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It’s become de rigeur to slam GLOCK for debuting a single stack .380 before unleashing a pocket 9. The internet’s abuzz with complaints. It’s too small. It’s too big. It’s ugly. It smells funny. Yadda, yadda, yadda. When I read the gunblogosphere’s take on the GLOCK 42 I was disappointed too. I’ve wanted a GLOCK for years; they just don’t fit my small hands. The scuttlebutt would have you believe the G42 was the wrong gun at the wrong time. And then I picked one up at Media Day . . .

To start, I slipped a GLOCK G42 in my pocket. It fit just fine. Better than a Smith & Wesson J frame revolver. So well I was tempted to keep on walkin’. Extraction wasn’t an issue either. In, out, in, out, GLOCK is what it’s all about.

As you’d expect from a small calibered pistol that’s not too small, the G42 shoots beautifully. Maybe it’s due to the fact I can [finally] get enough finger on the trigger, but the G42’s go pedal felt better than the GLOCK switches on their bigger guns.

Truth be told, I’m one of those hopelessly unfashionable types who carries a .380 from time to time. So, for me, the G42’s a hit. And if we’re talking about Show buzz, the GLOCK 42 had it in spades. Love it or loathe it you couldn’t ignore it. I didn’t and I don’t regret it for an instant.

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135 COMMENTS

      • That is big. Makes it more appealing to me but I already have two 9s in that size range — an XDm compact and a Hi Power.

      • The perspective and angle of that photo makes it so it’s impossible to get an accurate size comparison. If the photo was taken on a flat surface with the R51 atop the 1911 that would be a different story.

      • Wow, that’s the biggest “subcompact” I’ve ever seen. Maybe that’s what they meant by “reinventing” in their marketing: they’re making the subcompact a full-sized.
        Thanks, but I’ll just stick with my CZ75 P-01, or for super small 11 o’clock carry my XD-S 9mm (if Springfield can ever figure out how to get my address correct and ship mine back…<grumble>).

        • You know, it’s just like cars. The small ones seem to get bigger every year. Remember when a Honda Accord was the same size as the current Civic? And that’s to say nothing about the really big ones. Land yachts have been replaced with full size SUVs and extended cab pickups like the ford F-350. totally brutal.

          • Ain’t that the truth.

            My first car was a 1983 BMW 528e. Four doors, 2.8L inline-6. 103.5 inch wheelbase, 189 inches overall, 55.7 inches tall, curb weight 2961 lbs.

            Modern version of that model is the 535i. Four doors, 3.0L inline-6. 116.9 inch wheelbase, 193.1 inches overall, 57.6 inches tall, curb weight 3957 lbs.

            Even the modern 3-series, which in 1983 didn’t even come in a four door model, is longer, taller, and heavier than my old 5er was.

  4. A good article.

    Statistically speaking, bad guys beat the street when an armed citizen presents a gun.Even a spree killer at a Missouri school with a long arm and hundreds of rounds of ammo surrendered to a teacher with a single stack 1911.

    To hear the typical gun geek say it, that teacher should have died with an empty pistol in his hand.Setting aside fanciful scenarios involving ninja mercenaries with MP5s surrounding the homestead, a .380 ACP pistol is plenty for an armed citizen going about their business.Our cars, money, ATM cards, or female company are not worth eating a magazine load of ammo to acquire.

    Law Enforcement is a different animal because the police HAVE to pursue the bad guy, no matter whether he’s packing a .25 Raven or a 40mm grenade launcher.

    • We are one on this but a bigger round is better. Everything else equal you want to maximize lethality.

      • If I knew I was getting into a fight-and leaving was not an option- I’d leave my guns at home and call a pal with a bomb-laden aircraft.

        EVERY handgun has the same lethality, aka almost none.Shot placement is the only criterion, and even then you might still get hosed. Not long ago a person beating up a cop took three .45 ACP rounds to the head from an armed bystanders gun before he stopped the assault .

        Then there’s the incident in Skokie where a bad guy soaked up 14 rounds of the same caliber , before the cop literally used the last five rounds in his Glock to put down the thug with a headshot.

        If you want lethality, call in an A-10.Otherwise accept that your handgun is not a death ray no matter what number is stamped onto the barrel , and train accordingly.

