Bought Glock 42 .380 acp

[doddg]

Been looking for a Glock 42 .380 for weeks.
I can buy one new for $400 and used, people are asking $400-$450: odd.
Didn't have much motivation to buy a used one to save only taxes ($28).

I finally found one for $350 with night sights, original box and 2 mags and a holster.
I picked it up in Plainfield in a parking lot next to a gun shop.
I went in and bought a pinky extension for 1 of the mags ($8).

Looked like new, owner said he took it on trade and the previous owner said it had a box of shells put through it: looked like it.

Got to go to the range within a couple of hours.

WOW!!! it is so much more accurate than my S/W M/P Bodyguard .380: bye bye S/W Bodyguard.
I'll do a range report if I have time tonight, but the short version at 20':

(1st round) Glock: 5 in 2" 9 in 4" 10 in 6" 12 in 8"
(2nd round) Glock: 6 in 2" 5 in 4" 11 in 6" 12 in 8"

S/W Bodyguard: 1 in 2" 2 in 4" 3 in 6" 7 in 8" 9 in 10" 10 in 12" 11 in 14" 12 in 16"
1 in 2" 2 in 4" 8 in 6" 9 in 8" 10 in 10" 11 in 12" 12 in 14"

I also shot the Colt Mustang, and it was very similar to the Glock especially at 4" and 6" with the Glock edging out the Mustang at 2" and 8"

I intend to get the Bodyguard into the Classifieds tonight.

At the end when I had figured out that the Glock hit low and adjusted for that I could put 2 shots w/i 1/2" of each other at 20'
They were my last 2 shots using the Glock, and yes, I did feel pretty good about it.

Very, very accurate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I even kept my targets to post them, but I'm too tired tonight and probably noone cares what an old half-blind guy that can't see through his trifocals well can do anyway.

 

[GlockRiver]

Congrats! I've been thinking about picking one up for Summer carry. My G43 needs a little brother.

 

[T-DOGG]

G42 is what my wife has been carrying for almost 2 years now.

Good little shooter, only thing we noticed is if she does not get a firm grip on it while shooting it will not cycle 100% (limp wristing).
If I shoot it, or if she gets a correct grip on it, no malfunctions. This can be said for many other guns though, not just this particular one.

We went to the range as a family on Memorial Day. She ran 100 rounds through it and had good accuracy.
She shoots it better than most guns she has had in the past, including the M&P .380 Bodyguard, a 9mm Shield and a Glock 26.

I've had plenty of Glocks over the years. The G42 and G43 have the best ergonomics, in my opinion.

 

[MCgrease08]

I had one for a while. I traded a S&W Bodyguard to get it, but my Bodyguard was the revolver in .38 spl.

I honestly never liked the 42. I wasn't very accurate with it because I had a tendency to try and strangle it. It was easy to pocket carry though, which was my primary reason for owning it.

I eventually traded it off for a Ruger LCR, which I didn't really like either. I ended up trading that one off for a lot of ammo.

I was doing a lot of trading around that time. We must be kindred spirits.

 

[223 Gunner]

I bought this one a couple months ago out of the classifieds on here.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-ctc-laserguard-trijicon-hd-night-sights.html

I removed the laser and put it in the box, didn't really do anything for me, and being anal like I am, I removed the battery from it too.
I've had it to the range twice, had to fix the front sight, it was a little crooked, the previous owner stated they were professionally installed. I believe him, but being "professional" these days means different things to different people....... did I mention I am anal about such things.

Anyway I love mine, and congrats on yours Gary!

Oh and on a side note, had I not been having a busy day at work when the Bronze slide FNS was listed, that would be mine.
Good thing you have a quick keyboard finger.

 

[doddg]

I had one for a while. I traded a S&W Bodyguard to get it, but my Bodyguard was the revolver in .38 spl.

I honestly never liked the 42. I wasn't very accurate with it because I had a tendency to try and strangle it. It was easy to pocket carry though, which was my primary reason for owning it.

I eventually traded it off for a Ruger LCR, which I didn't really like either. I ended up trading that one off for a lot of ammo.

I was doing a lot of trading around that time. We must be kindred spirits.

1.

 

[doddg]

I bought this one a couple months ago out of the classifieds on here.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-ctc-laserguard-trijicon-hd-night-sights.html

I removed the laser and put it in the box, didn't really do anything for me, and being anal like I am, I removed the battery from it too.
I've had it to the range twice, had to fix the front sight, it was a little crooked, the previous owner stated they were professionally installed. I believe him, but being "professional" these days means different things to different people....... did I mention I am anal about such things.

Anyway I love mine, and congrats on yours Gary!

Oh and on a side note, had I not been having a busy day at work when the Bronze slide FNS was listed, that would be mine.
Good thing you have a quick keyboard finger.

1. You might be the winner yet: I bought it: "just b/c"
2. I have no reason, it's just I really trusted the seller, price was stellar and I was curious if the longer barrel would count for anything with my eyes.
3. I won't keep them both long-term, one will have to go.
4. I wanted to test them against each other at the range, but I had the Glock 42 to test out to see if I could sell the Smith Bodyguard, and I wanted to put rounds through the FNS comparing it to the Glock.
5. The only thing in favor of the Smith was being an inch shorter and having a long 9# trigger and a safety, which the Glock has neither, which I'll miss the DBL action (just miss it for the first shot, though).
6. I'm not sure about carrying it with one in the chamber with only a 5.5# trigger and no safety.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Good choice on the 42, Gary!

 

[mcapo]

The SW Bodyguard 380 has a horrible trigger; that is probably a lot of the accuracy differences.

Multiple platforms by single manufacturers? You might be narrowing in on "long term" ownership...

