Chambered in .380 ACP, the sub-compact Glock 42 looks and feels just like its full size counterparts – only smaller. The sights and grips will be familiar for regular Glock shooters, and I found the grips to be extremely comfortable for a sub-compact carry gun. The trigger press initially seemed a little heavier than 5.5 pounds, but was easy to get a feel for after just a few rounds.

Accuracy with this firearm was spot on (just a little high and to the left due to user error). All in all, I was happy to see the first five rounds land within a 1.5 inch grouping at 20 feet. The gun was comfortable to shoot at a rapid rate of fire, with pretty minimal recoil for a sub-compact carry gun.

While the first fifty rounds of FMJ went through without a hitch, I had some feeding issues when it came to the hollow point rounds. 2/5 and 3/5 rounds of my first two sets of five experienced a failure to extract or a failure to feed. I can’t blame the gun at this point though, and will definitely be trying out a variety of other hollow points and making sure my shooting fundamentals are up to par.

Before even getting to the range to shoot it, I was toying with the idea of swapping out my Sig Sauer P938 just to carry this Glock. I like everything about the idea of carrying a Glock, something that before the pint sized 42, was never a viable carry option for my 5’5″ frame. Word in the gun world is that Glock will release a similar sub-compact chambered in 9mm sometime next year, which I cannot wait to get my hands on.

Bottom line: If you’re a Glock person, the 42 is an awesome carry option. While I really do like the Glock, I love my Sig. The 938 is extension of my hand, and I don’t shoot anything else quite like it. For those reasons, I’ll be sticking with what I’ve got.

FMJ used: Magtech .380 Auto 95 gr.

JHP used: Sig Sauer Elite Performance .380 Auto 95 gr.

Kristin Larson
MN Firearms Instructor