I've never shot or owned a 380 until today. Brought home a Glock 42 and 100 rounds of Winchester White Box, 95gr FMJ FP.

I chose the Glock for a few reasons. One, I have several Glocks, and I like them, and find them easy to work on if needed. Two, it is large enough and heavy enough to shoot well, and is very comfortable to shoot. Three, the small and slim grip is easy to slip in a pocket or conceal with an IWB holster. There's probably a couple other reasons, but that is the wave-tops.

I was pleasantly surprised with the good visibility of the typical Glock issue sights. Normally I replace them with some type of tritium steel sights right away. But in my 60's my eyes pick up these issue sights much easier, so they will stay.

Shooting the new pistol went super smooth. I just hammered four magazines through it at 10 yards. It functioned perfectly with the WWB ammo. No issues feeding the flat point. The trigger is typical Glock...the take-up, the wall, the break. No surprises.

Glock got the slide/spring weights figured out well, because aside from perfect function, recoil is really mild. I've heard that some of the smaller 380s, have fairly snappy recoil. This G42 is super pleasant and enjoyable to shoot.

I was on the fence between this G42, and the Sig P365-380. The Sig does have some advantages, like capacity, and tritium sights, but I'm real happy with my choice.

This pistol is not going to be an EDC or primary pistol. Honestly I've been wanting to scratch the 380 itch for a while, and now I'm doing it. At first blush, I'm really enjoying it, and glad I bought it.

I bought one about a year ago. The first time I took it out, I couldn't make it through a magazine without a failure. I tend not to strangle a handgun, so I made a conscious effort to squeeze the piss out of it. Still had misfires. Took it home, stripped it down, cleaned it good. Same thing. Called a bud of mine who is a Glock nut. He immediately told me I was holding it wrong. I thought BS, but went to the range with him. He emptied 2 mags without a hitch. When my turn came, he looked at my grip and told me that I needed to push my firing hand further up. "Jam it into the web of your hand." I didn't think that I was holding it low, but that did the trick. I never had another malfunction. I was surprised by how well I could shoot it. I came to really enjoy it.

I need more time with it, before I trust it. The grip I have to take with it is not natural yet. I have to consciously force myself to grip it that way. I don't with any of my other 3 Glocks. I have never had a malfunction with them.

Nice. I’ve thought about it too, it’s a good idea to have various calibers. Y’all remember when obammy got elected… 9, 45’s disappeared first……


Yeah,buy what you want, it’s your money.

I started out years ago carrying a Sig 230 in 380 and never could warm up to the 380. I was trying holler points and they just disappointed at every turn. Now I know the 380 is best with hard cast or FMJ and might try one again one day. If I do, it’ll be the G42.

I was recently interested in a pocket pistol to replace my J frame 642 and the G43 doesn’t work for me. I tried the G43X and I can carry my G19 just as easy with the ability to shoot it much better. I’m just not a fan of the Sig 365 so I was thinking the J frame was about as good as I could do.

Then I kept reading and hearing about how the G42 was the best pocket sized pistol out there. Most people shoot the 43 a few mag’s and they are done but the 42 can be shot all day, like shooting a 22. It’s just smaller than the 43 that it fits in a pocket better and is a little more accurate to boot. Enjoy your new pistol! I’ll probably try one myself one day.

I bought one for the wife when they came out, she limp wristed the heck out of it. I shot it really well though and was very confident with it. But sent it down the road after I got my shield. Got rid of all my 380s, just gonna focus on stacking up 9mm and 45acp.

I like the G42 well enough that I bought a left hand belt slide holster for it. Somedays the voice tells me that two guns are better than one. Mine has been eyeball accurate inside 15 yards for me. Nothing NOT to like about the little pistol in my opinion, YMMV.

Had one when they first came out. The the 43 came out and for basically the same size gun and virtually no difference in recoil I went with the 43 and sold the 42

I could see me with one of those or a 43 to go with the 45 I currently have. I like 'em!

