I attended a special GLOCK event last night where I got the opportunity to put some rounds through the brand new GLOCK 43. Like I’ve said, on spec, the handgun looks like it fills a much-needed hole in my personal arsenal — a handgun that can be either a pocket pistol or a holstered sidearm depending on the weather. Something I can slide in my pocket and forget about…until I need it. Now that I’ve actually had some trigger time with the gun, I think I can make a more informed decision. And that decision is . . .
I really, really need to buy one.
The GLOCK 43 addresses all of my complaints about the GLOCK 19 when it comes to concealed carry. Instead of being a massive and chunky boat anchor, the gun is sleek and svelte. I could slide it in my pocket and it disappears without an issue…unless there’s an RSO behind me watching to make sure I don’t go home with any extra door prizes. The slim profile also means that I can wear tighter shirts without worrying about printing, which has become a more important factor now that I’m about 50 pounds slimmer than I was at SHOT Show.
The grip is where things really take off for me. The G19 has a set of ridges molded into the grip that my hands never seem to fit properly, and that make it uncomfortable to hold for me. With the G43, the ridges are gone and the gun is actually fairly plain. There’s some stippling, but that’s it — and I like it. It feels great in my hands.
The baseplate on the magazine really does make the difference here, though. With the extended baseplate — giving the shooter a full three-finger grip — the gun is perfect. It rides in my hand exactly where it feels comfortable, and shooting the gun is a joy.
But when you insert a mag without the extended baseplate, things start to go off the rails especially in the accuracy department. I can keep the gun dead on target while mag-dumping at 10 yards with the extended mag, but with the flush-fit one I start throwing rounds off the silhouette. Moral of the story for me and my big hands: always use the bigger mags.
The GLOCK guy came right out and said it during the briefing: “We fully acknowledge that we missed the mark” in terms of the release schedule. Then again, I’m betting they wouldn’t have sold nearly as many G42s as they did had this puppy been available first. I like it — I like it a whole lot. It’s the perfect firearm for my personal needs, and I couldn’t be more excited to actually buy one (a phrase I never thought I’d say about a GLOCK product). Which is why Dan is going to review it.
Stay tuned.
Glock Fan Boys in 3. 2. 1…
guys who enjoy disliking Glock in 3. 2. Oh. Never mind they are already here.
I always tell everyone the same thing about Glocks. I do not hate glocks, and if you want to own one you won’t be let down. But I always recommend XD’s because the grip safety is just better.
Glock fanboys always get mad about the safety but you have to figure that while you feel good about the safety a lot of morons are out there and the double safety on an XD doesnt have negligent discharge reports like Glocks seem to have.
Grip Safeties are retarded.
Explain how they suck. They work and they don’t even get in the way. And it’s not even a feature you have to think about activating.
@arsh
I like the concept of a grip safety, I really do. Much better than putting the safety on the trigger itself. Which does nothing whatsoever to guard against an inadvertent pull on the trigger making the gun go off. (I’ve yet to see anyone give a rationale for the Glock Trigger Dingus ™ that wasn’t just a marketing slogan.)
That having been said, last time I tried an XDS I picked it up hastily (like I might under stress) and it wouldn’t fire. My grip was not disengaging the safety for some reason.
“because the grip safety is just better”
Ummm no they are not.
I used to have 2 – XD9’s. I was taking a class once, and when shooting laying on my side and once laying on my back, the gun would not fire because my grip was not perfect. 99% of the time it was fine. After that class I got rid of both of them and picked up 2 G17’s.
Which gun is it again, that operators duct tape the grips, to be sure the grip safety doesnt get jammed up with grit and mud in the field, and fail to fire when you need it?
I agree the little bitty trigger safety on the Glock seems stupid, and hasn’t prevented a few from shooting themselves in leg, from catching on car keys in pocket, or strings hanging off wind-breakers.
Pocket holster is smart for ANY pocket gun and not just to reduce printing.
Grip safties are fine. They somehow muddled through several wars with thousands of soldiers using them daily without incident. I can understand if they’re not your personal preference, but don’t act like they’re going to spontaneously rip the arms of their user off or magnetically attract bullets after trying a reverse handhold with just a pinkie and your thumb to get off a shot in a situation that is never going to happen.
Just stop it. Right now.
Oh, and look what TTAG has to say on this topic–
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2010/08/patrick-carrube/the-truth-about-grip-safeties/
Grip safety is useless and adds an extra step than in a high tense situation most will forget to disengage. You only need one safety and that is your finger. I always carry one in the chamber iwb. If you need a safety then imo you should probably not carry in public.
I hate Glocks. I really do. I especially hate the fact that they do everything just well enough such that I feel compelled to keep buying more of them. I tried everything I could to avoid buying them, but ended up surrendering.
I loved my Springfield EMP so much more. I really wish it had been reliable.
“I loved my Springfield EMP so much more. I really wish it had been reliable.” THIS
If you think life is to short to carry an ugly gun, remember that it is even shorter when your gun stops working.
