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I have a 26 clone and a 43x clone. The 43x is my daily. I find the thinner profile to be more comfortable to carry and shoot.
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Glock 43 X is the way to go. I carry the Glock 43XMOS and it’s perfect.
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I purchased the G43 to replace my EDC (at the time) G26 I had been carrying as my main for several years. Long story short, it did not replace it.
Right after I bought the G43, and 6 extra mags I took a two day handgun course with it at my local range. I think we capped at about 650rds total over those two. I realize the G43 is not meant for that, but I wanted to really put it through it's paces. It wore a scar into my shooting hand on the knuckle of my thumb. It ran reliably, 100% after about 50 rounds. A few failures to feed that were easily handled. It got hotter, faster than my G26 would have. Of course it's snappier, and you are giving up 4 rounds. I wasn't grouping great with it, but I chugged through the course. Afterwards I just didn't seem to care if the G26 was a little wider. It handles and shoots miles better. I decided to move on from the 43 almost immediately after the class. It being thinner, and lighter just didn't matter enough to me at the end of the day. I carried my G26 with the Magpul 12rd magazine. To me, that was the best setup for the G26. See if there is a local range that will rent you a 43, or if you have a friend that owns one. It's worth looking into. |
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I haven't carried my 27 since I got the 43. Feels like a huge difference.
Also- almost immediately then got a 48, since the 43 wasn't the easiest thing to shoot.... My suggestion- just skip right to the 48. |
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I normally carry a 43 as my CCW. I have carried a 26 quite a bit too.
The 26 is way more gun. But the 43 is practically invisible to carry. |
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Quoted: I haven't carried my 27 since I got the 43. Feels like a huge difference. Also- almost immediately then got a 48, since the 43 wasn't the easiest thing to shoot.... My suggestion- just skip right to the 48. View Quote I'm not a Glock guy. Was fingerings a G48 at the gun store, and walked out with it. Not my favorite pistol but it's a good one. |
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I'm issued a 43 as a BUG at work so I do carry it off duty. Because of the limited capacity, I stick an extra magazine in my pocket.
At times, I just put it in a cargo pocket and don't have any issues with it bothering me as such. |
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I still love the 26 and what it offers, nothing wrong with a 43 though. Just not enough to warrant me to change and I like being able to use my g17 mags as a backup.
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Attached File
Attached File I picked up a G43 (bottom) to go with my G43X (top). I'm not a fan of the G43. I get nosedive jams with Federal HST 124grn. Attached File My 43X feeds everything. I find the grip on the G43 is just too short / small. Adding a +2 mag base makes it just as long as the G43X. I ultimately wanted to replace my Ruger LC9S Pro and the G43 doesn't do it. |
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my off duty has been the G43 since it came out. If i could do it again with all the options now, I would not chose the G43 just because of the limited capacity.
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My first pistol was a Glock 17 that I bought almost 30 years ago. I started carrying a G19 about a decade ago and have shot a lot of different Glocks. The G43 is the only one that ever had issues cycling certain types of ammo. I wanted it for deeper concealment and for IWB carry in the Texas summer heat. I tested over a dozen different types of ammo because of the reports I’d seen about it being finicky. My preferred 147 gr HSTs would nose dive just like the post above while 147 gr Gold Dots would cycle reliably, so that’s what I ended up carrying in it. My theory is that it’s a combination of smaller / weaker springs that can’t feed the ammo upward fast enough and the lighter weight slide that can’t “power through” when rounds get hung up on the bottom edge of the feed ramp. It’s especially problematic when using longer rounds and/or JHPs with a particularly sharp edge around the hollow point (like 147 gr HSTs).
I found it was very temperamental with aftermarket mag extensions. I would not use the factory mag spring with any extension. I ended up carrying it with a Pearce +1 baseplate with the finger rest, which I found much more comfortable while not sacrificing concealment. The Pearce extension worked reliably with +10% power mag springs from the Glock Store but would allow the last few rounds to nose dive if using the original factory spring. I carried TangoDown +2 extensions with their included spring, and those worked reliably too. My one TTI +1 never worked well, even with a +10% spring, allowing rounds to nose dive also. Once I was confident in the Pearce and TD extensions, I carried the G43 regularly for about six years. I never shot it very well and wasn’t satisfied with the capacity, so I’m in the process of switching to a P365XL. |
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I’ve got most of the Glock models and carry Glock on and off duty.
