With their oh-so-sly teaser ad campaign and the fact that it seemed like Glock hadn’t introduced a new gun since late in the first Clinton administration, the company did a marvelous job of whipping up loads of interest and anticipation for their new gun . . .
Firearms folk had been hankering for a slim, single-stack, Tenifer-coated, easily-concealable nine since, well, late in the first Clinton administration. But Smyrna and their Teutonic overlords had other plans. In their judgement, what America really needed was a slim, single-stack, Tenifer-coated, easily-concealable .380. So when word broke that Gaston’s new gun was chambered in something less than full-blown 9mm . . .
the cries of shock and horror that rose from almost every corner of the gunosphere rivaled what you’d expect to get after a Miley Cyrus twerk-off. We’re talking wailing, gnashing of teeth, rending of clothing, predictions of dogs and cats living together, real wrath of God type stuff.
But despite all of the sturm und drang, this is, after all, a Glock we’re talking about, right? Perfection. As the teaser ad claimed, the only other thing smaller than the G42 that fires every time is a freaking Zippo lighter. Only that’s not quite true. But more on reliability later.
A funny thing happened on the way to the clearance bin. When people actually got their hands on the new packable pistol, most were seriously impressed. Yes, it’s a little bigger than a P3AT or LCP, but it’s remarkably comfortable to hold and won’t bruise your palm at the range.
Sure, it’s a little longer than most .380 carry guns, but it has real, useable sights. People (like me) with small hands loved the feel of the gun. And – whaddaya know? – Glock has been selling truckloads of the things since they first hit the stores. Maybe not everyone was as disappointed as it seemed.
So in evaluating the Glock 42, talking about it being “only” a .380 – and the fact that it’s not made in the caliber “everyone” really wanted – is pretty much beside the point. You don’t buy a 42 to begin with if you’re not already OK with carrying a .380.
You buy one because it is, in fact, a slim, easily-concealed, relatively light weight pistol that you’re likely to pack every day. And unlike some of its similarly-chambered competitors, being a Glock, it ships from the factory with a reputation for quality and reliability. Two rather important features everyone wants in their carry gun, no matter the caliber.
Make no mistake, the G42 is every inch a Glock pistol. It looks kinda like they tossed a G19 in a dryer, turned it up to eleven and shrunk the hell out of it. While the 42 isn’t listed as a Gen4 gun, you’d expect it to borrow heavily from Glock’s latest design features and it does. No, there aren’t any interchangeable backstraps here. If your paw is too big to wrap around a 42, you’ll probably be happier with a 26, which is about the same size but significantly wider.
The US-made .380 is a hair under six inches from stem to stern, a little over four inches high and .94 inches wide, but that’s at the slide stop. By my caliper, the slide measures a fairly svelte .83 inches. All the early gnashing of teeth that went on about the HUGE new .380 that Glock was foisting on the American market, it seems, was mostly over-hyped bleating by people who hadn’t even seen the gun yet.
That’s not to say that the 42 isn’t bigger than, say, a P3AT…it is. I own a P3AT (I’m lucky to have one of the good ones) and I carry it a lot. Particularly in the summer, or when I need to pocket carry. Can you tote the G42 in a pocket? Absolutely, and I have. But it’s not as small or concealable as the little Kel Tec (or an LCP), particularly in jeans.
While the 42’s length and width (G42 = .94″ wide, P3AT = .77″) are only marginally bigger, those extra millimeters do make a difference. At least they do to me.
A good illustration of the size difference is that I can only get 1 1/2 fingers on the P3AT (non-extended) grip, but can easily fit two on the 42’s.
As far as the pistol’s controls go, everything is Glock as usual. Safe Action trigger – check. Slide lock – check. Mag release – check. Takedown lever – check. It’s all right where it should be. And the field stripping process is exactly the same as it is on every other G-something you’ve ever seen.
That’s not to say there aren’t a few differences. One is the grip.
The 42 has Gen4-ish texturing, but it’s not nearly as rough as the bumps found on its bigger brothers. Unlike the big boys (but similar to the 26) the 42’s backstrap extends down almost flush with the bottom of the magazine. This gives you a little more palm room to hold the smaller gun and still ensures that the mag will drop free when your press the release.
Another difference is in the trigger, though it’s minor. I side-by-sided the 42 with Dirk Diggler’s similarly-sized (but much wider) G26, the pistol that a lot of gunfolk will use as a comparison. The G42 is missing the 26’s vertical ridges on the trigger blade, probably because the blade is narrower on the .380. The 42 also has a slightly shorter re-set distance, too.
While we didn’t have a pull-weight scale, both triggers were close enough that any difference was negligible. And the G42 has the same characteristic feel – for better or worse – that Glock owners have come to know and love in their bangswitches.
So with a few relatively minor differences, the Glock 42 is basically a shrunken head version of every other Glock you’ve ever seen or shot. And that’s a good thing. No matter what you think of their guns, if you pick up any Glock in the dark, you know exactly where everything is and how to use the gun. No fumbling, no feeling around – they all work the same. The 42 is no exception.
Which brings us to shooting this baby. Let’s get one thing out of the way first – the G42 is easily the most comfortably-shooting .380 I’ve ever tried. And it’s not hard to see why. The Glock is a little larger and slightly heavier than most other .380s. Two similar guns that I’ve compared with the G42 – the P3AT and Dirk Diggler’s P238 – were noticeably snappier (though the P238 was only slightly so) when using the same ammo.
I’m not sure if Sheldon Cooper said it, but physics is physics. You can’t fool mother nature…or Sir Isaac Newton. A gun that weighs more and fills your hand more fully will yield less felt recoil.
That means no problems at the range, right? Well, not exactly. While Glocks have the well-earned reputation for being able to shoot virtually anything you can cram in a magazine, that’s decidedly not the case with the G42. The babiest Glock has some very specific ideas about what it will and won’t eat.
As some other shooters have already found, the vast majority of rounds work just fine. But heavier, higher pressure rounds and even some lighter stuff might as well be steamed brussels sprouts as far as the G42 is concerned.
 
I’ve put over 500 rounds of various brands, weights and types through the gun so far, most of them, flawlessly. Everything from gun show bagged reloads to Russian cheap stuff up to Hornady’s best. But not everything works.
Hickok45 found that super-snappy, 100gr. Buffalo Bore +P rounds tend to lock the Glock’s slide back with rounds still in the mag. Repeating the experiment, Dirk and I confirmed that for ourselves.
And if Buffalo Bore makes the 42 nauseous, Freedom Munitions 100 grainers makes it puke all over its shoes. On the other end of the spectrum, a relatively lighter shooting round like the Barnes XPDÂ doesn’t seem to cycle the gun at all.
So it would seem that the 42’s recoil spring is rather tightly wound, so to speak. Meaning as long as your ammo of choice would please Goldilocks – not too hot and not too cold – you’ll have no problems at all. While Glock has had, well, difficulties with new springs in the past, the G42’s finicky nature doesn’t seem to be nearly as problematic.
The takeaway here is that the Glock 42 won’t shoot just anything you cram into it. The petite pistol will happily touch off most commercially available range and self defense rounds out there, but if you select something that’s too far out there on either end of the weight/pressure spectrum, you may very well have problems.
Is that a deal-breaker? Hardly. Most guns favor certain ammo over others. While it’s not what we’ve come to expect from Glocks, I don’t have a problem putting in a little range time to make sure my carry gun reliably runs the ammo I’m putting into it. Hell, I’m going to do that anyway. And for reference sake, two of the .380 loads we tested that ShootingTheBull410 put in his top five – Hornady Custom and the champ, Precision One – worked flawlessly.
As for accuracy…please. This is a soft-shooting pistol with excellent (for its caliber) sights. You won’t have any difficulty hitting anything toward which you point a 42 at a legally explainable personal defense distance.
I’ve never owned a Glock before because my hands are just too small. I wanted a G19, but I couldn’t shoot the damned thing as accurately or comfortably as I can my very Glock-ish single stack Kahr CW9.
The G42 changes all that (and saves me more than a quarter pound of ballast on my hip). I’ve been packing the 42 religiously since I got it, either in a pocket or, most often, very comfortably in a SHTF Gear IWB holster. It’s light and wonderfully unobtrusive and (loaded with seven rounds of Precision One ammo) it’s going to be my go-to carry gun.
Caliber carping aside, some will quibble that it’s on the large side for a 6+1 .380. Others will look at the the mags and wonder why they couldn’t have crammed at least one more round in there somehow. And plenty have already pointed out that there are other smaller options out there that pack the same number of rounds.
The fact is, for the vast majority of gun buyers out there, the G42 comes with instant credibility because it’s a Glock. The 42 will be one of the first guns most gun store proprietors plop on the counter when a customer strolls up asking for something affordable that they can comfortably pack every day. And for just about all of them, the G42 will be an excellent choice.
The G42 for this review was provided by The Kentucky Gun Company.
Specifications:
Length: 5.94”
Height: 4.13”
Barrel Length: 3.25”
Width: 0.94”
Weight:Â 13.8 ozs. (including unloaded mag)
Trigger pull: 5.5 lbs.
Capacity:Â 6+1
Caliber: .380 ACP
MSRP:Â $480, $430 via Cabela’s
Ratings (out of five stars):
Reliability: * * * *
Unlike almost every other Glock, you can’t just feed the G42 anything your LGS has for sale and know it will go bang. There are some rounds that this pistol definitely doesn’t like. But those loads are a minority and once you determine that your carry round makes your G42 happy, you can be confident in typical Glock perf– reliability.
Ergonomics (carry): * * * *
This is a small, eminently concealable pistol that’s meant to be carried. It’s pocketable, though tends to print. Holster carry is a dream, though. That said, it’s also a little larger than a lot of other .380 options out there (i.e., Kel Tec, Ruger, Taurus, Kahr). Whether that difference is important will be up to the individual shooter.
Ergonomics (shooting): * * * * *
For small-mitted shooters like me, the G42 feels ideal in the hand and having real, useable sights on a .380 is a nice novelty. Shooting typical range FMJ and JHP rounds is smooth and results in only moderate recoil. If it isn’t the best-shooting .380 out there, it’s amongst ’em.
Customise this: * * * *
While there aren’t a lot of options on the market yet (maybe a dozen holsters so far), it’s a Glock for God’s sake. You have to know people like Crimson Trace, Hi Viz, Lone Wolf and scores of others out there beavering away to fill the inevitable demand for sights, trigger kits, lasers…you name it. Patience.
