I Hate GLOCKs. But I’m Buying a GLOCK 43.

1. Depending on where you live/work, you may want more gun. I used to live in San Antonio and carried a G23; a good IWB holster can make it work, even with light clothing. Check our website.
   You might want to do a more thorough testing of the Shield. That’s what my wife has – mighty fine gun. The trigger is vastly better then the regular M&P one – and I think it’s better than a Glock’s. But if you want pocket carry it might be too big. But, again, in a decent holster it just disappears – even on my petite wife.
   And you can clip on/off the holster with ease as you need to arm/disarm.

   • gotta be fast to be the first poster around here….

   • I have exactly the opposite feeling regarding the Shield’s trigger. Of the 4 examples I have access to (my 9, two friend’s 9s, and one friend’s 40) they all have worse, to much worse, trigger pulls than the associated bucket of full-sized M&Ps that I have access to via those same friends (and my own M&P9).

     The trigger pull on my Shield is a full 3.5# heavier than my full sized (the only one that I’ve had in my house to measure on my scale). Even the best Shield trigger in the group is worse than my full-sized. Two of those friends have had Apex parts put in later to improve the pull (which are much, much better now). I’ve just gotten use to using mine that way, but if it had a pull like my full-sized I’d be much more pleased.

     Maybe someone snuck a C.O.R.E trigger in yours? 😀

     • I thought Apex made a business out of replacing what I recall hearing are (were?) lousy triggers in full size M&Ps. I’ve never pulled a full size M&P trigger — stock or otherwise — but some of the initial buzz about the Shield was its superior trigger compared to the full sized M&Ps.

       My wife and I both have Shields, the one’s without the safety. Mine replaced a G23 as my daily carry gun. The Shield trigger seems very similar to Glock triggers. After reviewing the specs I have zero buyers remorse because the Shield is about the same size, noticeably thiner, holds one more round

       I agree with Nick, Glocks are about as “perfect” as a Toyota Corolla. M&Ps are perhaps equivalent to a Chevy. Both are simply tools. Now that Walther, HK and Sig have competitively priced alternatives, Glock faces serious competition for the first time (sorry M&P).

     • Maybe you guys have the Massachusetts-compliant versions with the ridiculously heavier triggers?

   • I was seriously planning to get a Glock 23, until I saw this and now… Well now I just don’t know what I want to do!

     • Chrispy, I carried a G23 for about 3 years. Great shooter, great fire power, surprisingly concealable. Fat as a brick.

       The single stack 9s are so much lighter and thinner that carrying one is night and day compared to a G23 or comparable. I still carry the G23 on occasion but mostly it’s been relegated to home defense and the occasional match.

       If I was to start all over today, I’d get a full or compact striker fired pistol from Walther, HK or Sig, not Glock. Because ergonomics and better triggers. Then I’d get a smaller pistol just for concealed carry.

       • Thanks for the input.

         Currently I carry an SR9c, (love it) which I would imagine is akin to carrying the G23.

         I have tried the Shield, though never carried one. It’s got me thinking about the single stack 9mm for summer carry. I would think that the G43 would be great for summer appendix carry, where my Ruger normally carries 3:00 IWB and is easy enough to conceal with a coat or hoodie in the winter.

     • buy both…

       • Someday…

         Calm down wallet!

     • About 70% of my carry is a Glock 27, and about 25% a Glock 23. For me, the biggest issue is the sport seat on my Infiniti jamming the side of the sport seat bolsters. With appropriate attire, the G19 and G23 are great carry guns that have a lot of firepower. The reasonable cost and ease of replacement mean that you can carry them without much worry of dents, dings, scratches, rust, etc.

       Summer / pocket carry is a different story.

       • I had never considered the G27, I should take a look-see…

       • If you get a G26, or G27, the mag extensions that add pinky space and extra rounds are an absolute must. If Glock was a little more savvy, they’d include mag extensions right out of the box like Smith does with the Shield. Anyways, the G27 shoots like crap with two fingers on the grip and is manageable but snappy with the +2 mag extension. Available from Glockstore.

         • I agree that the mag extensions are a must. The grip just feels completely inadequate without all my fingers on it. However, once the extensions are added your grip is now just as big as the full-size especially as it pertains to concealing it. So, you basically have all the added hassle of concealing a full size glock but you give up barrel length and site radius.
           Particularly in carrying on the hip, barrel length is not really an issue but, concealing a full-size grip often is.

       • @Mike,

         Not true. I have an Aker leather holster which will fit my G27 or a G23. The G27, with the mag extension, is less difficult to conceal than the G23. I just need to get a full grip on my guns. If that means I conceal a little bigger then so be it.

         • You start off saying it’s not true then end by acknowledging it is…
           Nothing I said is wrong. I spent 4 years carrying a G22 and then switched to a G27 with Pierce grip extenders. They ARE almost exactly the same above the holster. I’ve got them sitting on top of each other right now on my desk. The only considerable difference is barrel/slide length. The grip extenders do taper a bit more than a full size glock grip but that doesn’t really affect much.
           Now, I did say hip carry. If you abdomen or small-of-the-back carry then a shorter barrel definitely helps concealing. But, for hip carry, you might as well give yourself the full grip and sight radius. That’s why my G22 went to the range bag for IDPA, my G27 is my workshop gun, and now I carry a PPQ out of the house.

       • @Mike

         You are still wrong. Ready for math? The G23 has a 13 round mag (10 if using the ones behind enemy lines). The G27 has a 9 round mag. The +2 extension for the G27 mag brings the total to 11 rounds. The extension is angular, whereas the G23 has a flat bottom 13 round mag. The G23 has a 4″ barrel, and the G27 has a 3.5″ barrel. The G27 mag extension does add length, but even at its maximum point of extension at the front of the grip is still about 3/8″ shorter than the G23 mag. At the back side, the extension on the G27 is about an inch shorter than the G23. Further, the flat base of the G23 mag takes up more space than the angular bottom of the G27 mag extension. As I’m wearing it, the back end doesn’t mash the sport seat of my car whereas the G23 does. Therefore, the G27, even with a mag extension, has less length, height, and weight than the 13+1 G23. It is therefore easier to conceal.