Here! I thought I heard somebody call me…
Please – can’t we all just get along? Like, “COEXIST”, man. Even people who prefer semi-autos or other modern stuff over S&W top-break revolvers have a place in the world, ya know?
Am i the only one who is bothered by this: where the slide and the frame meet, you can see through the gun. This has always made glocks look fragile to me (i know they aren’t), and it seems like a good way for debris to get into the pistol. But then again, I’ve never seen anyone else complain about it so i may just be hyper-nitpicky about pistol aesthetics…
I think that slot allows operators operating operationally to clear out mud, debris, liberals’ tears, etc. and keep the gun functioning perfectly to perfection.
Considering you can shoot a glock out of a cannon & still have it work, I wouldn’t be too concerned about it being frail. I will have to admit that this might fill a niche. Don’t know that it means I want/need one though. Part of the attraction for the unadorned brick is capacity. Mostly I’ll stay with a g23/g19. Heck, I’d carry a 40mm if I could conceal it.
Considering you can shoot a glock out of a cannon & still have it work
And with that, we now have a new way to describe the bore of a cannon. Rather than referring to 3 lb, 4lb, 6lb, 8lb, 12lb etc guns, we can refer to them as Glock 42 guns, Glock 26 guns, Glock 19 guns, Glock 17 guns, and Glock 20 guns. Or confuse the enemy by using 22 instead of 17 and 23 instead of 19, or (well more variations than I care to be able to list, much less actually list).
Of course care must be taken to ensure your listener doesn’t think you are actually talking about the glock handgun. Perhaps we can adopt the convention that when you say “Glock 17” you mean the actual Glock 17, but when you say “Glock 17 gun” you are referring to a cannon sized to fire Glock 17s out of.
GLOOOOOOOCK!!!!!!!!! I need a smoke…
Ford,Chevy, or Dodge??????????????? MEH………..
Any thoughts on how it compares to the S&W Shield (w/o manual safety) in terms of hand feel, recoil, and weight distribution?
This!
Cool story, bro. Should tell that one at parties.
…..you couldn’t even make a cursory comparison to the Shield 9mm w/o thumb safety?
Competition is good so I’ll wait and see if they have something better than a Shield.
I bought one (Shield) after waiting for years for the G43. It’s everything the Glock promises to be and a little less expensive, although that’s not a major consideration to me in a carry gun.
I’ll wait until the frenzy dies down and any early version kinks worked out before I consider one.
That is exactly what we are doing. My wife’s carry gun is shield 9mm -works great.
Glock hater remarks in 3..2… doh… too late!
Glockers are gonna Glock…
So when is the single-stack in .40 S&W gonna be released?
Shield fanboy here, I can’t see that the G43 can possibly be good enough to be worth the extra cash or loss of capacity. The only benefit I see is some used Shields on the market when the Glocktards sell their Shield to buy one.
The G43 weighs less than the Shield, has a longer barrel, and longer sight radius. Neither has a great trigger out of the box. The Shield costs less, has a stainless barrel and slide, and is easier to conceal. The Apex trigger for the Shield is particularly sweet. If the Shield had a 3.3-3.4″ barrel, I’d definitely buy it.
As it stands, I’m looking at a barrel / sight radius shorter than I like (Shield), a little more money with less capacity (G43) or too heavy (XDS). It’s apparent to me that the Glock aftermarket will soon have a +1 or +2 mag extension, trigger upgrades, etc.
Calling Glock owners Glocktards is just childish.
Just a quick comment on your post I really enjoyed reading it one correction though, the shield has a barrel measuring 3.1 inches
I did say “if the Shield had a 3.3-3.4 inch barrel.” At any rate, the fact that the market has a lot of single stack nines is certainly a win for the consumer.
@Accur81: I agree. I tried back in ’08 to find a single stack that was worth a flying damn, and couldn’t (at least not based on what my range had in stock as rentals). I wanted something small, but all those double stack micros were reducing the wrong dimension, everything but the width. Normal glocks are fat enough you could stripe the top of the slide for traffic and I can’t understand how they don’t print atrociously (at least other guns round the corners). Now they DID round the corners on their 26-size guns, but at the price of a shorter grip (which solves what is to me the wrong problem).
Unfortunately, I tried out the LC9, Shield, and XDS recently and had differing dislikes about each of them. This is after the Nano I bought turned out to be a piece of shit. Maybe Glock will get the “contract”.
@Steve,
if you haven’t already, take a look at the Walther PPS.
That will be tricky, since I’ve never seen one as a range rental.
A81, thanks. I especially appreciate your insight as a pro on the street, who has worked with many handguns.
IMHO, what works for guys like you is probably the #1 verification of what a noob home defense guy/gal should consider, for the first handgun you would also use to bear outside the home, CCW.
Which in CA, at the rate the 9th is going its gonna be 2020 or so.