Overall: * * * *
Again, don’t talk to me about the G42 not being a nine. That’s beside the point. As a concealable, personal defense .380 that you’re likely to carry every day, the 42 is a strong addition to the Glock pantheon. No, it’s not as small as some other .380s out there, but it also won’t beat your hand to a pulp when you shoot it. It will be interesting to see what the gun does with the inevitable replacement recoil springs and maybe a grip extension to let you get another finger into the fight. Still, if you’re like me and deluded enough to be comfortable packing a .380 (with good defensive rounds) as your carry gun, the Glock 42 won’t disappoint you.
It’s Hickock45 not Kickok45
No, it’s not. It’s hickok45.
Right
Really?
http://www.youtube.com/user/hickok45
I believe his gripe may have been with an errant ‘k.’
” But not everything works. Kickok45 found that super-snappy, 100gr. “
Ah. Thanks for pointing that out. Text amended.
Well I, for one, don’t get it. Loads of interest and anticipation for a .380 Auto? Sad.
Keeps the interest up and generates new sales activity; you favor a strong, quality gun industry, don’t you?
Besides, not all gun users have your braun. What’s your problem with that?
I own multiple handguns from .22 through .44 mag / .45ACP. Each has its use and purpose.
I guess if you want to be a caliber snob, it’s your loss.
I taught my wife to handle a .40. After that she trained on a 9mm. I shoot a Smith & Wesson model 659, and she shoots a Walther PPQ M2. She looked at a Bersa Thunder .380, and told me it looked like a ladies gun. LOL.
I know it’s been some time since this post but just thought I’d give my .02 worth. When not carrying my G30 because of weather, dress or whatever the circumstances, I carry a Bersa Firestorm 380 and have been extremely pleased. It has never had a FTF, is accurate, reliable, and easy to conceal yet shoots well without feeling like it’s jumping out of my hand like some of the other small 380’s do. I have taken several defensive handgun classes the past couple of years using the Glock and when I brought up the Bersa to the instructors they reacted negatively. We usually get to shoot steel in the woods at the end of the class/day as a bonus (plenty of fun) and after finishing up with the G30 I asked if I could bring out the Bersa – and made some fans in the process! One of the ‘hardcore’ instructors admitted “Well you sure can hit with it”. Maybe it does look like a ‘woman’s gun’ (I think it looks somewhat like a Walther) but bottom line, if anybody wants an inexpensive gun to carry and not leave at home where it does no good I would recommend checking one of these out.
You know what’s really mind – blowing? A lot of .380 costs more than 9mm. Still .380 is going to be a good caliber for my recoil sensitive wife, and maybe as a backup for me.
My wife. Ditto. I’ve been in the doghouse ever since I sold her SIG P230.
The 42 should get me out.
Get her a Sig P238 and enjoy the kudos that comes after. The P238 Lady is nicely engraved and handles nicely (.380). My wife loves hers.
I agree. I bought a Ruger LCP and thought mine would love it. The small frame and light wait, however, gives it a lot of felt recoil. She fired one mag through it and handed it back with a, “no thank you”. She does love shooting my suppressed 22/45, however. She has good taste… 🙂 I’m thinking this might be a good fit for her. Thanks for the review Dan!
Forget that, I bought a Ruger LCP and though I would love it. That little monster kicks like a mule and is hard to aim (no sights). It has been relegated to I hate it status.
I am a glock freak. And a woman. As soon as possible I purchased my .380 42 with high expectations but was disappointed. I returned it and had the same issues w the second. Extraction and double feeding. Unsafe and it was supposed to be my carry gun. I went back to carrying my 10 year old s and w .380 and glock g19. 9 sad but I think the distributed too early.
Make sure you hold your wrist very firmly, it is easy to limp wrist the 42. When I took my daughter shooting she had a few failures to eject, and after we discussed holding her wrist more firmly it never reoccurred. could be a coincidence, but figured I’d pass it on for what its worth…. Good luck to you.
Hi have owned and used probably well over 200 handguns since 1971. I cannot name all the makes and models but they ranged from PPKs, Rugers, Colts, Brownings, S&Ws, Glocks, Mausers, PO8s, P38s, Berettas, you get the idea…
My son bought a Glock 21 and at first I was reluctant about the polymer grip and frame. It didn’t look like a shimmering enhanced 1911. Yet, it functioned flawlessly and with less recoil. No DA here and no cocked and locked…there’s been more than one person including LEA who have accidentally shot themselves while pulling a C&L from the holster!
After buying a G21 and firing about 10,000 rounds through it without a single malfunction, I bought a G22, then a G30 and a G23 as well as having owned a number of G17s…9mm used to be my favorite caliber until the .40S&W came along. I got rid of all my other guns on Auction Arms. I decided that ALL of my handguns should function the same. The last thing you need in a shoot out is remembering which gun and what safety or no safety is in your hand at that moment. Because of the extensive shooting I have done with Glocks as well as proven FBI tests, the Glock…you pick the flavor won hands down and going away.
The little G42 is no exception and after 1000+ rounds, I have NEVER had a FTFire, FTEject, FTFeed, etc. And I have run at least as many JHPs, FMJs and other assorted rounds through it. While breaking the little gun in, I purposly loaded the magazines with every cartridge being different from the other. Then I ran fast firing at targets…there has never been a hitch regardless of bullet weight or type. I currently carry 102 gr. Remington BJHPs in mine. In wetpack they expand and they do so even with a burlap door entry mat over the top. It is easy to conceil whether it be in an ankle holster, pocket holster, back pack, small arms vest, etc. The other compact Glocks in 9mm and .40 that I have also owned aren’t quite the demure little gun that the G42 is. Given a good expanding bullet with adequate penetration, the .380 isn’t exactly a pipsqueak! It is a gun that you WILL carry on extended hikes, about town, etc. I find that while I really do love my G21s and G40s and the larger capacity, when I go on an arduous hike, I am much more likely to carry my G42. If there may be cougars and bears in the area…and to make my girlfriend feel more comfortable, then I carry a 5″ barreled S&W SS 629. Loaded with the 300 grain Federal Corecast it will penetrate shoulder to shoulder on a large black bear. I used to own a Casull in .454 and believe me a bear won’t know the difference!
If you are looking for a great concealed carry gun you won’t go wrong with the G42…or for that matter any Glock! Gaston made it right the first time and you don’t need to spend thousands on upgrades for a gun that functions perfectly right out of the box!
Please share with us what you have seen the 42 is it bad or good gun i am thinking to buy one whenever i take my CCW license?
I’ve never understood the .380 hate. Ballistically it is not that different than a 9mm Luger. There is literally 2mm difference in the length of bullet between the two and they are both 9mm in diameter. If I were knowingly going into a gunfight I would take a 9mm anyday, but for an everyday carry gun where you hope not to use it but want a big enough bullet the .380 is what I consider the bottom of the ballistic barrel for self defense. Not the greatest but powerful enough to get the job done.
I can get behind piling on .32 ACP and .25 ACP because though rounds have some serious issues when it comes to actually doing enough tissue damage to stop an assailant. Yes, yes, “placement matters” but it also matter that you inflict enough damage/pain to convince someone that attacking you is just not worth it even if you don’t get off a perfect shot. That said, I know of some folks who, for medical reasons, can’t even handle a .380 and so they do use the lower calibers.
If I want a 9mm subcompact Glock they already make one. If I want a single stack, I’ll get a S&W Shield. I believe Glock attempted a .45 single stack and it flopped. This makes sense from their perspective and if it does well it may yet get the 9mm treatment.
However, their is nothing manlier about a 9mm vs. .380. Following that logic we should all be carrying .45’s and none of this 9mm eurotrash.
There is a lot more to the equation than bullet size. Check the wikipedia entries for 9mm and .380 and pay attention to the energy in the Ballistic Performance box on the right. The 9mm is moving a hell of a lot faster than the .380 and this combined with the bullet weight in the larger sizes (124 and 147 grain) means a lot more energy gets transferred to the target.
Velocity also increases the penetration of the round, so a 9mm is more likely to have a lot of punch remaining after it penetrates thick clothing than a .380.
Not saying that the .380 is not a lethal round – hell, a .22 is very lethal in the right place. It’s just that the lethal margin of error is less with 9mm versus .380 which is why some people shy away from the .380 in favor of the 9.
Sorry, I oversimplified trying to cover too many bases at once.
Yes, the 9mm is a superior penetrator and that is why I would prefer it over the .380.
However, the overall difference even in penetration is still not that great. At the end of the day, any handgun is lousy in a gunfight. As I’ve heard it put so succinctly “I carry a handgun because I can’t conceal a rifle”
Or check the difference between the height\length of a .22 vs. .223 bullet only… it’s not the whole story indeed.
Rob,
The .380 “hate” is because it is a marginal caliber. It is handily outperformed by the .40 Smith, which literally carries twice the mass for twice the energy or more, and a larger diameter bullet. The 9mm has considerably more penetration and energy than the .380 as well. If proper bullet and brand selection is not religiously followed, the .380 will fail to push its 85-100 grain JHP through 12″ of gel with 1.5x expansion. Most .380 JHPs under penetrate, and ball penetrates past 18″ without expanding. Not good.
Shooting the Bull recently documented only two rounds (Federal HydraShok and an off brand) which were reliably able to perform through denim covered gel. The 9mm, .40, and .45 will push virtually *any* decent JHP through 12 plus inches of gel combined with 1.5x penetration.
Were I to go into a gun fight, I’d take a 12 gauge, 5.56, 6.8, or 300 BLK. At distance, it’d be a .308 or .338 Lapua.
I recently acquired a G42. In spite of all the ridicule about this fine Glock being sensitive to ammo…mine is not…It is a pig…it digests anything it’s fed. I have fired light loads to the heavier 100 grain factory solids to 102 Rem brass jacketed HPs to 90 and 95 grain JHPs as well as FMJs and those that are +P My gun functions just like other Glocks I own…perfect function right out of the box to several hundred mixed rounds fired. All pitch about 5 feet to my left by about a foot in a nice pile. Accuracy is about softball size at 25 yards off a rest as long as I do my part. I have read articles by several well known gun magazines who conjure up the notion that this little Glock is ammo picky. Mine is absolutly as reliable as anything Glock has ever made. For me, while the diminutilve .380ACP doesn’t posess a 100% one shot stops according to Hatcher…it does provide over 30% one shot stops with +P ammo. The hottest 9mm +Ps are running in the low to mid-40s. Of course accuracy is everything and the fine sights in the P42 deliver. I had a Ruger LCP that I waited 2 years for on a waiting list…for a ‘belly’ gun it was fine but the trigger was atrocious…long…yet smooth…but broke at about 10 pounds. Nothing for something controlled rapid fire. I’m obviously a Glock fan as is the FBI and many LEA. I’m not affiliated and yet through a great dealer got mine at Blue pricing. This is a fabulous little gun that will go on 10 mile backpacks with me when my larger Glocks would stay in the safe. If I’m in bear country then out comes my beloved S&W .44 loaded with Federal’s 300 grain solid…will shoot through any bear I can think of….Hope this info helps those that have read rather dubious reviews on this wonderful Glock!
