Is the Glock magazine from Elite Tactical Systems just another polymer mag? Not really. The ETS magazine has a few features not found on the run-of-the-mill options out there. Instead of using a black polymer like Glock and Magpul, ETS uses a smoked transparent polymer allowing the user to quickly visualize the status of the magazine. I know we’ve all scrutinized those tiny pin holes on the back of the factory Glock magazines trying to determine just how many rounds remain. Elite Tactical Systems has done away with those days.
I was given a pair of 22 Round 9mm magazines that will fit any of the double stack 9mm Glocks. It usually doesn’t take me too long to figure out if these are worth it or not. Costing $22 is by no means expensive but the price is of little concern if the magazine doesn’t function properly. At first, I thought these hard polymer magazines had a brittle feel to them. Convinced I could easily break them, I immediately started dropping them on the concrete. But they held up fine. I even froze one and dropped it with 22 rounds onboard from 8’…nothing. Durability is not an issue.
Loading 22 rounds of 9mm is a bit tough though. Getting 21 in there is no problem. Shoving that last 9mm shell in the magazine took some effort plus the help of the factory Glock speed-loader. Which I’m happy to report is compatible with the Elite Tactical Systems magazines. That 22nd round did prove to be a little troublesome at the range later though. The tension was just too much for the slide to pull that first round out of the magazine. I used the magazine release instead of hand cycling the weapon so depending on how you operate, downloading 1 round might be the way to go to release a little pressure.
Using both Freedom Munitions as well as Armscor 9mm, the Elite Tactical Systems had no issue feeding. My Glock 19 and Agency Arms Glock 34 functioned well with the ETS mags. Aside from that one little snafu mentioned earlier. Additionally, empty magazines dropped freely from both weapons. And with an overall length of 140mm, these 22 round mags remain competition legal. Finally, ETS base plates are compatible with Glock or any other after-market base plates. So customizing them to your liking is no worry.
Elite Tactical Systems Magazine Specs Courtesy of etsgroup.us
- Fits the Glock 17, 19, 26, and 34
- Compatible with Gen 1 through Gen 4 Glocks
- Standard 22-round capacity
- Competition legal 140mm
- Compatible with Glock and aftermarket floor plates
- Easy disassembly with our specially designed base plate
- Ergonomically designed floor plate makes it easy to grab from mag pouches
- Extreme Impact Resistance—won’t crack or break when dropped
- Very resistant to harsh chemicals
- Superior heat, cold and UV resistance—won’t become brittle over time even when exposed to harsh environments or extreme cold
- Translucent body—allowing you to see your ammo count and type
- Creep resistant—the feed lips and body won’t spread when being stored long-term even when fully loaded
- MSRP $21.99
Final thoughts: For $22, if you need a few extra rounds in your Glock 17 or 34, these ETS magazines won’t disappoint. I’ve spent that much for a +4 base plate alone. ETS offers magazines for both 9mm and .40 Caliber ranging from 10-31 round capacities. Elite Tactical Systems also offers some interesting AR magazines so check out their website here. Their AR mags offer a lifetime warranty and all ETS mags are proudly made in the USA.