I could also care less about the logo- but let us all agree there is ONLY one caliber for home defense to rule them all, in .40 S&W…. (ducking and running, laughing…)
Our department uses only one handgun caliber: .40 Smith and Wesson. As a result, I know several of our guys who’ve bought the Shield in .40, which is a snappy little shooter. Our full sized guns are the 4006 TSW, which is a pretty heavy gun. My TLR-S mounted on the front mitigates recoil even more.
To me, the subcompact / micro segment works better in 9mm, because they are much easier to control and thus easier to pick up high round counts in practice. I would like a 9mm +P option, even in a short barrel, to pick up a bit more velocity and expansion. If I get a G43 I can post chronograph results.
A81- thanks those G43 chrono numbers would be really useful, to go with the Bulls gel tests on 9mm ammo,
vs anecdotes and just the “feel” at the range.
@Accur81
I didn’t call Glock owners Glocktards, I called Glocktards Glocktards. The guy at the range who tells you that because you pulled one shot with your M&P that you would shoot better if you just had a Glock. The guy in training that tells the guy with the 1911 he needs a Glock for CCW because 1911s suck. The guy who was perfectly happy with a Shield until the G43 was released and will now pay over MSRP for one and take a loss on the Shield because GLOCK and gotta have Glock now, best gun evar! I own a Glock, I’ll probably buy more but I don’t get the rabid fanboism (my Shield fanboy comment was a joke) when there are plenty of equally good pistols out there.
Fair enough. I’m not sure anyone makes the ultimate striker fired gun out of the box anyways.
In 90 days there will be more holster, sights, and trigger options for the Glock 43 than the Shield. Those options will also be in stock 98% of the time and in more than one color.
Holsters, no. The rest, you are unfortunately right. I just got a set of the Truglow sights for my Shield, 6 months ago, they were not made yet, but they already had them for the G42. Glock definitely has both the accessory manufacturers and their loyal base on their side.
Id like to see a table with the length, width and weight for this glock, the glock 380, the double stack baby glock, and the smallest kahr 9mm….
Make your own table. All the specs on all the Glocks can be found here:
http://us.glock.com/
I don’t reckon it’s any harder to find Kahr specs.
Actually, I read that as a good suggestion for the review, or new article submission-
with pictures, like a couple lately have done, showing the three stacked on top, from side and overhead, so the reader can really see the difference. I was sort of surprised how big the Glock in .380 was, and surprised also how little difference in dimensions by the numbers, size and weight,
which you wouldnt pick up from the numbers on the website a Glock or Kahr, etc is actually a big difference in terms of how it fits in your pocket, in clothes you wear at work or play outside. Especially in the guns that are all plastic, vs metal, same size.
If it hauls your pants down, or your bra, or it jabs into your muffin top, or belly, the fact is you arent going to carry it, no matter how good it is, other wise… so its wise to think about that up front.
Only other way to do that is go to the gun store and try it on, which is final step, of course, especially for how it fits your hand, to hold and shoot.
It helps narrow the shopping decision not have it boiled down to top three, cuz you are going to hear LOTS of helpful and not so helpful opinions from store staff and idlers at the range, well meaning, well-informed or not.
Thats what makes reviews here at TTAG so helpful for new POTG, IMHO.
http://www.triangletactical.net/2015/03/18/glock-43-compared-to-other-pistols/
Nice- thanks. if you are in touch with the guy there, tell him to post side view, too-
(hate hate hate word press, and refuse to do “allow this app to scrape all your last twenty years of internet history, your contact list, your real-time geographical location” type Twit-nitwit or Facebook or Google+Evil type sign-ins…)
The point is…just how much thinner is the G43 than the Baby Glock “bricks”,
to me thats the real make or break for sliding in and out of a pocket …
I’m the guy there.
Front/rear views don’t really work. I tried it with the G42 release, and it just looks like rectangles on a piece of paper and it doesn’t show as much as you would imagine it would.
I noticed watching IraqVeteran8888’s video review that it doesn’t always like to load JHP rounds if you do it by releasing the slide stop. Seemed to work every time slingshotting. I will have to wait to see some more reviews and what not.
“…if you do it by releasing the slide stop.”
– You’re doing it WRONG!
It is a slide STOP, not a slide release.
Ya just went full Yeager. Lol 😛
Why the vitriol? I’ve never had any issues with my Kahr MK9 or SIG P229 using the slide catch. In fact, I just checked both user manuals for Kahr and SIG. Kahr recommends against using the slingshot method for their pistols, and SIG says either method is acceptable. I Just checked the GLOCK manual as well, and they do instruct to use the slingshot method.
The short of it is that different manufacturers recommend different things.
It’s a slide stop, until you release it. And frankly, it’s a good idea to practice that way at least some of the time. You don’t always have two free hands in a gunfight.
Thats a good tip, on how to shoot one-handed. Murphys Law sez you will, while hiding behind a concrete planter at the mall, at a kneel, using your off-hand to hold your toddlers hand, or the sheep who pile in behind you in panic… so after you get the basics down, using your two handed static isoceles grip at the range, you need to practice that, and thinking ahead to how the gun fits your hand is important for real world…
And something to look at when you get to the LGS to see how various models fits your hand.