         Maybe you’re thinking “well, close enough.” Fine. The G27 with the +2 mag extension is still smaller than the G23.

         • Like I said, no considerable difference.
           Also, I said “above the holster”. An inch of barrel down you pants makes no difference. Although it seems like you might be making up for a missing inch of barrel somewhere…
           Furthermore I didn’t make any such black or white statements as you have. I said it’s “often” the problem, not always. So, learn to read.

     • I carry an XDs 9mm almost exclusively now. I sometimes rotate in a 19 or a 27 (rarely). To me it’s night and day the difference in carrying a single stack vs a double stack. Depending on your body type, personal style, and your lifestyle you may or may not think it makes a big difference. I have no problem carrying a larger pistol in the winter, but I really need (for my personal comfort level) a single stack for the hot spring a summer months. Like I said, your experience isn’t going to be the same as other’s, so all you can do is find a good, reliable firearm and try it out. Do your research, take into account the factors that would determine the size you need, and hopefully you get it right on the first try (most don’t).

   • I like my Shield as well, and it shoots nicer in my hands that the others I tried – the XDS and 938 were VERY jumpy, and I didn’t like the very long trigger on the two Kahr models I tried. The trigger is not as good as the trigger in my full size M&P (which has the Pro trigger from a pistol that got an Apex upgrade), but still pretty good. I don’t have an easy way to measure the weight of pull. I sadly haven’t shot it as much as I would like and it’s raining again this weekend, but maybe can get out to shoot again soon.

     And it does fit in my front pocket on most of my pants and shorts, I have a simple pocket holster for it that breaks up the print as just a large square.

2. Conveniently did not mention the XDs. It has a grip safety and for that feature alone makes it a superior option for ‘pocket carry!’

   But, you have to fill these pages with something….

   • I also have an XDS which is my “small” carry option when the G19 is too big for what I am doing. The new Glock is going to be noticeably more compact than the XDS and also won’t have the cheese grater texture on the grip which makes the XDS a challenge to carry against the body in certain holsters.

     I do agree that when pocket carrying (or appendix carrying for that matter) the extra security of the grip safety is a plus …. but this new Glock is going to outsell the XDS handily. It’s smaller and lighter and many people don’t want the “feature” of any kind of additional safety.

     On the flip side these are going to hover around the $550 mark at local shops for quite some time and the stock sights on Glocks are junk… so plan on shelling out another $100-$150 for a set of real sights.

   • I don’t like the XD and I have no legitimate reason why. I just don’t like the way it looks.

     • It’s legit to not like the XDS for intangible reasons.

       Any reason you passed over the LC9s Pro?

       • Same question about the original PF-9.

         Also, that magazine base plate story is a good one. Everyone I know personaly thinks that Kahr is a super quality gun unlike those S&W thingies.

     • I don’t even mind the way XDS looks. I actually enjoy shooting them but I am slower with them than with a Glock or Shield. Significantly enough that they are not a good choice for me. I also don’t want a grip safety. Imagine that.

     • Same here. To me, the compacts XDses are more hideous than compact Glocks. Go figure.

     • I am in the same boat as the OP. Never cared for anything Glock. I prefer SA/DA. My favorite pistol is a Sig P226 but… it’s a pain to carry (though I still do). I have an LCP which is great to carry when I need something easier to hide. While looking for something in between I stumbled across the G43 and started researching. My 10 year old daughter looked over my shoulder and gasped when she saw I was looking at a “crappy Glock”. BTW, my daughter isn’t mad… just disappointed;-)

       Anyhow, I went to the gun store and after comparing several single stack 9’s and tried them out IWB I plunked down some $ to put this thing on lawaway (still left myself an out so I could give it time in case I realize I’ve lost my mind). So far I plan to go pay it off and have my “in between gun” soon. Going to get some mag extensions though. My daughter isn’t mad at me, just disappointed 😉

3. I’m surprised at the Kahr baseplate issue. Also surprised you missed out on the exact same gun you’re singing the praises of, but with a better trigger, for the last several warm Texas sunmers.

   Oh well. Sorry you missed out.

   • I’m with you on that. If I recall,Robert Farago has spoken positively about his pm9 in the past, and that’s part of what sent me down that path. The Kahr pm9 (cm9 is almost the same and priced well) is PERFECT for pocket carry. The Glock 43 is taller, heavier, longer, and wider than the pm9 but holds the same amount of rounds. I have my pm9 in my front pocket right now and that has become so easy that I only carry IWB about 10% of the time now.

     Plus the pm9 has that long trigger pull that is so much like a revolver. I think the baseplate issue sounds like user error (of whoever owned the gun of course, not Nick) and I enjoy the quality of my Kahr.

   • I have a Kahr CM9 that I can’t trust because of repeated FTFs . . . and the Internet suggests that I’m not alone . . .

     • I bought CM9 some not so long ago. So far I ran only about 400-500 rounds through it, with the only issue being that the slide would fail to lock completely on about every 10th round after 130+ rounds without cleaning. Slight tap on slide has always solved that so far.

       The February issue of local (Czech) version of Guns & Ammo claims that CM9 is the most often carried secondary firearm by the NY policemen. I’d guess that wouldn’t be the case if the gun was so troublesome.

       The only problem I have is that putting it into pocket makes me look like if I have some giant phone / midget tablet. I can’t carry CM9 in pocket comfortably, so I’d guess that the larger Glock would fail even worse on that. But most importantly, since my primary carry is CZ 75 Compact D – DA/SA, I wouldn’t take Glock with its light trigger as a carry gun.

     • I have a CW9 (similar to the CM but +1 rounds and a longer 3.6″ barrel) that has had not a single bobble in hundreds of rounds fired (not a round counter, but it is north of 600), including HPs. I carry it every day, quite comfortably, in the front pocket of my 5.11s.