I have a 9 mm S&W Shield with over 600 rounds of FMJ and JHP with no failures and I can shoot it with one hand and put bullets on target at 10 yards and that is all I need. I have other pistols in 9 mm S&W 40 and 45 ACP
Frank,
I agree with you primarily because the .380 will go where I won’t carry my G22 or G21…too big and bulky especially during the summers. The G42 isn’t a ‘new’ gun as described. Gaston has made these for years in Europe. Finally, to get around the import gun laws, he established a US base in Smyrna, Georgia. They make the European version of the G42 right here in the good ‘ol US of A. Now it is ‘legal’.
As for stopping power vs. the 9mm, I suggest that you look up Hatcher’s Relative Stopping Power Index. This shows a 9mm with the finest +P JHPs with one shot stops in the 45% area. All of his data is based on actual shootings. The .380 isn’t too far behind that at around 30% one shot stops with +P ammo. By comparison, the .40 S&W yields 70% one shot stops and the .45 ACP again with +P loadings 100% one shot stops. I used to be a fan of the 9mm and owned a number but have taken to the.40 and .45 as primary defensive handguns. Again, however the .380 will go with me anywhere, anytime I choose where the larger handguns will remain locked in my safe. G&A said the G42 was fickle about the ammo it was fed..too heavy or too light didn’t function properly. I’ve put everything imaginable through my G42 and it is a GLOCK in every way….never had any FTF whatsoever…what they said was bunk. Obviously I’m a Glock guy, having had over 200 handguns in my day from S&W to Ruger to Beretta, Bernardelli, Colt and Star and a whole host of other manufacturers…too many to list here. I love the Glock action and dependability. It is FBI’s standard issue in the .40 and most LEAs offer it to their officers either in .40 or .45. It was interesting to read your accounting of the .380 and there is definitely a niche for it, compact, handy, reliable and serious in any flavor handgun you might own. Enjoy! Bob
Bob, I want to correct a few things. This IS a very new gun and a completely new design. Glock has NOT been producing these for years in Europe. The Glock Models 25 & 28 are double stack designs and utilize a blowback action, similar to most .380’s. The new US produced Glock 42 is a locking breech design, which is very rare for a .380. As a matter of fact, there are very few similarities between it and the 25/28. It utilizes a new frame, a new recoil rod/spring assembly, new trigger linkage design, new magazine release, etc. Since it doesn’t have to be imported, it also doesn’t use the competition trigger used on other subcompacts (26/27/29/30/33/39, etc.).
I bought one about 6 weeks ago and have put over 800 rounds through it. There were initially 2 parts that have been modified during production, but I believe most of the FTF’s have been limp-wrist related. Even though it is not a true “gen 4,” it does use a lot of the gen 4 design features, including the 2-piece recoil rod. Gen 4 models in general are a little more sensitive to limp-wristing than single-rod versions. The only way I can get a FTF is by severely limp-wristing the gun. Overall, I have been very impressed with it. It is a lot easier to shoot than my Walther PPK/S (brutal 13-14-lb first trigger pull). It is very easy to take 15-25 yard shots and is light on recoil. It’s also a good 8-9 ounces lighter than Glock’s previously smallest guns.
It is now serving as an easily concealable ankle backup for my IWB Glock 30 or XD-S .45 I usually carry. I am a former LEO and have kept my Handgun/Shotgun/Rifle LE Instructor Certs current. I had no problem scoring 178 out of 180 on the Colorado POST qualification course with it (1-25 yards). That says a lot for such a small (13.3 oz. empty with magazine) gun!
Nah, it makes perfect sense. Glock gets to test out it’s new single stack manufacturing process on a gun that will have really good, but not stupendous sales. Lot’s of Glock people run out to grab this first effort. Next year at the shot show, they finally unveil the 42.5 (or whatever the hell they are going to call it) in 9mm. Many of the people who bought the 42 run out and get the new gun as well as people who decided to sit out the whole .380 option. They sell way more .380 guns than they would have if the 9mm had been released at the same time.
Exactly.
Glock knows marketing.
You make sense Jim. I’ll buy the 42 for my wife and then be first in line for the single stack 9mm next year.
Color me hooked.
Glock Fans are just like iPhone junkies. They both rush out to buy the lastest product even wheh there are better options. I bet there are a lot of Glocksters, who never would have considered a 380 before the 42 came out, rushing out to buy one.
I ran out and bought a Glock 30S recently. Totally worth the money I paid for it, by the way. I know you like .45 too so if you’re in the market for an easily concealable good shooter with 11 rounds of 230 grain on board, give it a look.
Which better options? I can get a Glock 42 for $339. Which .380 out there offers more value and better performance?
Us non-LEO, non-security, non-EMT, non-military, non-firefighters can’t get Glocks for that cheap. So keep that in mind.
I prefer tuperware by Springfield and I generally do not carry anything smaller than a compact.
The Kahr CW380 is only $350, and it will actually shoot those Buffalo Bore 100-grainers that gave this Glock fits.
Mark my words. Glock will be doing a Ruger and we’ll be seeing this in 9mm next year.
It looks like Glock learned from Ruger’s experience. After Ruger released the LCP, they came out with the bigger LC9, and then offered the bigger gun in .380 to satisfy the people who wanted something with real sights and big enough to comfortable hold and shoot. Glock jumped to the bigger .380 from the start.
Id honestly prefer if it was a 9mm 🙂 but to each his own.
Did some one’s puppy get ahold of one of those mags? Looks pretty chewed up in the pic.
Oh, I know. It is a baby GOCK, after all, and the review said it was having “teething” problems.
Sure did. Had the gun less than an hour when one of my Labs snuck it off the table.
ONE OF my labs?
I knew I liked you for more than just impeccable grammar and wit….
They’re like Lays potato chips. You can’t have just one.
Before Dan was “Dan Zimmerman from TTAG” he was a commenter here under the name of 2yellowdogs.
Excellent argument for why the caliber argument is irrelevant. If somebody breaks into my house the dogs are going to turn them into cat food before I’m even out of bed.
Not gun related, but my Weimaraner destroyed my wife’s favorite pair of red high heels, and literally ate a pair of Ugs and barfed them up. Daddy was not happy.
Why? Were they your Ugs?
No. Wife looked good in both. Replacing the high heels ran me $80 (but was very worth it), and I’m not paying $200 + bucks to replace the Ugs. Let’s just say I’d rather spend the money on ammo or scotch.
Just curious where you can get a glock 42 for $339. I’m considering one but not for the higher prices I’ve seen.
Just what was wanted/needed a 380 with sights, size and mass equal to the tasks required in MOUT situations (but too heavy to carry in a pocket)
Wow. If only the R51 had gotten as much deference in the “customize this” category. “People will make stuff for it, so it counts, trust me”. As opposed to “Only one holster available? 1 month after it was announced? 1 star!”
Yeah it’s kinda funny how one gun will get a pass over another because apparently people still want a glock that doesn’t eat all ammo even though that’s one of the things glock is supposed to do…
I am so glad that other people are seeing this too.
1) R51 got knocked for being too big. The Glock being larger than its competitors is somehow glorified for it.
2) It basically failed the one task all Glocks do, fire everything. Its larger, thicker, and more expensive than it’s competitors and somehow got a favorable review because it’s a Glock.
This site fails at reviews, hard. This smells to me like “Hey, everyone says the glock is silly, lets give it a perfect score!” and “Hey, everyone loves the R51, its refreshing, lets give it TWO STARS”
Both guns are crap.
This has been a short review from Michael B.
In TTAG’s defense, the R51 and G42 were reviewed by two different people. Also, I like the fact that TTAG goes with the no-BS, like it or not here’s what I personally think style vs. the “professional” magazine style which can lull you into a false sense of trust. As someone who’s been coming here a couple of years now I understand that there’s no standard the reviewers use when coming up with ratings, or even reviewing the guns. Also, the reviews tend to be very subjective.
So, as anyone should do with any single review from anyone (in person, on the internet, in a magazine, etc.) I take what I read here into consideration… but don’t base my decision solely on it.
That said, it does seem ridiculous that the G42 gets a pass and 4 stars for “reliability” despite supposedly being “Perfection” yet being extremely picky about ammo, while there’s apparently “no reason” to buy the R51 despite it working with all types of ammo, having a super easy to rack slide, being cheaper, etc. The only major real problem I saw with the R51 was with putting the slide stop back potentially incorrectly. Which I would imagine will be quickly fixed by Remington if it really is that hard to put it back together properly.
Some of the wording for the R51 really made it seem like the reviewer was still sore that he wasn’t part of the crew that had an all expenses paid trip to be the first ones to test the gun out to be honest.
I also wish they’d have reviewers who are normal-sized review guns that give bigger guys slide bite.
I don’t know, the R51 had a serious flaw w/ the reassembly bit, and was apparently painful to shoot, not just for NL, but RF as well.
The problem with comparing the 42 to it’s competitors, you’re only looking at 380s, which are generally smaller, so by comparison this is larger. However it is slightly smaller and notably lighter than a shield or XDs9 (and also with a weenier caliber). The reviewer mentioned he has small hands and it fits him well. He’s someone who obviously doesn’t mind carrying 380, so he had a positive review of it.
I would like to see a “state of the CCW” article that is more or less a round up of single stack pistols with picks for “best for new shooters/women” etc. I suspect after this SHOT show there isn’t a lot that has changed from last year.
Probably best to stick with the Guns & Ammo reviews, then. Every product is a winner.
I started to agree with you, then I stopped. The R51 is a Remington, the 42 is a Glock. Glock is the 800 lb gorilla of handguns. So the 42 WILL sell a lot (and is from what I understand). The R51 may or may not succeed, either way you’ve got a pistol supported by Glock and a pistol supported by Remmington. The 42 will have at least twice as many holster options this time next year than the R51.
