I took a dremel to the trigger on my 43. It's not pretty but the trigger safety still works and it feels much better. I would have no issues shooting a 43 all day. I'll wear a blister on the side of my trigger finger dragging it on the trigger guard but that's not unique to the 43. It happens on every 9mm and .40 Glock that I've shot/owned.
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Glock 43 - Personal Reviews from Indiana folks!
- Thread starter BuckShotSG
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USDS has a couple GLOCK 43's in stock if anyone still needs one. Figured I'd let you guys know. I don't think it's as small as I was thinking it was gonna be. I'd probably prefer a 42 or a bodyguard. Yeah they're .380 but there's new carry ammo that is effective.
I just picked up my Glock 43 last night and ran 100 rounds of Sellier & Bellot 115gr through it before it got dark. I really did not notice the recoil at all. The gun ran smoothly and functioned flawlessly. I would have no problem shooting the 43 all day with normal range ammo. I am sure 147gr self defense ammo will be a little snappier, but most people are not going to shoot hundreds of rounds of self defense ammo on a daily basis. I know a lot of people will knock the Glock 43 for magazine capacity, but in my opinion the recoil is a non issue.
I seen where someone removed the serrated trigger and installed the smooth, might be worth looking into.
Thanks. I am by no means a firearms expert, but I thought a comparison with similar 9mm guns might be interesting, along with my initial impressions after a couple hundred rounds.
To answer your questions regarding the difference in trigger assembly design, a few pictures are worth more than my words. Sorry for the poor quality -- I used my phone because I'm lazy.
Comparing the trigger mechanism housing of the G43 to that of a Gen2 G17, some differences are apparent:
It's like a mini version of the standard Glock's housing. Also note the absence of the trigger spring attached to the back of the housing. It's internal, not unlike the New York Trigger:
The forward tab of the trigger bar cruciform slips into the little fold in the spring mechanism (visible in the picture above), rather than having an external spring attached to the trigger bar. Nifty arrangement.
Compare that assembled trigger with that of the G17 ...
The only other notable departure from your average Glock is the slide stop lever design. The stock Glock lever has the loop spring that compresses against the locking block pin as you insert it. The G43 doesn't have a locking block pin, therefore the slide stop lever has a coil spring instead ...
A shot of the lever installed ...
Glock states that the G43 possesses the same 5.5-lb trigger pull of any other model. However, mine is significantly higher than that. I put a gauge on it and it ranged between 8.5 and 9.5 lbs. I know that Ghost, Inc., has a trigger connector that knocks about 3 lbs off that, so maybe I'll try that. The reset is typical Glock. You can't miss it (unless, of course, you flatten the trigger connector a bit.)
The last issue that I mentioned, and others have noticed as well, is that the tip of the trigger bites, especially with high-pressure rounds. I took a polishing wheel to mine and rounded off the sharp edges a bit, which made a perceptible improvement. I'll know as soon as I fire it again.
Attachments
A friend of mine and a fellow firearms instructor posted his opinion of his 43 next to his Shield 9 he's been carrying for awhile. This was shooting it fresh out if the box with about 300rds.
1. It absolutely not as accurate as a Shield. But is combat acceptable.
2. Perceived recoil is more than a shield. With 147r Federal +P carry ammo it does have spirited, but not prohibitive, recoil.
3. It gives one round up to the shield in terms of capacity.
4. It is slightly more concealable than the shield
5. The trigger out of the box is crap in terms of weight. Will put it on a gauge tomorrow but I suspect 6.25-6.50lbs. Now in fairness a stock shield trigger is lighter with a annoy hitch in operation.
1. It absolutely not as accurate as a Shield. But is combat acceptable.
2. Perceived recoil is more than a shield. With 147r Federal +P carry ammo it does have spirited, but not prohibitive, recoil.
3. It gives one round up to the shield in terms of capacity.
4. It is slightly more concealable than the shield
5. The trigger out of the box is crap in terms of weight. Will put it on a gauge tomorrow but I suspect 6.25-6.50lbs. Now in fairness a stock shield trigger is lighter with a annoy hitch in operation.