The G43 is only used when I just can’t carry a gun. It has replaced the J-frame for those duties. When I’m off I routinely use a G43X, G48 or G26 The G26 is difficult to beat. Capacity, size and capabilities are all solid. Recently swapped by G26.4 for a G26.5 MOS. Put Dawson sights on it and zeroed before adding a Holosun SCS dot. This was shot at 25 yards at a quick pace. Attached File |
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Yeah..... someone on arf several years ago mentioned that he had failures with 147gr HST in his 43, so I took mine to the range to re-check that. Had the same thing loaded...
Sure enough, it choked almost immediately. |
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Been carrying a 43 for a couple years, now. It basically disappears; but you're giving up capacity and a full grip.
Just bought a 43X MOS last week and I'll be switching to that due to wanting a more comfy grip and more rounds while keeping things OEM with the exception of a RDS/night sights. |
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Ive run a G26 as a bug for work since 2010. I shoot it nearly as well as my full size duty weapon. I tried the G43 since it is thinner and lighter, but I wasnt able to shoot it nearly as well as the G26. I know lots of folks that have them and like them, but it for me the g26 works better.
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When you absolutely need a tiny gun and don't mind seven or eight rounds (I used a Pearce +1), it's fine. I carried one for several months, but I have decided that I would prefer to have more ammo because of the area where I live (DFW).
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I carry a 43 daily. I love it. Lightweight and compact. It’s what a carry gun needs to be. It’ll do what needs to get done, and it’ll be there to do it. A lot of people go on about capacity, but I think it’s overthought. Capacity in a carry gun is overrated.
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I've been carrying my 43 in the summer and my 20 in the winter. Ordered a 29 this morning because of NY threatening to ban Glocks. The 43 is going to be semi-retired to be only my hiking gun
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When I need small, 43 is a great fit in a pocket holster.
I like 26 best. If and when I open carry, 43X. It’s got a light and rds. |
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Love the 43. Hides and carry's well.
Better than a G26 under t-shirt. |
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Wife carries either a 43, P938, or P238, depending on what's happening that day. She likes the grip of the 43 over the 43X/48, so we put a 43X slide on it with an RDS. Runs the Z9 mags; I replaced the springs in the mags and need to go test it. It was leaving 1 round in the mag, but slidelocked.
Thinner is usually better for concealment. |
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THANK YOU. Replies like these are why Arfcom is the best. I’d be tagging everybody to thank them, which would probably drive some of you nuts. But thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all of your advice, thoughts, and a serious amount of useful photos.
To answer some questions / thoughts: G43X, G48, etc.: These are ALL better guns than the G43. I’d prefer to carry any of them! Or my existing G26, G19, or even my G40. But this is for deep concealment, limited/specific times when I absolutely cannot print, etc. G42: The G43 is barely acceptable because my hands are large. (The HK MK23 fits me like a glove.) The G42 crosses the line from gray to no-go with my hand size. Plus I don’t want to begin stocking yet another caliber. Shooting, comfort, etc.: I wouldn’t take as a primary to a shooting class, especially a high round count class. I doubt I’ll enjoy practicing with it like the G19 or G26. But it’s that trade-off between comfort and concealability. Ammo capacity: Agreed on the trade-off. Yeah, I’ll be toting at least one spare mag. I’ll have to weigh whether to use a pocket or a mag carrier. Finicky ammo: Sounds like I’ll be wringing this out first to ensure my preferred ammo works. Springs and mag extensions: I’ll stick with factory springs and floor plates. Extra capacity is welcome, but I’d rather have six that work over seven or eight which may not. |
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Quoted: EDIT: Thank you! Today I got a lightly used G43 with a Hogue rubber slipper and five mags for $300. The former owner Cerakoted the slide OD. Not my thing, but whatever. Four of the five mags sport every possible aftermarket +1 or +2 known to man. Given the reliability concerns you pointed out, I’ll need to ensure the springs are factory and then purchase OEM finger extensions and maybe a spring or two. What I don’t notice until I got home is that everything STINKS. The former owner was a HEAVY smoker. My eyes actually watered while I was inspecting the pistol up close. Right now it’s in the sun and breeze in a (securely fenced) back yard. The windows are open and I can smell the pistol outside on my deck from my living room! There’ll definitely be a cleaning in its future. Any other thoughts or ideas for smoke removal? If there’s no reasonable way to clean it, that Hogue slipper can go too. https://i.ibb.co/BPQhFgP/IMG-0649.jpg Even Jewel the Poodle thinks my G43 smells awful. View Quote Put it in a gallon ziploc bag with charcoal for about a week. I'd soak/wash the rubber grip sleeve with Simple Green or Super Clean then let it air dry. That's where I'd start. |
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If it came with the case, toss that. Clean everything real well, including the inside of the magazines.
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I'd try some ammonia, or in a baggie of kitty litter/oil dry (some diatomaceous earth). Charcoal mention is a good idea as well.