You might want to consider a major brand, for models that are most popular, for first gun, for those will be first to generate the after market parts to fix and improve things with accessories or replacements like trigger kits, sights, optional barrel drop-in kits, and other parts that make a big difference, when you get your noob shooter basics down at the range, first. Dont forget paying for good coaching up front first, before spending money on coolest combo flashlight-laser-secret spy decoder, if you arent already putting 8 of 10 in the pie plate at the distance you might have to use…trust me you will save AT LEAST the amount of money on new toys, in saved ammo and time and gas to the range to unlearn bad habits, vs the good habits you could have locked in, first…ask me how I know. Then the money saved goes for stockpiling ammo that works best, for the next Great Ammo Shortage, and then for improvements to your basic first gun, and THEN for cool toys…
For example, the one thing I dont like about my G23 is how dinky the mag release is, and the slide stop is even harder to find and use, for my fat fingers. I have to shift my grip a bit to drop the mag, and thats just one more thing to go wrong- especially with sweaty fingers, to drop the damn thing, on my first no-$hit outside the home SHTF situation…
plus my old eyes just keep losing the focus, and a Big Dot sight, or something like it, could be the thing for you, not to have to spend that lots of time to waste getting the little dark post exactly lined up with the square groove, to hit the target every time at 7-20 yards, or …maybe dont worry and learn to point shoot good enough at 3-7… YMMV.
details details details- stuff you wont find out until you practice practice practice-
so to my fellow noobs, lurking….
dont get too hung up in analysis paralysis, either- go to the LGS that has rentals in the models you are considering and shoot a couple times before buying, and regretting later…
I can release my slide faster with the slide stop than you can slingshot it.
Blood, sunscreen, or sweat on your support hand can make the slingshot release more difficult. All of my Glocks now work with the slide release as long as I don’t use my Glock mags which have been worn out. Those are clearly marked and have been removed from the self defense rotation.
My G23 original issue mags were the cheapo plastics, that just didnt want to drop free, when empty, unless I wiggled it a bit…. imagine being in a no-$hit situation waving your gun in the air wildly trying to get the mag out one handed…simple fix was buy the better aftermarket ones with metal insert, that I learned from my wise guru coach.
The cheapos now hold my snap caps for dry fire and malfunction drills…and the mags are also spray painted yellow, like the snap caps, so I dont mix them up with the real thing…
Agree on slide release- you need to practice both- sling shotting wont do you much good if you fumble the slide release one handed, like A81 sez sweaty handed, in the rain, bloody hands from holding a bleeder while crouched behind the concrete planner at the mall.
Or the one hand mag insert, holding between your knees, under your arm, whatever, while you hold your school kids back, at the locked door to the classroom…now…practice that off-handed.
Dont forget how are you gonna slinghot rack and release, on the mag change if needed, using your belt/holster edge, or the side of your shoe sole, if needed?
With off-side hand if your normal shooting hand is tied up/hurt?
Better be sure that original issue rear sight has enough of an edge to do it.
Lots to practice, and practice ammo to buy, before buying the latest cool toy accessory…
But Can you hit the tiny slide stop lever under stress, with rounds flying at you, when your fine motor skills are gone due to stress, than sling shotting it (a gross motor skill)?
Pushing down the slide stop lever on a Glock is no more a fine motor skill than pulling the trigger.
But… practice both ways because the best way really does depend on the situation.
HEY GANG….THE NEW APPLE WATCHES ARE IN!!
Shield 9mm – 2000 rounds and not a hiccup, half JHP.
Why would you want to fill “a much-needed hole”?
My ex . . . nevermind
Shield, XDs, … GLOCK is late to a crowded market of single stack striker fired 9s. I have no complaints about seeking true innovation, or filling an unfilled niche, but all this does is bring GLOCK-only buyers into this market.
The market has enough Glock-only buyers to make this thing fly off the shelves.
BobS: with respect, late entry to crowded segment is more of a marketing guy snipe,
rather than what potential gun buyers, especially new ones care about.
When I was looking for my first handgun, I was like many- looking for
1. simplicity = easy to learn, and practice to get better =shorter steeper learning curve,
2. reliability = works every time, with enough boolits that I dont have to do my own ammo tests
3. big enough installed user base = follow on accessories and mods, plenty of used guns or buyers for mine.
Kind of like buying a Ford F150. I could care less what the logo is on the side, just that it works.
Reading the latest gun sales and FBI NICS numbers its clear the number of new gun buyers is at least as big if not bigger than guys buying second or third pocket pistol.
That infers to me a big chunk of the new women buyers who are also a fast rising per cent. Who would, per some instructor commentators, be looking for my criteria #1 and 2, above, for self defense.
When you think of the size of the market of all
1.not-yet-gun buyers, but want first one for self-defense, and
2. those who do have one, and are looking for first ccw pistol now to go with their oc handgun (me)
3. those who have more than one ccw gun,
its pretty clear that 1 and 2 are a huge number, vs a late entry to number 3, trying to differentiate.
