Glock 43

[Rye Miles #13621]

I did a trade for this Glock 43. It maybe my new carry gun. I’ll have to shoot it first. This is the first Glock I’ve had in years. We’ll see……

 

 

[ShadowCatcher]

Congratulations - it's a very good pistol.  I carried mine for some 3 years.

 

I added Pierce finger extensions to the stock magazines to get 7 rounds per.

 

Also added a Taran Tactical flush fit +1 base to another, but frankly the gun

is so small it didn't really matter.

 

Polishing the internals helped a lot, as did a Ghost disconnector. 

Added Talon grip tape because it's slippery otherwise.

 

Also bought a spare already machined slide to try a red dot on it. 

That didn't work out too well, so went back to stock slide/sights - YMMV.

 

Found the gun shot well and accurate with any ammo, settled on 147 gr.

 

Finally gave it to my elder son when he did a cross country relocation

drive to Kentucky.

 

Still have a 42, so there is still a glock in the household, but it's mostly a

training gun these days.

 

Hope it works out for you!

 

SC

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Use ONLY Glock magazines. 

Put a set of Amera-glow night sights on and enjoy! 

Only use NATO spec/power ammo.

[Three Foot Johnson]

I just bought one too - since your initial post a couple weeks ago, I decided to look for one and gathered up all my Scheels Rewards Cards, figuring that would cover half of a new one ($449.00), but the closest Scheels doesn't have one and wouldn't transfer or order one unless I prepaid. I told them I was using Rewards Cards and they said they couldn't do those over the phone. So I took to Gunbroker, checked completed auctions and determined the going rate, new & used. I set my goal at $250 or less - pretty optimistic. Several have come & gone in the past two weeks, but a couple days ago there was one ending described as "gently used", complete with two mags, mag loader, bore brush, box, etc. - all the goodies it comes with, that ended at 6:20 am yesterday morning. I set my alarm, got up early, bid on it, and won it for $227, by far the least expensive I could find in the completed auctions, and no sales tax in Montana either. I don't know if I care for the Talon grip tape grips, but it doesn't sound like a tough job to remove if I don't like it. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

29 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

I just bought one too - since your initial post a couple weeks ago, I decided to look for one and gathered up all my Scheels Rewards Cards, figuring that would cover half of a new one ($449.00), but the closest Scheels doesn't have one and wouldn't transfer or order one unless I prepaid. I told them I was using Rewards Cards and they said they couldn't do those over the phone. So I took to Gunbroker, checked completed auctions and determined the going rate, new & used. I set my goal at $250 or less - pretty optimistic. Several have come & gone in the past two weeks, but a couple days ago there was one ending described as "gently used", complete with two mags, mag loader, bore brush, box, etc. - all the goodies it comes with, that ended at 6:20 am yesterday morning. I set my alarm, got up early, bid on it, and won it for $227, by far the least expensive I could find in the completed auctions, and no sales tax in Montana either. I don't know if I care for the Talon grip tape grips, but it doesn't sound like a tough job to remove if I don't like it. 

Wow that’s a great deal. I haven’t shot mine yet, I plan on shooting it Tuesday.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

 I haven’t shot mine yet, I plan on shooting it Tuesday.

We expect a full report with pictures 

The recoil will be snappy 

[Sedalia Dave]

10 hours ago, ShadowCatcher said:

Also bought a spare already machined slide to try a red dot on it. 

That didn't work out too well, so went back to stock slide/sights - YMMV.

 

 

What didn't you like?

[Rye Miles #13621]

12 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

We expect a full report with pictures 

The recoil will be snappy 

Kinda hard to take pictures of myself shooting. I’ll take pictures of the target maybe……🤪😂

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

14 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

I won it for $227, by far the least expensive I could find in the completed auctions, and no sales tax in Montana either. I don't know if I care for the Talon grip tape grips, but it doesn't sound like a tough job to remove if I don't like it. 

I got my "Tombstone Special" on Gunbroker for under $350 a while back. They normally go for $800 or better. You can sometimes find really good deals if you're patient.

Edited December 29, 2025 by Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770

[Rye Miles #13621]

I traded a Colt detective special for this Glock. I got a super deal on the DS with no box. I really had no use for it. I’ve got 4 other snubbies.

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

I won a Glock 43 several years ago. Shoot’s ok but a bit small for my meat hooks. On the positive side it came Cerrocoated, which a friend told me, made it a contender in the ugliest gun on the planet competition! LOL 

Regards

Gateway Kid

BTW those are gold streaks on it, not shadows. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

9 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Kinda hard to take pictures of myself shooting. I’ll take pictures of the target maybe……🤪😂

We're waiting  

[ShadowCatcher]

On 12/28/2025 at 8:21 PM, Sedalia Dave said:

 

What didn't you like?

