While walking around SHOT Show 2014, I heard a rumor about the Glock 43 — a 6+1 single stack 9mm. Actually, I heard a lot of rumors. First, there was the one about the “new” single-stack .45 (not true). Then there was the one about a new .45 GAP (also not true, and not likely).
Talk of the imminent release of the Glock 43 was persistent. In fact, it almost became a commonly told joke: “Hey, did you hear the one about the Glock single-stack 9mm?”
As it turns out, the rumors about the Glock 43 are true.
It is a pocket-sized 9mm, weighing 16.19 ounces (empty). It has a slide length of 6.06 inches with a 3.39-inch barrel length. This makes it only slightly larger than the 13.76-ounce Glock 42, which fires the .380 Auto. Both have slide widths of .87, but the Glock 43’s slide is longer.
It’s been rumored that the Glock 43 is fairly comfortable to shoot, even with potent loads.
I like to play with ballistic gelatin, and the barrel is perfect for Hornady’s Critical Defense line in terms of performance. Now that there’s a 100 grain 9mm FTX cartridge in the Critical Defense brand, the Glock 43 is the ideal platform for low recoil effectiveness.
What does this all mean to law enforcement professionals? I have been tracking a five-year trend of marked improvements in the effectiveness of the 9mm duty round. Foremost is the greater consistency across the board in after barrier performance, where bonded bullets prevent jacket/core separation. I am more comfortable carrying a 9mm than I was five years ago.
When I first went on patrol, I carried an Officer’s Model in a shoulder holster for a backup. My philosophy was that if I needed a backup, I really needed a backup. When the Glock 27 came out, I carried mine right in the vest. It worked great in the BDUs we wore for duty, but I had to go with a slimmer backup when I wore Class As.
I needed a slimmer Glock.
The Glock 43 is perfect for backup, special assignments, and off duty carry.
The most common question I get from readers is, “what are your top five handguns?” This is in response to a review I wrote about the SIG P239, and the truth is, the Glock 19 is one of my favorite handguns of all time, but now that the Glock 43 is out, it may displace the 19.