“…predictions of dogs and cats living together, real wrath of God type stuff.”
Nice Ghost Busters reference!
Agreed…
Also, great review. I’m not going to run out and buy one of these right this minute, but I probably will at some point.
…my first thought was “I want one!”. Then, someone mentioned waiting a year to let the bugs be worked out. THEN Kalifornia pushed the micro-stamp ruling, and that’s when I gave up on the idea.
If someone asks if you want a Glock, SAY YES!
I may be getting one of these for the wife to CCW. It would be nice to shoot everything (so far my Glock 23 shoots everything I’ve put in to from 180 grain range reloads – screw the warranty – to Underwood 155 and 165 JHP+Ps).
With that being said, ARs can get jammed with 35 grain ammo and more than a few high end 1911s have choked on JHPs. Since I’ll actually shoot my SD guns with practice ammo and 100-200 rounds of SD ammo, I’ll know that my gun is reliable from actual testing and practice.
If an experienced author chooses a gun for his EDC CCW, that’s high praise. It’s looking like this gun is worth at least some of the hype.
If the G42 isn’t cycling all ammo properly, the problem might be the recoil springs — again. You’d think that “Perfection” might actually mean being perfect, but apparently it means something different in Austria. And Georgia.
Easy fix, though.
Not necessarily. The last time Glock had spring problems, the company simply retrofitted their new generation pistols with old generation springs, et voila! Problem fixed.
But there are no old generation springs for the G42.
According to the review, it works reliably with *most* ammo. I take that to mean exactly what it says. The author is sufficiently confident with its reliability to carry it every day.
So the “fix” may take awhile but the gun can allegedly still run just fine as is. I’d give a gun 4 stars if it can shoot SAAMI spec ammo 200/200, and 5 stars if it can shoot everything. YMMV.
Old thread, but I’ll add some personal experience for people that might be coming back here for this review.
Rented a G42 at my local range with my teenage daughter. We used their range ammo (American Eagle ball; no choice for rental guns, have to use their ammo). We put 100 rounds through it.
The gun was a pleasure to shoot. Felt decent in the hand, standard Glock sights, not hard at all to get reasonable groups at about 10 yards. Very easy to get back on target quickly for rapid fire. That said, it shot about 6 inches below point of aim.
My daughter hates recoil (usually does not enjoy shooting anything bigger than a .22), but she was having a great time with the G42. I’ve been looking around for a gun to give her when she turns 21, and this might be a reasonable candidate.
Biggest issue: Out of 100 rounds the slide locked back with rounds still in the mag 4 times (happened to both of us). No other malfunctions. American Eagle practice ammo certainly isn’t a hot loading in my book, but we didn’t have anything else for comparison. It’s a rental, so it’s well broken-in. On the other hand, I don’t know how well maintained it is (though the guy that rented it to me said it’s only a few months old, and I’ve never had issues with their rentals before).
Take that all for what it’s worth. Personally, I’d be very interested in buying one but I think I’ll wait a year or so to see if they can tweak the design to be more reliable.
Glock’s obsession with putting double recoil springs in all of their Gen 4 guns was stupid. The Glock 17 and 19 were just fine without double recoil springs. This thing would be fine without one too. .40, 10mm, .357 Sig, and .45ACP? Fine. But .380 and 9mm? Ridiculous.
Dan,
Is the metal base plate of your recoil spring assembly bent slightly? Mine is not a perfectly flat circle and I’m trying to determine if I got a bad apple or if this is normal.
Shoots fine though.
Thanks
if you don’t want to keep it Dan, holla. I will buy it.
5.3 OZ lighter than an empty G-26 9mm, but with more pocket unfriendly square edges and less Boolits/power
more junk from Glock,and more R&D research done by the John Q public as usual. whatever happened to Glock perfection that Gaston Glock started in 1984. a military designed self defense pistol that’s finicky on ammunition that is absolutely ridiculous! Glock is just making money off their name now, their product has dropped in quality tenfold since 1984! and no most guns today will shoot just about any ammunition you want, its the older guns that have issues with hollow point ammunition in various load weights and pressure levels! most new guns Wolfire anything you put in the magazine. I own 7 blocks dating from 1985 all the way up till current and I’ve had a serious issue with my 19 as everyone else did with the request spring. I owned a 36 that the magazine delaminated in the mag well so bad I had to take the slide of impound the magazine out with a wooden doll and a hammer! more junk for the unsuspecting new gun owner that doesn’t know the difference between quality made firearms and crap! they’re just living off the name that guest on block made for them over years of producing high quality high functioning combat-ready firearms not the junk there making today!
Disengage auto-spell-check
Here is a guy who knows what is junk. He has studied Quality Control for years. Everything he writes is checked and re-check.
He would never let anything out the door that is sub quality.
Unlike “more junk from Glock”
his guns Wolfire anything.
he owns 7 blocks
all with the request spring.
and the slide of impound
Barbie is jealous because he’s out with a wooden doll.
And finaly, they are living off the name that guest on block made … not the junk there making today!
Dave, Dave, Dave, Thou doth protest too much.
BTW
Glock, S&W, SIG, Colt and Kimber are all crap too!
You all better watch out. Later down the guy might turn out to be a heavily disabled vet, and you will get called names.
Yep, you’re correct. Disabled veteran, partially sighted, commenting via speech to text on his phone. I’m not going to call anyone names, just verifying that what you said is accurate.
But… But.. it doesn’t have a rail, or threaded barrel or a bayonet lug. How am I gonna look tacticool with this (just kidding!) I’m thinking that this might be good for the Mrs. to carry. Reliable, simple to use, manageable recoil and decent sights pretty much checks off all the stuff on my list for a gun for her to carry.
I hear “a 380 for the wifey” a lot. I think that is real sexism. Women can handle larger calibers just fine.
Yep. My wife passed her CHL test using a Glock 21…
Mmmhmm. Don’t get in front of my wife with a 9mm and say that.
Some of them often insist on a 380 from their reading or from LGS owners and employees offering “experienced” advice.
This ultimately is a bad call because trying it is how you know you like it and my girl carped the 380 blues till she got it and shot it next to my MP9C. Then she put the 380 down on her own and tore the target up with authority with my 9mm.
Same girl is scared to shoot a .45, since it’s a mule kicking death ray and all. She’s afraid of damaging the nearby countryside…/sarcasm off
That leeriness is real and palpable for her. If I had some. 45 ball I would train her on it but that time will come. Preconceived notions and the idea of a fear supercedes any practical application of that fear being rational more often than not. Some of us don’t have the budget or patience or luxury of time required to dispel these fears (5 fruitless range visits and long discussion on my end just to get from .22 and .38 to 9mm) so it’s like releasing a product that saves time and effort but still performs the (sex is by nature) purpose in this case.
Your mileage and others may vary of course.
I think its more like I’ll get it for the wife so no one will accuse me of being a wuss when I buy it for myself…:)
Wow! Everything is an “-ism” today. It’s not sexism. Get of your high horse. Maybe these guys just know their wives and you should shut up about their business. My wife can handle anything put in her hands sure, but she likes a 380 all day long. Most women don’t like guns and recoil like men. It’s just a fact of life. Stop looking for insult where there is none. Mind your business and handle what YOU want. Leave everyone else alone.
The Glock 42 appears to be the most reviewed handgun in history. It’s an inexpensive, reliable 380 carry gun that breaks no new ground. Enough already.
Yup. Slightly smaller but still not a huge advantage over the One Gun To Rule Them All: G23.
Gigantic YAWN…. love my Glock 26 Gen4, but my other gun is a Kahr CM9, chambered in a “full-blown” 9mm +P round; the CM9 is smaller in every aspect than the new Glock 42. I carry the Glock 26 most of the time when I can conceal under a coat. Sometimes the Kahr CM9 fills the bill, being smaller I can pocket carry if I have to or holster it. I have the best of both worlds and can carry +P self defense 9mm HP rounds. Screw .380, ammo cost more and it is weaker, no doubt. If I got a 380 (and don’t ever plan on it) my choice would be a super small frame model not a G42. I already have a 9mm smaller than the G42. BTW I reload my 9mm for about 15 cents a round…. You all have a good day.
I’d be curious to see how it stacks up against a Walther PK380. The Walther is not the smallest .380 out there but it is still easily concealable and a dream to shoot. Has barely more recoil than a Walther P22.
Got one, love it, PK that is. Sweetest shooter I have and yes, my wife carries it.
Easy slide rack. Best grip feel of all. Looking to compare the two.
For carry, she doesn’t like to carry the PK with the safety off and it is a flick up not a sweep down. Her thumb bends kinda odd so she often uses her off hand to operate the safety.
I would feel better if she could just draw and fire.
So I’m looking at the 42 for her to carry and one for me… just because.
One other thing about the PK, no slide stop, gotta use the empty mag to lock open.
The reason it doesn’t have a grooved trigger is that it’s made in the USA, so said grooves didn’t need to be added to meet BATFE’s stupid points requirements for imports.
While I think it’s interesting to compare this every so often with the Glock 26… how does it compare with the G36? Same capacity, bigger bullets… the difference must be in size, right? But where?
Yep, this is pretty much dead on. The G42 will not give maximum firepower per cubic inch and it has some trouble cycling ammo that’s at the extreme ends of the 380 bell curve. I think that the second is a worse problem than the first, but will likely be fixed, and is easy enough to work around in the meantime. Glock fans are, of course, snapping them up right now, but in the long term this gun will do very well being sold to new shooters, especially those who have trouble handling more powerful loads.
Meh. Xds 9mm still wins on paper. I will likely never even shoot this unless a buddy happens to buy one….
Can you put it next to the Kahr CW9? I have the CW9 and I love it and on paper it looks to be the same size only having the advantage of being 9mm which makes it a bit more appealing to me.
ditto, I’d also like to see that CW9 / G42 comparison.
Me too.
Ditto. I think the big difference will be height (4.5″ for the CW, 4.13 for the GLOCK) capacity (7+1 for the CW in 9 mm, versus 6+1 in .380 for the GLOCK) and barrel length (3.6 for the CW, versus 3.25 for the GLOCK). O/A length is a tie.
A better comparison would be to the CM9, which is less tall (4.0″) and carries one less round than the CW, and also has a shorter barrel (3.0″) (weight is about the same as the GLOCK).
I own a CW9 and love it. Not suitable for pocket carry though. I would have bought a CM, but California tells me it is an “unsafe” handgun and cannot be purchased.