        • “EVERY handgun has the same lethality, aka almost none”

          False — any shot by any caliber to center mass is 100% lethal. You will die eventually.

          “Lethality is the probability that an untreated wound in location x will be fatal in time t” The larger the caliber the higher the probability of death everything else being equal. Good shot placement is a function of the lethality of the round. The more lethal the round the larger the area that constitutes “good shot placement.: Think 500 S&W vs 22lr.

          Amateurs talk stopping power, Professionals talk lethality.

        • @ST,

          “Every handgun has the same lethality, aka almost none.”

          That’s just asinine. Notwithstanding multiple LiveLeak videos where people have quickly dropped from handgun shots, the sheer number of fatalities every year from handgun rounds is proof positive of their lethality. If your statement was true, the 5 rounds shot at the knife wielder by the police officer on a previous TTAG post wouldn’t have been a near instantaneous stop. While there are instances of handgun rounds failing to cause instant incapacitation, there are also instances where handguns were extremely effective.

          All of this crap that handgun calibers are all the same is just stupid. They have different velocities, bullet diameters, momentum, and kinetic energy. A 300 AAC doesn’t have the power of a 300 win mag, and a .25 ACP doesn’t have the power of a 10 mm. A .380 couldn’t hope to match a 9mm +P+ out of the same barrel length. Part of the reason a 9mm +P, .40 Smith, and .45 can do similar damage to gel is due to the fact that they are all carrying roughly 350-450 foot pounds of energy. The .40 and .45 +P hot loads can go significantly higher. A 750 FPE 10mm load has all sorts of energy advantage over a 9mm. A 90-120 FPE .22 LR from a 4″ won’t hit as hard as a 180 grain .40 Smith JHP at about 400 FPE from the same barrel length.

          Shooting the Bull just completed multiple tests of .380 ACP loads operating at about 180-200 FPE. Many of those loads failed to expand and simultaneously penetrate 12+ inches of gelatin. Conversely, quality JHP loads in the 9mm / .40 / .45 ACP class do not exhibit such a high degree of ammunition sensitivity. Those loads also generate significantly more kinetic energy, expansion, and penetration than the .380.

          We are all in relative agreement regarding the importance of shot placement. As to calibers, they are each their own, and all have unique capabilities and limitations.

        • You are not seeking lethality, you are seeking the FASTEST INCAPACITATION possible that you can bring to the bad guy.

        • Do what JR said and READ THIS: http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7866

          It’s a study done by Greg Ellifritz at Buckeye Firearms Association, and it’s the best answer I’ve seen anyone provide in the great Stopping Power debate. And it rests on data — the results of actual self-defense, military, and police shootings — not opinion.

      • There are really only two main causes of death from a gun shot wound, disabling the central nervous system through trauma (head shot, or high spine), or disabling the cns through blood loss. The bigger the hole, the greater the potential for rapid blood loss; better yet to hit a bloody vital organ like the heart, lungs, spleen or liver, or any major artery.

    • that ex-cop numbnut in florida killed the movie texter with a single shot from a .380. just saying – It may be a smaller round, but I ain’t volunteering to get in front of it. As long as you find good and reliable SD ammo, it should be fine. I may get one for the spousal unit. She likes the glock trigger but the G26 is a big for her to carry/conceal

        • “F—k that , it ain’t even a real gun.I’ll beat him with this crowbar anyways.”

          -said no bad guy, ever.Police unfortunately have a different problem with facing determined resistance, because the bad guy knows escape isn’t really an option.

          When hes kicking in the door of Sally Homemaker, if she’s got a gat he’s got literally no reason to stay and fight.Every second the thug spends shooting it out is more time for the cops to roll up and REALLY ruin his day.Why play Call of Duty with some stranger when you can bail and pick a different target?

        • If you’re gonna have a gun, you might as well have one that has the best stopping power reasonable for the gun’s other requirements (size, weight, round capacity, etc). While almost any projectile can kill you (even if it’s a .380 in return for some thrown popcorn) how fast one will disable an attacker is important.

    • “.380 ACP pistol is plenty for an armed citizen”

      Wrong, wrong, wrong. You stop an attacker by destroying their body’s ability to move. The bigger the whole, the more destruction. I am not going defend my life with a “hope” that the bad guy is scared of a peashooter.

      • “Wrong, wrong, wrong”. you sound like my first girlfriend on “nuptials”.

