1KPerDay
Member
Bought the last one the local Scheels had a couple of days ago. They'd sold a batch of 130 in 2 days.
Still working on a video but here are my initial thoughts and shooting impressions after a couple hundred rounds.
1. Ergonomics/size/feel
I was somewhat disappointed initially at the relatively large size of the "microGlock," as it's basically the same length/height as the G26/G27, but quite a bit thinner. This is both good and bad. Good, because you can get 2 fingers on the grip, which is well-shaped and feels much better than the blocky/stubby-feeling G27, and bad, because after all the "small 9" incursions into the market I wanted the tiny Glock to actually be tiny.
I admit that my carry requirements are probably different from many; I pocket carry an (formerly J-frame, now an) LCP, and the G43 is MUCH larger and won't easily fit in the pocket of any of my jeans. IMO the G43 is going to be a belt-carry pistol unless you have gigantic, baggy pockets. I've heard of people pocket carrying the 26/27 or even *gasp* the G19, but it's a no-go for me.
Controls are easy to reach, the backstrap allows for a very high grip but has a tiny beavertailish ledge that prevents bite. Magazine release is positive, slide stop works, and I didn't suffer from my typical "glock knuckle" complaint from the trigger guard. I only have the 2 mags that come with it (nobody I know will sell extra mags at this point) so I haven't shot it a LOT without a break, but it appears that complaint has been rectified.
The Kahr PM9 is significantly shorter in length and slightly shorter in height. The G43 allows a much higher grip relative to the bore.
The G43 comes with 2 6-round polymer mags, one flush-fit and one with an extended finger ledge. The extended one does make a difference and is preferable for comfort/control. But the pistol feels good with either mag.
2. Accuracy and shooting impressions
I haven't done formal/bench accuracy testing but it's easy to hit 8-inch plates from 15-18 yards which is what I mostly shoot, and POI seems to be right for me. In fact both I and my brother found hits easier with the G43 than with the G27 we compared.
Trigger felt pretty crappy initially, and when dry-firing it seems bad even by Glock standards (my brother disagrees and said it didn't seem too bad at all), but when shooting it just "feels like a Glock" which may be either good or bad, depending. Trigger breaks at 8 lbs 1 oz to 8 lbs 8 oz on my Lyman digital gauge, which is heavier than my other glocks but it may lighten with use. The actual break is pretty crisp, reset is positive.
Recoil is not unpleasant at all, and feels very similar to the Kahr PM9 we shot back to back. We eventually determined that perhaps the PM9 has sliiiiiightly less recoil. But it would be tough to determine for sure and likely would depend on the shooter's personal preference.
Sights are standard glock U-outline rear and dot front, which everyone gripes about but I have no personal problem hitting with.
Compared to the LCP, it's actually quite similar, with the LCP perhaps feeling a bit "jumpier" probably due to the fact that there's less to hold onto. I would feel confident in stating that most people would prefer shooting the G43 over a long shooting session. It's fun to shoot, feels good in the hand, points well, and hits where you want it to. I found myself wishing for higher-capacity magazines because I was having so much fun shooting it.
The G27 with ball ammo does recoil more than the G43, which I found comforting, as I thought maybe the lighter weight and smaller overall dimensions of the G43 would make its 9mm recoil feel similar to the 27, which it isn't.
I felt the G23 recoiled more than the G43, while my brother felt it was about the same.
3. Reliability
With factory ball ammo from Winchester and PMC we had zero malfunctions in 150+ rounds. I had one hangup at about the 3rd or 4th mag on chambering the first round from slide lock with my 147 Xtreme reloads, but that may have been due to a slightly soggy slingshot technique, and those loads also didn't feed flawlessly in a G19 with LW barrel, so I'm not blaming the G43 for that.
I didn't get any BTF, and feeding, firing, and ejecting was flawless. It appears it's GTG.
Still working on a video but here are my initial thoughts and shooting impressions after a couple hundred rounds.
1. Ergonomics/size/feel
I was somewhat disappointed initially at the relatively large size of the "microGlock," as it's basically the same length/height as the G26/G27, but quite a bit thinner. This is both good and bad. Good, because you can get 2 fingers on the grip, which is well-shaped and feels much better than the blocky/stubby-feeling G27, and bad, because after all the "small 9" incursions into the market I wanted the tiny Glock to actually be tiny.
I admit that my carry requirements are probably different from many; I pocket carry an (formerly J-frame, now an) LCP, and the G43 is MUCH larger and won't easily fit in the pocket of any of my jeans. IMO the G43 is going to be a belt-carry pistol unless you have gigantic, baggy pockets. I've heard of people pocket carrying the 26/27 or even *gasp* the G19, but it's a no-go for me.
Controls are easy to reach, the backstrap allows for a very high grip but has a tiny beavertailish ledge that prevents bite. Magazine release is positive, slide stop works, and I didn't suffer from my typical "glock knuckle" complaint from the trigger guard. I only have the 2 mags that come with it (nobody I know will sell extra mags at this point) so I haven't shot it a LOT without a break, but it appears that complaint has been rectified.
The Kahr PM9 is significantly shorter in length and slightly shorter in height. The G43 allows a much higher grip relative to the bore.
The G43 comes with 2 6-round polymer mags, one flush-fit and one with an extended finger ledge. The extended one does make a difference and is preferable for comfort/control. But the pistol feels good with either mag.
2. Accuracy and shooting impressions
I haven't done formal/bench accuracy testing but it's easy to hit 8-inch plates from 15-18 yards which is what I mostly shoot, and POI seems to be right for me. In fact both I and my brother found hits easier with the G43 than with the G27 we compared.
Trigger felt pretty crappy initially, and when dry-firing it seems bad even by Glock standards (my brother disagrees and said it didn't seem too bad at all), but when shooting it just "feels like a Glock" which may be either good or bad, depending. Trigger breaks at 8 lbs 1 oz to 8 lbs 8 oz on my Lyman digital gauge, which is heavier than my other glocks but it may lighten with use. The actual break is pretty crisp, reset is positive.
Recoil is not unpleasant at all, and feels very similar to the Kahr PM9 we shot back to back. We eventually determined that perhaps the PM9 has sliiiiiightly less recoil. But it would be tough to determine for sure and likely would depend on the shooter's personal preference.
Sights are standard glock U-outline rear and dot front, which everyone gripes about but I have no personal problem hitting with.
Compared to the LCP, it's actually quite similar, with the LCP perhaps feeling a bit "jumpier" probably due to the fact that there's less to hold onto. I would feel confident in stating that most people would prefer shooting the G43 over a long shooting session. It's fun to shoot, feels good in the hand, points well, and hits where you want it to. I found myself wishing for higher-capacity magazines because I was having so much fun shooting it.
The G27 with ball ammo does recoil more than the G43, which I found comforting, as I thought maybe the lighter weight and smaller overall dimensions of the G43 would make its 9mm recoil feel similar to the 27, which it isn't.
I felt the G23 recoiled more than the G43, while my brother felt it was about the same.
3. Reliability
With factory ball ammo from Winchester and PMC we had zero malfunctions in 150+ rounds. I had one hangup at about the 3rd or 4th mag on chambering the first round from slide lock with my 147 Xtreme reloads, but that may have been due to a slightly soggy slingshot technique, and those loads also didn't feed flawlessly in a G19 with LW barrel, so I'm not blaming the G43 for that.
I didn't get any BTF, and feeding, firing, and ejecting was flawless. It appears it's GTG.