You have small hands? Then I must have girl hands. I was able to get all of my fingers around gun and hold it comfortably. It was, without a doubt, the nicest small sized carry gun that I’ve held.
One will be in my safe soon.
+1 Agreed. After looking at the LCP, 738, and others, this is a great pistol. Yes, there’s a slight size compromise, but it pays off in a pistol that is actually fun to shoot.
As for it being a 380, I’ll take shootingthebull410’s thorough research over all the bloviating any day of the week.
Anyone release a +2 baseplate for this yet? It’d be good for pinkies..
Galloway Precision will soon have a +1 Mag Extension on the market. Around $15. I might or might not opt for it. They already have a Stainless Steel guide rod assembly for $22. This is the best 380 I have ever shot. My only complaint was the finger grip ribs on the end of the slide weren’t aggressive enough. I fixed that with a couple of little pieces of grip tape. I installed Ameriglo night sights on mine, and that is all I’m gonna do I think. At first I wanted to lighten the trigger pull, like on my G19, but not now. A little dry fire practice and the little 42 is just fine. I load it with Precision One 90gr FTX which shoots just fine in it. I did run a box and a half of Buffalo Bore 100gr +P Hard Cast Flat Nose through it with no problems whatsoever, but they are quite a bit snappier, and I don’t like the over penetration factor. I love the bone crushing flat nose bullet, but I prefer my rounds to stay inside the recipient. The Precision One’s tested great, with 12-14″ penetration and expansion. I won’t abandon my G19 or my Sig P938, but I have no fear of carrying the G42 at all. A great little gun.
I hope that this hot selling Glock will lead to more/cheaper .380 ammo being available. Would love the cost of shooting my PPK to come down some.
Maybe Glock could have silenced some of the critics if they had called it a 9mm Kurz instead of a .380.
What? You can’t come up with your own stuff, you have to steal Ghost Buster lyrics? – “dogs and cats living together, real wrath of God type stuff”.
I’ll bet you thought no one would call you on this.
Wow! You are the only human being in the entire universe who has ever seen Ghostbusters and remembers that particular scene! Thank you for helping us out. We are not worthy to be in the presence of your eidetic memory. Now go back to your Xbox and leave the adults alone.
.hey waitaminute!!!
Check 2/11/2014 @ 11:31. There’s more than one!
Yes. You caught me. I’m guilty. I’d concocted a nefarious plan to use an obscure quote only a handful of dedicated cinemaphiles would have heard from a movie almost no one has ever seen and pass it off as my own original work. But somehow you saw right through my carefully veiled web of deceit.
Bravo, sir. You’re obviously the better man. I hereby turn in my cinematic reference card and I’m canceling my Netflix membership.
Thanks for taking the time to report on the G42 for us. Nice work. Caliber aside, it appears a nice little pistol. Not sure it will replace my LCP, but it is a Glock, so maybe. And, I also will be in line for the 9mm version next year…
The arrival of the Glock 42 in stores is a good thing. Many persons who carry a concealed handgun pretend that they lug around a full-sized 1911 in .45 ACP all the time. That is untrue. Pistol and holster sales data demonstrates that .380 pistols must serve as either a primary or backup carry weapon for a very large number individuals. Competition in that market segment is desirable since it should improve quality – which is already good – and lower prices. The best thing about the G42 is that it provides another choice for people who either can’t or won’t shoot a more powerful round.
The Glock 42 may not be my cup of tea, but for some shooters it is exactly what they want and need.
Owned one .380 in my life; I’ll never own another. Anyone who carries .380 isn’t serious about self-protection.
Nor are they a True Scotsman, I suppose.
Mouth –> words. Thanks.
Some thoughts.
The G42 is a gun for John Q Public. See, unlike us gun geeks, John and Jane Q don’t know about terminal ballistics, 9mm vs 45 ACP, or who John Moses Browning is. All they know is they need a gun, it can’t cost a lot, and it needs to be concealable. Im not married and have no immediate plans for such, but the men I know who are can’t bring home a $600+ handgun unless it comes with a divorce attorney’s retainer.
Go ahead, pooh pooh it because its chambered in .380. But remember, most people walking about in America wont ever need to do more then draw the piece to end the fight. Even more people will go to their graves without ever needing to clear holster in direct self defense. For folks who commute to work in a car, work in an office, and whose primary weapon on duty is a laptop computer from the company IT department, this is just the ticket.
For all the talk about firearms and self defense, there are a LOT more concrete threats to our lives then being shot . Like a car wreck, or heart disease. I don’t carry a .380 myself, but a man or woman who totes one and has a Bondurant-type vehicle dynamics class and an active gym membership is better prepared for realistic “tactical threats” to their lives then the obese guy with a Sig P226 Navy on his overburdened hip.
As to the R51 vs G42 review “discrepancy” noted above, ill just say that the G42 can be disassembled and re-assembled by the user without requiring a test fire afterward to verify the thing actually works.
Very true of probably 75% of first time buyers.
Too many people, even some LGS clerks feel the need to make this gun thing a big mystery.
For the average first buyer for home defense, you just need to get started with something that fits your hand, fits your pocketbook, and fits someplace you can carry it it most every day, and practice without breaking the bank, so you can get to where you are comfortable feeling that you can shoot well enough with a bit of practice to hit the bad guy in the torso, inside of 10 yards.
Thats the distance the average self defense for the first time shooter is going to be working with, or less, so having to buy something that can hit the pie plate at 50 yards, or stop a charging buffalo, is just silly.
Here is where the 10 yards max, to work your way up to hit reliably,
for practice comes from-
http://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/what-fbi-statistics-really-say-about-gunfights/
and if you can hit at 10 yards, then you can hit inside it-
http://thinkinggunfighter.blogspot.com/2012/03/self-defense-findings.html
IMO, FBI stats on LEO gunfight distances are irrelevent to lawful self defense situations.
Law enforcement has the mission to stop crimes in progress, and apprehend fugitives.
In most states, regular citizens have the right to use lethal self defense only when they are in imminent danger and there is no other reasonable way to eliminate the danger.
Law enforcement is much more likely to get in to a justified long distance gun fight than regular citizens; conversely, it would be a tough case to make in court why you HAD to shoot in self defense at more than about 5 yards.
yes, yes and thank you for summarizing the ‘truth’ about THIS gun. for the others who don’t think .380/G42 is a serious self-defense caliber/gun, would you rather force unarmed loved ones to carry a heavier G26? because most of them won’t stick that in their purse.
I have been extremely happy with my LCP. It kicks like a mule but it can get the job done. Not that pocket carry without a pocket holster is a recommended method of carrying, the long trigger squeeze on the LCP (and P3-AT for that matter) allows it to be pretty forgiving. If I were to carry without a holster, I’d rather carry the LCP than the Glock and I am concerned that there are those who will chuck the thing into their pants without a holster and cause unneeded drama.
I am still wanting to hold out for a 9mm. And there is no reason they shouldn’t be able to fit an extra round in that mag. The teething issues with ammo gives me the feeling that this will end up like the first few years of the 9mm gen 4 guns (and to some extent the gen 3 guns at the same time) First was the recoil springs, and they went through a couple revisions of those to find the ones that worked best. Then They decided to change to MIM extractors and that screwed up both generations, leading to them introducing a new ejector to fix the issue. It seemed like it took about 2 years to get the gen 4 guns actually working properly.
All this fuss over .380 vs. 9mm, the size of your pistol and the size of your hands! The most overlooked gun on the market seems to be the old Glock Model 36. My 36 is 3/4 inch longer than the new “Baby Glock” and is 1/2 inch taller — AND IT’S A .45 APC!!! With the Crimson Trace Laserguard, it eats the heart out of a target at 25 yards! It has never failed to cycle whatever brand or weight of ammo I happen to feed it. I’ll admit that it is a bit heavy in my front pocket, but you get used to it — and the confidence that is felt with a .45 vs. anything else is really good compensation! With a Fobus ankle holster (sometimes I carry two!), you can almost forget it’s there. For the little differences in size and weight, I’ll stick with my .45s!
For my Glock weapons, I own a 21, 30, and 36 (all 3rd generation) and am looking at the new 42. I carried the 21/30 combo as my duty/backup for years on patrol (I bought the 21 in late 2003 when starting the academy and wish the SF had existed back then). The 36’s 22.47 oz unloaded (27.00 loaded) weight versus the 42’s 13.76 oz unloaded (14.36 oz loaded) IS a noticeable difference. That’s why I’m attracted to it. I’m tired of dealing with the weight of the 30 or 36 on my ankle when wearing business casual. It would be nice to have something that is almost half the weight (loaded) but still presents the same sight picture. I’ll put the same Trijicon’s on the 42 (once I can get my hands on one) that are on my other Glock guns to keep it consistent across the board. I think it is just another nice option to have that will keep the transition from one to the next consistent.
For crying out loud Glocks are NOT perfection. FLAME DELETED
Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
There has been a serious lack of decorum around here lately, and it’s not going to continue. Do not flame other commenters, the site, or the authors. It’s that simple. If you can’t abide by that, scuttle back off to Facebook.
I handled both the G42 and the R51 extensively at SHOT, And considering the OVERLY critical R51 review, and the overly generous G42 review, I don’t think I can comfortably trust TTAG’s firearm reviews anymore.
Or I suppose it could just be that our hands and aesthetic appreciation are so different as to denote us as different SPECIES. But really I get the feel by what you’ve written that it’s a matter of Bias. just comes off that way.
Next time hire a hand model to stand in for you.
I like Glocks, but I don’t love them. I own a 27 that I like to shoot (and it has never failed to go bang), and I bought a 42 that runs just like described in the review. It will not fire the Barnes 80 gr. (at least not more then once). It will fire most everything else (had some issues with Buffalo Bore), but then so will my 30 year old Colt Government .380 (which DOES fire the Barnes) If the new model 42 had been a Taurus, Kel Tec, Ruger, Colt or Springfield, I do not believe that it would have received such a gracious review. When most .380s on the market will eat anything you feed them, why are we making excuses for the Glock? If I can always be sure to have enough ammo with me that the 42 likes, then I won’t have a problem. But what if I can only get the stuff it won’t eat? Since there are so many guns out there that are omnibalistic, why own one that is a fussy eater. Now don’t get me wrong, I like the 42 and when it goes bang, it is easy to shoot and very accurate. I even gave Glock a chance to “fix” my 42 and sent it back to them with the complaint that it will not fire the Barnes. 3 weeks later I got it back and it is still a single shot when I put the Barnes in it. So for now, I’m going to keep carrying my old Colt. Maybe when my 42 is 30 years old, it will be as reliable.