Had one since shortly after they first came out. Great little gun. Very shootable, and once they had the magazine issue worked out (I had to send all my mags back and get replacements), completely reliable. And with the right load, .380 is no slouch.

It's in my regular rotation, and replaces my Glock 26 (and I mean it goes right in the same soft leather IWB holster) whenever I have to go someplace where I would never want anyone to notice I'm carrying, e.g., while seated in the dentist chair getting my teeth cleaned. "Hey, what's that sticking up from under your shirt?" Not a question I'd want to deal with having the saliva sucker in my mouth. "Is that a gun, or are you just happy to see me?" would be another one. LOL.

You might have gotten one with the original mags, which tended to cause reliability issues. Glock will switch you to the mags that fixed that issue for free.

At first glance they appear about the same size, but that's actually not the case. In all dimensions, the 42 is significantly smaller.

I absolutely love everything about the Glock 42 except the capacity. It shoots like a .22 LR with mild recoil. I’ve shot a lot of different types of ammo with it, and it shoots it all well with only a couple of exceptions. I’ve shot meat, gel, water and barriers (many videos and pictures previously posted here), and it punches above its weight with Buffalo Bore. (I have had some bobbles with Lehigh branded 90 grain Xtreme Penetrators because of the bullet size and shape, and post-Wilson Combat Lehigh factory loaded 68 grain XD rounds are too underpowered to consistently cycle it. Underwood branded XDs, so far, are fine because they are much hotter.) Handloaders can bulk order 95 grain jacketed flat points from Precision Delta and also get hard cast bullets used by Buffalo Bore from Rim Rock and 68 grain XD bullets directly from Lehigh.

I do think the gun requires a little break in. Also, it prefers full strength ammo. WWB is on the low end, so it is a good sign if that works well in a new gun.

With all that said, I only occasionally carry it as a primary. I have carried it as a backup a lot. It works well in the pocket in an Alabama pocket holster. I like the Sig P35-380 better because it points the same as my other P365s, but that is because I carry 9mm 365s a primary. The Sig is bulkier in the pocket, so it is not as versatile in jeans pockets as the 42.

Shown here with Ameriglo Agent sights.




I disagree with this. The size difference isn't too bad, but the recoil is very different. I got rid of both 43s. I traded one of them for a second 42.

Men so terrified of printing crack me up.

I've been carrying the 43X for the last couple years as my EDC. For me, it's definitely a holster sized gun for belt carry. I carry it IWB in kydex.


I did consider a 43 also, but I had a feeling the smaller grip of the 43, as compared to the 43X, might be a tad small for good control of a 9mm.

I'll end up ordering some IWB kydex for the 42 also.

I figure if I'm carrying the 42 for protection, it's either going to loaded with FMJ FP, or with Underwood 68gr XD. I put penetration first. Expansion is nice, but not as critical as penetration.

Ordinarily, not so much. In the dentist chair with equipment in my mouth, yes.

You're going to the wrong dentist. Mine doesn't GAF. She and most of the people in her office (95% females) either grew up in Cuba, or South or Central American dictatorships (socialism my ass). They all (Cubans especially) hate communists and all know the value of having a weapon.

Many of them have seen a weapon on me when I get out of the the incline chair. Never once saw an "OH" face.

I agree that, in this caliber, penetration is more important than the pretty mushroom pictures that most people use in making their purchasing decisions. I have found that standard FMJ round nose ball ammo performs just as poorly as hollow points once barriers are encountered. (I shot some 95 gr. Blazer brass in the .380 torture test thread from a while back and it penetrated no farther.) Even though flat nose FMJ may be a little different, I wouldn't count on it. If you want to go that route, think Buffalo Bore hard cast flat points. Rim Rock sells the projectiles for $42 for 500 if you want to tailor a carry load or just shoot them for practice.

I will load up some 68 grain XDs and see how they do in this gun. So far, I only have shot a few factory loads and handloads through it but have not chrono'd them. I would expect them to perform the same or better than in the Sig P365-380 because the barrel is slightly longer.