For that 3rd category, late entry is maybe a nitpick, but even so even if 100% of all buyers would be switching, its still dwarged by the numbers of
1, potentially, as first gun, and
2, who might care about things like safety, ambidextrous, etc.
Plus, for me, a current Glock owner, familiar manual of arms and grip angle means one less BIG thing to learn. When California finally allows CCW for self-defense…about 2020 the way its going now…plenty of beta testing will be done by owners on the G43 by then.
Again, I joke about my Glock 23 being the one handgun to rule them all, but thats just to get the glock haters spinning in fun…)
BTW, did I mention that 9mm is the one true caliber for home defense.
Unfortunately, the G43 – as well as the whole Glock Gen 4 series – are not the CA DOJ approved “safe handgun” list. And the idiotic 9th Circuit just dismissed a challenge of the DOJ roster. I’m looking forward to moving out of CA and moving to a free state.
Yeah, A81, I didnt want harsh anyone’s mellow mentioning that…
for those not-familiar-yet with Peruta v. Gore now in en banc review, here is a bookmark, for later reference.
Its former Soliciter General of the US Paul Clements and West Coast NRA Counsel Chuck Michel’s elegantly succint summation of the facts, in the opposition to the ‘secret judge’ sua sponte here:
http://michellawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Peruta_Appellants-Opposition-to-Sua-Sponte-Rehearing-En-Banc.pdf
Thinking about it- what that means for a dad, or anyone serious about being a responsible CCW holder in CA, you cannot protect yourself and your family, from a worst-case situation outside the home without risking becoming a felon every day…
All because, per Brady Amicus: Guns = Fear, or
Judge Thomas dissent or Sheriff Prieto’s brief; “Public Safety” = what about all those lurking dangerous CCW permit holders who are a risk to the public and LEOs getting home at end of shift…
IOW the “blood in streets” argument –
Yes, we are talking about all those CCW applicants who after being Fed NICS and CA State DOJ background checked as law-abiding citizens, AND additionally shrink-tested for current mental stability, who go thru the process- wallet tapped for $1000+ in fees and costs for for county application, FBI approved fingerprints, range fees, time to drive, cost of practice ammo, time off from work for the required up to 16 hour minimum LEO approved instructor course, AND the final written test and practical accuracy range test on the gun(s) listed on permit application, at the County LEO approved range…
And thats only WHEN the SCOTUS takes up cert on the 9ths pending 11 judge en banc reversal on the 3 judge panel, saying self defense IS a valid reason for good cause to apply…
and we all hope, SCOTUS will say that CA AG Kamala Harris California was wrong.
Remember, that in addition to Peruta is co-plaintiff Michelle Laxon, a hair dresser who carries a lot of cash for her business, and has been robbed already, and nevertheless denied CCW permit by Sheriff Gore in San Diego. Dont forget the plaintiff who is a senior shift worker in a pysch ward, who presumeably *might* have a couple folks out there who have a beef with him, on release when their screws have worked loose…
Just remember- for public safety and LEOs getting home at the end of shift, all you little people, get to take on the risk, because- when seconds count, the police are only minutes away…
and besides, are not required to protect you, when you get to the technical details anyway.
PS: non-CA readers- I sort of skipped a step in my rant there… sorry to go OT, Dan…
What A81 is referring to on the Roster of Approved Handguns is Pena v Cid, more info here: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=812117
Point being, if the particular model of semiauto pistol was not already on the CA DOJ “approved” list already,
Then the maker has to make the gun in such a way that it passes drop tests, and
the bogus “microstamping” requirement that CA AG added on in yet another another shifty and deliberate application of requirements that amount to yet another Executive Abuse of Authority, simply to create a delay to new models, and by reducing the number of those available as resale, by removing models off the list as time goes buy…to reduce the number of handguns available for purchase by everyday citizens in CA.
right now we are at something like 1400 total, that when you eliminate those that are essentially the same except for color, stainless etc– are more like 700…. looking at those to rotate off in future, its down to 200 or so, of old technology…
Bottom line, the newer, better, more safe and easier concealed handguns will not be available for sale to citizens (except to LEOs).
What that means, as a practical matter, is the best new models for practical self-defense, ESPECIALLY for the elderly and for women, are deliberately taken off the market by CA AG Kamala Harris.
(Tagged as Senator Box-A-Rocks replacement soon).
The Progressives version of “War on Women”, indeed.
And yes, A81, I hear you- I am taking a road trip in a couple weeks to check out property in the non-slave states for retirement, if Sacramento doesnt wake up, or NRA and SAF dont prevail, to join the rising tide of net-emigration by responsible citizens and taxpayers in the middle class and retirees who see the writing on the wall.
Isn’t it somewhat disturbing that the state of California allows law enforcement to carry “unsafe” handguns?
Again, I joke about my Glock 23 being the one handgun to rule them all, but thats just to get the glock haters spinning in fun…)
Yeah, we figured it had to be a joke, because surely anyone who is serious would want to use a full 10mm instead of that cut-down 40 Short & Weak. 🙂
What, you afraid of a little competition? If the Glock does something better than S&W or Springfield they will be forced to up their game and we as the consumers benefit.
