Glock 42 First Impressions
I like Glocks; I have several of them, I like them, and I recommend them to everyone who asks. Which is not to say that I don't like other guns; I do, and I regularly use Sigs, 1911s, and others as well. There was a lot of hype around the introduction of the Glock 42, Glock's new small, single-stack .380 ACP. There is a lot to like about it: It is Glock's first Made in USA gun (which is a sign of more to come, and a good thing), it is quite small and concealable, and will surely be successful.
Although I did not have a chance to actually fire it at Shot Show, as we got too caught up at Sig's Range Day, I was able to see it, handle it, and found that it is as solid and well-built as Glocks always are. The single-stack design is well executed, and while it maintains the Glock character, it shows us that they can make a top-notch single stack. This is a good thing, as single stacks have become the darlings of the retail concealed carry market, so I hope we will soon see single stack 9mm and .45 ACP models from them as well (can't wait for that!).
Some readers commented that Glock DOES have a single-stack .45, the little known Glock 36, and that is true. However, I consider the Glock 36 (released in 2000) to be simply a slightly slimmed-down version of their compact guns, and not a designed-from-the ground-up single stack. With its 6 round capacity and a grip that is thicker than it needs to be, a new design, based on the same principles used for the Glock 42 seems to be in order.
On the down side, the Glock 42 is not as small as other comparable single-stack .380 ACP's out there (my Sig P238 comes to mind), which means it doesn't fully offer the best reason for these guns: a small, pocket-carry weapon. Secondly, I think they should have skipped .380 ACP and gone directly to a 9mm single-stack pocket gun. The reality is that 9mm is very close in size to .380 ACP, offers more and better ammo options, and 9mm is cheaper, making the .380s close to obsolete, in my view.
All in all a good pistol, well designed and executed, and small enough to easily carry concealed. With the added benefit of being a perfect size for the fastest-growing gun demographic, our dear ladies. It is also very exciting to see the first Made in USA Glock, and I think that portends good things for the future. I will always prefer made in USA to Made in Austria.
All in all, an excellent Glock entry into this market, and more importantly, it may signify what is perhaps a new and welcome direction for Glock.
Glock