As the ONLY gun person in the entire United States to have NOT been summoned to Smyrna and given a 150-10,000 rounds with the G43, I have a few observations based on the “exclusive first looks” at the single stack 9mm that is destined to change not only the world, but possibly the entire universe. Or not.
The G43 compared to the G26:
- The G43 is a single stack version of the venerable G2, except…
- It’s shorter, but only by a little itsy bit.
- It’s taller, but only by the same little itsy bit
- It’s skinnier, by a bunch (okay, by .16 of an inch, the thickness of a couple of quarters and a bit)
- It weighs a bunch less, as much as a full stick of butter, plus maybe a smear
- The mag holds 6 rounds instead of 10, which would be 40% less
The G43 compared to the G42:
- It’s a 9mm instead of a .380…do the math yourself
Recoil of the G43 compared to other mini-9mms:
- It is exquisite
- It is less than any other mini-9mm
- It’s like the G26
- It is nothing like the G26
- It is more than equivalent mini-9mms (S&W Shield, Ruger LC9, assorted Kahrs, Kimber Solo, Taurus Slim, Springfield XD 9mm, Sig Sauer 938)
- It is less than equivalent mini-9mms
- It is the same as equivalent mini-9mms
The trigger pull of the new Glock 43 is:
- Exactly like a Glock
- Different than any other Glock
- Exactly like squeezing an overripe avocado
- Perfection
- Sucks
- It makes my G26’s trigger feel like an Artillery Luger after a month in the trenches
Sales potential of the G43:
- It will sell more than the first iPhone
- It will sell more than Ford Mustang
- It will sell more than the Ruger LCP
- It will sell more than cheese curds at the Wisconsin State Fair
- It will sell more than bids for an auctioned-off dream date with Kaley Cuoco at Comic-Con 2015
The best article on the G43 by yet another person who hasn’t shot it yet:
• Mark Keefe @ American Rifleman on why the G43 took so long:
You have to remember, the idea of a small, single-stack pistol was anathema to Glock’s culture. The Glock was built on wide guns regardless of barrel length that fed from Glock’s superlative double-column, single-feed magazine. Short and fat, rather than thin and sleek.
The bottom line on the G43:
I was an early adopter of the mini-9mm concept and have routinely carried Ruger, Kahr, Kimber and Taurus mini-9mms over the last few years. As I have said before…and repeatedly…mini-9mms are in fact experts’ guns. They all bark, especially with the 9mm self-defense ammunition that has essentially changed the game on carry guns.
I was initially skeptical of the larger sized .380s until I shot the Ruger LC380. Then I “got it”…the larger platform .380s, especially given modern self-defense ammunition, were super easy to shoot, making them ideal guns for the recoil-shy. So the G42 .380 made perfect sense to me…I wasn’t surprised at all that it became the best-selling handgun of the year.
The G43 is a welcome addition to the mini-9mm battery. It comes at a time when I’m considering moving away from the single stack 9mm to larger capacity 9mms, because the world is changing, and not for the better. But, as always, you pay your money and you take your chances. I will be buying a G43 to try for myself, and so will you… probably…
