XTech Tactical has released the X-CATCH FX, an all-steel, extended magazine release for the GLOCK 43X and GLOCK 48 that they say is the only steel release engineered to work with both GLOCK OEM 15-round and Shield Arms S15 magazines in the same pistol.
Seen earlier at their soft launch at CANCON 2026, the new steel mag release is just $39.95. Listen on their website: SKU XT3035401, the magazine made its official launch earlier this week and is available now through xtechtactical.com and authorized XTech Tactical dealers. It is backed by a lifetime warranty and is the first product in what the company calls its X-CATCH line of magazine releases.
The launch follows GLOCK’s introduction of factory 15-round magazines for the 43X and 48 earlier this year. Owners seeking flush-fit 15-round capacity had to turn to aftermarket magazines in the past, including the Shield Arms S15, which first opened for pre-order in 2019. Shield Arms pairs its steel magazines with a steel magazine catch, since steel bodies wear down the GLOCK factory polymer release.
According to XTech Tactical, that pairing created a conflict once GLOCK’s magazine reached the market. The company says steel magazines like the S15 wear down polymer and aluminum releases, while existing steel releases won’t accept GLOCK’s wider 15-round magazine. If forced in, the GLOCK magazine locks in the pistol.
XTech attributes the problem to dimensional variance. Per the company, GLOCK’s stamped-steel 15-round magazine is about .020 inch wider than its polymer 10-round mag, and the formed dimple varies from one magazine to the next. Combined with what XTech describes as a warped, injection-molded factory release, the company says drop-free performance becomes inconsistent.
The X-CATCH FX is machined from steel rather than molded, which XTech says eliminates molding warp. The mag release is dimensioned to cover the full width range of both GLOCK OEM 15-round and Shield Arms S15 magazines and uses a proprietary beveled, tumbled engagement face intended to reduce wear on polymer magazines.
According to XTech, the extended button can be pressed from anywhere on its face, whereas the factory release works only from its front edge. The release is reversible for left- or right-handed shooters, installs with the factory spring, and fits all GLOCK 43X and 48 variations. It is made in the USA.
XTech says the X-CATCH FX also accepts GLOCK OEM 10-round and PSA 15-round magazines, though it does not recommend them for primary use. The product page adds that long-term use with those polymer magazines “may deform the magazine due to polymer interface.” The company states that all magazines were tested with the release installed on both sides.
Jeremy Deadman, founder and managing member of XTech Tactical, said the part required extensive development and is tied to the company’s next product.
“43X and 48 owners have lived through patent fights, baseplate failures and feeding complaints across brands. They’ve earned the right to run whatever magazine proves itself in their gun, without continually modifying their pistol,” said Jeremy Deadman, Founder and Managing Member of XTech Tactical. “What looks like a simple part took hundreds of hours of engineering and iteration. With this much variance on such a small surface, it’s like threading a needle. Our own magazines for this platform are coming next, and when they do, we want people dropping them, beating on them and comparing them to everything else. X-CATCH FX means you can run them all and let the results decide.”
Although I’ve spoken to company CEO Jeremy Deadman about these new magazines earlier this month, XTech Tactical has not officially announced pricing or a release date for its forthcoming 43X/48 magazines, but you can bet they’ll be priced about as competitively as their current lineup of upgraded GLOCK-compatible magazines.
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