Look no further than the current Toyota Tacoma if you want to see the kind of mediocrity that nearly a decade without serious competition breeds.
This comment thread seams like a gigantic Ford vs Chevy/GMC vs Fiat err I mean Dodge pissing match…. Bunch of people who are too stupid to realize that consumers lose when only one or two brands offer something without competition.
I miss the old Tacomas, they were far better suited for just about anything except being confused as to what they should be. Bring the diesel Hilux to the USA! Wonder if the Canyon/Colorado series is going to start putting the pressure on Toyota that’s been sorely needed for the last several years.
+1. I miss the pre-Tacoma versions that were just called “Toyota Pickup” in the U.S. Then the rest of the world’s evolutionary path produced the Hilux, while our version became… Blah.
It will be tough to beat the xds in my view, and I’m typically a m&p fanboy.
Very interested to see a full review and a comparison!
Agreed. The XDs has too many offerings. Regular mag for short handle, extended mag if you need a larger grip, a grip safety to help stop the typical glock negligent discharge occurrences, and it’s cheap, $499 for an essentials package which gives both mag styles plus it’s 4″ or 3.3″ for options on preferred length.
Glock does have one ace hidden up its sleeve- the blue label program. Police, Military, and others eligible are going to be snatching these things up left and right, my LGS is selling them via blue line for around 330 bucks. That’s it.
” . . . that I’m about 50 pounds slimmer than I was at SHOT Show”
Congrats! Any tips for the rest of us?
Less in, more out. Not rocket science.
Yeah, stop carrying the 1911…… 🙂
I see that Glock still can’t bring it self to get rid of the Euro-hook in front of the trigger guard. I wish Glock would offer some Americanized versions of their pistols instead of regurgitating the same one-trick pony design. Well, it’s nothing that Coldbore Custom can’t fix. And it has allowed a cottage industry of aftermarket specialists to blossom.
Hey, I like that “resting place” design- have been trying out the grip technique I have seen some advocate, wrapping a finger of off hand on that to stabilize grip even better- especially helpful for the subcompact models.
That puts off hand slightly higher, and really reduces the snappy recoil effect, helping to get back on target faster, more accurately.
I’m even trying on using trigger finger for one-handed grip, on that resting spot and shooting with index finger as trigger. That would be a whole new muscle memory that would lock me into Glock only…
Weird, huh? Anyone else fooling with same?
We all expected Glock lovers to want this gun. I didn’t expect a Glock hater to want it, which is good to hear, because I’m a Glock lover and I want one.
The finger ridges on Gen 4 Glocks never bothered me, but it appears they heard the complaints and took the ridges off for this design. Good on them.
The walther PPS beat them to market by only a decade or so…
So what?
All these “late to the party” comments are mind-boggling. If Glock came out with a 12 gauge shotgun tomorrow, two things would happen: 1) Keyboard commandos will say they’re late to the party, and 2) they would sell like hotcakes and dealers would have trouble keeping them in stock for the first year.
Like foo-dog mentioned above, the gun market is a growing market, there are many first-time buyers, and competition is a good thing.
My comment was more a reflection that other companies have both beaten glock to the pocket 9mm market AND provided a better (not trying to flame) product. To me, the G42 and G43 have been underwhelming: their competitors have been able to increase capacity, add additional chamberings (40s&w), or add other features (manual safeties, if you have that preference) all while maintains the same compact form factor. It just makes me think Glock’s engineers got lazy.
Would I buy a Glock 43? Absolutely.
I would trust it to work like any other glock I’ve used. I just don’t think it has any added value-added features as compared to a PPS, Shield, Kahr, etc.
If someone is in the market for a gun of this type and it is sitting right next to the others with all else being fairly equal why does it matter? New people are still being introduced to shooting and concealed carry and will be for many years. It didn’t end shortly after the Shield w/o thumb safety was released. Are these people really going to see being the latest release or not being released before an arbitrary deadline as a deal breaker? If the gun works why would they care?
It isn’t just new people either. Those experienced in conceal carry may still be looking for a better fit or perhaps a move makes carrying something of this size their best option for the first time. The G43 being the latest model released is not enough on its own to be a deal breaker in those cases either. It is likely to contribute to sealing the deal for some looking for a better fit. It looks like it already has.
Stu, and BobS, ps my comments are not meant as a slight, of course, just a point of view and coming from the place I am at, as a relative noob observing all the details of learning curve that take time and money to get to the desired end-state for me- being good enough to use the thing responsibly and effectively when SHTF.
I am VERY grateful for the insight of those further along, on the technical differences, pro’s and con’s as one of these days I look forward to having the time and money* to go beyond just one gun or two for HD and CCW.
(*right now theres college for two teens that is cutting into the fun stuff budget…not to mention ammo for extra practice which this post reminds me I am behind on…)
I got to hold the 42 and I agree with the author based on that. Also would be my perfect CCW but I’m a bit of a 9mm fanboy, my only question: can handle +p+ loads?