     • I have a CW40 from Kahr that has been excellent. In about 800 rounds now (give or take 100) I haven’t had any FTF. One time, at a friends range, I was getting ammo out of his big ol’ box o’ rounds and supposedly they were all .40SW. A 9mm slipped in somehow and I didn’t notice (yes, I’m stupid, whatever). The CW40 fired the round… Made a much different sound, but returned to battery.

       I wasn’t brave enough to pull the trigger immediately. I wanted to find out what was going on. So, I dropped the mag and ejected the fresh .40 round that had chambered perfectly. I went to where my brass was landing and found the case, which is how I discovered what went wrong.

       After disassembling, cleaning, and examining the weapon, I decided to shoot again. Of course, everything went fine. The 9mm had keyholed through the paper. But the Kahr’s barrel seems unaffected.

       That was when it was new still (100 rounds in) but I’ve still never had an issue. I trust the Kahr with my life I guess.

     • That has been my experience also. They have the same – or less – durability/reliability as a Kel-Tec PF-9… for twice the money. The K9 was approved by NYPD as a off-duty weapon; the tests on the PM9 found it to be unreliable and not durable enough. (the K9 was subsequently de-authorized). The Kahrs I have seen in LE use have not been particularly reliable. Personally, the ginormous slide stop on the small frame size is annoying to the extent that it interferes with gripping the pistol and shooting accurately.

   • Personally I don’t like the idea of my gun purchases being associated with a shady church, but maybe that’s just me.

     • Other than Justin Moon being Reverend Moon’s son, there is NO other connection. Justin hated what his father stood for and started a GUN company. One big reason was just to spite his father. Good guy in my book…

4. My company doesn’t like guns either. I’ve learned to deal with it in my own way. Taking the G19 in and out gets tedious though.

5. What about the Ruger LC9s Pro. Shorter, about the same weight, nice trigger, higher capacity and less expensive.

   • Its a contender, but the few hours I’ve spent with it didn’t knock my socks off.

   • The LC9s is the end of my CCW journey (for now). The SIG P290 is smaller, but it was awful in the pocket — so heavy and blocky. The LC9s works IWB and in the pocket with a kydex AHolster. It’s probably at the top end of pocketability for me, so the G43 should work, too.

6. Magazines are wear items. And how many magazines are made by the gun manufacturer themselves?

   Where is this CM9 test you speak of?

   • When the magazine is provided by the manufacturer and sent in a package to someone they know is going to review it, I expect it to work better than “usually.”

     The specific gun in question was the one reviewed in the linked article. I’m still debating whether to add an editors note about that, as Destinee wrote the review.

7. Glock 43 – the usual ugliness of a Glock, but will probably be a very good gun and the answer to many gun owner’s needs for concealed carry. But what I’d really like to see is a scaled down 1911, 9mm, having the size and weight of the G43. Yes there are imitations, but none that have the genuine 1911 look, feel, and operation. I have the Springfield 9mm EMP, but it is just a little too heavy and too big for effective concealed carry, at least for me. Love it otherwise. Just had my first failure with it – a failure to eject, after 2500 rounds of cheap ball ammo and some personal defense hollow points.

   • 1911 is calling and wants its 1911 automatic back. Look, the 1911 is a great handgun but if you want a “mini 1911” there are already numerous options such as the P938, various Kimbers, etc.

     • The P938 and its Mustang brethren are NOT scaled down 1911s, although they look that way. The Springfield EMP IS a scaled down 1911.

       • and to edit that comment, but was denied permission. Weird. Any hoo, Kimber does make a 1911 in the EMP size category, but AFAIK only in .45. Its Solo and new Mustang derivative are most definitely NOT 1911s. Colt also makes the New Agent in 9mm, but I have not seen that it has had any commercial success.

8. Breaking: B. Todd Jones stepping down as ATF chief. 😀

9. Been carrying the SCCY 9mm. Works fine and they got the bugs out from the beginning.

10. If you have a bug up your butt about Glocks for some reason, there are alternatives other than the Shield and Sig P938, that would fit your needs.
    My choice- go with the Springfield XDS in 9mm. slightly shorter barrel, with higher mag capacity. Weighs a couple of ounces more. Pocket or easy IWB carry. Great gun.
    Alternatively, go with the new safety-less Ruger LC9. Even smaller than the XDS.

11. No love for the Springfield XD-S?

12. I thought you worked at TTAG…I was worried for a second that Farago had a “no guns at the office policy” for a second…

    • Wait, you think we earn a living off this? HAHAHAHAHA!

      • Judging by the adspam that causes the site to lag on my computer (with Adblock on), and crash on my phone…

        Yeah.. I kinda hoped somebody was making money from it.

        • real talk.

      • From a site that nets better than 1 million a year in ad revenue, I expected at least 2 people besides Robert to be getting paid.

        • Wherever you got that ad revenue number, its about a decimal place off.

13. I’m always amazed on when people choose glocks over xds. they look extremely similar on a quick glance (obviously details separate) but that grip safety alone won me over. How many negligent discharges have you heard with glocks and how many with xds. argue all you want about proper training, but the fact is, its a hell of a lot harder to accidentally discharge a gun with two safety options than one.

    • I’ve taken three classes in the last year with over 750 rounds fired in each class, and no xd or xdm has ever made it through without issues. Glocks, M&Ps, and HK’s are the only pistols I’ve seen consistently fire high volumes of rounds in shizer conditions and not fail.

      • Ever fired a Makarov? Or was that comment limited to plastic guns?

        • I’ve never seen anyone bring a PM to a defensive tactics pistol class. If firing USA produced ammo, it stands a chance.

      • 1. Please elaborate on these “issues” because as the general function on an XD is basically just modified from a glock I’d love to know how it suddenly failed but a glock kept working.

