Who has shot both a Glock 42 and a 43

[greyling22]

I got the shoot a 42 at the range this weekend. Super soft shooting and controllable. I was pretty regularly hitting the 1 foot steel gongs at 30-35 yards, which for me, with a tiny pistol, is unreal. But 380 is not exactly known for being a stopping powerhouse.

I'd like to hear from price who have shot and or carried BOTH the 42 and the 43. How to they compare? Equally controllable? Reliable? Accurate? Concealable?

 

[lpsharp88]

I have. The 43 is controllable, but there is a definite increase in recoil. Enough to where I didn't enjoy shooting it and got rid of it. It was 100% reliable and plenty accurate as well. I just picked up a 42 and like it 1000% better than the 43. Just as reliable, more concealable in the pocket, and more controllable.

 

[JohnBiltz]

I have shot both, I have not carried a G43. The G43 had more recoil than a Glock 26, I would not say a lot more, certainly easily controllable for me. I did not shoot anything resembling +P ammo.

A G42 has a lot less recoil than a G26 much less a G43. I shoot a G26 a lot, well over 4,000 rounds a year and the G42 is just a lot less recoil. More than a .22. But closer to that than a Glock 9mm. I don't consider myself a great shot because I'm not, but Monday I did three magazine dumps out of a G42 that were so good they shocked me. The gun just stays on target under recoil.

 

[lpsharp88]

I'd say that my G42 has less recoil than my all steel 9mm 1911 with my bunny fart loads. It just shoots so soft. Even when I shot some Gold Dots through it, it didn't feel like much

 

[rbernie]

he 43 is controllable, but there is a definite increase in recoil. Enough to where I didn't enjoy shooting it and got rid of it.

I also found the G43 harder and less fun to shoot than the G42 by a measurable amount, although in my case I haven't yet sold it.

 

[Bullseye]

I shot them both. They felt basically the same, my 43 shoots a little straighter in my opinion.
Probably because I am more used to it. duh?
I think it depends a lot on the ammunition which might shoot better.

 

[zaitcev]

The G43 is snappier for sure, but it's not unmanageable. I carry G42 primarily because of size and weight difference. My unit had a problem with premature lock, but it was completely cured by the "03" series magazines. So the reliability and accuracy are about the same in my limited experience, which is to say very good.

I think what hurts G43 the most is that a ton of great single-stack 9mm exist, whereas any useful competition for G42 comes from Ruger and Kahr, and that's it. If I wanted a slightly bigger 9mm, I would probably carry a Walther PPS.

 

[rskent]

Who has shot both the Glock 42 and 43?

I have both.

How do they compare?

Like oil and water, night and day, you get the picture.

Equally controllable?

The 42 is extremely controllable, right hand, left hand, both hands.

It rates a 10 on the “shootability” chart. Almost gentlemanly.

The 43 is controllable. It barks, but its bark is worse than its bite.

I give it a 6 on the “shootability” chart. Given more time with it that may go up.

Reliable? Equal. So far, very reliable.

Accurate? Equal. Very accurate for such small guns.

Concealable?

The holster I ordered for the 43 has not come in yet so I don’t know.

The 42 carries like there is nothing there.

 

[rskent]

I shot them both. They felt basically the same,

You must have a grip like Popeye, high on spinach, sir. I marvel at your hand strength.

 

[greyling22]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Sounds like the 42 is just more comfortable to shoot. I still have some concerns about 380 being a bit marginal for self defense, but my concern these days is not the drug fueled mugger but the nutcase trying to shoot up a movie theater or church. Longer range shots where accuracy seems like a bigger factor than expansion/penetration. And a 42 is cheaper. Have to buy reloading dies though so cost becomes more of a wash.....

 

[98bluewave]

I got the shoot a 42 at the range this weekend. Super soft shooting and controllable. I was pretty regularly hitting the 1 foot steel gongs at 30-35 yards, which for me, with a tiny pistol, is unreal. But 380 is not exactly known for being a stopping powerhouse.

I'd like to hear from price who have shot and or carried BOTH the 42 and the 43. How to they compare? Equally controllable? Reliable? Accurate? Concealable?

I have both the G 42 and G 43 and shoot them regularly. I added the Pearce +1 magazine extension to both. The magazine extensions really make them fit my hand better. They both are accurate. I like to pocket carry and have carried both in my pocket. I don't like to carry the G 43 in my pocket as well as the G 42. The G 42 is easier to conceal and works better in my pocket so the G 42 is what I normally carry. However, I do not carry on a daily basis. With the right ammo, the G 42 can be a defensive weapon to consider.

And as I read somewhere, "the first rule of gun fighting is to bring a gun!".

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I haven't fired a G42.

