Posted: 4/13/2014 4:42:24 PM EDT
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My wife and I checked out a G42 at Shooter's Outpost in Hooksett, NH last weekend. We liked the small, slim size and very light weight. I carry a Shield regularly, and those saying the G42 isn't small enough by comparison haven't held them side by side. It is considerably less bulky and much, much lighter. My wife has been considering taking up CCW, and finding a pistol that is small enough to be practical in that role, without having excessively snappy recoil, has been a challenge. She has very small hands and wrists and finds even relatively large, heavy blowback .380's to be too snappy. For example, she had a Sig P230 for many years, but never felt comfortable enough with it, both from a recoil point of view and a manual of arms comfort level to even consider carrying it.
Enter the Shield. I thought that might be the answer. It works great for me as a smaller/slimmer alternative when a mid-size Glock isn't concealable. She tried it, wanted to like it, but it's just a bit too much for her in the recoil department. It's the absolute upper limit of what she can fire semi-accurately, and her performance fades quickly with it from recoil-induced fatigue. That would pretty much rule out doing classes with it, which she'll need to do in order to become serious about CCW. So today we had a chance to try a rental G42 at the Manchester Firing Line indoor range. Again I was impressed by the small size and lack of bulk. I was able to compare it side by side with my Shield and it is definitely a less bulky pistol. I don't consider the Shield a viable pocket pistol, but the G42 probably is. My wife's first impression was that the size was "perfect" for her. It fits her small hands well. In her hands it looks kind of like a G19 does in mine. Her regular range pistol is a G17. She shoots that pretty well, but can get fatigued with it because it's a fairly big, heavy gun. It's a lot for her to hold on to. She does have some trouble getting mags fully loaded with it. But because of her familiarity with it, she was instantly comfortable handling the G42. She loaded up the mag herself with no issues, and commented that she was surprised how easy it was for her to load the mag. She was disappointed to see the mag only holds 6 rounds. From her point of view that was the biggest disadvantage of the G42. Her first shot at 5 yards was a little low left, but then the next 5 were tightly clustered in the 2.5" square we were using as a target. I was frankly astounded. When she pays attention to fundamentals she can shoot well, but it usually takes a mag or two for her to get in the groove and really shoot her best. She was immediately "on" with this little pistol. I was more impressed considering she hasn't fired a pistol in probably 6-7 months due to my health issues. Another positive I noticed was her cadence of fire. There was no "resetting" or "starting over" between shots, which she sometimes has to do with her G17. I could tell she was just immediately comfortable. Probably close to 2 shots per second, punching the center out of the target. She doesn't shoot her G17 that well cold, and I don't think I've seen her shoot a .22 that well! I tried it next, and actually didn't shoot it that well. Typical Glock push to the left and not much of a group. I had a difficult time holding the pistol in a way that was comfortable and gave me the proper trigger control I'm used to with bigger Glocks. I tried my Shield right after and noticed two things. I'm much more accurate with it, and it has easily 2x the recoil. My next mag with the G42 was better. A definite group, with some, but a bit less, of the leftward push. She shot it some more, and continued to do well. She also tried the Shield, and shot it fine, but didn't like the recoil or amount of time it took her to reset and feel comfortable for an accurate second shot. Conclusions - The G42 is exactly what I thought it was. It's a very nearly perfect pistol for woman with small hands and recoil sensitivity. A more seasoned female shooter might be better off with a Shield. I'm better off with a Shield or G19. Probably most other guys would be too. But we are sold on the G42 as a perfect first CCW for her. We'll be picking one up next weekend at SOP. She liked everything about it except the low magazine capacity. The size is perfect, the lack of recoil is perfect, and with her coming from a Glock background, there will be a minimum of manual of arms training necessary (basically just the very slightly different trigger feel). In its niche, this little gun is a home run. |
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Nice review; I'd like to handle one. I took the Mrs.'s out this weekend to look at several pistols and it came down to the S&W bodyguard and a Kahr 380; I would like for her to handle a Glock prior to deciding. The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. |
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Excellent. Your wife sounds like she shoots about like mine with the 17. Question... has she ever tried a 21? Somehow, even though she thinks the 9 is too big, she finds the 21 more comfortable (at least while firing my target loads through it). She hasn't tried a 21. I have, and it's the only other Glock model I really want to add at this point. Maybe when bulk .45 ammo comes down another .5/rd I'll think about it. They are really satisfying to shoot. |
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The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. Quoted:
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Nice review; I'd like to handle one. I took the Mrs.'s out this weekend to look at several pistols and it came down to the S&W bodyguard and a Kahr 380; I would like for her to handle a Glock prior to deciding. The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. Both of those other guns are straight blowback, no? If so, I can tell you right now she'll prefer the Glock. It feels like shooting a .22 magnum. It handles well. I liked the feeling in my hand until I actually starting manipulating the trigger. That little grip changes the trigger reach so much for me compared to bigger guns that I had to concentrate a lot more to avoid the Glock/Left push issue. For most women it will probably fit like a glove. Mine certainly seemed to take to it in a hurry! |
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The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. Quoted:
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Nice review; I'd like to handle one. I took the Mrs.'s out this weekend to look at several pistols and it came down to the S&W bodyguard and a Kahr 380; I would like for her to handle a Glock prior to deciding. The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. Is it small enough to pocket carry? I could see myself with one on days I don't feel like wearing my 19. |
