Introducing the X-Catch FX for 43x / 48…
One Steel Release. Every magazine.
X-CATCH FX is the only steel Glock 43X/48 magazine release that runs both Shield Arms S15 and Glock OEM 15-round magazines, without being worn down by steel mags. Although the mag catch is steel the design mitigates deformation if used with polymer magazines.
X-CATCH FX is an all-steel, extended, reversible for left hand and right hand, fixed-position magazine release for the Glock 43X and Glock 48, made by XTech Tactical. It runs Glock OEM 15-round magazines, Shield Arms S15 steel magazines, and also accepts Glock 10-round and PSA 15-round polymer magazines.
Every other option makes you compromise. Polymer and aluminum releases get worn down by steel S15 magazines. Steel releases from other makers won’t accept Glock’s 15-round magazine at all. X-CATCH FX is the one release built to run them all.
Comparison table
Compatibility and key features
Compatible magazines:
- Glock OEM 43X/48 15-round
- Shield Arms S15
- Glock OEM 43X/48 10-round *not recommended for primary use*
- PSA 43X/48 15-round *not recommended for primary use*
Key features:
- The only steel release for both Shield Arms S15 and Glock OEM 15-round magazines
- Reversible: all mags have been tested with the release on both the left and right side
- All-steel: won’t be worn down by the hard edge of a steel magazine’s catch window
- Proprietary beveled engagement face, tumbled after machining: minimizes wear and deformation on polymer magazines like the Glock OEM 10-round and PSA 15-round
- Press-anywhere extended button: the factory release only works from its front edge; X-CATCH FX releases from any point on the button face
- Machined, not molded: no molding warp, so engagement is the same from part to part
- Reliable drop-free across the full dimensional range of Glock 10- and 15-round magazines
- Fits: Glock 43X and Glock 48 (all variations of each)
- Made by XTech Tactical, magazine designers and manufacturers since 2013
Why steel magazines need a steel release
The Shield Arms S15 has a steel body. Its catch window, the cutout the release locks into, is a hard steel edge. Against a polymer release, that edge works like a scraper: every insert, reload and drop takes a little material off.
Why factory Glock 15-round magazines don’t always drop free
The problem comes down to three things stacking up:
- Two magazine widths, one release. Glock’s 10-round 43X/48 magazine is about .020″ narrower than its 15-round. Glock’s commitment to backward compatibility means both have to run on the same release.
- A stamped dimple instead of a cutout. The 10-round has a polymer body with a molded cutout catch window, and its width is very consistent. The 15-round is stamped steel, and instead of a cutout it uses a formed dimple. Forming that dimple takes a large radius, which is where the extra width comes from. The stamping process then adds variation: the radius, springback, and the normal thickness and temper differences in raw sheet steel all shift where the engagement surface ends up from one magazine to the next.
- Molded releases warp. Every injection-molded release has some warp in its shape. Put that against two magazine widths, plus mag-to-mag variation in the stamped 15-round, and drop-free becomes hit or miss. That’s tolerance stack-up issue.
Why other steel releases aren’t the answer
Steel releases from other makers solve the S15 problem and create a Glock problem. Some are listed by their own manufacturer as not compatible with factory Glock magazines. Others are too small for the wider Glock 15-round magazine.
They accept Glock’s 10-round, but they won’t accept the 15-round. Forcing one in locks it in the pistol, and it takes significant effort to remove. See issue here A magazine you can’t get out is a malfunction you installed yourself.
How X-CATCH FX solves all of it
X-CATCH FX is machined from steel, so it has no molding warp. It is dimensioned to hold and release the full width range of Glock’s 10- and 15-round magazines plus Shield Arms’ S15.
The engagement face has a proprietary bevel and is tumbled after machining, so it locks positively while minimizing wear on polymer magazines like the Glock 10-round and PSA 15-round. The extended button releases from anywhere on its face, which makes it faster under stress and more consistent from shooter to shooter.
Why XTech and comparison
Magazines are what we do. XTech Tactical designs and manufactures magazines for AK, AR, Glock, Sig, HK, S&W and more. Our team has 50+ years of combined experience and 35+ US and international patents.
Before XTech, our founder ran high-volume contract manufacturing programs for Duracell, Rayovac and BD Medical. We know how stamping radius, sheet-metal supply and mold warp affect dimensions, because we’ve managed them at volumes of billions of parts.
We work directly with polymer material manufacturers and simulate shrink, warp and fiber alignment before cutting steel. That’s how we know molded releases warp, and why X-CATCH FX isn’t molded.
X-CATCH FX was tested through hundreds of cycles across every magazine listed above before it shipped.
*Release will work with Palmetto State Armory 15rd & Glock 10rd 9mm magazines but with long term use may deform magazine due to polymer interface
Ships to all 50 states: See California Shipping Requirements here
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best mag release for a Glock 43X that runs both Glock and Shield Arms magazines?
X-CATCH FX by XTech Tactical. It’s the only steel Glock 43X/48 magazine release that runs both Glock OEM 15-round and Shield Arms S15 magazines.
Do I need a steel mag release for Shield Arms S15 magazines?
Yes. The S15’s steel catch window wears polymer and aluminum releases over time. Shield Arms itself recommends a steel catch.
Can I use a Shield Arms mag catch with Glock 15-round magazines?
No. Shield Arms’ steel catches accept Glock’s 10-round magazine but not the wider Glock 15-round. Forcing a 15-round in locks it in the pistol. Shield’s Premium catch is listed as not compatible with plastic OEM magazines.
Why won’t my Glock 43X 15-round magazines drop free?
Glock’s 15-round magazine is stamped steel with a formed dimple instead of a cutout. The dimple needs a large radius, which makes the magazine about .020″ wider than the 10-round. Stamping and raw sheet-steel variation also make that width differ from mag to mag. A warped, injection-molded polymer release can’t reliably handle both widths. A machined steel release like X-CATCH FX can.
Will a steel mag release damage my Glock or PSA magazines?
X-CATCH FX uses a proprietary beveled engagement face, tumbled after machining, to minimize wear and deformation on polymer magazines, including the Glock OEM 10-round and PSA 15-round. The Glock 15-round and Shield Arms S15 are steel, and steel-on-steel is the correct pairing.
Is X-CATCH FX an extended mag release?
Yes. It’s extended and can be pressed anywhere on the button face. The factory Glock release only releases when pressed at its front edge.
Does X-CATCH FX fit the Glock 48?
Yes. It fits the Glock 43X and Glock 48.
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