When I fired a G43 for the first time it was the softest shooting 9mm I'd ever shot, even with 124gr +P. Right then and there I decided a G43 was going to replace the Kahr PM9 that I'd been carrying for 8 years. I bought two, one for me and one for my wife, who also shoots it very well. I installed a Ghost Edge connector in both, replaced the factory sights with Vickers Elite Battlesights, installed Pearce grip extensions on all our magazines (zero added capacity), and Hogue Handall Jr. grip sleeves.

Good luck with your choice! I suggest Hornady 90gr XTP for your G42 (Hornady factory loaded ammo not off-brand ammo loaded with the XTP bullet. There is no wound ballistics advantage to propelling it faster than the Hornady factory load.)

 

[powwowell]

I have owned, carried and shot both. No comparison!! The G43 is not pleasant to shoot. The G42 is a very pleasant to shoot. I can shoot the 42 much more accurately than the 43. Sold the 43 and I still have the 42.

Beware the .380 snobs. They don't like any .380 pistols.

 

[.308 Norma]

I have shot both. I carry a G-43, my wife carries a G-42. While I personally don’t consider my G-43 unpleasant to shoot, it’s sure enough snappier than my wife’s G-42. But do you want to talk about snappy? I sold a G-27 because I'd developed a terrible flinch while trying to learn to shoot it. And it wasn't because I'm new to hard kicking handguns - I love my .41 and .44 Magnums. But the snappy recoil from that tiny .40 S&W is different, and I became afraid of it.

To answer your other questions though, my G-43 and my wife’s G-42 are equally accurate. That is, I’m not a marksman, but offhand with either pistol, I can usually keep every shot in a six inch circle at 20 yards. My wife can do better, but that’s another subject (she’s better with handguns than I am). Both pistols are equally reliable, and both are equally concealable as far as I'm concerned.

Anyways, I carry a G-43 because I want to carry the most powerful handgun I personally can control in a small, easily concealable package. My wife carries a G-42 only because she’s afraid the snappier recoil of a G-43 would cause the arthritis in her wrist to flare up during practice sessions. Nevertheless, as I’ve said in other posts in this forum, if I was an attacker and got into a gunfight with my wife, if I came out alive it wouldn't be just because on paper my 9mm is more powerful than her .380.

Disclaimer - I'm not saying "dead is dead" no matter how powerful the handgun you choose for self-defense. I'm well aware of the fact that the main idea in a self-defense situation is to stop the aggressor quickly. And a more powerful handgun might stop an aggressor quicker than a less powerful handgun. But if a person is flinching as bad as I was with that G-27, they better hope any would be aggressor scares easily and runs away at the sound of a gunshot.

Therefore, my best advise to you, grayling22, is to beg, borrow or rent a G-43. I rented one at an indoor gun range before I bought mine - something I didn't do before I bought the G-27. That was a mistake!

 

[Ibmikey]

This seems to be a repeat of the question on another forum but anyway here goes....I have a G 42 that is a fun shooting pistol with minimal recoil and just big enough to shoot accurately. I bought a G 43 thinking it would handle like the .380, nope...sharp recoil, felt crappy in my hand, big enough that it was harder to conceal and for that size did not have mag capacity worthy of it. I rarely trade or sell a firearm but that one went for a Sig P 238 and a dozen magazines. The Sig was one of the first from eight or ten years ago that had a recall on it, I sent the rather worn and fading night sight pistol to Sig and received an as new pistol in return. I am happy. No more G 43's for me.
Hey forgot my favorite little 9mm since that is what the G 43 shoots, I have a Sig P 938 and it is everything the G 43 is not, nice night sights very quick in the daylight,fits like a glove especially with the extended mag, accurate, reliable and easily concealed.

 

[Tallball]

I can't hold a G42 well at all. I have tried at the LGS, and my hands are just too large. I own a G43. With the magazine extension that doesn't have the little pinkie ledge I can hold it just fine. I don't find the recoil to be troublesome and am reasonably accurate with it. IMHO it is too large for pocket carry, but very comfortable OWB.

 

[lauderdale]

Own both don't find any problem w/them but do load for them, More accurate w/the 43. I didn't think I could carry w/ a iwb. TULSTER hand gun holster. w/pierce 1 extra and as mentioned a 115g. xtp bam. And im not the skinniest. I have it @ the 5 o clock position, man talk about nice. Will be new summer time wear hardly no print!

 

[Jackal]

I have owned both. I sold the G43. The little 42 is simply the best pocket carry gun I've ever owned. Its accurate, reliable and prints less in my pocket than my Samsung S5 phone in its Otterbox case. The G43 doesnt look much bigger on paper, but for dedicated pocket carry, the extra size makes a huge difference. I can ring steel at 50m with my little G42.

The G42 is the smallest .380 made that still shoots like a "real" pistol.

 

[Bullseye]

Will be new summer time wear hardly no print!

( G43 )
It's my summer carry most of the time. Hey, it's been my winter carry too.