        In my opinion, you overrate the stopping power of any handgun. And you also overrate the willingness of the average con to get shot by a gun, even a lowly .32.

        Handguns have poor stopping power. Period. If you want stopping power, shoot the bad guy with 10 rounds burst from an Apache’s 30mm. What’s that? You can’t carry one of those under your L.L. Bean fly fishing vest?

    • jeez, I think you copied my inner thoughts. The requirements for the Army are greater than the requirements for the police, and the requirements for the police are greater that those realistically encountered by civilians in self defense situations.

  5. my wife’s interested in this-because it’s more likely to fit her. yeah 1911’s are nice, but if you can’t hold one because your hands are small, gotta do what you gotta do. If that means .380, well a .380 is more effective than harsh language.

  6. They claim their “market research” said the 380 was the best move; Complete and utter BS as I haven’t seen a single person going “Man, I wish I had a single stack 380 Glock” , yet I’ve seen countless wanting a single stack 9. That, or they need to fire the firm who did the ‘research’.

    I have no doubt the 42 will sell, but they need to quit with their silly reasoning as a quick Google search proves otherwise. However what is unexplainable is precisely why they chose this route.

    And this coming from a guy who doesn’t own a Glock and really couldn’t care one way or the other…

    • Beware of Selection Bias.

      If you spend all your time on internet gun forums, you’d be forgiven for thinking absolutely no one wants a .380 of any fashion.You’d also think USSOCOM is the largest branch of the US Military.

      In the Real World, most folks cannot accommodate a fancy IWB holster and full size double stack gun.Those people aren’t posting on gun forums, because they have other hobbies.I’m talking about the young nurse who’s too skinny to hide a traditional double stack gun, and too busy to take an advanced class in order to run a PPK or safety-equipped alternative.

      For every chest beating forum veteran yelling “NO .380!” there’s ten regular Joes and Janes all too happy that Glock finally made a gun for them, instead of for the ninjas and elitists .If we want the 2nd Amendment to mean more then a museum exhibit in the decades to come ,we HAVE to get more people to exercise their rights via carry.

      That will not happen if we keep telling the small waisted, small handed, and infirm that they need to either man up and carry a hand cannon, or up their life insurance and don’t even bother buying a smaller gun.

      • well said ST! At first, I decried this 380 but if it will fit in my pocket I might just get one to replace the LCP. I am certain it would be less painful to shoot than the LCP.

        • Hogue grip helps a lot with that issue. In fact, I was surprised how much of a difference that $10 piece of rubber made.

      • I’m not knocking it for being a .380. I’m knocking it for being a different size and shape than the Taurus PT738 or PT740.

        I’m not even a Taurus fanboy. For over a decade you couldn’t get me to buy one. Now, all my handguns are Taurus… Facts matter most.

        And the FACT is that the G42 is the worst in it’s category, and even outside of it’s category…

        For it’s size, you could carry a more potent cartridge. .380 vs .40cal is the comparison, becasue there is a PT740 Slim.

        If size is the problem, smaller guns pack more or the same power. Diamondback DB9. PT738.

        Sometimes I carry a Kel Tec P32! The point is not to hate Glock, or hate the .380. The point is that the G42 is a combination of size and cartridge that makes no sense at all by your very own argument, and any other argument.

        No doubt, they’ll sell a lot of them just because it says Glock on it. But I think we should encourage more brain usage because duh, guns! I’m not buying one because I’ve already got guns that are much better in every conceivable way.

      • I agree very well said. I have carried a small 25 in my pocket. In some circumstances a 9mm is just too much. Yes I prefer the bigger better but when that doesn’t work anything beats nothing. And yes most bad guys don’t stick around to see what gun you have just having one is enough for them to move on.

      • @ST

        That sums it up nicely.

        Guys on gun forums who are dedicated carriers debate whether a polo shirt is sufficient cover garment for a G21.

        Non dedicated personnel look at a G21 or G19 and think “How the hell am I going to carry that thing?”

        Not to mention from everything I’ve read so far, the size of this and characteristics make it highly shootable.

        If you watch the first Glock 42 promotional video you will very much come away thinking that the target market for this might be women, a surging segment of growth in the gun community.