Not the guns fault.  It was my first red dot and I went with a 16mm wide window with a 3moa dot,

but had never shot a RDS before.  Learning how to present it flat so I could see the dot was

hard, and it was harder still to find the dot for the follow up shots.  I was faster on the irons, significantly

faster, and I didn't want to spend so much time training so I went back to irons.

 

I sold the complete slide to a friend, who mounted his own red dot and he loves it and runs it very well.

 

Up to 15 yds the gun is fast and easy to index, after that I have to slow down a bit more, as I do with

most any gun!   Since learning how to work a red dot much better, I had my EMP machined for the 

same Red Dot I tried earlier and it works great - training being the key to that.  I suspect 1911 versus

Glock grip angle might have a role as well.  

 

If you are proficient with an RDS it's probably a great upgrade, Brownells sells the slides for

around $200 already cut.

 

Hope this helps,

SC

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

My 43X shoots well, but it is "snappy". The recoil reminds me of the Sig 365 I owned for a while. I sold the 365, but I still have the G43X. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

9 minutes ago, TN Mongo, SASS #61450 said:

My 43X shoots well, but it is "snappy". The recoil reminds me of the Sig 365 I owned for a while. I sold the 365, but I still have the G43X. 

I haven’t shot it yet but I’m currently carrying a Smith Airweght. Talk about snappy, it actually hurts a little! 😂

Edited December 30, 2025 by Rye Miles #13621

[Rye Miles #13621]

Didn’t do too well with the Glock 43, I need to practice. This was at 20ft. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

13 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Didn’t do too well with the Glock 43, I need to practice. This was at 20ft. 

What ammo did you use?

You can dry fire Glocks all day long for practice, and to 'learn' the trigger. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

11 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

What ammo did you use?

You can dry fire Glocks all day long for practice, and to 'learn' the trigger. 

115 grain Winchesters 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Just now, Rye Miles #13621 said:

115 grain Winchesters 

Try  124gn and the groups will tighten up.

Do you load 9mm?

[Dawg Hair, SASS #29557]

Glock, the ugliest aberration in firearms that work perfectly every time.  The man was a genius.

[Rye Miles #13621]

20 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Try  124gn and the groups will tighten up.

Do you load 9mm?

No i don’t. I’ll try some 124 

[Windy City Kid]

1 hour ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Didn’t do too well with the Glock 43, I need to practice. This was at 20ft. 

Other than the flier, if that was defensive shooting, the person would have a bad day. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

25 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

No i don’t. I’ll try some 124 

It's easy, let me know and I'll post my load info.

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 minute ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

It's easy, let me know and I'll post my load info.

No thanks, I have my Dillon set up for .38’s and I don’t want to change it. I do have Single stage press but it’s not worth it, 9mm are cheap enough and I don’t shoot them that often.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Rye, your results look similar to mine. I need some practice too, but I’m satisfied that the bad guy would be deterred and in a world of hurt. I figure it’s a belly gun for encounters where distances are up close and personal. I’ve no illusions about being able to shoot the wings off flies, nor do I think there’s a need too. 
 

I’ll leave that to James Coburn in The Magnificent Seven. “I was aiming for the horse.” 😊

[Rye Miles #13621]

22 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Rye, your results look similar to mine. I need some practice too, but I’m satisfied that the bad guy would be deterred and in a world of hurt. I figure it’s a belly gun for encounters where distances are up close and personal. I’ve no illusions about being able to shoot the wings off flies, nor do I think there’s a need too. 
 

I’ll leave that to James Coburn in The Magnificent Seven. “I was aiming for the horse.” 😊

That’s what I’m thinking, this was at 20 ft. I don’t think I’ll be getting in an altercation at that distance. It would probably be more like 5-8 feet.🦶 

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

3 hours ago, Windy City Kid said:

Other than the flier, if that was defensive shooting, the person would have a bad day. 

Windy City Kid said it right!
Very definitely minute-of-carjacker!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

45 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

That’s what I’m thinking, this was at 20 ft. I don’t think I’ll be getting in an altercation at that distance. It would probably be more like 5-8 feet.🦶 

Anything less than 21 feet, you'll be dead.

Practice/train, cause your life may depend on it!

[Rye Miles #13621]

17 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Anything less than 21 feet, you'll be dead.

Practice/train, cause your life may depend on it!

I disagree, I’m not getting in a gunfight at 21 feet. Defensive situations are normally close and I’ll get a couple good shots in at 5-10 feet.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I disagree, I’m not getting in a gunfight at 21 feet. Defensive situations are normally close and I’ll get a couple good shots in at 5-10 feet.

People can move faster than you can draw inside of 21'. 

Do some research! 

BTDT, have seen the white Elephant..... 

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/rule-breaker-the-21-foot-standard-is-misunderstood/

Edited January 9 by The Original Lumpy Gritz

[Pat Riot]

23 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Didn’t do too well with the Glock 43, I need to practice. This was at 20ft. 

