Bought Glock 42 .380 acp

[doddg]

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

1. Thanks for the tip!

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.

2. That is exactly what I did.
3. At the end of my range session, I had 2 extra rounds left, and after learning to bring up my front sight higher than "normal," I put those 2 shots touching each other (w/i 1/2 inch of point of impact: only did 20', though, when I have more time I'll do 30', but the Bodyguard will probably be sold by then, but I can run the 43 against the Colt Mustang that I think I will sell unless I can find a pinky extender for my 5 shot mags).
4. I brought my targets home with me so I could take pics and post to illustrate the different patterns of shot placement but having the time to indulge in such anal behavior is always illusive.

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.

5. I love to keep a gun (believe it or not), and my fun is to replace what I have when I find something better that suits me.
6. Since it is a Glock, of which I had to educate myself to pursue, and it is more expensive than my usual brands, it's difficult to find one priced where I will spring for the money, but as I sell down my "excess" I can feel better about having $400ish in a gun instead of $200 and its only been a year!
7. Since I don't want to have the .380 round (would like to keep it to .22LR and 9mm for simplicity), if I find a 9mm that is the same size as the 43: I wiil sell it and get the other. That could just be a matter of time, education and experience. Fun for me.
8. Imagine at the end of year 2?

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.

9. I'll put the CM9 on my radar.
10. Seems like I've read some negatives about the "cheaper" way they made the CM9? At the shop (Indy Gun Bunker) there is a seemingly extremely knowledgeable staff person there that seems to know "everything guns" and what he says is entirely consistent with my reading, and when I mentioned what I was doing and my intentions of selling off the Bodyguard b/c of the Glock: he was all over that saying the Bodyguard was not in the same league as the 43 in manufacture, and was a tier-above the Bodyguard (my words translating his concept).
11. Triggers don't matter to me, although I have appreciated a sweet trigger on some guns I've shot, but to me that is range context and would not matter if in the self-defense application.
12. Of course, the Bodyguard's trigger pushes that envelope, but for up close and personal: liveable.

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]

13. Oh my! I would never sell the Shield w/o complete exhaustive testing: it is my benchmark for a 9mm.
14. I am talking in the context of a very small 9mm for when I need ultimate concealability (like I used to do with my Beretta .25 and .32 tip-up barrels).
15. Even the vaulted Glock 26 can't take the Shield's place: I love it, and don't even remember now (have to check my notes) if the Glock shoots better than my Shield: did I mention the Shield was my Benchmark?
16. The 43 is just something like the 42 that I have to do, but every time I have an extended session with a Glock: I'm in love again! (surprises me also since I have no dog in the fight and started out just wanting to find the least expensive functional "tool."
17. I really have more of an interest in the Sig 365 than the Glock 43, but the Sig isn't going to get down to my "pricing" anytime soon, and maybe I won't stumble onto a 43 with my pricing either: no hurry.
18. Well, I've got to go to an "old men's" 1x/mo. prayer breakfast so: "good day!"

 

[WebSnyper]

(surprises me also since I have no dog in the fight and started out just wanting to find the least expensive functional "tool."

You might want to start considering TCO (total cost of ownership) rather than just initial outlay of funds in your decision (if you decide to hold onto something, stock mags, holsters, etc and really get down to carrying a platform and running it regularly). Glocks (along with M&Ps and some others) are some of the best in this regard. Holster & mag compat between the full size, compact and even subcompacts (obviously the single stacks require specific holsters/mags), some of the most inexpensive OEM mags, very few parts in the gun itself, very durable and when needed cheap replacement parts are very available. And they are easy to strip, don't require machining/hand fitting of new parts, and at most you may need an armorer vs a gun smith. Pretty much the definition of functional tool.

 

[doddg]

You might want to start considering TCO (total cost of ownership) rather than just initial outlay of funds in your decision (if you decide to hold onto something, stock mags, holsters, etc and really get down to carrying a platform and running it regularly). Glocks (along with M&Ps and some others) are some of the best in this regard. Holster & mag compat between the full size, compact and even subcompacts (obviously the single stacks require specific holsters/mags), some of the most inexpensive OEM mags, very few parts in the gun itself, very durable and when needed cheap replacement parts are very available. And they are easy to strip, don't require machining/hand fitting of new parts, and at most you may need an armorer vs a gun smith. Pretty much the definition of functional tool.

1. Overall cost for the long run is more important to me than initial cost of gun, and now since I'm entering my 2nd year, I will be narrowing down who sleeps in my bed for the long term.

 

[Mattroth54]

I really like shooting my 42. I’ve messed around with the Ruger and Bodyguard 380’s and didn’t like much about them. The 42 shoots easy and hides anywhere.

 

[croy]

You might want to start considering TCO (total cost of ownership) rather than just initial outlay of funds in your decision (if you decide to hold onto something, stock mags, holsters, etc and really get down to carrying a platform and running it regularly). Glocks (along with M&Ps and some others) are some of the best in this regard. Holster & mag compat between the full size, compact and even subcompacts (obviously the single stacks require specific holsters/mags), some of the most inexpensive OEM mags, very few parts in the gun itself, very durable and when needed cheap replacement parts are very available. And they are easy to strip, don't require machining/hand fitting of new parts, and at most you may need an armorer vs a gun smith. Pretty much the definition of functional tool.

I agree with what he says. I typically carry a glock 19. I have dozens of mags and 5 or 6 holsters that also work with my glock 17 and 26. I also highly recommend taking a class. You don't even realize how little you know until you start taking classes. A class sounds expensive (typically $500+ travel and ammo) but then you can work on what you learned and make yourself even better.


Example: I never even thought about shooting 1 handed right and left until I took a class. Now I typically shoot a mag each every range trip.

The shooting low is probably you.

 

[doddg]

Hadn't shot the Glock 42 much, so I did just a little on some used targets: yes, I'm that cheap.

Doing my Glock shooting low again routine.

Simply found a bare spot on target on this two below and drew and "X"

 

[mcapo]

How to extend target life:

 

[STEEL CORE]

Or a Bingo marker M Capo................

 

[doddg]

How to extend target life:

1. I can't believe I've never bothered with that.
2. I must have 100s of this type of thing from my days of pricing out comics when the boy was 10ish. (now 33)