I didn't want to like the Glock 42. Now, its my favorite carry gun short of a G19

[dcmdon]

I've been a mouse gun guy for 25 years.

I got my first mouse gun at the ripe old age of 21 and carried it every day. Over time I flirted with larger gun, but always ended up coming back to the mouse gun. Mainly because I'm a wuss when it comes to weight.

Over time I've learned to carry up to a G19 comfortably with a good belt and holster. But its always good to have an "anytime" gun around.

In my quest for perfection I've owned:

Beretta 950
Seecamp 25
Seecamp 32
KelTec P32
Ruger LCP
Kahr P380
Glock 42.

Except for the brief detour into the land of Keltec, each change either represented a step up in power or shootability. Usually not both.

The step up to the LCP was a definite step down in shootability.
The LCP was tiny, very reliable and eminently carryable. But it was no fun to shoot. The recoil was snappy but manageable. The problem was that the trigger guard smacked the back of my trigger finger with every shot.

Enter the Kahr. The Kahr is about the size of the LCP and is much better to shoot.

I went through more ammo with the Kahr in 6 months than I did with the LCP in 3 years. But the Kahr is like a J frame. You need to practice practice practice. Even still, when i did weak hand or moving drills, accuracy went all to hell.

I bought the Glock because I got a deal on 2 of them and thought I would sell mine after trying it out. But thats not how things worked out.
The G42 is about as big a gun as I'd want to put in my pocket. So its right at the upper edge of an "always gun".

What this extra slide and grip length got me is incredible shootability. Here is the amazing thing. I shoot the G42 better than ANY OTHER CARRY GUN i OWN, up until I get to the G17. And even that could be argued isn't a carry gun.

I can double tap head shots at 7 yards as fast as I can pull the trigger. I shoot it so much better than my larger Kahr P9 or even my G26 that I wonder which is actually a more effective human/tool combination. As the saying goes, a hit with a .380 is better than a miss with a .44.

To me, the G42 recoils about like a light wadcutter in a 686 revolver. Its nearly nonexistant. My split times when shooting for the -0 section of an idpa target are much much faster than any of my defensive sized 9mm guns. The G19 is close, but its still slower.

For me, its an epiphany. The gun is an extension of me. I can launch bullets out of it at personal best speeds with combat accuracy. I'm astonished. Its now one of my favorite guns to shoot. In fact, I shoot it so much that I'm now reloading .380.

Think about that. I'm going to continue to get better with this gun. I'm going to continue to get better at putting shots where they need to be.

If you are a shot placement trumps caliber kind of person. You owe yourself to try one of these guns out.

Don

 

[chopper_man]

I've yet to handle a G42, looking forward to getting my hands on one soon. How long ago did you have the LCP? They re-did the trigger starting in 2013. They called it the "enhanced" LCP and took all the dash out of the serial number. I am actually very impressed with the trigger on mine. I owned an older one and the trigger was about 2 times heavier. Definitely not a day at the range gun but it sure does disappear nice in a pocket!

 

[JRT]

I have nothing against the 380, it was the first gun I ever owned. I bought a Sig 230 on the day after my 21st birthday and carried that gun everyday. I was in college, thats when carrying on campus was as normal as shotgunning a beer. So I have nothing against the 380, I've established that. I have the LCP, the P380, G42 and my first gun, the 230, so I have experience with different ones. I agree besides the 230 the G42 is the best shooting of the 380s I own, then the Kahr and the LCP a distant fourth. But...I carry a PM9! I went through the same process you did and decided the G42 which is almost identical in size to the PM9 would be a dumb compromise on ballistics. I went for the the slight advantage in ballistics for a gun that carries identical to the G42. In my case, I shoot them both pretty good and if the PM9 didn't suit me I would make the same decision as you, carry what you can shoot best. So I ask, did you try a PM9?

