designs’ website.

installation: tyrant designs s&w shield extended magazine release

For those familiar with a Smith & Wesson Shield, you could probably figure out or already understand how to switch out a magazine release. The installation video produced by Tyrant Designs for this component though delivers a valuable nugget of information. The key take-home trick from their informative video is to use a jeweler’s file for the Extended Magazine Release.

While installing the Extended Magazine Release, I used a small flat-head screwdriver. This accomplished everything outlined in Tyrant Designs’ video, but a jeweler’s file would have provided more traction and less slipping than what I experienced. Nonetheless, I installed the magazine release just fine, but you can curb your frustration and install time if you have a jeweler’s file handy.

The only thing I had left to do was practice magazine drops during commercial breaks of episodes of the “Walking Dead” for 3 days until my next opportunity to head to the range. (Life gets busy and no better time to practice firearm manipulation when zombies are afoot!)

range time: tyrant designs s&w shield extended magazine release

Once I got out to the range to fully test the Tyrant Designs S&W Shield Extended Magazine Release, I ended up putting 100 rounds through two different Smith & Wesson Shields; both 9mm. This made for a lot of manipulating the magazine release considering I was shooting only 9 rounds at a time for 200 rounds.

The Extended Magazine Release made a crisp, audible connection on the magazine every time it was inserted. It also dropped freely whenever the button was indexed. Both simple, but mandatory requirements I would want in any magazine release. Even after significant practicing or long-endured patience through zombie theater, the magazine releases worked as desired.

final thoughts: tyrant designs s&w shield extended mag release

When all the gunpowder finally settled and I proudly began cleaning dirty guns at home I had a few final thoughts. The Extended Mag Release was long enough to offer easier manipulation, but not so large that it would be an obstruction to try and holster.

There was a crosshair pattern on the Extended Magazine Release that I thought would add dexterity, but it was negligible. The magazine release was not slick, but the pattern choice did not improve the handling or indexing of that button for me. Kind of neither here or there except it does look cool.

I understand it is my bias opinion that I appreciate heavy texturing. Whether it is on the front strap of a 1911, aggressive scoring on a Glock frame or other 60-grit checkering on aftermarket parts. So if the Extended Magazine Release had that as opposed to the crosshair pattern, I would be a fan in that regard.

All in all, the magazine release performed as described, it installed easy (even without the jeweler’s file trick) and I never experienced any problems. At a price point of $24.95, if I owned a Shield, I would likely get one myself. It is available in multiple colors as well for whatever may trip your trigger.

For clarity, the two Shields used for this TFB Review were from range buddies of mine. Everybody knows somebody that has a Shield, right?

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!