I don't really see myself reloading the 380. It's more of a range toy for me.

But I'll probably snag a couple boxes of the Underwood +P 68gr XD ammo. Chrono test it, and have a few on hand if I carry the 380 as a backup or secondary.

This afternoon I was shooting the 42 some more, alongside the 43X. The 42 feels like a toy in direct comparison. I guess there's a reason it is in the 'mousegun' category.

I prefer P32.

That's a true pocket pistol for sure. Something like half the weight of a G42, and much smaller.

https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/glock-g42-vs-kel-tec-p-32


I've never held one myself, but one of the members here (TLEE) who I have a great deal of respect for, mentioned his often, and in a positive light as a deep concealment EDC.

At what distance do you get these types of groups with a P32 and any degree of speed?

The Glock 42 is a good pistol but it's a little large for a pocket 380. It's about the same size as my Beretta Nano in 9mm, but the Nano is 6 ounces heavier than the G42. My favorite pocket 380 is the Beretta Pico, it only weighs 11.5 ounces, it disappears in the pocket of athletic shorts and is very well built.

It took a while to get use to my Glock 42, but once I figured out the feel for the trigger, my grip, poa, poi and the loads the gun it was like magic happened.

Nice shooting!

I carry and shoot the piss out of my 42. Absolutely love it. I shoot it well out to 40 yards. The only thing i can say negative about it, is the capacity.

A question for anybody using a +1 baseplate like the Pearce of similar.

Do you need a longer magazine spring? Or does the factory magazine spring work in the +1 baseplate with reliable function?

I would think you'd want a longer spring, but it would likely be fine without it. Might need replacing sooner, though.

Personally, the only modes I put on a carry gun are better sights.

I'm thinking about a Pearce baseplate with a finger spur on it to give the pinky finger a place to rest, or maybe the same with the +1.

It's a low cost item, so I'll just order one of each and see how it goes.

I don’t know why it is that the .380 always seems to have a pretty good reputation for incapacitating the person it hits. I always wondered if the encounters with a .380 wielding victim were always more detrimental to the aggressor than they should have been due to lack of recoil, and the ability to shoot more times more accurately. I regret selling my G42 but up close you could unload a magazine into a pie plate very rapidly.

They're easy to shoot well vs something like a Ruger LCP. The Glock 42 is about on par in that department (shootability) with my Sig P-238 (also a smallish .380, but not a tiny one), which I occasionally pocket carry in an Alabama Holsters pocket holster.

Have one. Bought for wife. She didn't like. She later bought and loves a kimber micro.

Our 42 with fancy custom holster and several magazines mainly sits in the safe. Nice little gun; but neither fish nor fowl for me at this point. A little large for pocket carry. Low capacity for holster carry. I might carry it more when get older and recoil becomes more of an issue; but sig 365 primary carry now.

FYI, I ran some factory Underwood standard pressure 68grain XDs through my Glock 42. I was using a Labradar at an indoor range with side-walls at the shooting bench and had the gun positioned very close to the chrono (like I usually do), and I was getting some double readings due to the concussion. After discarding the really low numbers (e.g. 300 fps), I got a 5 shot MV average of 1233 fps, with a high of 1286 and one very low of 1144, for an ES of 142. I didn’t believe the one low number to be correct, so I shot another five but positioned the gun a few inches farther from the Labradar. Each shot registered and I did not get any extra readings. This time I got a MV average of 1254 fps, high of 1275, low of 1225 for an extreme spread of 50. My Sig P365-380 previously had registered an average of 1273 with a high of 1308, a low of 1233, ES74. Although the Sig’s ES was higher, the low for the Sig was 1233, which was higher than the low of 1225 registered in the second string with the 42, and the high for the Sig was 33 fps higher than the high for the 42. The average was close enough between that two that I think that my junk science testing of the ammo from the Sig P365-380 on a different thread from a few months ago should be valid for the 42.