Not sure I'd agree with #1. The accuracy potential of a pistol is largely connected to the ability of the shooter to operate the machine properly. Whoever typed that obviously does not like the Glock trigger (and is likely accustomed to the Shield). I had no accuracy issues out of my G43, I've met few shooters skilled enough that I would consider their opinion of the accuracy potential of a handgun to hold much weight (I'm not one of them).
Ha, well Jeff is a revolver guy.
FWIW, I just hit the range with my smoother-than-a-baby's-butt trigger. Wow, what a difference! It feels like an entirely different gun now.
The funny thing is, after putting about 50 rounds through it, I pulled out my Gen4 G19 that I picked up recently and suddenly realized that it also has the serrated trigger. Never noticed that before. My Gen4 G21 has a smooth trigger.
Naturally, when I fired the G19 for a couple of mags' worth, I am now planning to smooth off that trigger as well.
The funny thing is, after putting about 50 rounds through it, I pulled out my Gen4 G19 that I picked up recently and suddenly realized that it also has the serrated trigger. Never noticed that before. My Gen4 G21 has a smooth trigger.
Naturally, when I fired the G19 for a couple of mags' worth, I am now planning to smooth off that trigger as well.
Here are my initial observations of the Glock 43 that I picked up yesterday. While it may not carry the weight of a review by Ayoob, it reflects the evaluation by an average shooter. You get what you pay for.
For context, I have a few small guns that I occasionally carry. Each has issues, which is what prompted me to pick up a G43. I'm hoping that, like most Glocks, it will be the best of the worst. Face it -- BUGs have compromises, and this one is no different.
I stacked the G43 up against three other 9mms -- Sig Sauer P938, Kel-Tec PF9, and a Ruger LCR9.
My issues with the P938 are its size -- it's really, really small. So small that my trigger finger has to be in an unnatural position to press the trigger. The external, ambidextrous safety is also really small, and flipping it on and off is a chore that I'd rather not deal with under stress. Lastly, it has a peculiar habit of ejecting the top round from the magazine if it is removed from the gun. Not sure when that would be an issue other than at the range, but it shouldn't happen. Add in the fact that the earliest ones made suffered malfunctions (my firing pin stopped striking the primers) and had to be returned to Sig, it has a little cloud of unreliability hovering over it.
The Kel-Tec PF9 has issues, too. I could leave it at that, but I won't. Mine always goes bang. It's very, very accurate within about 3 feet. Beyond that distance, it's a crapshoot. And, especially with SD ammo, it kicks like a mule! After about 2 mags' worth, my hand is toast. It's cheap, reliable, and basically disposable -- a perfect drop gun for those with a need.
That leaves the Ruger LCR. Being a wheelgun, it's naturally a bit wider than the semis, and only carries 5 rounds. Moon clips are a must also, since it uses rimless cartridges. And, being so light, it also lets you know when it goes bang.
The three semi-autos are designed to be as slim as possible. I didn't dig out a micrometer, but to tuck into a pocket holster or IWB, all three would be excellent. The most notable difference is in the grip of the Sig -- since it's the BRG (Black Rubber Grip) model, it has a noticeable palm swell that makes it a much more enjoyable gun to shoot, but a tad tougher to conceal if thin is in.
Compared to its big brother (Glock 21SF), it's noticeably smaller, and it feels a LOT smaller in my hand, as it should. Needless to say, loaded up it's a lot lighter, too.
When I took it apart to clean it before a trip to the range, I noticed that it only has two pins. It's my understanding that it's innards are pretty much like the G42. I was surprised to see the workings of the trigger group as well as the slide lock lever. Other than that, it's basic Glock inside.
