Glock 42 vs. J Frame for pocket carry

[johngross]

For several years I have front pocket carried a J Frame, and while the comfort is "ok", it is a bit bulky and bulges in my pocket because of the cylinder diameter.

So lately I've been thinking about a Glock 42. The overall dimensions and weight of the Glock are slightly less than the J Frame, plus the Glock has a slide width of .83" vs. the cylinder on my two J Frames of 1.31". That's a considerable reduction (1/2") in "thickness."

While numbers on paper can give some indication, there's nothing like a real world comparison. So, anybody own or have experience pocket carrying the two guns mentioned? Does the slimness of the Glock mean less bulk in the pocket? My math says yes, but as I said, I'm looking for first hand comparisons.

For what it's worth, I found this picture on the net with a J Frame overlaying a Glock 42. And another FWIW, I'm 140 pounds and take a 32" waist, wearing mostly dress slacks or casual pants. I don't do baggy pants, or cargo shorts, etc. Thank you, John.

 

[Ziggy2525]

I have J-Frames. I had a Glock 42 (sold).

For me, I found the square shape of the Glock 42 made it harder to pocket draw. The top edge of the sights/slide would get hung up on the front edge of my pocket. The rounder shape of the Centennial J-Frames makes pocket draw easier (with my pockets anyway).

The Glock 42 concealed better in the pocket than the j-frame. The j-frame looks like there's a golf ball in my pocket.

Best bet is to try a 42 in your pocket if you can to see how it will work.

I could shoot the Glock 42 more accurately. The pistol has almost no recoil. Nothing wrong with .380, but you give up a lot of cartridge power using the .380 over a .38 Special +P or .357 magnum.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I have pocket carried a J frame for years. But recently I’ve carried a Glock 43 in the front pocket of my cargo shorts. No problems.

 

[Flyingfool]

Seems to me the flat G42 would print the shape of a fun easier than the Jframe. Maybe more comfortable but I think the gun shape would be more easily made out. The roundness and bulk may actually break up the gun shape and nkt give itself away.

Std 38 special and 380 acp are what I would consider equal in terms of power. Wider gap with +p fir sure. But most people dont like the snap or are able to get great follow up shots with 38+p.

357 with less than 3” or 4” barrel just gains recoil with not an associated additional gain in power and further worsens follow up shot accuracy. Most of the extra powder is burned beyond the end of the barrel which is of no help to power.

Also if shooting from inside a coat pocket etc is a consideration, that too would be a benefit to the hammeless revolver. As a 42 or any semi auto the slide can get caught up in the fabric and jam.

 

[diyj98]

I sold my 42, but I do find a Ruger LCP is much easier to pocket carry than a j frame for me. The 42 was a bit easier as well, but not as much as the smaller LCP.

 

[dr. mordo]

I have both.

I'm not a Glock fan at all, but the G42 might be the last Glock I sell. It's kind of the perfect 380 IMO. That said, it lives in the safe.

While the G42 is flatter, I think the actual difference between the two will be minimal, and you sacrifice the ultimate reliability of a revolver.

If I carry a 380, it's my Bodyguard which is significantly smaller than both a G42 and a J frame. But 99% of the time I carry a J frame or my Taurus 445.

 

[Kifaru]

One thing to consider that may or may not be an important consideration, and I'm assuming, of course, that a pocket holster is a given: comfortable carry in the pocket is one thing, and a comfortable draw from the pocket is another. In my hands (and pockets) the cylinder of the J-frame provides just the right amount of offset to get both a fast and secure purchase on the stocks. Truthfully, I haven't tried it, but just imagining hurriedly clawing the much flatter Glock 42 out of my pocket with that light, short trigger kind of gives me the heebie jeebies. A J-Frame in the pocket, just feels right to me. So far, I haven't seen anything that would tempt me to change. But I'm pig-headed and set in my ways.

 

[beb42503]

The Glock 42 lends it's self to a billfold type holster really well. I prefer the rear pocket carry. If carried in a front pocket I do not think there would be much difference. I would carry a Body Guard type J or a 642 in a front pocket without a holster. If I pocket carry a Glock it's going to have some type of pocket holster covering it or I won't carry it. Just too easy under stress to get ahold of a Glock trigger and get a discharge accidently IMO.

 

[bubbatime]

I carry a Glock 42 most days, its my favorite carry pistol. My shorts are cargo shorts 365 days a year here in south Florida, so that works for me. If you wear dress slacks, I don't really think the Glock 42 will work for you. It has a squarish shape that is not conducive to pocket carry, in smaller pockets, in my opinion.

The holsters pictured are very thin kydex pocket holsters by Aholster.