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Just strip it, hose it down with windex well a couple times and rinse between spraying, then rinse with HOT water, dry well, and lube. You can buy lots of fancy shit but windex or some other decent glass cleaner with ammonia cleans baccy smoke, tar and nic residue and odor like you can't believe.
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Quoted: Just strip it, hose it down with windex well a couple times and rinse between spraying, then rinse with HOT water, dry well, and lube. You can buy lots of fancy shit but windex or some other decent glass cleaner with ammonia cleans baccy smoke, tar and nic residue and odor like you can't believe. View Quote Yep your right, Windex cleans it. But I can't see a just a pistol smelling that bad... Lol I'm a heavy smoker. It probably the case it's in. |
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Spray everything down with WD40 or your gun oil of choice.
Let it sit for a bit. |
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I bought a stock off of the EE a couple years ago and here’s what I did:
Dryer sheets in a ziploc bag, remove all air around the gun, let sit for about 24 hours or so. You can do this multiple times. Eventually, the stock did not have any odor at all. In this instance, I’d also assume the hogue has soaked up some of the odor, so I would toss that and buy a new one. I suspect rubber is harder to remove that odor from than polymer. |
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Get an ozone machine like they use in a car for dead bodies. Mags, accessories, firearm, etc and either put it in a room with the door shut or build some kind of container. Might have to do it a couple of times.
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I drop my entire pistols in ultrasonic cleaners. Toss the case and the grip.
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Another update:
Given your advice, I removed the gun and mags from the box. The box has been sitting in a sheltered but breezy area outside to air out. I also removed the slipper and left it outside too. The pistol went into one bag with two dryer sheets and the mags in another with two more sheets. Yesterday two friends visited. The first works as LE in a rust belt city’s ghetto. I let him smell the pistol. It was still EXTREMELY stinky. His take is that it stank like it was soaked, laid in, or washed a few times in bong water. I told my second friend about this in a call and he visited with his small ultrasonic cleaner and solution. I’ve been running cycle after cycle. It only holds one liter and I’ve had to dump and refresh the solution multiple times. The solution went DARK gray with a sickly brownish/yellowish scum which STANK. But the slide was coated aftermarket, so could it be a bad coating job coming off? Either way, the smell is WAY down! I’m going to keep going until I can’t smell anything any more. |
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Perhaps a final update:
Cleaned the pistol in an ultrasonic cleaner about nine times (lost track). Changed solution after every cleaning the first three times and then once every two or three times as needed. Stench is finally gone! Mags will be next. Hopefully they aren’t nearly as bad. Picked up a new case with papers for cheap at a LGS from a new range rental pistol. The old case is still outside in a sheltered breezy area, but I’ll sell that off in a forthcoming yard sale. Based on the label, it’s not the correct case for that pistol any how. |
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Taylor Freelance still has +1 extensions on clearance for $10 if you want to change out any.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/handguns/G43-1-10-Taylor-Freelance/13-213257/ |
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Quoted: Perhaps a final update: Cleaned the pistol in an ultrasonic cleaner about nine times (lost track). Changed solution after every cleaning the first three times and then once every two or three times as needed. Stench is finally gone! Mags will be next. Hopefully they aren’t nearly as bad. Picked up a new case with papers for cheap at a LGS from a new range rental pistol. The old case is still outside in a sheltered breezy area, but I’ll sell that off in a forthcoming yard sale. Based on the label, it’s not the correct case for that pistol any how. View Quote Glad you got it off. You can also put a dryer sheet into the case and close it for a while. I usually use dawn dish soap to clean and it has been great at removing any smell. Not sure if it'll remove smoke smell but I don't see why not. |
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My G43 is back reassembled. Just finished disassembling all of the mags (which no longer stink after being in a sealed bag with dryer sheets for two weeks) to remove all of the +2 and +3 bottoms. Looks like some of the springs and base plates were swapped out for ones which came with the extensions. Two floor plates were just outright missing. I’m going to restore both factory floor and a mix of flat and pinky base plates. I found three Pearce pinky-only / +0 base plates and two factory flat base plates for a buck each. Haven’t read about the Pierce +0 causing any problems, so I’ll use them instead of paying for factory ones.
The comments here about nose-diving rounds make me wonder whether I should do factory mag springs or use Wolff. Maybe a little more spring pressure will keep things reliable? Normally I just don’t do aftermarket because it’s how good guns end up unreliable. But if this resolves a known problem, I’m all for it. |
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I’ve had no issue with Glock 43 magazine springs but I got better service life out of factory Glock 27 magazine springs than Wolff springs. If I could get factory Glock mag springs I would use them unless I was using a +3 or more extension.
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