      • “For every chest beating forum veteran yelling “NO .380!” there’s ten regular Joes and Janes all too happy that Glock finally made a gun for them”

        The veterans are far more knowledgeable than the regular Joes which is why they will not carry a .380.

        • And yet untrained, newbie people with no experience whatsoever manage to bumble their way into saving their own lives with .22s, .25s, .32s, and .380s every day.

          • No, I don’t, so I’ll make you a deal. For every verifiable instance that you can provide me with in which someone died after deploying their “pea shooter,” I’ll find two where they lived because of it. How’s that?

            In the meantime, I carry a SIG P238. If it’s “nothing more than a pea shooter,” you want to play the most dangerous game?

        • We knowledgeable vets recommend Ma deuce or an air strike. But here on civvy street that sort of behaviour is frowned upon. So a handgun will have to do. Caliber and make are really not important. Engaging large groups of well trained and equipped bad guys only happens in the movies and over there.

          P.S. Just noticed. He said gun forum veterans. My answer may not qualify. My opinion may not qualify, as I’m only a real world vet.

        • Greg Ellifritz has offered some insight:

          http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7884

          Short version: small calibers lead the stats in his set of studied real shootings for “one shot stops” but also lead the stats, by a big margin, for highest failure rate (failure to incapacitate at all).

          Well worth the read.

          Bottom line in my opinion: carry what you can shoot well and will practice often and do both with great conviction.

      • (Standing ovation) I have Glocks and Springfields and Rugers and a whole assortment of other goodies and I will buy one. I don’t care what you carry as long as you carry. Anything is better than nothing and if you can’t handle a certian size then what the f—k good is it?

    • Respectfully I would disagree. Glock is gonna sell millions of these things. It’s new, it’s small, and Glock lovers will grab ’em up big time. I’d say their market research is right on. Personally I wouldn’t buy one and I am a Glock guy, but these things are gonna go like hot cakes.

    • “No, I don’t, so I’ll make you a deal. For every verifiable instance that you can provide me with in which someone died after deploying their “pea shooter,” I’ll find two where they lived because of it. How’s that?”

      ONE person dying because they had a pea shooter is enough for me.

      What thought process (or lack thereof) does it take to conclude that a small, shallow hole is just a good as a wider, deeper one?????????

      I don’t carry because I “hope” the presence of my gun will scare someone, I carry a gun to destroy the body of my attacker if need be in order to stop his attack on me. I can understand your choice if you’re the hopey, changey, scary kinda of fella though.

      Based on your comments, I know that you have never tried to engage moving targets. If you did, you would not be so confident of your ability to hit critical locations under high stress, while you are moving while your attacker is moving.

      • I like how you only offer two choices: kill them or scare them. Given only those two options, why would anyone ever choose the latter? Fortunately, the world isn’t binary.

        • wow, dude, I thought even you would know that scaring doesn’t alway work.

          With a “scary” gun, you only have one choice hand in hand with “hope” and “prayer”. With a more powerful caliber, you have lots more choices.

          • What facts are against me? You offered an opinion, not facts. Your original comment mentioned “veterans that are far more knowledgeable,” but are they, really? How many veterans can actually speak to the performance of a .380? Last I heard, the military doesn’t use them, so how can they have knowledge of what they’ve never used?

            You set up an unsupportable straw man of “veterans” and that’s it. Where are the facts in that? Now if we were talking about rifles, and you told me of veterans who had used all of an M1 and an M14 and an AR, then we’d be talking about people who were knowledgeable.

            You don’t think .380s are sufficient, and that’s fine, but don’t hide behind nonexistent “veterans who are more knowledgeable.” And make an argument based on facts, not on sneering condescension. I offered you the option to provide me with an example of someone who “died because their gun was nothing more than a pea shooter,” and you dodged it with the comment that “one is too many.” Except, I still have no proof that even that “one” ever happened. You were too busy referring to me as the “hopey, changey, scarey” type, trying to tar me with a little bit of backhanded Obama-brushing. (I’m really not sure where the hell that came from, but I’ve noticed that when people don’t like what I have to say, they call me names.) Even still, my offer stands. Give me a citation of someone (a civilian) who fought back and died anyway because their gun was too small.

            Based on my comments, you purport to know that I’ve never shot at a moving target. First, you don’t know me. Don’t act like you do. Second, who mentioned “hitting critical locations under stress while moving?” It wasn’t me.