 

[92G]

have you added the mag guts extension to bring the mag to 7+1?

i feel like for the size of the G42 it should hold more than 6 in the mag.

the G42 certainly looks cool and i found it to shoot nicely, but i just can't bring myself to invest in another .380 when i'm a 9mm kind of guy. besides my Sig P938 has become my personal favorite for a single stack CCW 9.

if i'm going to bother w .380, then i've settled on a Kahr CW380 (P380 nice too but pricy). sorry the P3AT and LCP feel and shoot like shit IMO....the kahr walks on them, which the G42 does as well.

thx for your summary i enjoy hearing your experience w the G42

 

[Canndo]

I totally agree with you dcmdon. I held one a couple weeks ago when I was picking up my G34 gen4. It felt really good in my hand. So good in fact, I went back a few days later and bought it. Since then I've been carrying it daily. Like you I'm normally carry a G19. But the comfort and shootability of the G42 cannot be denied. I have been carrying it in a Sticky holster. It fits perfect in the front pocket, back pocket, inside the waistband and also a jacket pocket.
I did find a trigger to be on the heavy side, with a "bump" or sticking point. I just installed a Ghost Inc. Edge connector which appears to have lightened and smoothed out the trigger substantially.
As far as magazine capacity goes, I have built eight round magazines with +2 extensions, seven rounders with Mag Guts and nine round magazines with a combination of both.
Today I also installed some Hieney Straight Eight night sights.
I'm really having a lot of fun with this little Glock. Something I also did not expect.

 

[PATRON]

Though I like the LC9 I have found myself falling in love with the G42 I think dcmdom has covered it all.

 

[REDSFIREARMS]

I didn't want to like the Glock 42. Now, its my favorite carry gun short of ...

I've done testing trying to improve objectivity still keeping in mind other factors such reliability, comfort, recoil and these the order I think are best in the 380acp. 1, best to 10 worst.
1-4 is like a dream come true, the "WOW"
5-6 feel great but it missing that "IT" that makes it WOW.
7-8 sure why not, they are pretty.
8-9 oh hell
10 Jaky crapy

1. Kimber Micro Raptor Stainless
2. Colt mustang xsp polymer
3. Colt mustang stainless pocketlite
4. Db380. (Manuc after May 2014 Gen 2)
5. Glock G42, MR Micro Eagle
6. Kahr cw380, Kahr CT380, RUGER LCR, KelTec a3T
7. Sig p238
8. Kahr P380 polygonal barrel kills the accuracy
9. SW BG. Who cares...
10. Who cares...
Everything else is better to use a knife...


Reds


"Exclusivity is for everyone. Try us! You'll find us refreshing."

 

[Queen Bee]

Thats and jnteresting list , ive personally been interested in the DB380 since its the 380 glock should have made. But the sketchy reliability i hear kept me from buying it. Maybe i should find a person with one to shoot

 

[dcmdon]

Just a few things I want to add.

Single action "cocked and locked" guns were disqualified from my consideraton for two reasons.
1) I shoot a Glock 34 and a Les Baer 1911 competitively. Occasionally, after shooting the the 34, I'll draw the Baer and forget to swipe the thumb safety off. This is a failure on my part. It does not reflect on the 1911 style .380s. But it makes them an unacceptable choice for me.
2) I am left handed. Many of these guns don't' have ambi safeties.

Chopper - It was anolder LCP. I understand the new triggers are much better. But it still recoils a lot more than the similar sized Kahr's. Either CW380 or P380. This isn't important from a "pain" perspective. In other words "i can handle it" has nothing to do with it. It has to do with shot to shot recovery time and the ability to throw lead fast and with reasonable accuracy.

JRT - I've owned the PM9. It is not anywhere near the size of the 42. They are similar in profile, but the PM9 is much thicker and much heavier. For me the extra weight makes it unacceptable for pocket carry. (my own personal limitation). If I'm going to carry IWB, I might as well carry the P9 which is just as thin and easier to shoot fast with accuracy, or one of my 9mm Glocks.

Also, and this is very important, I can shoot the 42 MUCH MUCH faster and with better accuracy than I could ever shoot a PM9. In my opinion, I am more effective with the G42.

I'll get some split times the next time I'm at the range, but the only handguns that I can shoot appreciably faster than the 42 are the G34 and my Les Baer 1911 which is set up to shoot my powder puff 200 gr SWC reloads. (11# recoil spring rather than 16# which is stock)

Red - I'm surprised that you put the DB380 so high on your list. I've sold 2 DB9s and both ended up going back to the factory more than once. How has the DB380 reliability been for you and your customers?

Cando - The trigger is not as good as other Glocks. I wish it were better. I actually tried to do the standard fluff and buff on my 42 and it ended up with a heavier trigger. I called Glock and confessed. They fixed it under warranty anyway. I had 2 G42s in stock and by swapping slides and frames I was able to determine that the problem was in the lower. Either way, I'm afraid to polish even the striker face. Ha. In trying to troubleshoot, I ended up completely disassembling the gun looking for burrs that I may have left. I still don't know what I did wrong, I did the same stuff I've been doing to my carry and competition Glocks since 1997.