My ruger LCR 9mm is my daily right now but it doesn’t take the high pressure loads, and I’m uber paranoid when I load my ammo now. It would be nice to not have to worry about that.
Would you really get much benefit out of +P+ ammo with a <4" barrel? I don't see much point, especially with some phenomenally good-performing standard and +P defensive loads out there.
What you don’t think the gigantic fireball from the last half of your powder burning after the bullet has exited the muzzle, has any use in a gunfight? /sarc
I never understood the appeal of a .357 snubbie (unless loaded with .38), or the Glock 29 (short barrelled 10mm–might as well just shoot .40 out of a gun that size) for similar reasons.
There is no SAAMI specification for +P+ (there is for +P). Load your ammo to SAAMI specs and you’ll be fine. Super hot loads in a gun this small wouldn’t be much fun, anyway. If you think you need more power, you need more gun.
The PPS is better (and lighter) than the Shield. Hope to try the Glock soon.
Would seriously consider this as a carry piece. Don’t much care for Glocks in general (no particular reason, they work just fine, are reliable, not too expensive, plenty accurate, they just don’t give me that warm fuzzy feeling that I get from holding other handguns) but a carry piece should be 100% utility and I think this just might fit the bill nicely. Particularly in terms of the trade-off between concealability and shootability, this might do well.
My only problem with this gun Vs. the 19 or the 26 is I would feel the need to carry at a minimum 2 spare magazines. I wish they had designed it with a +1 extended mag W/ grip like the Shield. Then you’d have a 5 star gun. With ONLY 6+1 it is questionable, especially in 9MM.
I had that same want and got the CCP. However I can’t help but think if only they released this years ago, the sales they’d have. At the moment I can’t justify another pocket 9
Congrats on the weight loss! Keep up the good work, Nick!
hmmm. earlier reply to BobS disappeared…weird word press thing?
Not a Glock fanboy, per se- only reason I chose Glock for first handgun to fill many roles was:
1. Simple, KISS = shorter learning curve
2. Reliable = works every time, with ammo
3. Durable = can handle long abuse and use at range by a noob, to learn, for
a. home defense = long times sitting in a gunvault, cuz kids, and
b. outside the home defense = small enough to IWB
c. hunting backup, getting dragged thru bushes and mud
4. In .40 for
a. stopping power (“never take anything to a gun fight that doesnt start with 4”) and
b. compatibility with partners carry gun = simplified ammo stockpile and storage, spare parts compatibility
c. bonus points for .40 being found on Walmart shelf long after the 9 and 45 was gone in the Great Ammo Shortage, plus occasional good deals when LEO contracts had excess or recalls, to scoop up in after market for practice cheap.
Now that #4b is not a constraint and better ammo in 9mm is proven (thank you Shoot-Bull!)
I am looking at 9mm for
a. less bite and snap than G23, (not a beginners gun)
b. smaller for pocket carry
Glock means to me:
a. same manual of arms = no new learning curve, and two muscle memories to maintain
b. see 1, 2, and 3 above.
c. same grip angle, but without the brick width
Actually I could care less what the logo is. If 4 above had been Sig, I’d have gone that way.
I suspect the number of new gun buyers who are primarily Home Defense, and especially smaller shooters- the elderly, smaller women, will find the G43 a good choice for first gun, for same 1-3.
Its not going to be differentiated enough, and its late to the party for the multiple gun owner, but thats a much smaller market segment, and I expect gun instructors who know more than I what works with new shooters, will weigh in in about a year, on how its going.
Mid range price for the one gun that is key to staying alive is just a bonus- you dont want it to be the low price leader, and you dont need Mercedes if Ford will do…
I would be pretty concerned if I completely missed a silhouette target at 10 yards, no matter who made the firearm.
hmm, good points. i might have to check one of these out.
Sure why not. If you want one buy one. It’s not particularly small and has a low capacity. Personally I like a real safety too…YMMV.
There is that. Extra safe for kids and being disarmed someday by a gun-savvy bad guy who sneaks up on you.
My thinking on that is my finger is my safety- so I train really hard on indexing to same place on slide, and moving it to trigger, only when coming on target to shoot…
I’m experimenting with Isreali Carry to see if training to rack on draw is fast enough- that gives me that little bit of extra safety around kids, and make it that much more difficult for a bad guys to use it on me, to make up for lack of manual safety.
My wise gunfu sensei sez its fast enough if you practice. Keep in mind this guy is long time .45 IPDA champ, former Marine Corps record setter, and has been teaching LEO for 30 years, and even an OFWG he is so fast and smooth its kind of like magic.
(he also sez no one trainer has all the answers and you should try what works for you)
This is my lethal force mental memory aid…that I try to practice at the range, too….