I also shot some 68 gr. XD handloads through the 42 with a max load shown on Lehigh Defense’s website, and I got a 5 shot average of 1155, high 1159, low 1145, ES 14. This is about 75 fps faster than Lehigh Defense’s factory loaded ammo. Lehigh’s factory ammo was too weak to consistently cycle either the Glock 42 or the Sig P365, but this handload cycles very well in both and is milder than Underwood’s factory ammo. I am going to do my barrier and water jug test with this ammo at some point to see the effect of the lower velocity. Note: Lehigh's XD bullet looks slightly different than the XD bullet loaded by Underwood. I can't explain why.

I also shot magazines of the XD factory and handloads through the 42 and also shot a Sig P365 9mm loaded with Speer standard pressure factory 124 grain Gold Dots with an MV of about 1050 through that gun. The .380 loads have mild recoil compared to the 9mm and are very easy to shoot rapidly. (The Underwoods are louder and slightly snappier than traditional 90-95 grain .380 ammo.) Anyone who thinks they can keep up with these .380s shooting the mini-9mm with duty-grade ammo is either dreaming or has recoil control like a bench mounted vise.

There were no malfunctions with any of the ammo. I also checked the ammo for setback in the 42 and I did not detect any.

I am cross-posting some of this on the .380 thread that I started a while back.

Hope this helps.

MontanaMarine, keep us posted with your results with the +P versions of Underwood XD.

Will do.

My 42 goes with me everyday. It has now for three years

I run the stock magazine spring and have no issue with my +1 mag

Good to know, thanks!

The G 42 is ( a little bit ) flatter, less tall, and lighter weight than an Aluminium framed 7.65 mm Walther PPK.

There is NO comparison on shooting a G 42 versus a 9 mm short PPK!

I can shoot hundreds of rounds with the G 42 ( and being a Glock it will hold up well ), it´s no fun shooting 50 rounds with the PPK.

Although the steel framed 9 mm k PPK is MUCH heavier.

Hermann

1st congrats on your buy MM I hope it works well for you. I am not a major glock fan, don't have a thing against them. I make do very well with a ec9s ruger and 2 365's in 9mm.
Viking you have memory issues the 380 ammo disappeared instantly 9's and 45's were the easiest to come up with back then just a matter of how much you were willing to pay. The problem is and was is two fold there are a lot of 380 pistols out in the public but damn few 380 owners who shoot much. It is never as inexpensive as 9 mm because the manu's don't make any where near as much of it as 9's. Back during that shortage my brother told me of seeing it sell for 75/ box in tulsa back then. So IMHO 380 ammo supply sucks. Availible now but next panic you are fugged. I can load anything but loading small rds like 25 acp and 380's suck with my fingers 9's are tough enuf. I'll take a 9 mm everytime over a 380 just on the ammo issue alone. My ec9s has a 2 finger grip and 3 with the mag lip and still go in the frt jean pocket. Only advice I'd give the op is to get a set of dies for back up and score a CASE or two of factory ammo next time you find a fair buy on it..mb

I bought this 500-round box from Palmetto a couple weeks ago for $189. It shoots well in the G42.

Looks like they are sold out now.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/aac...mj-500rd-with-30-cal-plano-ammo-can.html

You know Shane that the fact you did just that doesn't surprise me one damned bit..mb

Bob, that's because I feel pretty much the same way you do about 380 ammo supply.

Then with current events being what they are, I have a feeling people will be stocking up on everything, and we'll soon be short on supply.

During the last big shortage, I got into 7.62x39, and air rifles, just to have another good rifle option, and low cost shooting with the air rifles.

I had so much trouble getting .380 ammo during Obama years, or even components, that I sold my only .380 (acquired during the same period) and gave away the dies and what little components I had. Having learned my lesson the hard way, I do have enough components on hand to keep shooting them for a while. As of this writing, Starline has brass in stock and RMR has bullets in stock. (I prefer flat points from Precision Delta but they are out right now.) Lehigh is out of XD projectiles this minute but Rimrock has 100 grain hard cast flat points as used by Buffalo Bore. One of the only types of carbide die sets available from Dillon right now is in .380.