        2. In what class are you firing 750 rounds per session? Literally if you’re not running a torture test there’s no reason you’d ever burn through that much brass and lead in a pistol class in one afternoon ever.

        • one class with strategic partners, one with tactical response, and one with an up north local PD that had instructors come in from the Michigan state police (I’m family with an officer). All these classes took from 2 to 4 days.

        • To the first point, I don’t pretend to be a gunsmith. I don’t know if they were over-lubed or under-lubed, or if an extractor was out of spec or the mags were garbage. All I know is that glock, S&W, and HK are the only manufacturers’ modern pistols that I would trust with my life. I don’t like HK triggers, the handguns are heavy, and they are twice the price as the other two brands. I consider GLOCK and SW identical in value and reliability, so I buy American.

          XD’s drop like flies when the dirt gets kicked up and the round count goes high. Just my individual data point. Take from it what you will.

      • Ha! Me too. In one class it was so bad that when we got to the malfunctions portion the instructor went through all of the normal stuff and then stopped and looked at the 4 guys with xd’s (who had been fighting with their guns for 2 days) and said, “Here is how you clear the XD malfunction…buy a glock…or any gun that doesn’t suck”. It was priceless.

        • I mean I don’t want to put a whole class of firearms down, but it is an inferior product. If you’re taking your pistol to the range one day a month and putting 50 rounds down the pipe and cleaning it every time, you’ll never have an issue I guess. Run 1500 rounds down the pipe in 5 days in dirty ass TN and you’re gonna learn really quick what garbage doesn’t work.

    • Not disagreeing with anything you said, but I ran into a different problem with XD grip saeties, and that is them failing to disengage when my hand is gripping the gun. I have to grip it in a way that feels a bit “off” to me (just not used to it). If I make that mistake trying it out at the range I can guarantee it will do it in a gunfight. So a gun that looks like it would have been perfect for a Sneaky Pete holster carry gets crossed off my list.

      I know that’s a “personal problem” and I won’t argue the gun objectively sucks because of it (it doesn’t) but I suspect others have had the same thing happen.

14. “And even with the pocket holster, if you got a direct look at the front of my pants you knew exactly what was going on.”

    Phrasing.

    • “Are we not doing “phrasing” anymore? Which, whatever, that’s fine, but if we’re doing something new and no one told me, THAT I’d have a problem with!”

15. I’ve been carrying and shooting a Kahr PM9 for several years without any problems. You need to rethink your decision. A Glock, ugh. Here’s why I will never buy one as described in my other post:

    Buying a TupperWare pistol from the crypto Nazi, America-hater, and former curtain rod manufacturer isn’t going to happen for me. From a former Glock salesman: apparently Herr Glock is (was) having problems punching out certain Gen 4 plastic parts from his injection molding machines and maintaining adequate QC. The parts look and check the same but apparently don’t perform the same. The lemons only show up after assembly and shipping. So much for “Perfection.” And to all of those Glock-o-files who think they are a bargain, read Paul Barrett’s book about Herr Glock and how Glocks were priced. Thinking that Americans are really stupid with gun money burning a hole in their pockets, Herr Gaston, upon the sage advice from his marketing guru, immediately doubled the wholesale price over his original estimate despite the fact that plastic is really inexpensive to squirt into and punch out of a mold. Considering that they cost about U.S. $100 to manufacture, this made for a tidy profit. This also allowed him to give great “discounts” and trade-in schemes to the boys in blue. Then selling the little-used wheel-gun trade-ins to other “dumb” Americans made him even more money. Hence: instant billionaire. The book makes for VERY interesting reading. Taking American gun-makers totally by surprise, they quickly decided to copy the “damn” thing. Then Glock’s lawsuits soon followed and Herr Glock made even more money from the settlements. I’ll stick with American-, German-, and Italian-made pistols thank you. BTW: the Kahr is plastic and was fairly expensive, but at least it wasn’t made by a foreigner who hates me and thinks I’m stupid.

    • Patrick, I have CM9 and I am very happy with it. I also have policy of not buying pistols from countries with CC restrictions, so I am kind of stuck with Czech and US products.

      Anyways, what you wrote reads like some kind of communist manifesto. What you described is how the market works. Apparently, Glock matched the demand with his supply nicely. Arguing that he is a bad guy because he makes profit off his product is… communist thinking.

      • Bungameng – I’m about as far to the right as one can get. I vote conservative if I can. I treasure the U.S. Constitution. If you want to know a commie, just look no further than the White House. He’s a commie with a capital “C.” Remember: “You didn’t make that happen, someone else did.” I’m not against profit, I do so myself by publishing and selling books. But I ask a fair price and I don’t think my customers are stupid. Thank God for capitalism – it’s the best economic system known to mankind. Socialism doesn’t work as has been proven over and over again. I’m just against obscene profit by, as i said, A GUY WHO THINKS I’M STUPID, thinks I have more money than brains, and hasn’t gotten over losing WWII. You need to read, comprehend, and consider every word I write. You also need to read the book about Herr Glock and his company. If you’re so in favor of excess profits, the next time you buy an automobile, why don’t you offer the dealer twice what he’s willing to take for the car? That’s essentially what you’re doing when you buy a Glock.

    • To be fair CZ had to increase it prices in the US in order to sell here because no one trusted a gun as affordable as CZ was. The guys over the pond couldn’t understand why their quality arms were not selling well in the US until some American marketers told them anything under $400 is considered crap no matter what.

      • That’s a valid point, and it’s not just guns. I know a guy who ran a TV shop, he bought some at a very low price and priced them accordingly–and they wouldn’t sell. He raised his price on the advice of the guy who supplied him, and they sold like hotcakes.

      • Then I guess Herr Glock and his marketing guru are correct – American gun buyers are stupid, have too much money, and don’t know a good value when they see one. I’m glad that Bersa doesn’t seem to have been affected with the same negative opinion of Americans. And Ruger still seems to turn out good value for the money.