The j-frame holster pictured is called their backbone holster, which is very thin around the cylinder as it removes the holster material from the cylinder area, making for a very slim concealed carry. This could be an option for your "thick" j-frame carry issues.

As you can see, the Ruger LCP is much smaller than the Glock 42, and likely a better carry option if the Glock 42 doesn't fit your dress slacks.

 

[Old cop]

I own the 340PD and LCP and the .380 carried better/easier b/c it is smaller and lighter. That said the LCP’s mag kept popping out when in my pocket holster so it went back into the safe. It should come down to which one you shoot best under simulated combat conditions.

 

[ShivasIrons]

I own J Frames, old style LCP and G42. LCP is probably the easiest for pocket carry. I have no problems with the mag popping out.

That said, I carry the J frame (Bobbed hammer 637) most often. It is an old friend that I trust. A good pocket holster really helps. I like the Safariland Model 25 Holster.

 

[OLDSTER]

I wouldn't carry any Glock in my pocket ( unless with an empty chamber). I'm not ready to be a castrated soprano

 

[dr. mordo]

I wouldn't carry any Glock in my pocket ( unless with an empty chamber). I'm not ready to be a castrated soprano

I wouldn't either... unless it was in a holster.

 

[bubbatime]

I wouldn't carry any Glock in my pocket ( unless with an empty chamber). I'm not ready to be a castrated soprano

Done it for 15 years, perfectly safe in a pocket holster. Nothing else goes in the pocket, just the gun and holster.

 

[bubbatime]

That said the LCP’s mag kept popping out when in my pocket holster so it went back into the safe.

Look at the Aholster holsters I pictured above. He covers the magazine release with kydex, so its impossible to eject the magazine when its in your pocket. You could literally put 150 to 200 pounds of pressure on the kydex over the magazine release, and it will NOT release the magazine. Its a fantastic design. This assumes your magazine release is functioning perfect. I have inspected several LCP pistols that had defective magazine releases, that would eject magazines with a simple yank of the mag without pushing the button.

I had an Alabama pocket holster for another gun, and he does not cover the magazine button with kydex, so that gun was constantly ejecting the magazine in my pocket. I emailed him, told him about his defective holster and how to improve it by covering the magazine release with kydex, and he told me his design was sound and I was mistaken. Well no, Mr. Alabama, your holsters are not sound and the the cheaper Aholster pocket is of the most superior pocket design I have yet found.

See the attached pictures, the magazine button is completely covered, and cant be pressed, so no mags ejecting into the pocket.

 

[hostler]

I wouldn't carry any Glock in my pocket ( unless with an empty chamber). I'm not ready to be a castrated soprano

I wouldn't carry any gun in my pocket unless it's in a holster. There's no reason to not use a holster when cheap pocket holsters that cover the trigger can be had for $5-$10.

I've got a Kydex pocket holster for my LCP. I love Kydex pocket holsters, they are thin, lightweight, last forever, not very expensive, don't react to sweat, trigger protection is unparalleled. I really need to get off my butt and buy one for my j frame.

 

[haywood]

I’ve been carrying a lightweight J-Frame in my pants pockets since 2004. A second gun has been in my waist 99% of the time. When I buy pants. The J-Frame and pocket holster are tried for size. If the gun and holster don’t fit the pocket, I don’t buy the Pants. I can carry my 442 and pocket holster in every pair of pants I wear.

 

[white cloud]

Pocket carry is my default method of carry. I have a Kahr CM9. It has been dead nuts reliable but I can draw much faster from the pocket with a Model 649. I have spent a small fortune on pocket holsters for the CM9 but for me the results stand. That factor and the ECQ advantages of the 649 means the CM9 sits in the safe. "Five for sure right now" is really important to me.

 

[GeoJelly]

I wouldn't carry any Glock in my pocket ( unless with an empty chamber). I'm not ready to be a castrated soprano...

I post this foto with some trepidation because, usually, any mention of using a safety device on a Glock brings out the "you don't know what you're doing / you haven't trained enough" crew. With that out of the way, I really like the safe-t-blok doohickey for my Glocks. It is way over-priced - $17-ish - but they are pretty well made. And, they have a little adjustment screw on them to tighten up the fit between frame sizes. It doesn't even take a half-second to push it out with my trigger finger. It gives me peace of mind when I carry this G42 - nothing is 100% fool-proof but I like to use it...

Back on-topic - they're both good for pocket carry - just Depends , to me, what I'm wearing that day ...

 

[Rudi]

I had several Glocks over the years. Got rid of them all. I would never pocket carry one. As we saw a few months back with the drunken, dancing, FBI agent. Too easy to touch off IMO.