Firing it for the first time, I was surprised that it had more perceived recoil than I had expected. I'd put it smack in the middle between the Sig and the Kel-Tec. It's not uncomfortable, but it's not exactly fun, either. It's a BUG, period. After about 100 rounds of 115gr Federal and about 50 115gr plated reloads, I decided to push some Cor-Bon rounds down the pipe. Ouch. Again, better than the Kel-Tec but worse than the Sig. It left a definite ouchy on the tip of my trigger finger that lingered a while. I don't consider that a disqualifying attribute though. "Yes, officer, I'm fine. A little shaken, and my trigger finger is a bit numb, but otherwise I'm unharmed ..."
The trigger, while redesigned, is still pure Glock. It's nothing to write home about, but it's firm, smooth and has a relatively clean break. Polishing the guts might smooth it out a little, but compared with the other three BUGs in my little test, it's on par with the Sig's trigger, maybe a bit better.
I shot 5-round groups without a rest (I told you that I'm not Ayoob) from 15', 25', 35', and 50'. It definitely shoots a wee bit left, as demonstrated by the drifting hits the farther away the target was. I'll likely replace the sights anyway, and can dial it in then. It can't be ME, naturally.
These Cor-Bon rounds were fired from 15 feet ...
Certainly a respectable group for a BUG. Even the dropped rounds would be defensibly acceptable in my book.
Overall, I'd say that the Glock 43 is pretty much what I was looking for. It's big enough to handle confidently yet small enough for deep concealment, unlike my G27. It's not a training gun, and (sadly) many well-intentioned husbands will buy these for their wives and they'll show up in classes with them. Many won't ever shoot again. But that's a subject for another time.
That's my take on the new Glock 43. [Sorry for the extra pic at the bottom -- no clue how to delete it.]
I'm going to say you gave a more-than-adequate review...especially one that had some comparison to 'like-sized' BUGs! Very helpful information...I hope to be able to afford one by the end of the summer!
I'm interested to see if Glock brings one out in .40...or, better yet...357SIG!
I won't get into a caliber argument, but I honestly can't for the life of me imagine WHY anyone would want such a small, light pistol in .40 S&W. Seriously. I have a beautiful G27 which is nearly as small (just thicker) that beats the absolute batsnot out of my hand when I try to shoot it! I can't imagine the abuse that a G44 (?) would dish out. And given the recent comparisons that demonstrate that some current defensive 9mm rounds are equal to, or better than, comparable .40 rounds, the question remains -- WHY?
If you're that devoted to the caliber, buy my G27. It's in the classifieds.
I won't get into a caliber argument, but I honestly can't for the life of me imagine WHY anyone would want such a small, light pistol in .40 S&W. Seriously. I have a beautiful G27 which is nearly as small (just thicker) that beats the absolute batsnot out of my hand when I try to shoot it! I can't imagine the abuse that a G44 (?) would dish out. And given the recent comparisons that demonstrate that some current defensive 9mm rounds are equal to, or better than, comparable .40 rounds, the question remains -- WHY?
If you're that devoted to the caliber, buy my G27. It's in the classifieds.
I'd agree. I traded my Glock 27 for the same reason. Great gun, but it just delivered a beating to shoot it. Reminded me of my snubbie SP101 but without the ability to load it down (from .357 to .38 special) if desired. I can't imagine dealing with a .40 S&W in the package size that the Glock 43 is. I have no problem shooting 9mm, and 45 is fine. The cycle speed and distinct recoil delivered by the .40 is just not enjoyable in a small gun for me anymore.
It's just personal preference. I LOVE my 27, I group better with it than my duty G22. However, after recently buying a Shield .40, it has become my favorite off duty carry. The recoil seems no worse than the 27. I look forward to firing the 43.
Fordtough25
Grandmaster
Well I held a 43 at my LGS yesterday and dry fired it a bit, very nice indeed! Felt a lot better in my hand than I thought it would, I would say I could shoot it all day without worries. I did feel the trigger pinch issue though just dry firing it. Now I really want one, but don't need it. I have my sights set on an M1A so I am going to try and hold steady on that. Lol
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