      • I find that odd since CZ guns never stayed in stock at most places for very long even before the price increases. Personally, I think they wised up and saw how quickly their guns have started to sell in the past few years so they raised the price knowing people would still buy them.

    • Gaston is a pretty unappealing figure, isn’t he? I have to confess that what I know about him is a big part of what has put me off Glock product — especially now that there are a few outstanding alternatives. But he did something pretty remarkable with his original design. I think his lack of firearms industry experience was a real asset for him.

      But since then, they’ve left a lot of money on the table. The single stack 9 and pistol caliber carbine are two of the biggest examples, probably worth hundreds of millions in unrealized revenue. As a company, Glock is pretty much a one hit wonder.

      Its interesting how the ability of various industries to adapt to changes and adopt new technologies and designs can vary so much. That it took until recently for Walther, HK and Sig to bring out competing pistols is a real surprise. You’d think they didn’t like to make money or something. The story in Barrett’s book, Glock, on what it took for Smith to finally design the M&P line of pistols is a sad example of this.

      • Yeah, Barrett’s book depicts Herr Gaston as a bitter old-line Nazi and a thoroughly despicable character. One reason why I spend my hard-earned, gun-buying currency somewhere else. A former Glock salesman told me he instills abject fear in all of his employees and expected to be treated like the Kaiser the last time he visited America.

      • Yea a 30 year one hit wonder…

    • Since you’re carrying a Kahr, have you looked into the founder of that company?

      • I was wondering the same thing. I found that comment ironic because even though I find the (steel framed) Kahrs to be appealing, I can’t bring myself to buy one because of my personal feelings about the founder of the company and the organization he’s tied into. If he’d at least been honest and called the company “Moon Arms” or something it would be a little less offensive for me, but making up the “Kahr” name just because it sounds German and people associate German makers with high quality firearms (which he has admitted) just stinks of phoniness.

16. when will they be available?

17. You might want to give the Shield a second shake. I’ve been carrying one for the last year and like it very much. You can find them anywhere for $350, which means you can upgrade the trigger and sights and still save money when compared to the G43 MSRP.

18. You’re probably exposed to more firearms than most people are, including myself and a whole lot of commentators, but I implore you to take the shield shooting. They are pretty popular weapons, and I’m sure you’ll either know a buddy or be able to find a range with one. Seriously, best small pistol I’ve ever fired. And I mean, fired, not thrown a couple magazines through. I have well over 1500 rounds through my 9mm shield (no thumb safety), both on the square range and in training classes. It’s truly a spectacular fighting gun, one of the only handguns I consider EDCable for professionals that is reliable enough to bet your life on (G26 and SW642 are really my only other contenders).

    As for the guy who mentioned trigger issues, I’d be interested to hear when the pistols were purchased. Mine is about 6 months old and the trigger is excellent for it’s class. I have considerable GLOCK time under my belt, and it’s as good if not better.

19. I thnk I’ll be getting one too.
    Going to shoot one in a couple of weeks. Kinda anxious to see how it feels. I didn’t care for the DB9. It hurt to practice with it.

20. Thank you for the excellent Top Gear reference!
    That being said, I carry a CM9 without any issues. I never read about a failure like the one you described. Is there a link to that reference? The CM9 has handled Underwood +p+. And more than a mag of it, and never hiccuped. No jams, good recoil management, and accurate to boot. And the reason it took +p+ is I accidently swapped the internals of a box of Speer +p and the underwood, and did not know. It took a solid 40 rounds until I noticed it seemed too hot to be speer!!!
    Newbie mistake, that was a few years ago.

21. If you’re gonna pocket carry (which I do), why not just go with a G26? It’s just 1/8″ wider than the G43 and is slightly shorter, but has 10+1 capacity and can use G17, G19, and 33 round mags as well.
    So, G26 + DeSantis Nemesis on one pocket and a G17 mag with grip extensions in the other — 28 rounds. What’s not to like?

22. Agree about the M&P’s every single one I have ever handled felt decidedly cheap. Can’t get over that.

    For me until recently it was down to an XDS but they cost nearly as much as a full size pistol most places I see them. I like the idea of pocket carry though, and for some reason no matter how ugly I always get that “fizz” for Glocks. Something about the simplicity, it reminds me of a 1980’s Toyota Hilux/Tacoma, the ones with solid axles, ugly as sin, but beautiful at the same time for the rugged blocky simplicity.

    • Love me some Glock as well, I think there is beauty in simplicity. I do have several 1911’s that are elegant in their own way, but your comparison of Glock to the Hilux is straight on. I had an XDs for awhile in 45ACP, it was a little ammo sensitive and as you said somewhat pricey. I have a Shield now which is ok, but cheap feeling. I carry a full size 1911 or 17/19 so these smaller guns are strictly for backup or pajama carry.

      One of my all-time (non special episodes) of Top Gear, Killing a Toyota-
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk

23. Walther PPS. Best trigger of any of the small 9’s. A touch big for pocket carry, but I guess that depends on the pocket size.

    • My Walther PPS is my 30% carry, next to my Glock 19 Gen 4. Why more folks interested in small single – stack 9s don’t get the PPS I have no idea.

      • Amen! I find my PPS as simply the best shooter out of the bunch of poly-framed single-stacks. Admittedly a tad large for pocket carry like the rest of them IMO.

24. I just changed my pocket carry guns from Snubbies to the Shield (without safety) The Apex trigger replacement is a must. The gun shoots great and is feeds perfectly.

    Depending on your draw stroke and pant design, square-backed slides like the Glock, Kahr, etc. can get caught in the pocket. Because of their angled slide, SCCY, Shield, etc., do not get caught.

    The SCCY is good, but overly bulky and has a long, heavy double action only trigger. The Shield offers a higher capacity than the Glock by two rounds and is quite a bit less expensive. Shield for me!

25. PS, I love the XDs, but the are too bulky for pocket carry.

26. Is Glock done spewing it’s man-seed all over you guys’ faces yet? Jeez… Such a non-event. I hope you’re getting paid.