            In short, I really don’t care what your opinions are; you’re welcome to them. But don’t expect to not get called on unsupported bullshit like “veterans who know about .380s” when you try to trot it out.

        • Matt,

          I don’t consider a .380 deficient, but I do consider it to be marginal. You are welcome to choose it, and I’m inclined to think that you would shoot it well. As for me, I’d rather choose a .40 cal as a primary handgun until I can reach a long gun.

          As for numbers, the .40 has twice the energy and momentum of the .380. That’s not an opinion, but is objective and quantifiable. I’d rather not get shot by either one. With that being said, I’d rather face an adversary armed with a single stack .380 than a double stack 9 or 40. Last choice would be a bad guy with a 12 gauge, AR15, AR10, AK, etc. I’m gonna say that size does matter, its just not nearly the only factor.

          Still, I’m looking into several options into carrying a backup to my Glock 27 or 23 (which in turn I consider to be backups for my AR / 12 gauge), and that backup may be a Glock 42 or LC9. If the wife is comfortable shooting the .380 Glock, then it is essentially a more effective backup option for me. Also, I respect the Rabbi’s mentality of multiple carry, and would like to apply it.

          The freedom of choice is a wonderful thing, but the .380 makes me uneasy as a primary carry option.

          • I understand what you’re saying. Honestly, when the XDs hit the market, I thought I’d found my lifemate. I haven’t gotten around to picking one up yet, but it’s on the list. In the meantime, I’ve got my P238, because dressing around my full-size XDm .40 has just proven too difficult for me.

            After all, James Bond only used a .32. 🙂

  11. IF A .380 AINT ENUF TO SHOOT DOWN ONNA DEM SOVIET OBAMA HELICOPTERS THEN I AINT GONNA CARRY IT AND ONLY GIRLY-MEN WOULD CARRY IT, SUCKS FOR YOU IF YALL GET CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY A GRIZZLY BEAR AT THE GROCERY STORE.

    OKAY IM GONNA RIDE MY HARLEY NOW, SEE YALLS LATER

    HOW DO I SIGN OFF OF AOL?

    EXIT

    QUIT

    GOODBYE

    EXIT AOL

    SHUTDOWN

    THIS AINT WORKING ILL JUST LEAVE THIS HERE

  12. Gun people above all else should understand that there are many different correct answers to some questions. I have a Glock 19 with large backstrap and rubber sleeve, and it’s still tiny in my 2XL hands. Is a Glock 42 for me? No! For my daughters small hands? Probably. The world won’t change over my opinion of a certain gun. It’s just not the gun for me! My opinion doesn’t mean the 42 is useless.

  13. Heh… was really stoked for the R-51, but as more comes out I’m less & less so. Think I’ll just go 1911 for that new pistol I’ve been waiting to buy.

  14. I was disappointed in the caliber but plan on buying one for my wife. She’s most familiar with Glocks but they have always been too big for her hands, regardless of gen. type. Assuming the trigger reach is adequately short for her small digits, it’s a buy.

  15. Not gonna flame you, Dan. Just wondering if you’re paying attention…

    Taurus PT738. Taurus PT709. Taurus PT740. Diamondback DB9 (maybe). But mostly, Taurus PT740 Stainless!

    I’ve always hated Taurus for a number of reasons. But I have to bend to science; there’s no reason to buy a concealment gun that isn’t one of those 4. There just isn’t.

    Do a side by side of the PT740 and a Glock 42. This isn’t about bashing it. It’s about facts. You guys do gear reviews and comparisons. So do that one. G42 vs PT740. Throw in a G42 vs PT738, too. Compare the size, SHAPE and the firepower in apples to apples.

    It’s not flaming or trash talking. It’s a fact. Of all the guns that do what it does, it’s the worst. If it were the only gun in the gun shop and you had to buy something or your family would be executed, sure, buy it.

    The only perspective that makes it a good idea is the perspective that it’s better than no gun at all. I’ll vouch for that. A G42 is better than no gun at all.

    I have tiny girl hands, too. I have no problem with the G20 SF and G21 SF. And you’ve got conversion barrels…

    The G42 sucks. It just does. I want it to not suck. But it sucks.

