The term "Micro-Glocks" is intended to refer to the single-stack .380 and 9mm Glock pistols: The 9mm Glock 43 at top.

This is my first look at the Micro Glock series of pistols: the Glock 42 in .380 ACP and the Glock 43 in 9mm. They've been out for a while, the G42 somewhat longer than the bigger brother has, and the shake-down cruise has apparently been put to good use. I was confronted by a member of the Glock sales team while at the Shooting Industry Masters. He asked if I was interested in comparing the two smallest Glock pistols for an article. -- Or a series of articles, more likely. I told him I'd do what I could. Between travel commitments, getting support gear and ammo arranged – plus the interesting weather pattern, I just took the first range trip with the nice feeling little heaters last Friday. It was a short trip, but a start.

The Glock 42 .380 (top) is noticeably smaller than the G43 9mm upon which it rests. The difference is slight, but discernible.

You've no doubt seen the facts and figures comparing the two little guns. I don't want to bore you with going over covered ground. The Glock 43 9mm is noticeably larger than the .380 in length and slide thickness. It also has a magazine with an extended toe on the floorplate – the other being flat. This gives the hand more to handle with the stouter cartridge. I had belt holsters for each gun: Galco's hybrid TacSlide for the G43 and the Gould & Goodrich B897-G42 Tension Belt Slide Holster for the .380 Auto. The TacSlide features a steerhide back with a Kydex pouch. The G&G rig is a leather pouch with a tension screw. I did a little research as I took photos and measurements. It seems that some users – as diverse as Larry Vickers and the "Youtube personality" Hickok45 – got sore trigger fingers from shooting the brisk Glock 43. The issue is at the bottom of the trigger finger as it pinches between trigger and trigger guard. Hickok45 noted that a little polishing of the inside of the trigger guard was helpful. His son noted that the Glock 43 is a "good holster gun for lazy people."

The Galco TacSlide Holster was used for range drills with the Glock 43. The Gould & Goodrich Tension Belt Slide was used for the G42.

Well said. Many people resist carrying a service size pistol concealed. I consider the Glock 19-size guns to be service pistols for folks like us. There are so many people who won't carry such a gun and default to "carrying while comfortable." Not a good idea, but the old story is that the first rule of a gunfight is to have a gun – any gun. For a number of us, one gun is only a good start but it's not the whole story. Larry Vickers noted in his video that you're just as well off sticking with the Glock 19. With that information in mind, I set up to do Hackathorn's "Wizard Drill." This is a series of draws from concealment with all hits made inside 2.5 seconds. Taking only five rounds, it's a great checkup for those small guns – if you're being honest. The first stage is a single hit to the circle in the "head" of the silhouette – I used the IALEFI-Q with the scoring circle in the noggin – one handed from 3 yards. Repeat that at five yards using two hands, likewise at seven. Finish with a pair from concealment into the chest circle at 10 yards. My first five rounds from the Glock 42 was a complete fail on the drill. Hits tended left – can you say "Glock with a small stock" (sic) and my times could better be measured with a sundial for a couple of strings. I then put six hits on a B-8 center with Liberty Civil Defense ammo – I wanted to check elevation of the point of impact with the ultra-light bullet – from ten yards. They were a little high, still in the black, but centered for windage. Strange. I did some "negative taping" on the target – those holes outside the main scoring area – and suited up for the Glock 43. I used Hornady 124 grain ammo for this test. While I was again a "fail" on the Wizard Drill, it was less so. The guns handled closely enough to the same that I was a pass on 3 out of four of the stages – including the ten yard pair. Going to the 10 yards sighting on another B-8 bullseye center, I found I was shooting noticeably left on the bull, still in the black. I taped up and shot the Gunsite school drill with the Glock 42. I found that it was going to take more work to make the hits in the times allotted. Strangely, the further I got back, the better the results.

While there was no trigger finger discomfort as described by some commentators, the Glock 43 shot obviously to the left as described by others. The little 9mm was quite easy to shoot but may not be for everyone.

Again, I did the negative taping routine and went back to 25 yards. Working on burying the index finger in the trigger guard of the 9mm and using the distal joint to press the trigger, the hits all stayed in the central scoring circle. Trying that with the Glock 42, I had similar results. Later, I looked at Jerry Miculek's video on the Glock 42. He pushed left for the first shooting drill but quickly changed his grip, centering his hits. This is something I clearly need work on. Finally, I took the two guns to the R3 bay at the range. There's a steel IPSC-type silhouette fifty yards down range. I put seven hits on the steel with Cor-Bon 90 grain .380 ammo from the Glock 42 and six out of seven rounds of Hornady 124 grain JHP on steel with the Glock 43. Preliminary conclusion: I wouldn't trade the 19s for the smaller guns. More properly compared, as Vickers did, to the S&W Shield, the Smith wins – at least so far. My performance with them was miserable – while I've handled a number of small autos over the years, none are quite like these. While feeling "Glockish," I couldn't just run with them the way I've run with every other Glock pistol since 2001. I'm slow with the G26 – it never did get to feel "right," and it may be that these won't either. I won't quit trying though. For ultra-discreet carry, both of these pistols fit a role. Once you learn their nuances – which honestly took very little time and ammo – they're surprisingly easy to hit with at distance. For those who have a police-type qualification in their lives, either gun will handle that chore without difficulty. The Glock 42 .380 is obviously less abrupt to shoot than the larger, newer gun but the recoil spring could cause some folks with rheumatoid arthritis or other maladies some trouble in running the gun. I was given to believe it was quite robust – it didn't seem so to me, but each user has to check that on his own. That's not all for these little Glocks. There are more holsters to try and a light/laser combination. I'm also using them for upcoming tests for ammo velocities and accuracy. Stay tuned. -- Rich Grassi