Glock 43

[The Annoyed Man]

My wife has been EDC'ing a Kahr CW9, but she has been just plain resistant to on-body carry all time........says she's gonna do it, but persists in carrying in her purse. I kept telling her that she's going to arm a thief some day. This morning, I read THIS THREAD to her. She finally agreed to carry on body as she went out shopping today, with a belly-band under arm type holster I bought her a long time ago, but she wanted something smaller than the CW9 she has been carrying. So I loaned her my PM9.

But, she owns a G19 and is pretty familiar with the Glock system, so I'm thinking of getting her a G43 to replace my PM9. I have a few questions......

1. Do those of you who own or have owned a G43 have any complaints, or are they the usual boringly reliable Glocks?

2. How do they shoot compared to the other mini-9s? Is the recoil pretty stout, or not too bad for a small pistol?

3. Is there one of you who currently has a G43 live in the Grapevine area, and might you let me run a few rounds through it to see how it shoots, side by side with my PM9?

[John Galt]

Eagle Gun Range in Lewisville has one to rent.

[AJSully421]

I don't own one, but I have shot one. My wife carries a Shield no safety in her purse. The G43 shoots the same as the shield.

The grip texture is much better on the Glock. In a few more months, i'll sell that shield and get her a 43.

[RoyGBiv]

The G43 is less snappy than the Kahr, IMO.
You can rent a G43 at ShootSmart over on Golden Triangle at 35W

[rentz]

I'd have her try the pm9 , shield and g43 side by side maybe throw in an xds or pps as well.
I love the shield its soft shooting compared to my pm9, most people say the g43 shoots similar but maybe a little more felt recoil

I've yet to fire a 43 but if the trigger is anything like my 42 was its quite a bit different than the typical glocks . Much stiffer and shorter

[KaiJawn]

I have a glock 43. Its my personal carry weapon. It is the same boring reliable glock. I've shot 500 rounds through it and have had no issues. Trigger is stiff but I prefer that on a carry weapon. I'm a male and have no issues with the size. Recoil is felt, but not unmanageable. I personally feel that the recoil is more than the shield but it's a small difference. I highly recommend putting Trijicon HD Sights on the gun and you will have a near perfect carry weapon. I couldn't be more happy. Sorry this is all over the place I'm just aimlessly walking the mall and typing this while my wife shops.

[carlson1]

TAM I have one and I love it. I don't carry it unless as a BUG. You are more than welcome to take and try it out before buying if you want. You have my information just let me know.

Edit: I also have a Shield in 9mm if your want to try both you are welcome.

[CleverNickname]

I have 3. They're great, basically an 85%-sized Glock 19. If she already shoots a G19, then the similar grip angle and trigger will be a big plus. I've been shooting mine lately at the weekly IDPA match I go to and I've not had any reliability problems. IMO the big advantage over other similar small single-stack 9mm's is that you can get a weapon light for it (either the TLR6 or the Lasermax Centerfire).

[cheezit]

Tam I know your asking about the glock, but...
Take a good look at the sig p938. It is the easiest gun to rack the slide on I have found. Factory night sights that are better then avarge too.

[b4aftr]

TAM, if you would like to try out the 938, let me know I have one to borrow and I come to Gvine and S.L. often.

[The Annoyed Man]

Tam I know your asking about the glock, but...
Take a good look at the sig p938. It is the easiest gun to rack the slide on I have found. Factory night sights that are better then avarge too.

TAM, if you would like to try out the 938, let me know I have one to borrow and I come to Gvine and S.L. often.

Thanks for that suggestion guys, but my wife already thinks a 1911 is a complicated gun. I don't think she's going to find a tiny one any easier. That's why I am focused on the G43, and possibly an M&P Shield, compared to the PM9.

[Charlies.Contingency]

Tam I know your asking about the glock, but...
Take a good look at the sig p938. It is the easiest gun to rack the slide on I have found. Factory night sights that are better then avarge too.

TAM, if you would like to try out the 938, let me know I have one to borrow and I come to Gvine and S.L. often.

Thanks for that suggestion guys, but my wife already thinks a 1911 is a complicated gun. I don't think she's going to find a tiny one any easier. That's why I am focused on the G43, and possibly an M&P Shield, compared to the PM9.

Hey Tam, my opinion is that there are 3 guns in the category you are looking at. The XD(S), Shield, and G42/43. They are similar in size, shape, design, and have commen features and calibers.

As you know my friend, I prefer the XD(S) .45 with a 3.3in barrel. Unfortionately, my wife thinks it is too bulky? She likes the fit and size/weight of the G42 & G43 over the XD(S), but with the Shield in 2nd place due to the odd grips. Her favorite full size is a XD(M), and she hates my full size glocks. But she appreciates the simplicity and plain(ness) in the "tiny" glock.

