Is there any aftermarket magazine releases that don't stick out as for the shield?
I'm fairly sure I'm hitting the magazine release every shot.

Anyone have this issue?
Tips?

Yeah, stop death gripping the gun and stop hitting the mag release.

If this is a .45, check your follower, there's an old style follower that drags across the inside of the mag release and causes mag drop.
S&W released a new style follower that has a small groove cut in the corner where the mag catch cutout is.

The mags that came with my .45 Shield manufactured March this year has the new followers, no drop. The extra mags I ordered online had the old followers without the groove.

The Smith-Wessonforum.com site has lots of reports of this, and pics of the old & new followers. Many have gotten new replacement followers thru S&W repair group. Last I heard they were backordered.

Easier said than done.

I have big ol' dick beaters.

Sand paper. It's plastic isn't it?

Going to try an extended mag release.