Magazine extension design question

A

Andy Blozinski

New member
So I'm looking at a photo of the Ruger LC9s Pro and it has one of those big finger tang extensions on the front of the magazine so you get more hand engagement. Every time I see one of these extensions on a magazine, I wonder why they don't just make the whole magazine longer to meet the length of this extension and give the pistol a larger magazine capacity. That's how my PPS magazines are.
Am I missing some subtle detail of implications? It really seems like a stupid waste of potential capability.
 
The only thing you're missing is the concealibility part. Shorter grip, especially in the heel, helps concealment somewhat. Think round butt revolvers and bobtailed 1911's. Adding the pinky extension is a compromise.
 
I have taken them off of every mag that has had them and went with the flat, flush baseplate. Unless your hands are huge, it's not too difficult to learn to shoot with a two finger grip. The way I see it, subcompacts are for carry and the shorter grip makes it easier to conceal.
 
Personal quirk for me is that I find it mentally distracting not to at least have my pinky touching something..even if only partly.
There was no way the 6 shot mag in my Walther PPS was going to work for me. I'm a weird mutant, though. I don't know why, but I've tested it multiple times and I'm more accurate with the 7 shot mag in my PPS than the longer 8 shot mag that gives complete and comfortable hand grasp.
Both are flat bottom mags that extend for more ammo all the way down. I assumed I'd use the 8 shot mag and bought two before going to the range. Dammit all I had to go buy another 7 shot when those worked better with my weirdness. I understand the longer grip means a little less concealment. It just doesn't seem like having the huge pinky extension without the extra ammo makes enough of a difference to me. I'd rather have 1-2 more shots, especially with a single stack.
 
I pocket carry the Ruger LC9. The size of the gun works fine for me. The pinky extension is worthless and extra bulk to the gun. Anyone can learn to shoot the LC9 without the pinky extension. Don't forget that this isn't a range gun, just something that you can hopefully use to hit center of mass at 20 feet or less if you need to.

For a good range gun that you don't have to carry around every day, but a Sig X-Five.
 
I wonder why they don't just make the whole magazine longer to meet the length of this extension and give the pistol a larger magazine capacity....
Am I missing some subtle detail of implications? It really seems like a stupid waste of potential capability.
Click to expand...

The finger extension protrudes from the toe of the magazine and has negligible affect on conceal-ability when the gun is carried in a waistband holster. As GeneS pointed out, the heel of the grip (or magazine) is far more likely to print than a finger extension. A longer magazine protruding out of the magazine well increases the likelihood of printing.

I have a finger extension installed on the 10-round magazine seated in my Glock 26. My spare magazine does not have a finger extension because it holds 15 rounds and extends out the magazine well. I carry it in a carrier. Same situation with my Kahr PM-9: a 6-round magazine with finger extension is seated in the pistol and I carry a 7-round magazine in a carrier.

The one small pistol I carry without a finger extension is a Seecamp .32. I carry it in my front pocket and a finger extension makes it harder to draw the gun from my pocket.
 
Don't use the extended magazine plate on the LC9s. It has caused my gun to drop magazines. I haven't had this problem with the normal floorpate at all. But the extended floorplate allows you to put enough side to side pressure on the magazine latch that it can pop right out of the gun when firing hot loads.

If this is a common experience with floorplates then they're definitely not for me.
 
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