I’ve heard many respected gun trainers say- find a gun that fits your hand, that feels right that you can shoot well.
That might mean a .22 for a small or elderly person with arthritis, who is sensitive to the recoil, or just very timid at first.
And not all ammo works well in every gun, either- and there are so many choices out there, that to me, the difference between one and the very best, for say- an extra inch or two in gel thru denim,
is inconsequential, or worse, misleading if that means you have to insist on something that doesnt fit, or creates so much recoil that you flinch and or wont practice to over come it.
In the end its about shot placement under stress- and that means lots of practice. Dry fire and with live ammo until the recoil and blast is a non-issue.
I agree, I carry a colt 1908 that is 104 year old just had the sslide reworked to add novac low profile sights , it is a shooter, Brian
Hornady Critical Deffence was diffinitley not in Shooting the Bulls top five. It seriously under penetrated in bare gel and did so so in the denim test. You may have it confused with Hornady Custom. I would really recommend not carry critical defense in 380 from the tests I’ve seen.
I’ll buy one because the other 50 pistols in my gunsafe need another friend!! Can’t have too many guns. Cool pistol.
Just recently fired a G42 at out local police range and was very favorably impressed. It ran fine
with a variety of ammo and is the softest shooting .380 I’ve ever fired. My name is on the waiting
list!
Linking a bunch of cry babies forum commandos at firearmstalk.com is really irrelevant anyway. That forum is composed mostly of couch potatoes and airsoft kids trying to talk shop with the adults. I quit visiting that sight when one of their know-it-all mods (canebrake) decided to rewrite Ayoobs 10 Comandments for CCH and then sticky it himself. He advised tying people up with parachute cord after shooting them so they couldn’t get away and continuing to remain with the injured/deceased for the cops to arrive so you could act like you were reviving the person you just shot down with CPR while the cops were watching (among other retarded statements).
The sad part was that maybe 3 people out of 20 pages of congratulatory grab-assery realized the idiocy and called him on it. Of course they were taunted and banned. They finally had to unpin it and delete it because they were losing sponsers and violating their own terms of service.
As for the Glock 42. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. I had a chance to pick one up and did so because it meets the physical qualifications for my private club for our monthly small pistol marksmanship competition (rim-fire does not qualify). I also happen to carry and practice routinely with Glocks, so it gives me an advantage. It will never replace my G19, G17, M&P9, SR9, etc. for EDC; nor will it replace my Smith 442 as a deep concealment/running shorts BUG.
I love my 42 and as much as I hate to say it, I am carrying it more than my G19 and my Sig P938. I have shot a variety of 380 ammo out of it and it has failed to feed a few times, but this is out of around 1500 rounds, and the ammo I carry in it, Precision One 90gr XTP (4 rds) and Buffalo Bore 100gr HCFN standard pressure, (4 rds, I have a +1 mag extension from Galloway Precision) It has also fired Freedom Munitions 100gr perfectly, and that is the flat nose remanufactured ammo. Also, it fires Monarch, Winchester, and PMC with no problems. I have never cared for Hornady in 380, except maybe the Custom XTP. The only mod I have made to the pistol is to polish the feed ramp to a very slick sheen with a small dremel. I think many people underestimate the 380 and I do not. The main purpose of concealed carry is to be able to carry a pistol that is comfortable to conceal, and easy to shoot. To defend you at close range. Many people act as if we are going to war and need massive firepower on our hip. They act like the shots they shoot are the only defense they have. You can still fight back, even after you have shot someone and they are still attacking you. You can use the other hand to get into a position where you can put a round or two into the face or head or neck. I expect that if you pump a couple of rounds into the crotch or solar plexus area that will end the confrontation anyway. There are lots of fast bleeding arteries in the pelvic area and nerves and bones. A 380 loaded with good ammo is a very good self defense weapon. And the Glock 42 is the best 380 I’ve ever shot. I can’t wait till Fobus makes an Evolution holster for it.
Their are glock, s&w, khar, ruger, 380, 9, 45 people that swear they choice is the very best and every other choice is wrong. Most buy their choice, never shoot, never practice, never clean, hardly ever carry & didn’t do their home work in their purchase. I like the choices and caliber options. Just like vehicles amd the accessories to go on them. My personal choice today is glock 45 with a s&w 38 chiefs special on the ankle & a flip blade in each pocket. Prepared notparanoid! And oh buy the way “F-250 super duty in case another idiot t bones me. (870 under seat)
Just saying
I don’t know if anything will replace my colt gov model 380 but I bought a 42 today because I don’t want to ruin the colt we will see how it does
After laboriously reading most of the posts…I forgot what I wanted to say….
Dirk Diggler …..nice…. regards Tiny Elvis…Git r done.
Revisiting this post: My wife’s G42 has the same problems w/the slide locking back on some JHP’s & the Freedom Munitions RNFP’s. And… as your photos above show, the 42 you tested apparently has the “early” slide lock vs. the newer “rounded” slide lock mentioned on a GlockTalk thread here:
http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=21163932&postcount=2603
Seems that Glock changed out the parts sometime between first runs & present mfg. – So, TTAG, how do we get Glock to send us the NEW part?
And, FYI: The wife is now really liking the Glock 19 or my 30S; the 42 may be retired early!
Looks pretty cool. Love my Glock 23, best handgun I’ve ever owned. Like the small form-factor, might get one.
Sorry, have to laugh at people bitching about .380. Trust me, its perfectly fine for what you want to do…..put some lead in the attacker, and the .380 is basically a 9MM short.
Arguing about lethality for a small CCW is really a moot point when you practice and become proficient in firing the weapon.
For instance, my favorite carry is my Beretta .22lr loaded with CCI Stingers…a true pocket-rocket. There is no urban thug or attacker that is going to keep coming at me when I start pumping the rounds into him. The loud pop will be the first clue, then the intense pain and blood loss, then more pain. Guarantee they either run or die on the spot. A .380 is worlds more powerful than the eminently effective .22LR and more than enough for the average CCW.
I see a lot of people griping about BS non-issues. This is a smaller-than-a-G27 pistol that shoots smooth, like my G35. Sounds like a solid answer for non-permissive environs. I plan to make this the family’s issued carry gun, who can give me bulk pricing?
The reason the other sub-compact Glock models use the trigger that has the “vertical ridges on the trigger blade” is that the competition-style trigger used on the other models is needed to score enough import points. This new Glock is made in their USA facility, so the specialty trigger is not needed for import purposes. This is also the reason that Glock is releasing a .380 model in the US for the first time. The G25 & G28 models do not score enough import points and cannot be brought into our country.
Stupid? Yes, it is! You can thank the 1968 gun control act! A semi-automatic handgun must score at least 75 points for it to be imported into the United States. A .380 caliber only adds 3 points where a 9mm or higher will add a full 10 points. If you want to see how this is scored, look at this form: http://www.atf.gov/files/forms/download/atf-f-5330-5.pdf. The target trigger scores 2 extra points and was used to allow the importation of models such as the 26, 27, 29, 30(s), & 36.
Last Saturday I saw a Glock 42 at my LGS. Since I was pocket carrying a Kahr P380, I compared the two by laying the Kahr on top of the Glock. The Glock is longer and slightly taller.
I don’t see any reason to get a Glock 42 when the Kahr P380 is available.
Glocks are great guns, and I am not disparaging them, but a gun this size should be a nine. Glock should come out with a smaller .380.
I went to the LGS today and rented a G42 and a box of ammo to try it out, and i have to say i was really impressed.I had been looking for a new carry gun since I got rid of my airweight. It shot pleasantly and fit well in my mannish Hands, So once i was done i went back out to the counter and put $100 down on one to get on the waiting list so I could get one. I am anxious to see how well it does with a few hundred more down the pipe.
The reviewer ends his piece by claiming ShootingTheBull410 puts Hornady’s Critical Defense ammo in his top five. Not so. In fact he puts it in his category of “I never would use this”. Check out the video yourself.
Great review. Love your writing style. Funny that you never mentioned the Walther PK380. It’s also a large 380 with real sights. I’d like to see a direct comparison between the two. But I think I’ll stick with the Walther as it has a nearly full-size grip.
Exactly. Where’s the Walther .380 pp/ ppk
James Bond references or comparisons.
It’s a 9mm Kurtz . I’m pretty sure his smaller caliber never stopped James from getting Pussy Galore. Right?
Just bought one today! I read all your articles and all the links to other articles on the Glock 42. Asked tons of questions on a few of my gun forums. Watched a really good video for women on YouTube by Legally Armed America comparing the Glock 42, Colt Mustang XSP, Ruger LCP, and S&W BodyGuard 380. The Glock won out by a mile. The Colt came in a good second but the stryker-fired system feels much safer to me than carrying in the cock-and-lock position required with SAO guns.
Thanks for your great review!!! It went a long way to helping me choose this CCW.
Thank you Dianna. I have owned over 1000 guns in my lifetime…rifles, shotguns and mostly handguns in all available calibers. I decided to downsize my collection and sold just about everything. I don’t like mixed handguns for defense. For example, I had a Ruger 9mm, several S&Ws, a Glock or two and numerous other. I’ve studied the reaction times with various weapons and found that if you carry or have different guns with different safeties, that you end up with a HUGE problem…one of minor motor skills having to kick in when you are in a life or death situation. I didn’t want that. So I rebuilt my little Glock empire because a Glock is a Glock and firing any one of them is the same…just a pull of the trigger is all with each of them. The other handguns I owned are gone to FFLs for resale or purchase. I’m glad that this information helped you. There are too many wana bees out there that do not fit and function like a Glock. I read a few articles regarding the G42 and it’s ‘supposed’ limited ability to digest heavy or light loads. Just a bunch of bunk probably posted by those selling other guns. My G42 eats everything I feed it…is accurate, recoil is way down from my now gone Ruger LCP. I would say that the trigger pull feels a bit tighter than my other Glocks. However, In actuality it isn’t that way. The sights are great compared to competition. While the .380ACP isn’t a .45ACP…If you are into discrete carry will you take the G21 with you or leave it at home? For me, a .380ACP is well worth carrying anywhere the law permits. PS: Hatcher’s rating on one shot stops with a .380 is around 30….the 9mm with the best +P loadings is in the 40 – 45 range…not much difference. I’ve had both G26 and G27s and find their size to be limiting for long hikes in the woods. So the .380 goes with me everywhere. If my GF is along and she is a ‘bear magnet’…along comes my S&W .44MAG with Federal Castcore 300 grain bullets…great gun and ammo…..
