Scott from United States, TX Public Profile

I really wanted this work for my M&P Shield 9mm, but Tyrant's design is an epic failure. I assumed the factory magazine "sleeve" (fills the gap between the bottom of the grip and top of the factory base plate) would be unnecessary, so I removed it. Installing the Tyrant mag extension was brain-dead simple, but it does not fill in that huge gap. No big deal. I put the factory sleeve back on the magazine and pushed it into the magwell...and it wouldn't lock into place. I pressed the sleeve tight against the Tyrant mag extension to eliminate any gaps, pushed the magazine into the magwell, and it still wouldn't lock. I oiled the magazine, rechecked the fitment of the Tyrant mag extension and factory sleeve, and tried once again...and still no joy. I finally gave up, put the Tyrant mag extension back in the shipping box and returned it. I bought a Taran Tactical Innovations +2 base pad, which fits perfectly and works flawlessly.

These looked great in the photos and were reasonably priced, so I bought 4. I took one out of the box and thought it looked too small to hold 2 extra rounds, but I figured some mysterious engineering magic would make it happen. Removing the stock base plate required more time and effort than I anticipated, but I finally got it off using an Allen wrench and flathead screwdriver. Installing the Strike Industries base plate was a lot easier. But even after solidly locking it place, there was a noticeable gap between the SI base plate and the bottom of the mag well, as if it wasn't really designed for the pistol. However, the main reason I returned them is because no matter how hard I tried, I could not squeeze more than 1 extra round into the magazine. I even tried with a speed loader, and no luck. So if a +1 round extension is all you need, and you don't mind a 1.5 mm gap, then this product was made for you. Otherwise, keep looking.

I considered 3rd party polymer base plates, but so glad I went with these aluminum base plates instead. They match the grip pattern perfectly, and the fit and finish are exemplary…which is no surprise since they are made by Icarus Precision. Installation is a breeze, even for people with limited mechanical aptitude (like myself). The stock flush 12-round magazine looks fine with the grip, but adding this base plate improves the overall look and proportions of the firearm. If you spend the money on a metal grip, then don’t waste money on plastic base plates if metal ones are offered by the grip manufacturer.