Interested in feedback on what works for others…
THREAT w/ ABILITY “can he kill me” = YES, (bad guy across the street with a baseball bat, maybe)
“out of holster, Israeli Carry rack, on low ready”, (or retention carry for point shoot)
(keep in mind I try to use the three S’s and I would not be in a place where I would have to be walking around in condition orange/red, normally, and if I did, then I would rack a round if I maybe had to shoot one-handed)
THREAT with INTENT, IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY) “is he going to kill me right now? = YES”
“sights on target, background clear, finger on trigger, (BRASS if time permits)… SHOOT.
Meh…6 shots and an inch wide? As long as a Taurus PTMillenium G2? Which has 12rounds? And costs half? I can flick off the safety in half a second.
It hurts me to say this, but that Glock isn’t fugly.
+1.
BERSA BP9CC SHITS ON THIS GLOCK
Anyone want to buy a 42 with less than a box through the pipe? 😀
Hmmm… my only use for that gun, given it’s a caliber I don’t want to add, would be to trade it in for a Glock 43. Some guy named Red in Texas appears to have already had that idea, though, so it wouldn’t be original with me. 😀
I just got rid of my Beretta nano for g26 gen 4. I just couldn’t do consistent follow up shots with the nano, and I had 1500 rounds through it. 5 minutes with g26 and I was filling the zero on an idpa target at 7 yards as fast as I could pull the trigger.
The nano was great for Pocket and appendix carry Because it was so thin and light. I did find the need for a good kydex holster with a thick belt to offset the weight with a thick belt to carry the 26 comfortably. carry weight and printing will be my deciding factor to get a 43.
Nick. Congrats on dropping the extra weight! I think you have every reason to buy a 43 as a reward!
no $hit- thats a major accomplishment. Whats your secret?
This particular discussion with all the black and white chiseled in stone opinions, theories, and reasons to love or hate Glock, or any other brand for that matter, clearly demonstrates that many of the comments in this forum come from bull$#itters without benefit of any knowledge gained from trigger time on whatever brand or model of gun it is that they claim love or hate.
It’s comical the ease with which these bull$#itters feign knowledge to base approval or disapproval of a particular brand or model when it’s obvious that they only know what they’ve read or what they’ve been told by some dude working the counter at the gun store or pawn shop.
Actually there has been a lot less hate and fanboy-dogmatism on this thread than I would have expected; the 1911-ites really dumped on the 42.
True, but there are enough comments along the lines of, “No failures after blah blah thousand rounds” or “my Taurus or Bersa is blah blah blah and Glocks blah blah”, to set off the bull$#it meter of anyone with actual trigger time and a significant round count on a variety of pistols. 500, 1000, or 2000 rounds in gun blog speak usually equates to a real world count of 50, 100, or 200 rounds. I believe most of the bull$#itters have limited or no real experience and only know what they read or are told, and the rest of the bull$#itters are folks who either spend way too much money on a gun or someone who only buys the cheapest, The guy with a prestigiously priced tricked out 1911 convinces himself the pistol must be superior to any lowly $500 gun while the bargain hunter pretends a $250 Taurus equals anything more expensive in quality and reliability.
I am breaking in a Bersa BP9CC. It may be fit to trust my life to with Hornady Critical Duty after I have 500 or 600 more rounds though it.
Lighter loads don’t reliably expand to fill the chamber or drive the slide back hard enough on my gun to get the empties a respectable distance away from me. Their warranty gunsmith says he can make it Honady Critical Duty for under warranty for $60 bucks round trip for shipping. I’ll wait for $15 after market springs. There isn’t that much difference in Critical Duty and Critical Defense out of the 3 inch barrel.
It will never be a reliable as a Glock. I think it I will shoot several thousand rounds between failures with good ammo and proper maintenance. Unlike a Glock it fits my hand well enough I can hit something and I can see the stock sights better than any pistol I own. That very hard for me to find in a single stack nine.
Red
Looks good. Better than my PM9? Not sure. Need comparison pics and range report!
Let’s see a series of pics with the G43, PM9, and P2000sk.
The PM9 is considerably smaller than the Glock 43. There’s a CM9/Glock 43 comparison graphic in this link:
http://www.triangletactical.net/2015/03/18/glock-43-compared-to-other-pistols/
I currently carry an LC9 and have a Glock as bedside protection. I have been keeping an eye on the Glock 43 and will be putting it at the top of my “Mother’s Day” gift list. Roses shmoses, I’d rather have something I can use.
Leghorn likes the Glock??? ERMAGERRRD!!!! I think I’m going to have a heart attack from the surprise from that one. Once again, we’ll see the fanbois with that crazy “happy” cult glazed look in their eyes, trolling the local gun stores 6 months before the gun appears.
“I just want to see it”… Uh huh. It looks like every other soulless stick of black butter (Glock) out there.
But a more important question: What are Glocks since they are no more reliable than S&W’s, Springfields, Sigs, Berettas and any number of other, quality firearms? They’re no more accurate and certainly don’t win the day with price.
So what’s a Glock without any advantages? A grossly overpriced, ugly piece of tactical tupperware.
The only thing amazing about Glock is their marketing department. It’s got the Koolade drinkers believing whatever they want them to.
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