Great luck with your acquisition, Bob
As a woman, I’ve noticed not many here talking about shooters being physically different and have different needs. I, like some women have a really short trigger reach and have difficulty finding a handgun that will fit my small sized hand comfortably. Hubby bought me the Ruger LCP 380 for CCW. Fit was fine, but, I hated it….the slide was difficult for me and recoil was not a happy thing. Tried on the G42 the other day and the fit was perfect, slide, NOT difficult. Range test sold me….the G42 had greatly reduced recoil compared to the Ruger LCP. I so rarely can find something that fits me, feels solid, is comfortable to shoot, and is small and light enough to CC, I am thrilled that Glock developed the G42. Comfort, a lot of times, determines whether you will use it, or, set it aside. Love the way G42 works for me! Glock single stack 9mm would be on my list for future interest.
A very notable gun magazine said that the G42 was finicky about loads…not liking the 100+ grain fodder or the lighter 85 grainers and preferred the 90 grain loads.
THIS IS HOGWASH! I am surprised that the publisher would allow such a review. The G42 has been made and available in Europe for years. It has gone through some fine tweaking but was unavailable in the US due to size limitations imposed on imports.
Now these wonderful CC Glocks are made in the USA in Smyrna, GA. They are wonderful just as the rest of my Glocks are! No FTF or fire, no misfires, no anything but everything in the market functions in this beautifully made creation of Gason’s is just as ammo friendly as any other Glock. I own a lot of them and have sold some and bought more. They are the ultimate defense weapon due to the fact that if you own a number of them….they all are idential in safety, trigger pull and hand fit. When you or your loved ones life are at stake you don’t need to worry about…where’s the safety!? They are all identical.
For me and having owned probably 1000 firearms, I would give the Glock guns a 10+. I’d never carry anything else unless I was in big bad bear country and then I’d move up to a .44mag with Federal’s excellent 300 grain Castcore ammo…the bear won’t know the difference between that and a .500 S&W load….
So, to cut it to the quick if you will, more Glocks are carried by LEAs than any other handgun. It is standard issue with the FBI and a number of other agencies. They’ve been tested competitively against numerous handguns and found to be the most reliable in the world bar none.
Hatcher’s ubiquitous ‘stopping power index’ rates the .380 at roughly 30%, the 9mm at 45%, the .40 at 70% and the .45 at 100% one shot stops. While I have them all, the little G42 will accompany me on hot days like today when otherwise I might not CC…well worth every nickle of the price and hasn’t had to evolve into a reliable handgun like so many others….perfection right out of the box!
Lokking for the stealguide rod and spring also the trigger kit can you help me out
How does the Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator feed in this?
It looks to be a consistent 17″ performer in FBI teats with denim. Only looks weak through auto glass. But that is still a rare occurrence. To justify a self defense use through glass may be sketchy. But no way to tell and would be a case by case basis I suppose.
So anybody try the Lehigh XP 380 in the G42? It looks like the best cartridge for self defense in tests. 1″ permanent wound channel and consistently 17″ penetration? It is back in stock and I am thinking to order it for a LCP, Bersa, and near future G42?
Based on several articles my understanding is the 42 underwent some minor factory revisions to correct the early complaints of FFF and FTF. Does anyone know of a production date or serial number that would ensure a purchaser of getting the most current production model 42?
I went with the 42 after picking it up at my local gun shop. I have a Glock 22 Dragonfly in 40S&W that I absolutely love. And have had just about all the offerings Glock offers except for the 10mm and 357 sig versions.
I went in looking for a single stack 9mm but settled on the 42. None of the others impressed me when I picked them up except for the 42.
I presently carry a Seecamp in 32 auto. I’ve carried every caliber for concealed carry purposes up to 10mm, and have settled on the Seecamp. It is very reliable, (never had a failure to fire or feed) and has never let me down. Only reason I’m looking for something else was to get around the difficulty in finding recommended ammo for the Seecamp. I’ve carried the little Seecamp in my pocket for 10 years and have never been concerned if it would perform when needed.
I have a Berretta 9000S that is not too far away when needed and have the 32 in my pocket all the time. I don’t feel inadequately protected by a 32, or 380. Since I live in a hot climate I have to look for something that is light and reliable. As anyone who carries on a daily basis, we quickly find out what works best for each one of us and what does not. Hence we end up with multiple holsters, and purchases of firearms in quest for what works best for each one of us.
When I’m hunting I carry my 500 S&W mag, Ruger 454 Casull, or my Desert Eagle 50 for dangerous situations, ( I tend to flip a coin). When I’m traveling out of town I carry my Sig 556 pistol loaded with Penetrator ammo in my vehicle, since it is legal, with my Seecamp in my pocket. When around town I carry my Seecamp in my pocket and my 9000S in the vehicle. Which now I will be carrying the Glock 42 since ammo is not as hard to find.
I believe Glock hit the mark with the 380 offering. If and when they come out with the same pistol in 9mm….then I will be making a new purchase once again. Hopefully they do. It will be another pistol to add to the collection.
For those who think that Glock made this G42 for most men looking for a replacement concealment pistol, you are all wrong. You can keep your G36 or commander 1911 or Kahrs. Sure all you brave and macho men CAN carry larger calibers/pistols with no problem. So why go with a G42? Women and smaller men won’t and can’t carry your favorite handguns and then shoot it comfortably much less get used to it. This was mainly made for women. Period.
um, the point about Kahrs isn’t that they are bigger and more “macho”. It is that a Kahr P380 is significantly smaller and lighter than a G42, and a Kahr CM9 is slightly smaller in some dimensions.
I have medium hands that fit a large size glove. I had a Gen 1 Glock 21 and the grip was too large for me to be comfortable. I have a newer G21SF and it fits me just fine as does my G22. The first .380 I owned back in the early 70’s was a Walther PPKS. It was very nicely finished with an included target in the box to demonstrate that it was accurate. This must have been shot off a machine rest because, given the fact that I can keep all rounds with a one hand hold at 25 yards into a 4″ group says something. The PPKS trigger was obnoxious and heavy as was the safety. The weapon overall was heavy. I got rid of it when it blew up using the then available Super-Vel ammunition. I have since owned many .380s made by Beretta, Mauser, Sterling, Glock, Colt, KelTek and many others. The only weapon of choice that offered the best carry for me for the caliber with 100% reliability has been the G42. The rest all had FTFs, etc. I carry my G42 when it is way too hot out to conceal a full sized auto and fannypacking is a sure giveaway….. Someone said they are only made for women and yet if you can manage one accurately and carry a spare mag they have a stopping power with the 102gr BJHP of roughly 30%. That’s not the 40% that a 9mm gets or a 70% that a .40 gets or a close to 100% with a .45ACP, closer to a .38 snub nosed special. Rather it is something that you WILL carry when otherwise you might leave your heavyweight at home. That is my sole purpose for the .380..one that I will carry on hot summer days. Otherwise give me my G21 or G22 for everything else. Am I giving something up…yes, however I am armed and know exact bullet placement and the capability of the cartridge. If you do carry a Glock that is compact like the G27 or G26 just remember that all the high cap mags will fit these compact double stackers. So, I’d skip the G19 and take the G27 in .40 and my extra mag would be a 15+2…my personal preference is all Glock. With over 100,000 rounds fired not a single malfunction and very limited cleaning…and I’ve owned just about every model and configuration Gaston ever made….
I ordered my Glock 42 yesterday. They are still pricey, $405 delivered, but I wanted it now! I carry my 32 year old AMT .380 Backup in my pocket. If I have to draw, it is likely going to be up close and personal. If I shoot you in the face with a .380, 9mm, or .45 I think all are likely to do what I want. My goal is to stop the threat as quickly and efficiently as possible
US made glocks aren’t tenifer treated. I stopped reading your review after I read the first paragraph. Do your research before you type.
Oh and people, come on over an let me double tap you in the chest with .380 and we’ll see if you’re still standing……
Congratulations on necro-posting to a 6 month old post in order to regurgitate the stupidest argument that’s ever been made in the already-stupid caliber war. You’ve made us all dumber for having read it.
I just picked one up today to replace my wife’s P3AT. The Keltec is more concealable, but it ends right there. The “fetus” glock (baby glock already taken) beat the p3at in all other categories (imho and imw’sho). It had a very nice feel for me (larger than av’g hands) and my wife who’s hands could be described as diminutive.
She loved it! I’m a Springfield shooter with an XDs 3.3″ in 45 acp and an XDm 3.8c in 40 s&w. I love those guns. The 40 is my favorite, but the single stack 45 is ALWAYS with me wherever I can legally sport it.
That said, I could be considered a Springfield fanboy by those that like to apply labels. Even if that were so, today I became a fan of Glock (again) and I understand why they did what they did. The gun, while still very concealable, shoots VERY smoothly and accurately. We only ran 150 rounds through it today (all we had), but it ran smooth as silk.
My youngest daughter (18, also very petite) shot it and really liked it. Both my wife and our daughter were ringing steel right off the bat. Neither of them could hit an 8″ steel at 10 yards with the Keltec, but with this 42… Ding! Ding! Ding! All day long:)
just got this handgun. this is one of the best feeling, best shooting handguns I have ever owned. Slips in the front pocket, loaded with some self defense founds and i feel safe. Have a small 9mm but there are times when i just don’t carry it because of the size. This gun is amazingly accurate.
I too just got mine. I took it to the range and was amazed by the accuracy and control-ability of the gun. I have not had a chance to try a variety of ammo in it yet. It fired two brands of FMJ without a problem. I really like the .380 ammo test report done by ShootingTheBull410. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtPHYwcDts
I have a G 42. Had it about 4 months now.. The first 700 rds. went without a glitch. After that it started acting up.
I cleaned it made sure it was good. Ran 50 rds through it and then half way thru the next 50 it started acting up again. I took it apart and found the spring loose rolling back and forth. I put it back on got off two magazines and it started again. I took it down and the spring was off again. It was on properly but doesn’t isn’t very tight..Called Glock said they’re having no problems but sent me a new spring.. The first guy I talked to said don’t worry the spring won’t fall out,, Really.. said it should not be a problem. I now have 1000 rds through it and even with the new spring when it starts acting up the spring is off. Anybody else seeing this? I have no problems with my G 23 or my G 27.