27. kel-Tec PF9? I’ve had one for almost 4 years now. It definitely kicks like a pocket 9, but has never had a problem with anything. Goes bang every time. It does not like WWB target ammo though.

    • I was wondering when someone was going to bring up the Kel tec PF 9. very light, reliable, holds 7 rounds in the stock magazine, and is small enough to pocket carry. I guess since it’s not expensive, its not considered good.

      • They seem to be hit-or-miss. Nutnfancy also apparently carries one daily and it has been 100%. I, on the other hand, had one that was terrible with light strikes. Using UMC ammo, about every third round would fail to ignite. It also shaved off tons of brass filings, and stopped cycling when it got too dirty. I found it reliable with self-defense ammo, but I never fully trusted it. Reading people’s reviews on forums and such, they seem to be either flawless or troublesome, with not much in-between.

28. I feel bad for your having carry problems from work and heat. Since I have a friendly work environ, live in a cooler climate, and always dress like a floppy dirt bag, I consider the Glock 40 to be an adequately concealable gun. Not even my wife realized I was carrying my Five Seven all waking hours for several days and so far she has been the only one that ‘made’ it (that I am aware of anyway).

    • You see the brand new 10mm Glock with a 6″ barrel?

      • Yes, that is the one that is calling to me. I intend to start spending a lot more time out among the critters and even I am rational enough to realize that a Five Seven is not nearly enough gun for that.

29. Oh, yeah; PT709, PT740

    • I’ve purchased Taurii in the past. I wouldn’t keep one if it was given to me for free.

30. Glock 19 – 7.36″ x 4.99″ x 1.18″ with 16 rounds @ 23.56oz
    Glock 43 – 6.26″ x 4.25″ x 1.02″ with 7 rounds @ 17.95oz
    Ruger LC9 – 6″ x 4.5″ x .9″ with 8 rounds @ 17.2oz

    I fail to see how the Ruger did not rate a mention in this article.

31. SW J frames nearly invisible for pocket carry…….

    • Exactly. The reviewer probably doesn’t like it, for reasons he also can’t explain. But for pure function, weight and reliability, there is none better. And in real DGUs, only a round or two are fired. So for pocket carry, this is my choice.

32. All of this sturm und drang might have been avoided if you had paid up for a S&W J-frame and a proper pocket holster in the first place.

    • And j frames aren’t that expensive. I’m a tight bastidge and I didn’t hesitate to get one. And since you’ll have to have a quality pocket holster for the glock or risk shooting your boy bits I don’t see the glock having a big advantage for pocket carry.

    • Whats your choice of holster? I like Mika’s.

33. As I too am not a Glock fan and have never owned one. I did however fire a Glock 23 once back in 1994.
    My EDC is a Sig P938. Im still not buying a Glock but did buy a Canik TP9SA for a house gun. My 1st and only Hi Cap handgun.
    Best $310 I have ever spent on a handgun.
    Glocks are just not for me.

34. Hot, muggy weather = loose Hawaiian shirts. I’ve stood on stage performing in theaters, coffee houses, and bars without ever being made. J-frame in IWB holster.

    • Now that is an endorsement for a carry system if ever there were one. Most of us try our best to blend in, and you’re instead standing up on a stage, possibly lit up far better than any of us are on a street or in a restaurant and you’re not being made.

      Nick – as I said: a J-Frame and a proper holster and you’d have ended this journey at the first step. Pay up for quality once and you’re done. Try to cheap out and you’re left disappointed.

35. I hate Rugers, but the LC9s (and only the “s”) is a seriously good carry gun. I was forced to shoot one by a fellow instructor, also a Ruger detester, and hurt my jaw when it hit the chest. Outstanding tool.
    Really a good pocket gun. And cheap. And they’re not coming back to the warranty return guy.
    I’d still take a 938 (we have one, but the Missus isn’t parting with it).
    A better trigger than any other micro combined with an ambi manual safety- what I want.
    The safety is something I’ve come around to after seeing too many videos of people being shot or threatened with their own gun. Once the gun is out of your control, it’s all you’ve got left, whether you lost it in the fight or got creeped or it was taken out of your glove compartment.
    Being a 1911 shooter since birth eliminates the worry about failing to disengage it.
    But a Glock 43? Over an inch wide? Mizewell go back to that Commander, or New Agent anyway. Sheesh.
    You’re still stuck with the square, blocky slide, the awful trigger, and ergos that only a curtain rod manufacturer could love.

    • You’re still stuck with the square, blocky slide, the awful trigger, and ergos that only a curtain rod manufacturer could love.

      You sir, have a way with words. I shall appropriate that, if you don’t mind too much.

      And I agree on the 1911 safety issue. A Government model is the first center-fire pistol I ever shot at the age of 11, and flipping off the safety is as natural as breathing. People who have watched me shoot a Glock remark how I “must be a 1911 guy, because we saw you thumb down the imaginary safety.” I’ve come to a point where I think I’m now going to build up a Commander explicitly for a carry piece and send the G36 into retirement or to greener pastures for someone else to pack around.

      • Dys, I’m honored by your kudos but I would like to think I can do better in the wordsmithing department.
        To the Commander- a young range buddy who’s a near-GM in USPSA with the 1911 platform has been walking about with an LCR in his pocket since his CCL arrived. (He’s devastatingly fast and accurate with it, too. You wouldn’t know those things could do what he gets his to do. [5] Plate rack at 30 yards in six seconds? No problem!)
        But I once let him shoot my #2 carry tool, a ’51 .38 Super Commander, which is bone stock apart from the extended grip safety. His begging for me to sell it to him was pitiful, but I took no pity.
        So I traded him another similar frame with a buggered feed ramp. He, being an engineer by trade and quite handy to boot, got a Fusion plain .38 slide and a Nowlin ramped barrel (he also had Nowlin cut the ramp, beautifully)(No fan of ramped barrels, but this was necessary), a Brown Bobtail and built his own, finished in black Cerakote. Despite some early troubles with feeding the DPX- the ramped barrel was the problem, as usual- he dialed it in and then discovered: carrying a Commander isn’t difficult, and there’s really nothing better for shooting things that weighs less than two pounds.
        A convert!
        Not at all relevant to the G43 business going on, but a pleasant story I thought you’d appreciate.