I am sad to say she prefers the .380, and she likes the caliber, though I would choose 9x19 over 9x17 any day of the week. Though I prefer my XD(S) like you. I could get you either down here at a place near San Marcus, but you live way up there!

I hope you find my blabbering useful,
Charlie.

[The Annoyed Man]

Thanks Charlie. We discussed getting her an XDS-9 a while back, but she is really enamored of the weight/size savings of my PM9......and I don't want to surrender it because I also have an occasional carry need for a tiny 9mm. She has fired my XDS-45 once and didn't particularly like it. (I think she's crazy. ) The XDS-9 actually weighs 1.5 oz more than the .45 due to the smaller ID of the barrel, and even if the size works (maybe), the weight doesn't; and I am trying to make this as easy for her to adapt to as possible.

I was successful the other day in convincing her to use her Belly Band (TheWellArmedWoman.com) daily, and she has been EDC'ing my PM9 since the day before yesterday.

The crucial measurements for the PM9 are:

• Overall Length: 5.42"
  Overall Height: 4.0"
  Overall Width: .90" (the frame is the same width as the slide, not counting the slide stop)
  Barrel length: 3.1" (1:10 polygonal rifling)
  Weight: Pistol 14 ounces, Magazine 1.9 ounces (ammo extra)
  Capacity: 6+1, 7+1 (magazine with grip extension)

The crucial measurements for the G43 are:

• Overall Length: 6.26 in.
  Overall Height: 4.25 in.
  Width: 1.02 in. (across the slide...the frame is wider)
  Barrel length: 3.39 in. (1:984 hexagonal rifling)
  Weights: 17.95 oz. (unloaded), 22.36 oz. (loaded) - presumably the unloaded weight includes the magazine
  Capacity: 6+1

The crucial measurements for the M&P Shield (no thumb safety) are:

• Overall Length: 6.1”
  Overall Height: 4.6”
  Frame Width: .95” (slide is same width at the bottom, narrower at the top)
  Barrel Length: 3.1”
  Weight: 19.0 oz.
  Capacity: 7 and 8 Round Magazines (+1)

The crucial measurements for the XDS-9 are:

• Overall Length: 6.2"
  Overall Height: 4.4" with short mag, 5.5" with extended mag
  Width: .9" (slide & frame)
  Barrel length: 3.3" (1:10, standard rifling)
  Weight: 23 oz with empty magazine
  Capacity: 7 and 8 Round magazines (+1)

I put together this chart to visualize it a bit better:

PocketPistols.pdf

(35.13 KiB) Downloaded 54 times

At first glance, the Kahr appears to be a clear winner, but it has several strikes against it that are hard to quantify on this chart. For one thing, it is mine, and I don't want to give it up to my wife.....but that's irrelevant to this comparison. I own an XDS, and I have handled a Shield, and I can state categorically that the build quality is better by far on either of those guns than on the Kahr. Although I can't speak directly the the G43, the two other Glocks we own are very well made. I don't like the Kahr magazines, I don't like they way they fit into the frame, and I don't like the fact that they don't hold the top round very securely in a spare magazine. I don't like the way the Kahr's take down for cleaning. The takedown and the mag quality speaks to cost-cutting during manufacture, even in the VERY expensive PM9 Black with night sights that I own. I bought mine used, so I don't have the $987.00 MSRP in it that is quoted for it, but a new XDS, Shield, or G43 is less today than I paid for my PM9 used, which, when I bought it, the other pistols didn't exist yet.

My primary reasons for interest in the Glock over the others are that 1) my wife is familiar with the platform, and 2) I have come to like it. But if it weren't for her need, I wouldn't be on the market for another pocket pistol right now.

I prefer polygonal/hexagonal rifling because it is easier to clean, and it generates slightly higher muzzle velocities (important in a pocket pistol).

[TXBO]

My wife carries a G19 when she is wearing jeans but a G43 in a sticky holster when she is wearing yoga pants or the likes. I put 500 rounds through it before I let her carry it. No malfunctions with various ammo. Just the same old boring reliability that you mentioned. I don't notice a difference in the trigger vs any of my other Glocks. She has no problem with felt recoil.

I prefer that she carry the G19 but because the G43 is so light and easy to conceal in her clothing with the sticky holster, she carries on-body almost all of the time now.

[Abraham]

I'd rather carry a Glock 19 for it's capacity and solid feel.

I remember reading endless comments about carrying a gun isn't about comfort, it's about self defense and how to improve it.

Now, it's all about single stack, comfy guns...

If ever I have to pull my gun, and it only carries 7 rounds, I know I'd be thinking, Egads! Why, Oh Why, do I have a gun with so little capacity?

What was I thinking????

As a BUG, yeah, O.K.

EDC?

NEVER!