So I’m guessing your talking about the recoil spring. It slips off of the lug on the barrel? It seems like it should be captive. Unfortunately, my wife has her 42 with her so I can’t look at it right now.
If a new spring didn’t fix it, I’d guess the cut on the barrel is off spec, or maybe something in the receiver isn’t right. That spring shouldn’t be able to slip off in any way. Like I said, it should be captive in the assembled gun. But I am just speculating until I can look at our 42.
Yeah John it is the recoil spring. I took a brand new one apart at the shop last week and I compared it to mine. It was exactly like mine. Even the cut in the barrel where the spring is suppose to be.. I thought maybe the spring was weak after 700 rds. But the new spring they sent is the same. Hardly no compression at all. The spring actually rides straight up before it slips off. I know I don’t trust it any more. We had another guy at the range that had a problem with his right from the start.. I couldn’t believe it because mine never skipped a beat.. Not sure what happened but I don’t carry it anymore. When the spring slips off it’s good for one shot.. You can rack another one in manually and it will fire that one. but then it can’t cycle.. Thanks for getting back to me.
They say this is a good weapon because it’s one you will “carry every day”. I have a Glock 33, a Glock 21, a Bersa .380, and a .357 Magnum revolver as far as handguns. I normally carry the Glock 33, EVERY DAY, which is a .357 SIG subcompact. The 33 is a true man-stopper, is very small, easy to conceal, and is very accurate with distance. I will say it has quite a kick, so for a female or small make it could be a little jarring. For an average male or skilled female it’s a dream. I may get the Glock 42 though, for my wife. It’s a Glock, so what else can you say? They’ll likely be getting my money for it soon.
Despite all the crap this pistol has received online I bought one. The three major arguments I hear about it are:
1. “Its too big for pocket carry.”
Seriously? How small are your pockets? Anyone who claims this is too big for a pocket has never carried a J frame in one. This thing is much easier to conceal than my go to J frame, it prints less, its easier to draw, and frankly its more comfortable.
2. “It should have been a 9mm.”
Ok, yeah I can sort of see where your coming from here but by that notion so should the PPK. The thing about a tiny little 9mm is yes, you have a powerhouse of a round (considering the size of the gun) but what are you giving up? Comfort namely. Certainly thats not the point of a carry gun, but I don’t know about you guys, I like to shoot. I tend to imagine if your on this website you do too. I don’t tend to shoot things that I don’t enjoy shooting. I can bust things with my 3 inch model 63 that I can’t with at 22 rifle because I shoot the 63 ALL THE TIME. Its fun. Any gun your going to stake your life on you should also shoot ALL THE TIME. I enjoy the 42 enough to shoot it as much as finances will allow. To me, thats probably more important. If I am extremely comfortable, confident, and competent with the firearm I think that outweighs a firearm I shoot occasionally that can dole out 100 more ft. lbs. but thats just me.
3. “Its a glock it should eat anything.”
Obviously some people are having different experiences than me, but mine does. I have bought a box of everything I can find and mine chews it right up and politely asks for more. I know glock has made a few changes over the course of production and perhaps me getting a later model made a difference, I don’t know. I do however thinks its a bit ridiculous to expect any semi automatic to fire ANYTHING you put in it glock or not. If you want a firearm that is that apathetic about ammo, buy a revolver. If you carry a gun, you should have at least a few boxes of your carry ammo through it to confirm it will work. If nothing else you get to make sure POA and POI are what your expecting.
I love my little Glock, if you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Seems pretty simple to me?
Just bought the 380 and was very impressed…..easy on the hand, owned a kel tel 9mm and after ten rounds hand hurt and the kick was so bad almost lost it in the air……..also have a Trurus ultra-lite revolver and is short for my hand, will give blisters at about fifty rounds. 38 caliber…..
If it’s not a 1911, I don’t carry it but I’m an athlete of life, a 1911 is what life athletes and those who are good with guns carry. For the rest of you who don’t know much, I suppose these little calibers make you feel better.
I have seen the evolution of the 1911 and it seems to me like a similar evolution to make both the AR15/16 weapons more reliable. I can’t believe all the effort has been put into both. It tells me that they were inadequate from the start and I am certain that many of our infantry were killed during the wars with these guns that didn’t functionally properly…..Now and finally we have good 1911s and good AR15s…lots of modifications to make them work properly after the fact.
I love Glocks…right out of the box they function just as Gaston designed them. There is no reason to “improve” them unless you want a lighter trigger pull or some other minor part.
While the G42 is very handy for hikes in the woods where I wouldn’t necessarily pack my G22 or G21…I have the ability based on terrain, certain critters, etc to pack any of them. They are 100% reliable…ask the FBI…
If I’m in bear country I carry a S&W .44 mag loaded with 300 grain Cast Core bullets…nothing better…
So, If you are on a thing about the G42…it functions flawlessly, has its limitations but is by no means a slouch. Regards….
I tried out a Glock 19 several weeks ago and really, really liked it. I was thoroughly not expecting that, primarily because I have the hands of a second grader and did not expect the Glock to fit comfortably in my hand. It did. I didn’t have much interest in a .380 because I had test-driven a Walther PPK and, much to my surprise, I didn’t like it much. I went to a local gun shop and noticed that the 42’s were on sale … and there was a waiting list for the 43’s. Handling the 42 felt very comfortable. A friend of mine found out about my interest in the 42 and let me test drive his over the weekend. I have to say, it handled beautifully. All of the accuracy of the 19, but a lot more comfortable in my little Hobbit hands. I think it’s going to be my next birthday present to myself.
Thank you D . Diggler for the G42 test regards Tiny Elvis….
Just acquired a Glock G-42 as a replacement for a Walther PPK .380 (the PPK was heavy , hard to shoot, and frankly i could not hit anything with it). I added the Pinky extender on the mags. and that improved the grip factor for my small hands 100%, while adding an additional round to mag. capacity. Any suggestions on where I can see holsters for this weapon?
Glock has a 4th revision mag out now that has completely (in my testing) fixed the slide lock issue that is reported above and elsewhere, and that I was having. The newest mags have a notch on the left side of the follower. The newest mags end in -03.
I simply called Glock customer service, and they told me to send my mags in, with a return shipping address, and the issue I was having. I had my new mags back within 2 weeks.
The take downs are even easier than other glocks.the trigger is smooth faced.it shoots where you point it.i love mine.the 17 is my favorite and yes I have a 19.the 43 is moot to me.heavier, larger and more jumpy.43<42
I only carry 9mm and 45, for self defense. I started in 1973 with a Colt Detective Special, and carried a snubby or PPK’s for 20+ years in NYC. There are so many small guns out now, that it has become overkill as far as what to carry goes.
I believe you should carry what you normally shoot, so I carry a PM9 with a 7+1 mag, sometimes the standard 6+1. I found that if you can conceal a 380, you can conceal a Kahr 9mm. I have done so for 6 yrs now, and the gun shoots everything. As far as wear goes, it has held up well, ” the night sights still function although not as bright”, and I polished off some pitting last year. Other than that, I would replace it with another of the same if I needed to.
I have owned the LCP, shield, XDS, and several other small guns from 22 to 45, over the years, and it’s just not worth getting a gun that is so small that you can’t grip it properly, or so large that you can’t pocket carry it , for me.
The part about the 42 being pleasantly shootable is pretty much right…it STILL has some buck to it, just not as horrendous as some others…I owned an AMT all-stainless .380, and it was absolutely awful to shoot…something like a 16 pound, DA only trigger, sharp edges on the mag with the extension for the little finger, and it was heavy for such a small pistol. Plus, if I remember correctly, it didn’t lock the slide back after the last round…I got rid of it…yeah, I know, don’t remind me…
Am anxiously awaiting for Lone Wolff to do a stainless guide rod assembly for the 42…I put one in my 1st gen Glock 21, and it makes follow-up shots exceptionally quick and accurate…recoil, which was never bad, is now even more mild, plus the straight-back nature of the recoil makes staying on target that much easier…SUPER nice…
I have the Glock 26 and Glock 30 for carry. The Glock 42 is definitely my next purchase. It’s a great summer piece. My daughter loves firing it at the range as well. I can’t wait!
im looking for s small easy to conceal gun to replace my .38 snubby in a small fanny pack.
last week at a local range, i rented a
beretta .380
a kahr p9
a glock 42
these are all rental guns, probably never maintained, all looked very dirty.
the beretta wouldnt even fire at all.
the hammer would cycle when you pulled the trigger, but the gun would not fire,
the Kahr was ok, but the super single action trigger got old in a hurry
but the g42 was sweet,
just perfect in every way for a pocket carry
and the single/double trigger is a glock specialty , very nice for fast follow up shots.
probably going to be purchasing one soon.
Im not concerned about the difference in .380 vs 9mm
the best gun is the one you have on you,
those of us who work everyday around people who would freak out if they see your weapon
absoulty must have something that is perfectly concealable in a pocket or wherever,
a IWB isnt concealed enough, sooner or later someone will see it and freak out and blab to the boss, and you’ll be unemployed.
or you will leave your weapon in your vehicle, while youre on foot in a “gun free zone”
and thats the exact time youre gonna need it.
a friend of mine was at a college sports game recently, and had left his handgun in his vehicle, to comply with the local rules, and during the game, the school went into lockdown because of an active shooter near the campus.
a .22 in your pocket is better than whatever cannon you left in your vehicle.
I have a Ruge mk III .22 and I can hit a pie plate at 60 yards with it,
if it was concealable, Id be comfortable with it as a self defense weapon, because I KNOW i can put the rounds right where I want them.
Man that Glock is a big gun. Certainly NOT a Pocket gun. What is the point of a gun so big in 380 when there are so many Nine’s in the same size range? If I want a true Pocket Pistol, or true concealment, I will look elsewhere. I see nothing great about the 42. Just a small Glock with a 380.cal. It seems like it is a confused gun. Make it in 9mm, or make a small Pocket pistol.
THE GLOCK 42 IS A DANGEROUS WEAPON!
I bought this weapon 3 years ago. It was my first pistol, I owned revolvers before. From the beginning I had major issues with feeding problems. On every full 6 round magazine, I would have a misfire at the range. The magazines I got with the weapon with marked 02. After awhile, I finally contact Glock and they told me to send my magazines back and they would send me the newer 03 magazines. I did and the weapon still has feeding problems with the updated magazines. I believe the weapon is dangerous and undependable to say the least. It is not a weapon you want to depend on for your safety. I’m in the process of selling it and then I will say “Good Riddance”!
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