Larry Vickers take Glock 43 vs. Shield

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I have both. The one problem I have with the 43 is when I push the mag release with the thumb on my right hand ( I'm right handed) the release button hits my hand on the other side of the pistol which stops the button from releasing the mag fully and it won't drop out. I have to pull it out with my left hand. I have to really tilt my hand to get it clear of the release button. And as the video explained the shield is softer to shoot.
 
Ironically,last Saturday my son and I picked up my local pharmacist's G43 for some of my son's grip texturing.With his permission we decided to test it against the Shield.

In slow aimed fire at 25,10,and 7 yards they were equally accurate.He perceived a little more recoil from the G43 with the two hand hold,but I couldn't tell much difference.
When we moved to moving and shooting one handed,both strong and weak hand,the G43 was definetely snappier to me.
The Shield was much more controllable and easier to hit well with in this type of realistic defensive shooting.

We still prefer Shield for a small single stack 9mm. The better out of the box features,including very usable steel sights and a more hand filling grip make the G43 a no go for me personally.
 
I work at a LGS and the fever for the 43 has worn off. The Shield however, is still hot as ever. Have one, father in-law got one, brother in-law owns one... we all have a couple of G-locks, but none of us got a 43. Local LEO are buying them like crazy 'cause its a G-lock and approved by all. Shield is IMHHO, a better, higher capacity, ergonomic, shooter. Pass on the G43 here...
 
I don't have a Shield but I do have a Glock 43. I continue to be
amazed at how compact it really is. It hides better than my
lightweight J frame S&W in the front pocket of my jeans in a thin
pocket holster. Recoil seems moderate to me even with +P ammo.
Like them or not, Glocks are hard to beat for rugged durability. I think
Glock has another winner in the 43.
 
alwslate said:
I don't have a Shield but I do have a Glock 43. I continue to be
amazed at how compact it really is. It hides better than my
lightweight J frame S&W in the front pocket of my jeans in a thin
pocket holster. Recoil seems moderate to me even with +P ammo.
Like them or not, Glocks are hard to beat for rugged durability. I think
Glock has another winner in the 43.
Click to expand...

The Glock 43 is the biggest of the common single stack 9mm guns. Kahr CM9/PM9, S&W Shield, Taurus 709, Ruger LCP, Springfield XDS9, Beretta Nano, all of these are slimmer than the Glock 43 and most are smaller in the other dimensions.
If the Glock 43 has to be compared to a revolver to look svelte, well, that says enough.
 
Isnt the xds 3.3 larger than g43? Im certain it is.

I own a xds 3.3 in 9mm and plan on selling it to get a glock.
 
Don't overlook the Sig P938. That's my go to pocket carry. Slightly larger than a my CM9, but easily concealable in a front pocket. Not so much so for my Shield 9, but that necessarily isn't a bad thing depending on intended use.

My 2 cents on Shield 9 vs. 43. I apexed my Shield and total cost is still under what a 43 is going for. Would be very interesting to compare that configuration to any stock 43. Doubt if there would be much comparison.
 
ClayCow said:
Isnt the xds 3.3 larger than g43? Im certain it is.

I own a xds 3.3 in 9mm and plan on selling it to get a glock.
Click to expand...

I was hesitant to put the XDS, but it is thinner. Same length, 0.15" taller for an extra round of capacity. XDS is heavier, though.

Neither work for my pockets, but if it was something for the pocket, I'd probably want the XDS just for the extra safety.
 
Yea. I got the XDS for the grip safety. But i bought the pearce grip extensions, bad idea. The gun tapers down towards the end, the pearce grip doesnt account for rhat so now there is a ledge of sharpish plastic that digs into my back.
 
Last I looked at the numbers, if you lined up a Kahr PM9, a Glock 43, and some subcompact doublestack like the Taurus PT111G2, the Glock was closer to the doublestack in dimensions than it was closer to the PM9.
You don't go with the Glock 43 for it's size in relation to other offerings, you go with it if you like Glocks.

My PM9 is as big a gun as I can get to work in my pockets (and yeah I have the version with a safety)
 
Once you get past the Glock 19 Glock 19 Glock 19 Glock 19 stuff I liked that he pointed out the junky nature of Glock sights. If you can shoot with them, and I know some folks can, good for you. I think they are awful. :)
 
Like the above poster, I like my Glocks and prefer them to the M&P but I have zero interest in the 43 or the Shield or any other thin, small pocket gun. They are way to small to hold and shoot.
 
The Glock has too small of a grip for me, and I hate the stock trigger.

The Shield is okay, but also not for me.

I like the Walther CCP quite a bit, but not enough to buy one. It's so awkward.

I'm just not ready for the plastic fantastics, I guess.
 
McE said:
Last I looked at the numbers, if you lined up a Kahr PM9, a Glock 43, and some subcompact doublestack like the Taurus PT111G2, the Glock was closer to the doublestack in dimensions than it was closer to the PM9.
You don't go with the Glock 43 for it's size in relation to other offerings, you go with it if you like Glocks.

