Impulse buy - Glock 42 .380

sigp220.45

sigp220.45

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I got it for my wife to try as a carry gun. She has a Glock 19 but needs something a bit smaller due to a change in jobs.

It was a Blue Label deal - $350 with two mags. We are back up to a 2 day wait on background checks, so no pictures but it looks like every other Glock ever made.

What sold me is it is small enough to be easily concealable but large enough to be shootable. I have an LCP but I know she would hate shooting it. I shoot all the time, and I hate shooting it.

I could have gotten a Glock 43 (9mm) for the same money, but it was just enough bigger to make a difference. The caliber (.380 vs 9mm) doesn’t mean anything to me.

The videos make it out to be very controllable. I believe it is locked breech rather than blowback, which is nice.

Anybody have one?
 
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Yes. Same story. Bought it for my wife to carry. I prefer a .38 J or K frame or something in 9mm...but the Glock 42 feels so good. Shots comfortably, reliably, and disappears in an ankle holster. I often have to carry on an ankle because of business casual type dress. Solid little gun.
 
sigp220.45 said:
I got it for my wife to try as a carry gun. She has a Glock 19 but needs something a bit smaller due to a change in jobs.

It was a Blue Label deal - $350 with two mags. We are back up to a 2 day wait on background checks, so no pictures but it looks like every other Glock ever made.

What sold me is it is small enough to be easily concealable but large enough to be shootable. I have an LCP but I know she would hate shooting it. I shoot all the time, and I hate shooting it.

I could have gotten a Glock 43 (9mm) for the same money, but it was just enough bigger to make a difference. The caliber (.380 vs 9mm) doesn’t mean anything to me.

The videos make it out to be very controllable. I believe it is locked breech rather than blowback, which is nice.

Anybody have one?
Click to expand...


My SO bought one as her first handgun 6 years ago. She keeps it stashed in the house somewhere now. Her favorite carry gun is an SR9C IWB. The Glock 42 was unreliable for her until she gained some shooting experience. She can actually shoot it pretty well now but prefers her 9mms.


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I bought one for my wife 5ish years ago ? On special three mags, a box of carry ammo and hour of range time. Brought it home. She pronounced it “too big” (spoiled by Seecamp). I carry the 43 but the 42 sure is nice and shoots well. Swapped out to Glock night sights. Ghost connectors in both of them.
And as noted by LPD below I put the Pearce one shot extension floor plates on both the 42 and 43 mags. Adds one round and totally changes the feel of the guns from EHHH ITS OK without them to OHHH NICE with them !
 
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I have one. I have large hands. So for around $20 I bought a couple Pearce bottom plates for magazines giving me the ability to get an extra finger on the grip. The gun needs a firm grip/stiff wrist to function flawlessly. I carry it frequently. Great little gun.
 
You should of bought it before Labor Day. I had a Vedder IWB holster and two spare mags. I gave them to a former co-worker who is now a realtor.
 
I don't have one, but my buddy does. He has an early one that had issues FTE and FTF. Apparently, there were issues with the early ones. I don't know if he sent it back or it was a matter of breaking it in, but I know he still has it as he said he'd give me first crack at it if he decides to sell.

I think a 9mm Makarov barrel would be a perfect fit for the G42!
 
Congrats on your G42. They are a very soft shooter and mine is my favorite .380 to carry. As was mentioned earlier, be sure to shoot it with a firm grip. Some people are prone to limp wrist the gun which can cause a shooter induced malfunction.
 
I've had one for a while. Put the Pearce extensions on all my magazines. They don't add capacity, but they give my pinky a place to hang out. Typical Glock. Always ready, always fires . . .

sigp220.45 said:
I got it for my wife to try as a carry gun. She has a Glock 19 but needs something a bit smaller due to a change in jobs.

It was a Blue Label deal - $350 with two mags. We are back up to a 2 day wait on background checks, so no pictures but it looks like every other Glock ever made.

What sold me is it is small enough to be easily concealable but large enough to be shootable. I have an LCP but I know she would hate shooting it. I shoot all the time, and I hate shooting it.

I could have gotten a Glock 43 (9mm) for the same money, but it was just enough bigger to make a difference. The caliber (.380 vs 9mm) doesn’t mean anything to me.

The videos make it out to be very controllable. I believe it is locked breech rather than blowback, which is nice.

Anybody have one?
Click to expand...
 
A few years ago I was in the same boat, but I went with the Blue Label 43, because for me the difference in performance and ammo selection was significant enough between 9mm and 380 to offset the slight difference in size. Shortly thereafter I bought a Blue Label 26 and gave the 43 to my wife. The 43 is a great gun, I just don’t like the lack of magazine choices...and she wanted it.
 
I bought a 42 a few years back. Definitely have to have a firm grip, as said above. Also, that pinky thing on the magazine really helps. It was a good little shooter. I sold it when I got my Ruger EC9s. But that 42 could hit pie plates at 25 yards even with me shooting it! Good reliable gun, but I'm a wuss...I like a safety, unlike almost everybody else!
 
I bought one several years back about a year after the G42 was introduced. Glock had some trouble with early G42 pistols and magazines. I've seen legit pics of some really shoddy barrel machine work....rough chambers and feed ramps....off center barrel crowns etc.

That said...I have had no real issues with mine which is a fairly early version. My issues being a rear sight that you could slide left or right with ease and the gun shot rather low for me. I loc-tited the rear sight and filed off the top of the front sight and it's been awsome. No jams or feed issues with any .380 ammo I've tried....I like it.
 
I just purchased one for myself. Didn’t get a chance to get it to the range but so far without shooting it I like it! Wanted something a little more then the LCP and this fit the bill.
Need to get some night sights on it!:cool:
 
About two years ago I couldn't decide between the Glock 42 or the Ruger LCP II. So I did what all men with an understanding wife do. I bought both!

When I went to the range with my wife and 24 year old stud muffin friend from work, we all came away with the same impression. The Glock is certainly much more comfortable to shoot and much better sights. The wife fired one magazine from the Ruger and that was it. For me it was about 30-40 rounds. Our friend fired about 100 rounds from the Ruger and towards the end his hand was getting sore so I gave him a glove to use from my shooting bag.
 
I think I wrote up my experiences with a G42 in a string about .380 autos. I found that it needed pretty stout ammo initially, requiring about 300 rounds of full power ball before doing ok with the Fiocchi JHP (95 grain IIRC) and about 650 rounds of those combined before it would cycle with the Black Hills Honey Badger ammo (light bullet, lower recoil impulse). You may well have to shoot a bunch before you have a reliable gun. My understanding is that most .380s need ammo that is loaded to full power to work.
 
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