Uh…that guy would be on his way to the morgue. 
I have never understood the need to put every round in one hole when shooting a defensive gun for target practice. Spread the pain around a bit. I practice double and triple taps and I don’t practice trying to put all the rounds in a magic paper circle that magically determines death. NO, I haven’t been in a gun fight, but I do know anatomy. You pop a round in the liver, 1 in a lung and another in the throat Joey Badguy is out of commission. 
 

Rye, I had a Glock 43. My best advice to you is “Do not go down the rabbit hole of improving a great design” Trust me on this. 
I no longer have the 43 because I have big hands and I never liked having to adjust my grip after every two rounds. I did add a Talon Grips’ rubber grip overlay. That made the grip a lot easier to hang onto for me

 
Magazine capacity:

The very first thing I did was try to get one more round out of the gun mags without adding much grip length. I did achieve it with 100% reliability results but it took time, experimentation and work. 
My biggest problem was adding that extra round and being able to load a full modified mag to the gun with the slide closed. The upward pressure of the rounds in the mag against the bottom of the slide made racking the slide VERY difficult. I am talking very hard and not fast at all. I ended up modifying the baseplates to allow enough give so the spring is not mashed together forming a block. 
I will not own a handgun that the slide cannot be operated when a factory full mag is inserted. I went through that with a POS Remington R51. Never again. 
 

Sights: my favorite sight picture was the Glock rear sight and a Hi-Viz fiber optic with red light pipe. That’s how I set up

all my Glocks except for my 26 and 45. Those 2 got Tru Glo TFX sights. 
 

Side note: I traded my G26 for a Colt Detective Special. 

 

If you do decide you want to go down the add a round to the mag rabbit hole let me know. I will post a pictorial on what I did to achieve this. I will have to go find it. 
 

Last thing. Glocks these days are designed for 115 grain ammo, not 124 grain ammo. There is no sense in spending extra money chasing an accurate 124 grain cartridge. Also, 124 grain rounds make an already snappy recoil much worse. 
 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I disagree, I’m not getting in a gunfight at 21 feet. Defensive situations are normally close and I’ll get a couple good shots in 

Pat, have you handled a 43X?

Much better grip and carries more rnds. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

19 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

People can move faster than you can draw inside of 21'. 

Do some research! 

BTDT, have seen the white Elephant..... 

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/rule-breaker-the-21-foot-standard-is-misunderstood/

Yea I get that and I’ve seen some videos like this but what I’m saying is car jackings or attacks in a parking lot etc are usually right in your face. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

16 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

Uh…that guy would be on his way to the morgue. 
I have never understood the need to put every round in one hole when shooting a defensive gun for target practice. Spread the pain around a bit. I practice double and triple taps and I don’t practice trying to put all the rounds in a magic paper circle that magically determines death. NO, I haven’t been in a gun fight, but I do know anatomy. You pop a round in the liver, 1 in a lung and another in the throat Joey Badguy is out of commission. 
 

Rye, I had a Glock 43. My best advice to you is “Do not go down the rabbit hole of improving a great design” Trust me on this. 
I no longer have the 43 because I have big hands and I never liked having to adjust my grip after every two rounds. I did add a Talon Grips’ rubber grip overlay. That made the grip a lot easier to hang onto for me

 
Magazine capacity:

The very first thing I did was try to get one more round out of the gun mags without adding much grip length. I did achieve it with 100% reliability results but it took time, experimentation and work. 
My biggest problem was adding that extra round and being able to load a full modified mag to the gun with the slide closed. The upward pressure of the rounds in the mag against the bottom of the slide made racking the slide VERY difficult. I am talking very hard and not fast at all. I ended up modifying the baseplates to allow enough give so the spring is not mashed together forming a block. 
I will not own a handgun that the slide cannot be operated when a factory full mag is inserted. I went through that with a POS Remington R51. Never again. 
 

Sights: my favorite sight picture was the Glock rear sight and a Hi-Viz fiber optic with red light pipe. That’s how I set up

all my Glocks except for my 26 and 45. Those 2 got Tru Glo TFX sights. 
 

Side note: I traded my G26 for a Colt Detective Special. 

 

If you do decide you want to go down the add a round to the mag rabbit hole let me know. I will post a pictorial on what I did to achieve this. I will have to go find it. 
 

Last thing. Glocks these days are designed for 115 grain ammo, not 124 grain ammo. There is no sense in spending extra money chasing an accurate 124 grain cartridge. Also, 124 grain rounds make an already snappy recoil much worse. 
 

 

Funny I traded a Colt detective special for this Glock 43. I have 4 other snubbies. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

2 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Yea I get that and I’ve seen some videos like this but what I’m saying is car jackings or attacks in a parking lot etc are usually right in your face. 

Remember, that every round fired is a potential lawsuit.