“Brandon, WHEN are you going to do the Glock 43 review? What’s the hold-up?!”
In anticipation of the G42 last year, we were the first in the world to provide everyone with a review. So, what the heck happened this year with the G43?
In a nutshell, it’s all my fault. And maybe a little of the weather’s fault. I’ve had the G43 for some time now, and am thankful to Glock for sending it so quickly. With this and that happening, this review has been delayed.
We’re last to the party, but for what it’s worth, here’s my review of the Glock 43 single stack 9mm!
Specifications:
Length: 6.26”
Height: 4.25”
Barrel Length: 3.39”
Width: 1.02”
Weight: 17.95 oz. (unloaded) 22.36 oz. (loaded)
Trigger pull: 5.5 lbs.
Capacity: 6+1
MSRP: $529
SIZE
To the surprise of many, the G43 was a little larger than anticipated. My response: how could it really be any smaller? Some thought that the G42 would be made to accommodate a 9mm round, but the engineering that comes into play is far greater than many would suspect.
With that said, the size of this firearm is pretty near perfect for myself. It fits great in the hand, better than the G42. Admittedly, the G42 is fun to shoot… but I have trouble getting a really firm grip on it. With the added height and length of the G43, this makes it feel much better in the hand, not even that far off from the G26.
The biggest difference between the G43 and the G26, obviously, is the width. There is a substantial change, and it makes for some much better concealment while carrying. The single stack profile over the double stack offers a noticeably slimmer profile, and in my eyes it’s very welcomed.
Glock 43 (top) next to a Glock 26 (bottom)
Glock 43 (top) next to a Glock 42 (bottom)
CALIBER
To the disappointment of many, the G42 wound up being a .380 auto. C’mon now, it’s not that bad. And if you didn’t think that Glock would come out with a single stack 9mm down the road, you were thinking crazy thoughts.
A little late to the game, but nonetheless now in the game, Glock shows up with the popular 9mm caliber in a single stack. The caliber is nothing to complain about, and performs very well when paired with the G43. The accuracy was spot on when we did our shooting, and the 9mm is my go-to round for concealed carry (unless of course I’m carrying my G27).
SAFETIES
In line with all of the other Glocks, the G43 is no different when employing it’s line of safeties. I’ll reiterate what I’ve said about all Glocks and their safety features:
Sometimes people overlook the fact that thumb safeties have been known to get caught up in clothing while drawing. With the Glock, your safeties are all internal and do just what they’re supposed to do. During a stressful situation, there is no need to potentially fumble with an external safety.
Furthermore, if anyone tells you that they practice disengaging their safety and it would never be an issue in a stressful situation, don’t listen to them unless they have already had to draw in a stressful situation. No person on earth will know exactly how they will react until the time comes, regardless of how much practice or experience they have. That firearm will never discharge unless you pull the trigger. For more information on their “Safe Action” System, click here.
RELIABILITY
This is a biggie for me, especially with a firearm that I plan to carry. Here’s the (my) rule: If it doesn’t perform correctly even once, it’s retired from my concealed carry system. No second chances. Some say that’s too tough a rule, but I respectfully disagree.
With that said, we took this out for an out-of-the-box 500 round torture test. Factory lube, everything stock, nothing cleaned… you get the picture. Then, we fired 500 rounds as quickly as we could.
AMMO USED
For the test, we used AngelFire 9mm Luger 115 Gr FMJ Remanufactured Ammo from Patriot Outfitters Guns.
To see their entire line of ammo, click here.
They were nice enough to send us the ammo to use for testing, and we couldn’t be happier with the product. It performed flawlessly, and left the G43 a lot cleaner in the end than I had honestly anticipated. After all, 500 rounds through the barrel in a few hours is bound to make it a cleaning nightmare, but that wasn’t the case.
See for yourself:
CONCLUSION
The conclusion? The Glock 43 performed flawlessly. Right out of the box, we experienced zero issues of any kind, and it was marvelous to shoot over and over again. I thought my hands would be hurting pretty badly about half way through, but the recoil was very manageable.
Would I carry the Glock 43? Absolutely! I’d be giving up 3 rounds over my G26, but I’d be able to wear it with numerous other articles of clothing. While I seldom have trouble concealing my G26, the G43 will allow for a few more options.
It’s a really fun, easy-shooting handgun. It’s slim, compact, reliable… what more could one ask for, really?