36. I happened to read Michael Bane’s blog, since you name-dropped him. Unfortunately, he is an idiot. He claims to be gravitating away from single-stacks to higher capacity guns because “The world is changing, and it ain’t for the better,” except for every statistic that we have on violent crime in this country states that it is in a freefall. I’m an advocate for carrying the biggest gun you can comfortably conceal, if you want that 18-round double-stack, go for it! But don’t make up nonsense to justify it like the world is ending and the masses are rioting in the streets.

    • While the overall crime rate may be falling, about 1/2 of the attacks are by more than one person, and that percentage is rising. Mike Bane is NOT an idiot.

    • There have been masses rioting in the streets. Not in my city, but in several others over the last 6 months. I started carrying a higher capacity gun in the car for some trips on the very small chance that there would be problems here.

37. Just dreaming in CA…

    • Just wait a while longer, and all that will be left are revolvers and used semi-autos. Get your SAA before there’s a run. Meanwhile, buy a Kahr so that you can get used to a DA trigger.

38. I’m a physician – I share the problem of carry restrictions and southern summer heat.

    My solution was to up my scrub pants one size, ask a seamstress to deepen each right front pocket 2.5 inches, use a Desantis superfly pocket holster for a Glock 26, moving the detachable/moveable rectangular piece up an inch so it leaves No printing on the pocket – and also it is deep enough in the pocket to allow the pocket to close above/over the grip.
    I can put my hand in the pocket and grip the pistol as my first finger slides outside the inner holster but under the outer rectangular section – over the trigger but separated from it by holster – with a draw it slides into place on the frame as the gun comes free.
    I bet it’ll be offered for a 43 as well as the 26.

39. I’ll try a G43, but I like my Nano a lot. I find the longer, heavier trigger more appealing to me for CCW and self defense purposes. I’ve put ~1,200 completely reliable rounds through it and enjoy shooting it. Short & slim & very accurate. Sights are a cinch to swap, and I like that the inner “chassis” is the serialized part and not the frame. I purchased an OD Green frame for $24 and am going to play with stippling on that. Mess up a stippling job on your Glock and you can’t just replace the frame for $20-some-odd bucks.

    • Wish my nano weren’t a piece a junk.

40. Not for me and plenty of alternatives for less$…with higher capacity. And the bugs are worked out.

41. I suggest you look at the Shield again. I have had a .40 version (NTS) in my front pocket for the past 6 months, upon reading your rant on the it above pulled it out, cleared it and checked it over again….. Nope, no rattles, perfect fit and finish and I carry it with the +1 mag in it so I get full 3 fingers on it (still 1 more round of .40 than you’d get with a G43 of 9mm, 2 if you went 9mm Shield) and carry a spare +1 mag in a Snagmag carrier in the left pocket. Plus I paid $356 out the door ($346 shipped and $10 transfer fee) instead of the $500+ you’ll pay for a G43.

42. i really dont get the allure of this firearm. i can not imagine a situation where the thickness of the gun will determine the outcome of the fire fight. Capacity, thats a different story.

    • ?

    • Thickness maybdetermine if you carry at all, a low capacity gun you’ll carry is better than a high capacity one you won’t.

    • I guess you might as well carry an AR-15 around, then, right?

43. “If SIG SAUER had come out with a striker fired P938 like I recommended a while ago, I wouldn’t be in this position”

    I totally agree, I’ve been hoping for them to come out with one myself. I handled the P938 and thought it was great… looked great, felt great, nice trigger, easy to rack…… until I tried flipping off the safety quickly during a “mock draw” and my thumb slid right off without moving it. Then I tried again and it slid off again. The next time I was able to flip it off but only because I was pressing my thumb hard against the frame as I pushed down and was really focusing on flipping it off.

    I don’t like safeties on carry guns so I was already turned off by the existence of the safety before I tried the gun. But since everyone raves about it and said it was easy to flip on/off I thought I’d try it anyway. If it were as easy and effortless to flip off as my AR15 safety is maybe I could make an exception for carrying a gun with a safety, but it’s not.

    So I too am looking forward to the G43 (my accuracy or lack thereof with my J-frame at any more than a couple yards doesn’t inspire confidence in the slightest, although I have more confidence in my J frame at close-up distances than I would a semi due to the nature of the designs – no limp wrist possibility, no riding the slide, no out of battery) but I’d really like to see how well people say it fits in the pocket, it being bigger than the G42 which is already bigger than the P938.

    Look forward to your and/or TTAG’s review of the G43.

44. You want to slide a striker-fired pistol with no manual safety into your pocket? I hope you’ll be carrying without one in the chamber. Otherwise you’re asking for an ND.

45. Look, if you want the newest and hippest glock, fine. But your excuses for not wanting other models that are well established as great single-stack 9s are both unnecessary and rather silly.

46. DONT DO IT NICK!!!! Please,just by a brick,you’ll be happier. Of every single make of handgun that comes through my shop, I don’t even like holding Glock’s.A pressure treated 2 x 4 is more comfortable in the hand.

47. Hmmm, small single stack 9mm without a manual safety…

    So p290? Why not?

48. I’ll take the M&P Shield. It’s a solid, reliable gun. In fact, I would & do bet my life on it. G43 isn’t bringing anything new to a party where everyone’s pretty much dressed the same.

49. “And the Kahr CM9, well, I remember watching the baseplate fall off the magazine during test firing and that’s all I needed to know.”

