As Rick requested, my take on the Glock 43. I'll also compare it to to M&P Shield which is is the first handgun I ever bought at list price when the new Gander Mtn opened in Rogers several years back. My partner in permit and NRA training is Jon Thompson of Riverside Sporting Gear. Jon is an FFL with a certificate in gunsmithing from Pine City Tech and is also a Glock, S&W and Sig Factory armorer. He sells me guns at his cost, and while his shop sells hundreds every year, Shields and G43's and other high demand guns do take a while to show up at his shop...
The G43 will fit in the cargo pants of my 511 pants, the Shield will not, so I went with the inflated price.
Before I took the gun out Sat I field stripped it and ran a patch thru the bore. Glock says their guns arrive ready to shoot and require no break in, who says - Chris Edwards VP of Glock and that's been my experience. The trigger felt like my other Glocks, but measured in at 5lbs 9oz of pull, a little heavy, not gritty, but the usual amount of take up. I'll shoot it like 500 times, recheck it and then have Jon polish and smooth the trigger. I like my carry guns to have at least 5lb triggers, my mentor Mas Ayoob says he can easily defend anything DAO over 4.5lbs.
On the range I fired the following new rounds I had on hand Freedom Arms 115gr, 50 rds, and 147 20rds. 20 rds of UMC 115 brass cased, 50 rounds of Federal AE in 124 grain and then my factory reloaded competition ammo from Atlanta Arms 40 rds of their 147gr reduced power factor ammo used by Team Glock and AMU and IDPA/USPSA legal. If my math is right that was 180rds, so I finished the test with my carry stuff Fed HST 124gr.
Well, it ran like a Glock, no malfunctions of any kind, other than one I caused by a failure to fully seat the mag. I chambered and fired the first rd, and after a trap/rack / assess fired the next 5. In terms of accuracy I used a standard IDPA cardboard target and shot it from 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 yards.
Like all my guns, its more accurate than me. The 30 shots at 5 and 7 where in a 3" group, when I moved to 10 yds, group size doubled. 15 and 20 yards most shots stayed in the 8" inch down zero, my lack of distance skill caused a dozen of so to spread into the down one zone, but that was definitely me , not the gun. I did fire 20 of the 10 yard and under shots strong and weak hand only and tried some head shots, again gun shot great. Also deliberately loosened my grip a few times, not real limp wrist sensitive.
For the carry ammo I did what I tell my students to do to know where their gun shoots. I benched the gun and supported my grip with sandbags. Fired 4 rds each at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 yds and got a 4" group, with two flyers. I know several friends who would definitely do it in 2" or less. I'll now thoroughly clean the gun. Then I'll shot at least another 100 rds of ball ammo and then a 100 of the HST that must work flawlessly. Then I will trust the gun for carry
I'm 6"3" with large hands, the large grip on the Gen 4 G 21 fits me perfectly. However, no issue holding and controlling this small gun with or without the extension. However, the 3 extra mags, I will buy when they do start to ship will have the extensions.
I have said I'm a Glock fanboy and that is true. However, I find the Shield a little easier for me to shoot and and the shot recovery seems better to me. Many of my students like a safety on their pocket guns, not an issue for me. I always use a good holster and if I pocket carry the gun is the only thing in there, so I never engage the safety. The Shield also has one more round and mine has the Viridian Green Reactor laser that activates when I draw. Laser aside, Glock got it right, but I believe the Shield did too and much earlier...
As an instructor I get to try out lots of guns and have shot most all of current pocket guns. I just don't care for 1911 style pistols or shoot them well, ( bet the 2 are related) so I can't talk to them. I have owned various S&W 5 shot revolvers, the Ruger LC9 and the Kahr P9 and Kahr P380 but never any of the XDS products, though I do like shooting them. I have to say, in my opinion only, the Glock 43 and Shield are better pistols for me. See what I did there, its my opinion, and what works for me. Shooters that I think the world of only like steel or metal 1911's, some like sigs with traditional actions, Rugers revolvers, etc. none of which are for me. Your mileage may vary, I like Android devices and Windows PC's they work for me, so no flaming about only idiots shoot Tupperware and that Glocks are dishwasher safe, etc please. You like the 1911, still America, so buy and shoot it or your DA/SA Sig or HK, if they work for you. Me. I like and shoot the polymer striker fired ones better.
Here's a pretty useful pro review on the same topic
http://carolinagunrunners.net/glock-43-review/