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Both of those other guns are straight blowback, no? If so, I can tell you right now she'll prefer the Glock. It feels like shooting a .22 magnum. It handles well. I liked the feeling in my hand until I actually starting manipulating the trigger. That little grip changes the trigger reach so much for me compared to bigger guns that I had to concentrate a lot more to avoid the Glock/Left push issue. For most women it will probably fit like a glove. Mine certainly seemed to take to it in a hurry! Quoted:
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Quoted:
Nice review; I'd like to handle one. I took the Mrs.'s out this weekend to look at several pistols and it came down to the S&W bodyguard and a Kahr 380; I would like for her to handle a Glock prior to deciding. The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. Both of those other guns are straight blowback, no? If so, I can tell you right now she'll prefer the Glock. It feels like shooting a .22 magnum. It handles well. I liked the feeling in my hand until I actually starting manipulating the trigger. That little grip changes the trigger reach so much for me compared to bigger guns that I had to concentrate a lot more to avoid the Glock/Left push issue. For most women it will probably fit like a glove. Mine certainly seemed to take to it in a hurry! "straight blowback". This is something that I have never wrapped my mind around; what is the Glock and what is straight blowback and how do they differ? Thanks. |
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Is it small enough to pocket carry? I could see myself with one on days I don't feel like wearing my 19. Quoted:
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Nice review; I'd like to handle one. I took the Mrs.'s out this weekend to look at several pistols and it came down to the S&W bodyguard and a Kahr 380; I would like for her to handle a Glock prior to deciding. The Glock is about 1/2" longer than the S&W, handles and shoots really well, has a better trigger than both of those ^. Do a search for issues w/ the S&W and the Kahr. While the Glock is bigger, it does shoot better and I haven't found a situation where I couldn't carry the Glock vs. a P3AT. My wife loves hers. Is it small enough to pocket carry? I could see myself with one on days I don't feel like wearing my 19. Not in jeans. I always wear shorts w/ square pockets so it's no problem for me. |
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"straight blowback". This is something that I have never wrapped my mind around; what is the Glock and what is straight blowback and how do they differ? Thanks. Glocks and most semi-auto pistols 9mm and up use a version of the Browning tilt barrel recoil method of operation. The barrel and slide are locked together for a short period of time as the slide moves rearward, until the barrel is cammed out of lock up by wedge located under the barrel. Locking the breach allows the pressure level in the chamber to go down to a safe level before the case is extracted and the chamber opened. A locked breach is necessary with cartridges over a certain level of pressure and/or gas volume, unless you want to use overly large slides or excessively stiff recoil springs to delay the opening of the breach. Straight blowback operation is what has historically been used by .380 and down. The only thing holding the breach closed at firing is the inertia of the slide and the resistance of the recoil spring. There is no mechanical lock up between the slide and barrel/chamber. You can get away with this with a .380 without going to an overly large slide or difficult to manage recoil springs, but .380 and 9mm Mak are pretty much the upper limit for a straight blowback system in an ordinary size pistol. 9mm and 45 blowback pistols have been done, but they generally have outside slides - look at a Hi-Point for a good example. Anything with a normal size slide (a few 9mm pistols have been tried) have difficult to manage recoil springs, and harsh, snappy recoil. The difference in shooting them is how they feel to the shooter. The recoil-operated tilt barrel system uses some of the cartridge's energy to unlock the barrel from the slide. It makes for a somewhat slower, softer recoil impulse at a given power level compared to a blowback system. Most .380's are blowback operated. In a pistol the size of a Sig P230, you can tell there is a fair amount of slide velocity, but the gun isn't too difficult to shoot because it has a relatively heavy slide. Move down to something like a Ruger LCP, and .380 starts to become a bit snappy and harsh feeling. A blowback gun the size and weight of the G42 would probably split the difference between a P230 and LCP. It would be OK, but a bit on the harsh side - enough to turn off most female shooters I know, especially the new ones. My wife could shoot the P230, but didn't "like" it because its recoil was a little on the snappy/quick side. Add recoil operation with a tilt-barrel like a full-sized pistol, and all of a sudden .380 ACP turns in to a total pussycat in a pistol that size (actually a little smaller with the G42). Enough that it should be totally non-intimidating for newer, smaller-statured shooters, and still concealable. |
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The 380 is not a death Ray but no pistol is a guarantee to stop a determined felon. At least with the Glock 42 you have a pistol small enough to carry for almost any occasion but is easy to shoot accurately which is easy to speed load. I had very good groups at 25 yards with my 42 and hit my steel plate at 50 yards using a little Ky windage.
A lot of the micro 380's are difficult to use and even by good shooters are really 15 yard guns. Generally the PPK/PPKs, Bersa 380, P230, Beretta 84/85/BDA, are easier to shoot at distance but are DA/SA. The 42 is smaller/lighter and has the safe action trigger so the 42 is a win / win for me. The only other option I want for my 42 are a couple of extra magazines and maybe different sights. I still say Glock will sell a lot of 42's. I think Glock will sell more 42's than 41's. |
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I am seriously considering buying one of the Glock 42s/ I have a S&W bodyguard that I love, and it was my first 380 gun ever, and I never liked or considered 380's until I got the bodyguard. Since I've had the bodyguard, its changed my outlook on 380s - It hits very well what I aim at up to 20 yds with ease. The S&W doesn't live up to its potential and that's because of its trigger Its a true Double Action ONLY. Its not bad, but the Glock 42 is MUCH better. The 380 actually has some surprising penetration in FMJ - Way more than many think it does.
with a bad back, I don't like to carry heavy iron and I wear shorts as much as possible (when warm weather actually shows up) and the 380 is a gun I will actually carry - I forget the bodyguard is there and the G42 isn't much different in size. |
