After having been through most of the Glock catalog, I carry a G19 most of the time with a G43 for times that the G19 is too big. Here's what I've learned:
1. The G26 has most of the drawbacks of the G43 and most of the drawbacks of the G19.
2. The G19 conceals as well as a G26 and I shoot it as well as a G17.
3. The G26/G43 are slower to reload than the larger Glocks. The magazines do not fall free on reloads, so I plan to strip the magazine out of both of them during reloads.
4. The G26/G43 are both very accurate in slow fire, but are much harder to shoot well quickly than larger pistols.
In the Larry Vickers video review of the G43, one of the first things he says is basically, "The G43 is good for some things, but carry a G19 if you possibly can." I'd have to say that I agree.
Okie John
Your post raises valid points, but I disagree that the 19 conceals as well as the 26. I have a 19. I carry both my 26 and my 19 in Milt Sparks Criterion holsters worn in the same spot. It is noticeably easier to hide the 26 under an untucked polo shirt because of the length of the grip. I am not talking about standing in front of a mirror with arms at side but about walking deliberately down the street, or doing stuff like bending over.
A CCW person also must consider the weight differential, which is not only the gun but also includes the support gear. The loaded 26 weighs 26.2 ounces compared to 30.6 ounces for the 19. With each gun in its holster, the 26 loaded weighs 32 ounces and the 19 weights 37.2 ounces. A loaded spare 10 round 26 magazine weighs 6.4 ounces compared to 9.1 ounces for the 19. (The 43 weighs 21.9 ounces loaded, 25.5 ounces loaded in a TT Gunleather Mike’s Special, and a spare 6 round magazine weighs 4.4 ounces. The holster is not as good in the concealment department as a Criterion, so I cannot do a good CCW comparison until I receive the Criterion I have on order.)
Size does matter, but it is a question of degree, and everyone has to figure out what works for them.