My PM9 is as big a gun as I can get to work in my pockets (and yeah I have the version with a safety)
Click to expand...

You're right about one thing at least, I do like things that
work and that includes Glocks. But as for size, I also have
a doublestack sub compact, the 26 and there is a considerable difference in size.
 
alwslate said:
You're right about one thing at least, I do like things that
work and that includes Glocks. But as for size, I also have
a doublestack sub compact, the 26 and there is a considerable difference in size.
Click to expand...

Which also means you don't go with a Glock 26 for it's size compared to other double stack offerings, you go with a 26 because you like Glocks despite their size.

Nothing wrong with liking Glocks, I just don't care for statements like 'they are super awesome because they are super small'. They aren't, compared to actual comparable guns.

Again, if you have to compare a Glock 43 to the Glock 26 to make the 43 look svelte, that says enough.
 
I have never shot the 43 but even compared to the 42, i find the shield way nicer and more pleasant to shoot. The 42 is nice and it's pretty accurate but I can't shoot more than 4 or 5 mags before it starts to hurt my hands especially my finger where the pad interfaces with that glock trigger safety... it's really uncomfortable.

After a couple years of light shooting only once or twice a month ( i admit im pretty casual ) I actually LIKE the hinged trigger of the M&P compared to the blade insert thats on the glock... it doesn't hurt my fingers when i shoot that "crappy" stock MP trigger. I don't even feel that much of a need for those Apex parts...altho I am curious since ppl talk so higly about them.

Obviously this is a S&W forum so I don't expect that are quite as many glock fanboys on here...but it just reinforces why I prefer the MP family over the glock line. It's just as reliable and it just works better for me
 
Last edited:
If Glock sold the 43 at the price point the Shield is at, I wonder what I would have done. I'm glad Glock made my decision very easy, I love my Shield.
 
McE said:
Which also means you don't go with a Glock 26 for it's size compared to other double stack offerings, you go with a 26 because you like Glocks despite their size.

Nothing wrong with liking Glocks, I just don't care for statements like 'they are super awesome because they are super small'. They aren't, compared to actual comparable guns.

Again, if you have to compare a Glock 43 to the Glock 26 to make the 43 look svelte, that says enough.
Click to expand...

I have three Glocks, my first one, a Gen 2 mod 19, my
second one, a Gen 3 mod 26 and my 43. As you might notice
they descend in size. I don't know who who are quoting
because at 70 "super awesome" isn't in my vocabulary
so show me where I said that. I see comments where people
judge one gun "better" than another because of a myriad of
subjective opinions such as grip feel or trigger smoothness
and overlook the obvious. There is so much more to a gun
than a "smooth trigger", my favorite silly remark. Glock
has the world standard 9mm pretty well figured out. This
isn't debatable. The world market votes with dollar bills
and it has spoken.
 
I had been considering both the G43 and Shield 9 for a few months, but bought the Shield 9 because of the availability of the Mag-guts magazine inserts for it.
I thought the product would increase the magazine capacity by one round but once the Mag-guts springs were broken in to the magazines, the OEM 8-round staggered magazines will accept 10 rounds.
Considering the M&P Compact 9 magazines will hold only 2 additional rounds for an MSRP of $100 more than the Shield 9, I'll stick with the Shield with 21 rounds in two magazines.
Echo47

"Never give up your 2nd Amendment rights."
 
alwslate said:
I don't have a Shield but I do have a Glock 43. I continue to be
amazed at how compact it really is. It hides better than my
lightweight J frame S&W in the front pocket of my jeans in a thin
pocket holster.
Click to expand...

"Glock 43 is amazingly compact" + "Glock 43 hides better than a revolver"
-Just about every other single stack 9 is more compact, so what's amazing about its size?
It's like stating that a particular car with the worst-in-class fuel efficiency is amazingly fuel efficient. Then saying that it's more fuel efficient than an SUV. :confused:
 
McE said:
"Glock 43 is amazingly compact" + "Glock 43 hides better than a revolver"
-Just about every other single stack 9 is more compact, so what's amazing about its size?
It's like stating that a particular car with the worst-in-class fuel efficiency is amazingly fuel efficient. Then saying that it's more fuel efficient than an SUV. :confused:
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm tired of hearing that as well. I'd still like to fire a 43 since I am a G fanboy, but my LGS sells them before they even hit the shelf and they won't put them in the rental rotation.
 
I think he hit the nail on head. I think that Glock missed the mark on that pistol. I do have a full size Glock and do really like it. But I think the 43 is a waste of money.
 
Well, the 43 wasn't available when I bought my shield, but if it had been, I still would have gone with the shield. I picked the shield, not because it was S&W, but because it was the best gun, of it's size, for the price point (give or take $100). I see nothing to change that with the release of the 43.

I will say that my next gun will probably be G19. The few full sized Glocks I've shot (a 19, 23, 26 and another I don't remember) I shoot better than other full sized guns, such as the M&P9.

Unfortunately, my daughter is engaged, so any future purchases have to wait, as does pretty much everything else, till "After the Wedding"
 
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