Glock was a latecomer to bringing concealed-carry guns to the modern market. When they released the Glock 43X Slimline Crossover and its Model 48 counterpart, I was skeptical.
It wasn’t the brand. Glock has exerted an unequivocally massive influence on the firearms market. Just look at the preponderance of striker-fired, polymer-frame, semi-auto handguns now available. Sure, Glock wasn’t the first to create such a combination, but they were definitely the most successful.
This was a question of proportion and geometry. Dubious as I was of the Glock 19, it made sense (to me anyway) as a sort of single-stack Glock 19. But the 43X? That was harder to reconcile. It didn’t seem anything more than an odd amalgamation of Glock 43 slide with the longer grip of its G48 cousin.
I failed to see the point of it. Want a smaller concealed carry gun? Go with a Glock 43, or even a G42 if you’re okay with the smaller caliber. Need something a little larger? Carry a G48. A simplistic view, perhaps, but that’s what I was thinking.
Skepticism doesn’t mean disinterest, though. I wasn’t an immediate naysayer. There’s always the chance, frequently a very good chance, that you don’t know what you don’t know about something. I knew I needed to go hands-on with it to see what the 43X fans saw…or to decide they were completely off base.
That in mind, I set about satisfying my curiosity. I borrowed a Glock 43X and hit the range to see for myself.
Glock 43X Features and Specs
The Glock 43X is part of the slimline series and exists outside of the typical Glock generations. It’s almost akin to a Glock Gen 5. Its 10-round single-stack magazine translates to a rather slim and lightweight 9mm handgun. The Glock 43X isn’t quite a micro-compact, but it could arguably be the most advanced of the single-stack 9mm handguns.
Specifications
- Weight: 16.5 ounces
- Weight Loaded: 23.1 ounces
- Barrel Length: 3.41 inches
- Overall Length: 6.27 inches
- Grip Width: 1.02 inches
- Height: 4.92 inches
- Capacity: 10 Rounds
- Caliber: 9mm
The G43X isn’t a big gun, but it is far from the pocket pistol genre. It is an odd duck with the short 3.41-inch barrel paired with the Glock 48-length grip. It still carries well, but don’t expect the convenience of the Glock 43.
There are two models of the G43X: standard — which I have — and the MOS model. The MOS is optics-ready and offers a rail. The standard model is fairly plain. The gun comes with two 10-round magazines and not much more. It’s a partially cocked striker-fired design that utilizes a trigger safety. The stock sights are the Glock U-shaped rear and single front dot.
Glock has a formula, and they stick to it.
Glock 43X At the Range
With some plain old brass-cased FMJs, I hit my range to test my skepticism about the G43X.
I started with some plain old accuracy testing using the B8 as my target of choice. I started at the 15-yard line and punched the black center out of the target pretty easily. At this range, the front sight looks pretty big against the 9-ring of the B8. I was still able to place every one of my rounds in the black.
At 20 yards, I couldn’t see the black of the target, and at 25 yards, the target almost completely disappeared. I switched to a larger 10-round gong and let it fly once more. I could keep the gong swinging most of the time, but even the slightest fault in my sight alignment meant a miss at 25 yards. The short sight radius of the gun strikes hard.
When I swapped to a full-sized IPSC target, my ratio of dings to silence escalated quite a bit. It’s a much larger target that represents a man-sized torso. At 25 yards, a small pistol hitting a target at 25 yards isn’t bad.
The Glock trigger is pretty good and always has been. It’s light and short, with that plastic-on-plastic feel. What really helps with repeatable accuracy with the G43X is the longer grip. It completely fills my hand and allows for a consistent grip.
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Going Fast
I used the B8 again and fired a Bill Drill. That’s six rounds at 7 yards as fast as possible. Normally, you’d use the A zone of an IPSC target, but I used the black of a B8 instead. It’s a good test of basic shooting skills, and aiming for a two-second Bill drill from the holster is the goal. I can’t do that (yet), but I keep striving.
I ran the drill several times, and my average amounted to 3.5 seconds. Almost every run was clean. I dropped a round every so often, but I took my time to avoid it when possible.
The Glock 43X proved to be very easy to control when fired rapidly. The sights suck, but that’s Glock sights for you. They work well enough, but the MOS model and a red dot would be on the money.
The longer grip on the Glock 43X really is nice. It gives you that rock-solid control. The recoil isn’t snappy, and there’s enough to the grip that I can get better than “three-finger control.” I feel a bit more confident drawing a gun when my pinky isn’t hanging in the wind.
The longer grip also keeps my hand from pinning the magazine in place when it comes time to reload. The magazines drop free and allow for a pretty efficient reload.
Ergonomically, my only complaint is that my big hands get hit by the slide, resulting in slide bite. In terms of reliability, the Glock 43X lives up to that legendary Glock reputation. It’s a problem-free gun.
What’s the Point of the Glock 43X?
After carrying the gun daily for a couple of weeks and training with the weapon at the range, my skepticism was gone.
I understand, now, the reasoning behind the Glock 43X. It’s designed to be easy to carry and easy to shoot. Concealment isn’t tough, thanks to the shorter barrel, and you can use an appendix holster or IWB holster without it being uncomfortable, bulky, or pokey.
With the longer grip, recoil isn’t snappy, and it’s much easier to shoot and control than the G43. It’s all about how easy the gun is to carry, shoot, and control. This gun appeals to new shooters, but experienced shooters can certainly appreciate the Glock 43X, too.