 

[acss502]

Congrats on the 42! It’s a great compact gun. I know there are smaller ones and some slightly bigger with a bigger hole in the end, but it seems like the 42 is the best compromise of size and shootability. If it fits your hand and you are familiar and like the glock platform, you’ll love it.

 

[doddg]

Good choice on the 42, Gary!

1. Blew me away how accurate it was!
2. I didn't have time to try 30', but I can't wait, just for fun!

The SW Bodyguard 380 has a horrible trigger; that is probably a lot of the accuracy differences.
Multiple platforms by single manufacturers? You might be narrowing in on "long term" ownership...

3. Glocks are too expensive for me to dedicate myself to them. It will be interesting if I end up with a Glock 43 and sell the Shield 9, but the 43 would cost me $450 new and people are asking that or more for used. Who knows: I could end up with a Sig 365 someday when the dust settles (I like to buy my cars or guns or anything actually after its has been out a few years for obvious reasons).
4. This Glock 42 was $150 more than what I paid for the Bodyguard, therefore, is why I owned it. (price matters, but as I get more experience, I see the "need" to upgrade.
5. And, the Bodyguard was very small (full inch shorter by looking at it than the Glock), and I loved the "safety" of the long double-action trigger, and it came with a manual safety also.
6. I wonder how people carry the 42 with one in the chamber since there is no safety, b/c the trigger isn't a long heavy one.
I won't keep one in the chamber unless I find resolution to that issue, but it does hurt an emergency use if having to pull the slide before engaging.
7. I loved the Smith b/c it had a long heavier pull, but it certainly was the cause for my poor performance at the range: but it was small, so for a small CC for close quarters: perfect for its intended functon.
8. I even thought about keeping both b/c of the advantages of the Smith but it is a .380 and I only wanted it for when the need for very very small was needed, and I could replace it with a small 9mm in the future since I don't prefer to have another caliber if I don't need to.
9. I'm getting out of control : ever since I got away from my ultra-small Beretta tip-up barrels in .25 and .32, I just keep getting bigger small CC and justifing it.

 

[croy]

As long as you have a proper holster covering the trigger guard that gun won't go off until pressed. All accident and or negligent discharges end with something pulling the trigger. When fractions of a second matters not having one in the chamber can mean life or death.

 

[doddg]

As long as you have a proper holster covering the trigger guard that gun won't go off until pressed. All accident and or negligent discharges end with something pulling the trigger. When fractions of a second matters not having one in the chamber can mean life or death.

1. I use a DeSanti Superfly pocket holster or ankle holster: never use a holster on my belt.
2. I have all kinds of other holsters IWB/OWB, including a belly band holster (being delivered today or tomorrow) and one that fits in the front under the belt (now the jokes will come ).
3. But, my default holster has always been a pocket holster (always had smaller guns), and my default CC is a .38 Smith 642 hammerless Snubbie or a Shield 9 which does well in either the DeSanti or ankle holster. (my Glock 26 will not fit in my ankle holster, though, and might need to get a bigger one for it).

 

[cosermann]

... At the end when I had figured out that the Glock hit low and adjusted for that ...

Congrats on the new purchase. The G42s are nice soft shooters.

Remember, it's highly unlikely all your pistols shoot low (which they seem to in most threads you post).

This is probably you, and it's really something you should get ironed out because you'll never be able to adjust consistently or at various ranges.

 

[doddg]

Congrats on the new purchase. The G42s are nice soft shooters.

Remember, it's highly unlikely all your pistols shoot low (which they seem to in most threads you post).

This is probably you, and it's really something you should get ironed out because you'll never be able to adjust consistently or at various ranges.

1. I hear you about me being the "X" factor of low targeting and am open to that, but some of my guns don't shoot low at all.
2. When I say it shoots low, I mean I have to bring the front sight all the way up past the line of the two the dots on the rear sights to get it to shoot where the bullseye is instead of the 3 sights (front single and 2 rear) being in a horizontal line for POA (hopefully I'm using that term correctly.
Translation: I must aim high to be on the bullseye. (bring the front dot up past the 2 rear dots).

 

[cosermann]

Have someone load your mags for your next range trip and include a dummy round [1] in every mag. If you’re pulling (with your finger) or pushing things (with your hand) it will be obvious when your sights dip as the gun goes “click.”

[1] - https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...ies/saf-t-trainers-dummy-rounds-prod9923.aspx

 

[MCgrease08]

It appears that yours has the XS Big Dot sights on it.

Those are a little bit tougher to get used to. You put the big white front sight on top of the post on the rear sight to create a lollipop sight picture.

 

[STEEL CORE]

You did good, my wife and I have one and she carries hers, mine is a range toy locked up in the safe, it's already June of 2018 and it's been about a year since we shot them at the range.
I also got a great deal on .380 ammo over a thousand ronds here and there very cheap. I bet ten years from now I will have some of that ammo still, but I bet you keep this one.
Very nice everyday pocket pistols replacing the James Bond Walther PPks in popularity.

 

[FULL308]

I personally wanted one but didn't want a 380. So I bought a Kahr CM9 instead. I love this gun since it's about the same size of the 42 maybe even a little smaller. However not everyone is a fan of the trigger on the kahr CM9. I however love it!!!

Ps. I would have bought the 42 if it wasn't for this gun however.

 

[NHT3]

I doubt that it's more accurate but it IS much easier to shoot accurately. Short stroke on the trigger VS long 10 pound pull and it's a little larger which helps you get a more consistent grip shot to shot. I would advise shooting a 43 before dumping your Shield. I think you will find the Shield is better in several aspects when you are talking single stack 9s. IMHO the 42 is top of the line where small 380s are concerned.

[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public”

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Aron Bright[/FONT]