I'm glad to hear that Ghost had come out with a connector.

I've never heard of Mag Guts. I will look into that. If I'm in CT and want ultimate comfort, I'll carry it in a flat OWB holster I made out of Kydex. In that case I carry with a +2 extension on one of the factory mags. Although when I'm in CT, I usually just carry my G19 in a Safariland ALS since CT is an OC state.

One of the things that I hope is obvious in all this is that selection of a carry gun is a very personal thing.

If I was right handed and shot only 1911 style guns, then many of the 1911 style guns might be more effective. I've shot the sig and it was a very nice shooter. Also, the Sig has an insanely light recoil spring, which makes it a great choice for someone who is smaller or has hand injuries, provided they are willing to TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN so swiping the safety off is instinctive AND swiping the trigger ON when going off target is also instinctive. (many people forget that they need to train to swipe the safety on when going off target)

 

[dcmdon]

Does anyone remember the old Ram Line high cap mags made before 1994 that used a coil spring in tension behind the follower?

 

[REDSFIREARMS]

I didn't want to like the Glock 42. Now, its my favorite carry gun short of ...

Hi Dcmdon,
Any db380 made before May 2014 had issues with loading. That got worked out on the second generation manuf after May 2014.
DB380 some how even if so small the recoil is less than the G42 and it is very accurate for such size. I was very impressed. I am glad you found the G42 platform they are fantastic any made after June 2014.

Reds


"Exclusivity is for everyone. Try us! You'll find us refreshing."

 

[Canndo]

2014?

 

[REDSFIREARMS]

I didn't want to like the Glock 42. Now, its my favorite carry gun short of ...

Oh yeah, May 2014 ,, let me edit that. Thank you.


"Exclusivity is for everyone. Try us! You'll find us refreshing."

 

[dixidawg]

Never mind

 

[REDSFIREARMS]

Never mind

Db380 Gen2 made after May 2014. ThumbsUP
G42 made after June 2014. ThumbsUP




"Exclusivity is for everyone. Try us! You'll find us refreshing."

 

[drgrant]

After seeing the blown up diamondbacks all over the place I'd never buy one. When they say "don't use +P, bad shit happens" they're not lying. There's no reason something should be made that poorly.

-Mike

 

[REDSFIREARMS]

I didn't want to like the Glock 42. Now, its my favorite carry gun short of ...

After seeing the blown up diamondbacks all over the place I'd never buy one. When they say "don't use +P, bad shit happens" they're not lying. There's no reason something should be made that poorly.

-Mike

Yeap, they clearly stated NOT to use +P ammo.

I wouldn't agree of poor manucfaring, since never seen any pistol maker of 380acp saying that's it's okay to use +P on 380acp since there is no pressure standard to such cal...
It's small pocket pistol are not +P.

Reds


"Exclusivity is for everyone. Try us! You'll find us refreshing."

 

[allen-1]

+1 on the G42 as a .380 deep cover carry gun.
I've got one of the original Colt Mustangs, we've got a sig P238, a sig P232 and the G42; of them all, the G42 has become my favorite for daily deep cover carry.

I like the G42 for the same reasons I like my G34, (and it's not quite as ugly). It just works. No matter what ammo I put in it, every time I pull the trigger, it goes "bang". And it's easy to hit the target I'm aiming at with it. I can hit the target with any of the .380's, but I was surprised how far I could back up and still hit the target with the G42 without effort. It's easy to shoot accurately with the stock sights. Another big plus for me of course is that it has the same controls as my G34 full size carry gun, so there's less to think about in a crisis situation.

No mods to the firearm, the setup I'm currently using is:
Mags extension added to give me a full two-fingered grip on the butt plus seven rounds in each mag;
Spare mag carried in a "snagmag" holder, it's discreeet;
DeSantis 105-Y8 IWB hybrid holster.

 

[dcmdon]

And it's easy to hit the target I'm aiming at with it. I can hit the target with any of the .380's, but I was surprised how far I could back up and still hit the target with the G42 without effort. It's easy to shoot accurately with the stock sights. .

For me this was a big deal.

The Kahr P380 has excellent mechanical accuracy. Shot slowly with proper target style trigger discipline (squeeeeeezzzzeee, corners, corners, front sight front sight) its amazingly accurate.