    • The thing is, there are a lot of people that can’t shoot a 9mm or 40S&W in that size of gun. They just can’t. It is not a matter of training or commitment, they physically are unable to handle the recoil or the force needed to rack the slide. I know several.

  18. I was a little disappointed when I found out it was .380, mostly because I’m not interested in adding another caliber, but I think the G42 is pretty cool for what it is. Hopefully a single stack 9mm won’t be too far behind.

  20. My only hangup with the G42 is the fact that shortly before the release of this you’ve got the Kahr CW380. You can’t tell me for the uneducated and unlikely to care that the G42 ain’t the exact same functionally for that role.

    It is not the same gun but as far as how used and dimensions you’ve got similarities and the Glock is bigger than the Kahr.

  21. if you want a single stack .380 that is bigger and more reliable than the micro .380s then it is good. most people just didn’t want a single stack .380 from Glock. but what do i care, i will never see a new model of any semi auto in my state ever again.

  22. I carry 9mm short I mean .380 – I have a friend on the Warrior Forums who can stop the round with his biceps, though. He says its an OK round for a girl. I can de-ice my car door locks with it when the next Polar Vortex comes.

    I guess I won’t be able to put a fist sized hole in Thor from 100yds when the Gunfights in the Streets of America come, though.

    Well actually by then I plan to be wearing a MOLLE vest covered in .45s with stupid-stick 34 round mags and +P+ ammo anyways, so I can dual hand it and toss ’em aside with pinache when done.

    I also plan to remove the pins of grenades with my teeth.

    I will wear a bandanna as well, and show a lot of oiled cleavage.

  23. I’m excited about this on behalf of my mom. She did the shooting portion of her Concealed Carry Permit with a Glock 19, but cannot realistically conceal one on her person. She is just too small-framed and small-handed of a woman. She (and I’d wager quite a few other women as well) has been begging for something a little smaller and thinner than the G19 that is still big enough to be easy to shoot, and which doesn’t require quite as much hand strength to manipulate. The Glock 42 fits the bill.

    So what if it’s a .380? I’d rather she carry a .380 that she is confident with than leave a 9mm at home.

  24. To paraphrase the old engineer’s adage: concealment, recoil management, stopping power – pick two.

    It’s not competing against the LCP – it’s competing against the PPK/Bersa CC. Yes, it’s less powerful than an M&P Shield, and bigger than an LCP, but I imagine it’s more comfortable to shoot than either. More comfortable = more practice at the range, and faster to line up the sights and shoot accurately.

    And, as Dan says, it’s nice for people without Johnny Benchian, steam-shovelly, Truckasaurus hands.

    • As a somewhat fund limited collector, I chose a .40 shield for EDC.

      Concealment, check.
      Stopping power, check check.
      Recoil management, uh, still putting in range time to keep that little muzzle flipper on target. It’s really not that bad though. Love my S&Ws.

      Go ahead and let the flames fly.

  25. I would consider it, because my paws don’t allow for those tiny .380s like the LCP.

    However, for the same size and a little weight I can keep my ppk/s, which I own and has one additional round. Or I can use my G26 when it’s colder like it is now and the extra bulk doesn’t betray it’s prescience.

    I get why they did it, but I still can hope for a 9mm G43 next year.

    • I have Johnny Benchian, steam-shovelly, Truckasaurus hands (!) and have no problem with the LCP.

      Have you actually handled one or are you just assuming based on it’s measurements? I’m not trying to be snotty with that question, just curious.

      • It’s ok. No worries.

        I have handled one. 2 members of my family own them, and I basically have one finger on the grip and barely any of the 2nd finger. I find them simply too small for me, and I’m no good with an LCP past bad breath distance. I prefer to be good out to 15 yards, and after that I will strive to be good past that. I know that statistically most DGUs are inside of 5 but I can’t guarantee that if I’m in the rare moment of needing one, that it will fit the normal scenario (ie – if I’m counting on normal, things are well past normal if I need to shoot).

  26. I have a petite, non-gun-gal wife and twin girls. I want my wife to be able to shoot something well, and racking the slide can be a challenge for her. An easy shooting centerfire would also be a good intro for the girls when the time comes. I justify the want thinking of them, but I kinda like it anyway. Looks fun, and I’ve never owned a glock before.

    • I’m not picking on you or your wife, but how does she try to rack the slide? If done properly, the only people I’ve seen have trouble with racking any semiauto slide are the very young and people who have some sort of disability with their hand(s).

