Personal Impressions of the Glock 43

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rjinga

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I really wanted to like shooting this gun. I liked the size and the weight. I liked the feel of it in my hands. I even liked the “ball in the bucket” sights. However it seems that the gun didn’t like my strong hand.

I took my son’s Glock 43 to my local indoor range this afternoon and put over 50 rounds through it. When shooting right-handed, with either a single or double-handed grip, with both eyes open, and just my right eye open, the rounds were consistently hitting low and slightly to the left.

For example, at three yards, right-handed, with the ball in the bucket and held right between the target’s eyes, the rounds would strike the target’s right cheek. However, when I switched to my left hand, the shots were right on the money (or in this particular case, right between the eyes). Also, after just a few shots, the trigger started irritating my right index finger. However, it didn’t bother my left index finger.

If I was a left-handed shooter, I might be shopping for my own 43 right now. But, I’m not, so I guess I’ll stick with my Sig P229 as my EDC for a while longer.
 
I shot the G43 one time at the range (someone else's) for maybe 18-24 rounds. (Three or four mags?) Small sample, but these were my impressions:

1. I don't shoot subcompacts much, and I found it hard to hold. (But that would be true of any pocket pistol.)

2. I do shoot 9mm regularly, though, and I found the G43 to be a snappy little beast. (Tiny, light ... no big surprise there.) I'd love to try a .380 G42.

3. It hurt my trigger finger too, and I think that's because I was coming off the trigger and letting the "snap" catch me on the rebound. (My CZ PCR does the same thing to me.) Maybe you come off the trigger with one hand but not the other. Anyway, I need to concentrate on holding the trigger and easing it back to the reset point, so my bad.

4. All that said, I shot it at 5 yards and really drilled it, a lotta rounds through the same ragged hole. Go figure.
 
I prefer the truly excellent (and solid value) of the Walther PPS M2 LE. The 43 just didn’t do it for me, and was more expensive.


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Personally I agree with everything Brownstone322 and JMag1 just said. PPS M2 LE is the only single stack 9mm I've liked well enough to buy. I don't have a G42 either but I'd buy it before the G43 anyday and twice on Sunday
 
I like mine. Using the right magazine helps. I can shoot it just fine with the extended magazine with no pinky ledge. The other magazines give me more trouble. I like the sights and trigger.
 
After adding night sights and the extention on the magazine for my pinky I love my G43. I carry it every day. Im a big guy with big hands so I needed the pinky extention. I have pretty bad neuropathy in my hands and some guns are just flat out uncomfortable to shoot but the G43 isnt one of them. I can and have shot 100 rounds at one sitting with this gun without it bothering my hand or trigger finger. Now shooting 124gr Gold Dot +P's are a little snappy but Ive always thought it shot like a bigger gun.

I love the G43 for its ease of concealment, smooth shooting, and reliability. Now its even better with great night sights and pinky extentions on all my magazines.
 
I've got a buddy who loves his. I'm not so keen on 'em. I shot his, and I also shot a 9mm Shield and a 9mm XD-S. Not exactly "side-by-side," but pretty close in time when I was looking to downsize my EDC. The G43 was OK for me, but only OK. I didn't buy one.
 
I did buy one as my G42 is an awesome pistol, 43 did not fit my hand very well, did not point well and it was not a pleasant pistol to shoot. I tried a Shield and it is everything for me the 43 is not, bought a Shield and traded the 43 off (something I rarely do) for my third Sig P 238 and a dozen magazines. The Sig is in the safe while the Shield is often my carry pistol.
 
Ive shot a G43 and I shot a M&P Shield and I came away with the Shield with extended mags as my EDC. The trigger issue was solved by the shield for me personally because Im a big guy and have sausage fingers.
 
Rented one and I liked it but it felt thin in my hand. put 100 thorough it.
I would be comfortable carrying it regardless, and i think it would conceal very well. It put holes where they needed to be at 7yds.
 
I bought a G43 and really like it. That was until I got a Shield. The Shield just feels so right and controllable. Will I get rid of the G43? No, its an excellent handgun, but I just like the Shield better.
 
I got a used 43 for my daughter. Came with night sights, and I added Pearce +1s and some strips of grip tape. I've run a couple hundred "lefty" rounds through it and have decided she might actually get it..............someday.
 
I started out not liking Glocks (for no real reason), maybe because of the aesthetics. I went out looking for a new carry gun and was able to try out the shield, xds, even considered the ppk, and Glock was not on my list. They had the G43 and I decided heck, why not give it a go. Ended up being my favorite by a long shot despite the significant price leap.

It fit my hand very well, i like the balance, sight picture, etc. And I love the stock trigger pull. Now that I've put well over 500 rounds through it I'd say it's actually one of my favorite handguns of any size.
 
After many rounds, I’ve not had a single malfunction with my G43. Not one. No FTF, FTE, no stove pipe, etc.

It’s also very slim, and perfect for pocket carry.

And thank goodness the G43 never had the finger grooves, which I hated.

I’ve heard of people complain about the trigger, but to me, the trigger is perfect; but then again, I’m a fan of factory settings. I don’t like tinkering with custom triggers or slide releases, etc.

Im not embarrassed to admit that I love Glock pistols. I’m especially happy that with the Gen 5, they removed the finger grooves.
 
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43 is good to go for me

had mine bout 2 years . it came with the factory front nite site which i like .
had it to the range several times . used a lot of ball ammo & its share of hp fodder too. has been 100% reliable ... typical glock .
have even shot it one handed many times and i find the recoil to be very manageable . it fits my hand good, i like the feel of it. on one of my last outdoor range trips in the late fall before the cold weather sit in , i shot it one handed semi rapid fire from 7 yards with federal 124 gr. hst hp's and all rounds were in the upper chest & head. not bulls eye stuff , but respectable hits that would be accpectable in a defensive situation . have had like results many times.
i like the 43 over the 42 , the latter is almost the same size but only a 380.
most 380 ammo in my area is as much or more than 9mm !
only the purchaser can decide , but i am highly satisfied with the 43 . my lady friend has shot it also and after some pointers about firing the 43 she does a decent job with 2 handed fire.
 
I had one for about a year and had no complaints. The size was perfect and I shot it well enough for what it was. I didn't expect the same accuracy as my G19 or bigger guns.

I ran across a deal on a Ruger LC9s and simply liked it a LOT more. It holds one more round, was for all practical purposes the same size, and was much more accurate in my hands. I eventually sold the Glock.
 
The G43 has been my carry gun for the past 18 months or so. Have put about 2500 rounds through it so far. Works well for me and is fairly comfortable to carry and conceals well. Not real happy with the capacity, so will sometimes use a +2 mag with it depending on what I am wearing.
 
Handguns are definitely a personal choice. When I was searching for a single stack 9 for summer carry I shot a variety.

It came down to the Sheild and the 43. I liked both but shot the 43 a little better. Now I like it so much it has become my everyday carry.
 
I love the Glocks, but the smaller sub compacts definitely take some adjustment to not jerk the trigger. Probably the abbreviated grip. I shoot the full size and compacts well. But, the subs [which I like] definitely took some range time for me to adjust. I experienced the same low/left issue. I find I have to specifically think about my grip when shooting. All other pistols fall into place more easily. I also find, if I do not shoot it regularly, I lose the ability much more quickly than any other pistol I shoot.
 
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