    Really? Here’s a perfect example of what bothers me about some of TTAG’s reviews. Not enough or questionable information to make an informed purchase. Destinee, whomever she is, has a Kahr magazine fall apart (practically self-destruct) upon firmly loading her CM9, and this rules out the pistol for Nickie. OK. Was the magazine really faulty? Did it happen more than once? Did she try another magazine and get the same result? Was the baseplate simply askew or not engaged properly when the whoopsie happened, etc.? And Nickie claimed to witness the event but gives no additional data except to say it ruled out the pistol for him. Spurred on by a possible problem occurring with my PM9, I took several of my fully-loaded six-shot Kahr magazines and made my palm sore slamming them into my PM9, and yet everything held together nice and tight. I would assume I’m at least as strong as Destinee. I just couldn’t duplicate the failure mode that in part led to this post and Nickie considering buying Glock “Perfection,” even though he claims to dislike everything else about a Glock. So WTF? I now wonder if Nick sometimes just uses any excuse to kick the hornet’s nest and get another debate started. The baseplates on MY Kahr 6-round magazines are firmly attached and the magazines in general appear to be high quality, well made, and they defy unintentional disassembly. Yeah, the pistol kicks like a mule and its checkering is uncomfortable, but I’ve never had a FTF. It simply works for me every time. What more do you need?

50. Seems to me the SIG P239 is the best semi-auto for CCW, but I prefer a Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum for CCW. That said, if I could own just one handgun it would be a Glock 19.

51. What’s wrong with the takedown system of Glocks? I think it’s the best in the industry. I’m not a big Glock fanboy. I’ve only had two Glocks (a Gen3 G19 and a Gen4 G26). The G19 was so simple that anyone who doesn’t like it, or prefers a 1911 takedown to it, is either in denial, stupid, or merely has a slide lock (not stop) that is out of spec. That happened with my G26. I noticed the tabs were much harder to leverage than my G19. I ordered a new factory slide stop and the problem was solved. I’ve certainly owned pistols with takedown levers that were truly hard to actuate. Even if the Glock takedown isn’t your preference, it’s not worth mentioning as a slight against the gun. If someone has trouble with it barring a defect, I have to assume they don’t know their way around firearms. Glock revolutionized the simplicity of a firearm. If you can’t handle the takedown, do us all a favor and give up guns because you’re just dangerous at that point in my opinion.

52. A Glock is nothing like a Toyota Corolla. Maybe a low-end Taurus is a Corolla. A Glock is a serious tool where forms follows functions. The Glock 17/19 is the best handgun design ever made and pure genius. I never found it ugly, but if it is, then it is in the same sense that a military vehicle is. Though I never found those ugly either.

    The 43 looks nice. It is about 0.38 lbs heavier than a G42, so I don’t think it completely obsoletes the 42. I don’t think it obsoletes the Shield either since that holds significantly more rounds. Though if the G43 were out, I never would have bought a Shield as I prefer the elegant simplicity and clean look of a Glock, not to mention the better trigger.

    • As a proud Glocktard and owner of a 2004 Corolla……I think he meant it as you can run a Glock FOREVER

53. I like GLOCKs. But I’m not buying a Glock 43.

    $500, that is what my LGS charging for them to take pre-orders ($50 down, $450 when you pick it up). I can get a Shield, XD-S, or LC9s Pro at the same shop for $350-$400. I can’t justify the price for the Glock at what they are going to be selling them for. The only way I can see myself ending up with one is if my wife, who is an EMT, wanted to get me a discounted blue label gun as a Christmas or birthday present. I will most likely end up with the Ruger.

54. What happened to Mr “?You don’t need one of those mini 9s”?

    http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/05/gunmart-eric/why-you-dont-need-one-of-those-new-mini-9-handguns/

    I’d consider a Glock 43 but I already own a sweet little Ruger LC9 which fits the bill for half the price of a Glock.

    • The post you refered to wasn’t written by Nick. But note how Nick didn’t respond to my comment a ways back. I think he needed some lame excuse to kick the hornet’s nest and author this dumb post.

      • Just as you never responded to the poster who questioned Kahr’s lineage, but were all over “Herr Glock”…

      • Do you always act like an ass or just when you are trying to be an internet tough guy? You are only making yourself look like an idiot.

    • Half the price of Glock? What planet do you live on? $400 vs $500 and better company

55. Kahr PM9 is the gold standard for 9mm pocket pistols. Smoothest shooter and mine is more reliable than my H&K (based on 0 PM9 failures in thousands of rounds versus 1 probably ammo related FTF for the HK same count). No way Glock will alter their “perfect” design to make it as small as a PM9. Some serious engineering there Mr. Moon…

56. I agree with the first poster (jdb). I have carried a glock 23 iwb for years. Sometimes I have to swat my side to confirm I have it on me. I now carry the Glock 32- same dimensions.

57. I own a G19 and a Sig P938. I carry the Sig for a variety of reasons. First it’s comfortable and I can carry OWB with no print, even with a t-shirt. Second it’s extremely reliable and 7 rounds is plenty, even in the event of a zombie attack. Third I like the idea of an external safety (no it’s not too small) that I train with and have committed to muscle memory. Finally my daughter-in-law owns a single sack G42 and it continues to jam.

    Glock is fine but it should not be thought of as the panacea it’s been made out to be. Carry what works for you. For me it’s the comfortable and ever reliable Sig P938. Glock needs more work on their single stacks.

58. G-43 – Too little & too late.

    And being Glock doesn’t erase the deficit.

59. go to the M&P shield instead. Fantastic summer carry pistol.

60. Just got ccw S&w bodyguard 380 my carry . Any comments on this little gun was also thinking of the glock 43

61. if you think a Glock is garbage, your a fool. It is the best handgun period, you could cover it in music, sand drop off of a 100 story building and it will still fire 100% of the time. I love the trigger system which it only goes off if you perfectly pull the trigger the way it is intended, which it is one of thee most popular models, very light, easy to hide on your person, holds more ammo, easy to take apart very quickly, I can disassemble and assemble in less than 10 seconds. Basically the best gun out there!

62. Hell yeah I love glocks and big ol titties

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