      I’m defining properly thusly: heel of the weak hand on the near side of the slide, wrap the fingers over the top and grip the slide with at least three, if not all four fingertips on the other side, and then push through with the strong hand and let go with the weak (as opposed to holding the strong hand still and moving the weak hand). I’ve seen quite a few people who “have trouble racking the slide” no longer have trouble once they use that method.

  27. I thought the G42 was dumb at first. We got some in today at work, and I got to play around with it – and I want one now, even if it is a .380.

    Compared to my P290, it is thinner, has a better grip width for my small lil hands, has a nice Glock trigger break and Glock trigger reset, and has a lower bore. The caliber isn’t my favorite, but I know I will be accurate with it, so at least I’ll have good shot placement.

    Plus, I don’t do stupid things with stupid people at stupid places, so right there I lower my chances of needing a gun drastically.

  28. I’ll probably buy one as soon as I can (hopefully later this week), mostly because I’m a girly-man who can’t handle a real gun. Also because I can’t always carry my Glock 20.

    If the Glock 42 slips into my pockets as easily as Dan says it did into his, I’ll take it. Reliable, sweet-shooting (and the same platform as my other guns), and always available has a place in my carry options, even if it is a lesser caliber.

  31. I can shoot any caliber accurately just fine but I need a gun that is small enough to carry EVERYDAY no matter the season, I didn’t go through the hassle of an 8hr course plus shell out all that money to carry every once in a while…that said I am happy I will have another option to choose from…I have tried many .380’s and the ONLY one I felt was a comfortable everyday carry gun was the Sig P238 so since I have heard many good things about the G42 I am excited to try one out this week. I am hoping for the best but I thought the Ruger LCP would have been a good one but I was DEAD wrong, that thing is a piece of sh*t!

    My other option I have thought about is the G26, I love the fact I have soooo many options on magazine capcity from 10rds all the way to the ridiculous 33rd mag. Plus it’s also a good fun range toy.

    • G26 is a good gun for carry, and the mag options do make it more versatile. However, it isn’t a pocket gun. With the standard mag it will fit in large pockets, but it will still tend to print a lot, and you can forget about slipping it into a suit jacket pocket or the like.

      My current options are G20, G26, and a Kel-Tec 380. I’m hoping the G42 will take over most pocket duties from the Kel-Tec and would like to add a G29 or G30 to provide a compact but powerful option.

  32. Glock will sell a ton of them and continue burning $1 bills to keep warm. Maybe I will get to try one on in a year or two when everybody that wants one has one.

  33. I just want a compact .45 ACP from Glock. Is that too much to ask?

    Seriously love my G21, but a G19 sized .45 would be amazing.

  34. With all this talk of competing .380’s, anyone have an opinion on the Walther PK380? Single stack, 8-shot. Supposedly easy-to-rack slide. Close in size to the P22. I have no opinion, just wondering.

  35. I feel like I’m missing something.
    Everyone seems to complain about .380 not being a big enough round. It’s the same diameter as 9×19. Yes, it has like half the muzzle energy. But if you shoot ball ammo, the .380 will make go through like 16-18″ of ballistics gel. If you shoot hollowpoints, get Hydra-Shok and you have the ideal 12-18″.

    If I were an on duty officer or soldier, obviously I’d take 9mm over .380. But my Sig P238 will put the same size hole in you just as well as a Beretta, unless you’re wearing some funky clothing or are real far away.

      • Thanks for the link. It was the difference in expansion I was missing, I didn’t realize that was happening. Looking at the table showing the expanded size of the two calibers, it makes more sense.
        I would still venture to say that if using ball ammo, out of a pocket pistol, the difference seems less important than carrying a pistol you like. If I had the option though, I’d certainly trade my P238 for a P938. They’re basically the same size.

        • Well ball ammo will generally penetrate better but with much less expansion. So it’s a tradeoff. I carry a .32 ACP when I absolutely can’t conceal my subcompact XD-9 for whatever reason, and I have the .32 loaded with 71 grain FMJs. I really would hate to rely on it to save my life, but better that than nothing, IMO.

  36. Wild Bill Hickock carried two Colt navy .36 revolvers, so maybe you should get TWO Glock 42s for personal protection!