Just like a tiny revolver like a snubbie J frame.

But just like a J frame accuracy suffers if you are out of practice and try to shoot quickly.
It can be done, but you have to be proficient. That means you have to practice regularly with that specific firearm.

The G42 is no more accurate than the Kahr when fired slowly. But it is MUCH easier to fire fast with decent accuracy. My guess is that is has less of a tendency to rotate in your hand because of the larger grip. I also suspect the longer sight radius makes it more obvious if you are pulling or pushing the sights off target.

For me, its the practical accuracy when you are shooting fast that is unique among .380s.

 

[drgrant]

I wouldn't agree of poor manucfaring, since never seen any pistol maker of 380acp saying that's it's okay to use +P on 380acp since there is no pressure standard to such cal...
It's small pocket pistol are not +P.

I would.... because worst case scenario with +P the others will possibly jam due to timing issues, etc. At least they won't blow up because they're not made out of junk materials like the DB's are. Diamondbacks are junk class guns, to believe otherwise is kinda delusional.

-Mike

 

[dcmdon]

My P380 thrives on +p. And my LCP did fine with it also. The Kahr actually runs better with hot stuff.

I haven't run any +P in the Glock.

 

[dcmdon]

I can't find the Ghost connector at any of my normal sources.

Does anyone have a source other than from Ghost themself?

Don

 

[Canndo]

I can't find the Ghost connector at any of my normal sources.

Does anyone have a source other than from Ghost themself?

Don

http://gallowayprecision.com/glock-g42/

****Update****Just saw that they were out of stock. Sorry. Any reason you don't want to order directly from Ghost? I paid $24.99 from the manufacturer. I'm not sure if I got the presell price. It looks like Galloway is $34.99.

*****Just found this company. He has low stock as of now.
http://www.kingglock.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=1117806&CAT=9445

 

[dcmdon]

I'm fine with ordering from Ghost. I'm just hoping to save a few bucks and order from a company I've already done business with.

The one Galloway had for $35 was the one with the nub that you fit to the gun to minimize overtravel. The regular one is $25.

Don

 

[Canndo]

I'm fine with ordering from Ghost. I'm just hoping to save a few bucks and order from a company I've already done business with.

The one Galloway had for $35 was the one with the nub that you fit to the gun to minimize overtravel. The regular one is $25.

Don

Yes.Galloway is out of stock on both. You're correct on the price. I wouldn't go for the custom fit one. I ordered directly from Ghost. I think I might've done the priority shipping. Plus they gave me a bunch of stickers and a morale patch. It's the little things that keep me happy.

 

[FPrice]

I've held a Glock 42 twice and both times, while I wanted to like it, I had a problem. Even though I have normal size hands when I take up a good grip I have too much finger in the trigger guard. It just feels too awkward and small.

I guess that means just one more Glock for someone else to buy.

 

[Chet0729]

I had a chance to fire one last night, a friend bought one.
I was not impressed.
gritty trigger
Several feed issues with 2 or 3 different types of ammo
It just wasn't comfortable for me. I have small hands and it still felt like the grip was too small.

I let him shoot my p238 and he wished that he had bought one instead of the G42.

 

[allen-1]

Yes.Galloway is out of stock on both. You're correct on the price. I wouldn't go for the custom fit one. I ordered directly from Ghost. I think I might've done the priority shipping. Plus they gave me a bunch of stickers and a morale patch. It's the little things that keep me happy.

It's the little things that keep me happy.
Do I need to put this sentence out of context for the cheap laugh or can everyone do it for themselves?
Don't forget to tip your waiter/waitress...

 

[drgrant]

I had a chance to fire one last night, a friend bought one.
I was not impressed.
gritty trigger
Several feed issues with 2 or 3 different types of ammo
It just wasn't comfortable for me. I have small hands and it still felt like the grip was too small.

I let him shoot my p238 and he wished that he had bought one instead of the G42.

His gun is broken, tell him he should send it back.

I can kinda understand the grip being too small thing, though. The rest of it sounds like a broken gun. My trigger is a tad heavy and stacks a bit, but there is no grit. And it eats everything I've fed it.

-Mike

 

[yanici]

I looked at one at a gun shop and had the shop owner let me put it side by side with a Shield. There wasn't much difference in size but the Shield gives you a 9MM instead of a .380. To me, the Shield wins.

For a .380 I gotta say that the Sig 238 is really nice and shootable mouse gun. I'd take it over a Glock 42.