Glock 42 vs. 642 range report

[LSP552]

I’m a bit over 350 rounds now with the G42, shooting a mix of WWB, Remington Golden Saber and Gold Dot this weekend. My gun hates Golden Sabers, failing to feed at least once per mag, sometimes more. The WWB and Gold Dots have run fine. My 42 was born on 08/28/14 so it should include the latest updates.

Overall, I find the G42 significantly easier to shoot to the same accuracy level as my 642. In fact, once I got to 50 ft (indoor range), I couldn’t hold the 642 to the same level of accuracy. As long as I took my time, I had no trouble keeping all of the 42’s rounds in the head at 50 ft, but would occasionally lose one from the 642. The G42 was faster to shoot to the same accuracy.

From 5 – 10 yards, the G42 was MUCH faster to drive multiple rounds into the good zone of the target. Sorry, no opportunity to use a timer in the indoor environment so I’m going off of feel instead of hard numbers. The G42 recoils significantly less than the 642 and I’m sure that contributed, along with the “boot grips” I use with pocket carrying the 642. The 442 with the larger Pachmayr Compac grips was better, but still significantly slower for me than the G42.

Another factor may be the smaller, less visible sights on the Airweights and my eyes. I will be 59 in Nov and sight alignment for me is trying to keep equal blur on both sides of the front sight. The stock G42 sights are easier for my eyes to pick up and align. The revolvers have the florescent paint on the front but it still leaves a lot to be desired for my eyes.

I shoot Glocks more than anything else and my revolver shooting is limited to occasionally exercising the 642/442s I pocket carry. I’m here to tell you, my revolver shooting is a perishable skill.

I find the G42 pretty easy to steer laterally with unequal grip pressure. Another contributing factor to the 2” left was the heavy trigger pull. The specs say 5.5 connector but I swear the gun feels close to 8 lbs or so. It has lightened up a bit and gotten smoother with life and dry fire, which I expected. Experimenting with grip indicates that, for me, the same neutral grip I use on bigger Glocks work best. I experimented briefly with the support hand finger on the trigger guard as mentioned my GJM and this seemed to make the steering worse, not better. YMMV.

At 6’3” and 230lbs, with large hands and long fingers, I expected to have problems with riding the slide stop on the petite G42. So far that’s not a problem.

The bottom line for ME is the G42 is both faster and easier for to get good hits vs the 642/442. I know the .380 isn’t a .38 special but, at this point, the trade off in getting hits is worth it to me. Big Glock experience translates very well to the little pistol. I've found my new low threat pocket gun.

[JHC]

Interesting. I've yet to shoot one. But finally handling one I was struck at how much smaller it was vs comparison pics published. It disappeared into the front pocket of my Columbia hiking shorts the day I messed with one.

[Crow Hunter]

Interesting. I've yet to shoot one. But finally handling one I was struck at how much smaller it was vs comparison pics published. It disappeared into the front pocket of my Columbia hiking shorts the day I messed with one.

Same for me. I saw one at a local store. I handled it. It didn't look that small but it certainly feels much smaller and disappeared into my pocket.

So I told my wife about it and she wanted to see it too. So she handled it and her eyes lit up and she said, "I need this".

So now I need to find one at a reasonable price. The $650 the local store wanted for it was not reasonable to me.

I am hoping that it will work better for me than my 642. I have been trying to make that work for a year and I have just not be successful. Of course, then I will have to buy two of them...

[LSP552]

So I told my wife about it and she wanted to see it too. So she handled it and her eyes lit up and she said, "I need this".

Yep, mine said she wants to shoot it. I know what that means……..

[JBP55]

Yep, mine said she wants to shoot it. I know what that means……..

The good part is Don will sell you another one for $319 plus tax.

[Chuck Haggard]

My experience is similar, except I haven't tried any Golden Sabers. Mine has been 100% reliable with twice as many rounds, ball and JHPs, even the Brown Bear I ran through the gun which has choked every other .380 pistol I tried it in.

I just got a Dark Star Gear clip on holster in the mail, and this is already going to by my new lounge around gun. Thinking about doing a bit of dirty gun testing to see of it's going to be an ankle gun or not.

[LSP972]

The .380 Golden Sabers are too long OAL. Rusty had the same issue with his LCP.

So, Ken, you're considering this for a "low-threat environment" primary?

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[GJM]

I also have to work hard to keep shots from going left with the G42. Something about the size, trigger weight and position?

[okie john]

In fact, once I got to 50 ft (indoor range), I couldn’t hold the 642 to the same level of accuracy.

I've only fired a few rounds through a G42, but I fired them at 25 yards. The flyer way up north was my first shot.



Replacing the factory sight-shaped dovetail protectors with real sights might make the G42 into a decent carry piece.


Okie John

[JBP55]

Good shooting.