Glock 43 Concealed Carry Pistol – G43 Single Stack CCW Swindle or Success?

Glock 43 - G43 Single Stack 9mm Pistol

The concealed carry pistol is finally here. For Glock aficionados, the was the very first "Baby Glock" on the market that met users needs to conceal carry conveniently. It was a sturdy double stack concealed carry pistol with all the functionality of a with a greatly reduced size.

Years went by and while manufacturers like S&W and Ruger encroached on the CCW single stack market, Glock stood by and whistled a nice little Austrian tune. Then came out. A compact, single stack .380 caliber conceal carry pistol that fit well into the sub-compact constraints many concealed carriers are looking for. The one big issue? Many CCW carriers wanted to stick with 9mm.

Glock was out of luck, yet again. Still, the Glock 42 was a fascinating and well made pistol - so by all rights it deserves recognition. With an extremely short 3" barrel and a tight 5.5 lb trigger assembly, it certainly brought the full functionality of a full-size Glock to an extremely concealable sub-compact market.

And in April, Glock finally caught up to where the concealed carry weapon market had been hovering for the last five years.

The Glock 43 is a sub-compact, single stack magazine version of the Glock 42 - this time chambered in 9mm. Way to catch up, finally, Glock!

Still, let's not break the proverbial balls of one of the finest pistol manufacturers on the market. Those who love the Glock will continue to love it and, surprisingly, the Glock 43 shows some advancement on previous designs.

Here's where the Glock 43 stands out

Customizable Grips

This is something that really only hit the market - in terms of Glock - with the . A full size, highly customizable pistol that would work admirably in tactical situations, it featured some of what the industry has been implementing. The ability to do custom barrel work, custom grips, and even seamlessly thread on attachments like a sight laser - it lets the user decide his or her own level of comfort and portability. The Glock 43 stops a little short of all that but it does include custom grips.

Smaller Handgrip

Unlike the G26 "Baby Glock", the G43 fits extremely comfortably in smaller hands. Perhaps taking aim at the growing number of women who are getting their CCW permits, definitely made a pistol that would be favorable to either men or women who preferred the 9mm caliber.

Slimmer Profile

This is a big one with CCW holders. While some will be adamant and roll around with a full size 1911, many concealed carriers want to stay exactly that - concealed. The Glock 43 is shaped so conveniently as to blend seamlessly beneath a t-shirt or light clothing. This is perfect for warmer weather where performance and concealability are key.

One of the best striker fire assemblies on the market

Big beans in the CCW world is having a striker that works without fault. While many shooters say they prefer strikers because of the fewer moving parts and mechanics, one need only look to the Sig Sauer P250 to see where this goes completely wrong. The Sig Sauer P250 has a polymer striker assembly that requires a long, steady pull on the trigger. This can be extremely annoying for those wanting immediate response.

By the time a pistol is taken out of its , it's either "go time" or maintenance time. No one wants to second guess their trigger. And the way the Glock 43 seamlessly integrates its stiff trigger with fast return with its inline striker fire assembly, no one needs to question how long a trigger pull is needed before the striker launches the bullet.

G43 Swindle or Success?

Because the Glock 43 is so new to the market, prices tend to jump around a lot. One of the biggest detractors to this gun is its current pricepoint. While MSRP suggests somewhere within the $515 range, actual numbers vary greatly and lean upwards. A buyer's suggestion would be to hold off until the G43 has had time to hit the secondary used gun markets. Like the G26, which has become a "go to" for CCW Glock fans, the secondary market is a great place to pick up this firearm affordably.

For the value, the G43 is an excellent gun for first-time CCW permit holders looking to get used to carrying around a firearm in their daily activities. So, Glock was late to the market but at least brought a reliable firearm and that's really what counts.

Do you carry the Glock 43? Let us know what you think about it in the comments!

About The Author James England (@sir_jim_england) is the contributing editor for Alien Gear Holsters. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and private defense contracting in Afghanistan.