    The shootist with the most experience in recent times was Jim Cirillo. He started out with .38 revolvers. went on to .45 1911s, but had most success with shotgun slugs and the M1 carbine, which he declared to be his favorite. This gave him the most one shot stops. But you’d look awkward carrying around an M1 carbine. It was politics did him in, not some miscreant with a faster gun.

    Whatever you shoot most naturally, accurately and easiest, and what you can conceal is what’s best. The G42 is going to suit a lot of people.

  37. If Sig doesn’t make it I won’t carry it. But there are times when I only carry my p238 since my P229 40 S&W is just too big to carry. Here in AZ it gets hot and the P229 can be bulky in shorts. My M11-A1 9mm can also be a bit large in some clothes. So better to carry a hot loaded 380 defense round than nothing

  38. Does anyone (with actual shooting experience) have an opinion on the difference between similar guns chambered in .380 vs 9mm? For instance, the Sig P238 vs Sig P938, or other same-size/same-weight guns. I would think that the 9 would be considerably snappier, since it has a lot more muzzle energy.

    • The P938 is a bit snappy but still shoots well but the P238 is a touch smaller and it fits perfectly in my pocket when wearing shorts which is 90% of the time. For me it’s the best pocket gun out there yes the 9mm is a more powerful round but if I ever need draw my weapon in public chances are it’s at close range. The 380 will still do a lot of damage at 10 feet away. Now my home defense weapons would never be a 380 or a 9mm. Neither round is going to be effective if 2or 3 home invaders bust in at 3am. That’s when it’s either my 40cal if their lucky or my Sig 516 AR15 if they are not so lucky. But for out riding my bike or running to store that little P238 will work great. I assume the Glock 42 feels plastic like all other Glocks so no thanks

  39. We love to talk about how the .380 isn’t as good in a gun this size because the 9mm is a better balance of size and power. But I’ve owned a small 9mm and it wasn’t pleasant to shoot at all. I can handle a lot of standard pressure .357’s from a snubbie (with good grips) but the only comfortable small 9mm I’ve shot was the S&W Shield 9mm. A .380 in the same size gun is going to be a lot more friendly on the shooter.
    I’d rather be able to practice more and put rounds precisely where I want them, even if those rounds aren’t quite as powerful. Maybe the Glock 42 will be the right balance for some people. After having read the reviews, I’ll probably at least be checking one out when they make their way into circulation.

  40. I feel that there are times for most of us that we will not or can not carry the size handgun that we would like to have in a gunfight… For those times it usually comes down to a .380 for me. I have the Kahr .380 which is a sweet little gun. It is very concealable and has mild recoil compared to the polymer .380’s. But, my other handguns in 9mm and .45 cal are Glocks. I love the reliability, simplicity, and uniformity of the Glocks. So, I will likely end up buying the new Glock .380 and when I have to or decide to carry it as a primary I will do that and as a back up I think it will be perfect. So, I vote yes and probably will also try the .9mm if that is forthcoming. Just my personal take on it.

  41. The .380’s fine as an ankle piece.

    But you’d be a fool to carry it as your primary weapon unless you’re in swim trunks. It’s not like there’s a shortage of slightly larger 9mm and .38SPL pocket guns out there that still meet the FBI penetration standard EVERY time, rather than MOST of the time (and only with FMJ) like the .380.

  42. Looks good. I’m a glock guy anyway. This has been a good read and funny. I think that owning any handgun is the right answer, personally I own many of several different caliber because I like options. There is ‘No’ right or wrong answer. Someone that is comfortable and accurate with a 380 will always be more affective than one that is uncomfortable and inaccurate with a 45acp bottom line.

  43. Disappointing pistol . I own 7 Glock handguns and have never had, (not once) a failure to feed in 18 years. Until I bought the Glock 42. I just left the range and will tell you all that it is a very accurate single shot pistol. Using 3 different types of range ammunition it Failed to Feed every single round for four full magazines . On the fifth mgazzine I actually got 2 rounds in a row before it stove piped . I carry a glock 19 every single day as my service weapon, and have in the past carried a mod 21 and 23 . I carry a mod 26 as a backup. I really expected a superior small caliber dependable concealable firearm. What I got was a very nice package pretty darn accurate door stop. You just can not depend on it . I won’t own it long

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