Costa Catalyst Extended Mag Release for M&P Handguns

[TGO David]

Received my Costa Ludus / 21st Century Gunfighter "Catalyst" extended mag release for the Smith and Wesson M&P handguns today...

Promptly installed it in my M&P 9mm and can say that despite being a just small light piece of plastic, it's almost worth the $30 it cost shipped to my door. The price is indeed a damn bit absurd but it's also the only extended mag release for the M&P and there are also only two vendors selling it on the Internet right now from what I've seen, so they can pretty much charge whatever they want for it and if you want one, you'll pay it.

So what's it look like installed?

I have read questions on other forums asking if it interferes with the use of Raven Concealment Phantom holsters or Comp-Tac MTAC holsters. I carry with both and the holster's trigger guard stops short of the mag release area so, no - it does not interfere and use of those holsters does not cause the mag to eject by accident.

I also tried it with my TT Gunleather and my Occidental Leather Company holsters and it worked just fine with them for the same reason.

Overall I am very pleased. The extended release allows me to drop the mag without breaking my primary hold on the firearm. I have short little Shrek fingers anyway, so this is a huge improvement for me. It's very similar to the Vickers Tactical extended release for the Glock series and I love that on my Glock 19, so... this is a winner.

I'd like to buy about three more of these for our other M&Ps but that'd be nearly $100 in plastic and I'm not about to do it. I may pick up one a month for the next few months, but the price seriously is out of line and out of reach of most people I'm afraid. Which is a shame because it is truly a damn good upgrade.

[Guest rebeldrummer]

David...it sure does look good and obviously does what it is intended to do...I just wish it was not so dang expensive!

$30 is steep....however if I decide to keep shooting my 9 as much as I do, it might just become a necessary evil

Hey, did you order some of those stippled pieces?

Edited October 18, 2012 by rebeldrummer

[TGO David]

If you are serious about carrying your M&P for self defense and practice combat reloads, and if you have to break your primary grip to activate the mag release with your thumb, then I see this as a no-brainer. Spend the $30 and enjoy the benefits. You're simply investing in making better the item you carry to protect your life.

[Guest rebeldrummer]

If you are serious about carrying your M&P for self defense and practice combat reloads, and if you have to break your primary grip to activate the mag release with your thumb, then I see this as a no-brainer. Spend the $30 and enjoy the benefits. You're simply investing in making better the item you carry to protect your life.

True....true....good point. I'll prob get one on my 45c first since its part of my EDC. And wait to get one for the 9 later.

Thanks for the review and the pics

[Guest dont_tread_on_me]

Looks good. Let us know how it shoots, I'd be curious if it changes anything besides the reloading aspect.

Edited October 18, 2012 by dont_tread_on_me

[Guest rebeldrummer]

David...what's the deal with your mags or mag plates? You can see the mag well exposed.....or is that just an optical illusion? Or is that a compact mag plate on a full sized mag?

Edited October 18, 2012 by rebeldrummer

[TGO David]

Looks good. Let us know how it shoots, I'd be curious if it changes anything besides the reloading aspect.

It's a mag release lever. It won't change anything about the way it shoots, and it shoots like a tack driver.

[TGO David]

David...what's the deal with your mags or mag plates? You can see the mag well exposed.....or is that just an optical illusion? Or is that a compact mag plate on a full sized mag?

I run compact mag baseplates on my mags for carry. Less crap to snag on clothing, less crap to accidentally hook with your fingers if you carry more than one spare mag.

[Guest rebeldrummer]

I run compact mag baseplates on my mags for carry. Less crap to snag on clothing, less crap to accidentally hook with your fingers if you carry more than one spare mag.

Makes sense.

[Ratfink]

I just got mine in the mail today, took about 45 seconds to install it I like it so far.

[Guest dont_tread_on_me]

It's a mag release lever. It won't change anything about the way it shoots, and it shoots like a tack driver.

I've read some other reviews talking about the texture being a bit rough. I could see that being an issue for some after a full day on the range, but it's a small thing all told.

[TGO David]

I've read some other reviews talking about the texture being a bit rough. I could see that being an issue for some after a full day on the range, but it's a small thing all told.

Understood. Yes - it has a slightly rough texture however I have a baby-carrot thumb so I doubt I will be hitting it much except to drop mags.

[Guest nysos]

Looks good, but on my holster for my m&p9c I have actually hit my mag release a couple of times while carrying and had to reseat the mag that evening when I removed the holster. I think this would make things worse for me, although I don't have any trouble hitting the mag release as is.

If I ever get a full size m&p I will probably end up picking one of these up.

[Smith]

Why not just move the mag release to the opposite side and use you're trigger finger to release the mag instead of your thumb? Don't have to change grip that way. Kinda like the lever principe that Walther and h&k use.

[TGO David]

Why not just move the mag release to the opposite side and use you're trigger finger to release the mag instead of your thumb? Don't have to change grip that way. Kinda like the lever principe that Walther and h&k use.

I've tried that in the past but didn't really care much for it.

[TN-popo]

Why not just move the mag release to the opposite side and use you're trigger finger to release the mag instead of your thumb? Don't have to change grip that way. Kinda like the lever principe that Walther and h&k use.

This would be an option if...

A. After retraining your brain, this works for you and you like it.

B. Every semiauto pistol that you might use for defense has an ambi or switchable mag release. If this isn't the case, your mag changes under stress will get real interesting.

Also, with handguns, I like my trigger finger to do one thing. That's another reason why I choose not to do the above or use SERPA holsters.

YMMV

Edited October 19, 2012 by TN-popo

[TN-popo]

David, if you lay that M&P mag release-side down on a hard surface and push on it, will the magazine release?

[Smith]

I've tried that in the past but didn't really care much for it.

It does take some getting used to.

[TGO David]

David, if you lay that M&P mag release-side down on a hard surface and push on it, will the magazine release?

Sure does. Works just like the Vickers in that respect.

[Stegall Law Firm]

I practice more than my share of magazine changes, and I understand that the mag is the weakest link of an autoloading gun. You have to know how to manipulate your weapon and deal with mechanical failures. But without statistical evidence of civilians using multiple mags in a gun fight (and if you carry a gun for a living it may be a different story), I have to question the usefulness of this accessory. I think this goes in the category of cool but not really necessary.

Cruel Hand Luke offers what I think is an excellent perspective on the mag change in this thread:

And again, I do practice this stuff. I know what it's like to have the instructor behind me with the shot timer, the stress that's induced when you hear that beep and you're trying to shave tenths of a second off your par time. That's all well and good, but I train for real world street fights, not the Olympics.

Edited October 20, 2012 by Stegall Law Firm

[TN-popo]

.

Edited October 21, 2012 by TN-popo

[TN-popo]

. Edited January 20, 2013 by TN-popo

[TGO David]

I see this thread was bumped but am not sure what got posted or removed.  Anyway... just an update:

 

I ended up removing the Catalyst mag release button from my M&P 9 and stuffed it away in a box of loose parts somewhere.  One of these days I may retrieve it and sand it down some to reduce the height, but as it came from the manufacturer it simply sits too tall which makes it all to easy to inadvertently drop the mag free.  It did this once or twice while in an MTAC holster which of course makes the release unacceptable for carry use.  It'd probably be great for competition.