A Glock 42?

[GJM]

"fail"

I think it depends on the definition of success. If you define success as introducing a product that enthusiast shooters desire, yep a fail. If you define success in terms of commercial success, Glock will surely sell everyone they can make, and have enormous back orders, just as they do for many of their products.

I am actually excited about this, and not because I want a .380. It takes very little imagination to see the follow-on single stack 9mm, and maybe larger single stack pistols. Between this, and the later in 2014 rumored G17 and 19 sized .22lr pistols, Glock appears to be back in the developing new stuff game, after a few years where a G4 Glock 32 or G30S was their SHOT announcement.

[jkurtz7]

"fail"

I think it depends on the definition of success. If you define success as introducing a product that enthusiast shooters desire, yep a fail. If you define success in terms of commercial success, Glock will surely sell everyone they can make, and have enormous back orders, just as they do for many of their products.

I am actually excited about this, and not because I want a .380. It takes very little imagination to see the follow-on single stack 9mm, and maybe larger single stack pistols. Between this, and the later in 2014 rumored G17 and 19 sized .22lr pistols, Glock appears to be back in the developing new stuff game, after a few years where a G4 Glock 32 or G30S was their SHOT announcement.

It's supposedly a PPK sized plastic fantastic. Me personally, I'd rather have a PPK, I'm not a Glock fan at all. If I wanted a poly pocket .380 I'd just buy an LCP.

[Tamara]

A late, expensive entry into a market segment dominated by products designed to appeal to quality-insensitive cheapskates? Good luck, Glock; thanks for the look at your marketing department's clay feet.

Did anybody think to call Kahr to ask what their PM380 sales figures looked like?

This will sell well mostly among people looking for the next thing to match their "G"-logo tattoo.

[ToddG]

This will sell well mostly among people looking for the next thing to match their "G"-logo tattoo.

But I think George is right in that the above-described segment is huge. They will sell a lot of them not because it's the best compact .380 out there but because it's the smallest, lightest Glock. The entire army of "rock out with your Glock out" faithful will gobble them up.

The people this is aimed at aren't going to comparison shop. They're going to say, "Hey, I need a gun for when my G19 and even G26 are just too big!" and buy the new tiny Glock because they trust Glock, love Glock, and Glock Glock.

[JodyH]

Glock 19/22 and a Kahr P9 or PM9 sized slim frame, slim slide 9mm would have been huge sellers.
The Glock SHOT show people should wear a bag over their head in shame.

[jon volk]

I suppose at this point I may as well just buy a PPS as it would fill the role the g42 would have if it was a 9mm.

[JodyH]

The 42 brings nothing to the market except the Glock name. And that's not worth what it used to be.

[jkurtz7]

The 42 brings nothing to the market except the Glock name. And that's not worth what it used to be.

I totally agree.

[GJM]

Glock 19/22 and a Kahr P9 or PM9 sized slim frame, slim slide 9mm would have been huge sellers.
The Glock SHOT show people should wear a bag over their head in shame.

And, if Glock was targeting the "SHOT" show audience, I would agree with you. But, they are obviously not targeting this segment, but instead focusing on most of the CCW audience, which doesn't differentiate between 9 and .380. As to Glock's reputation taking a hit, I suspect that is with the same "one percent" of buyers that also want a 9mm.

If you wanted to maximize sales, and had a 9 and .380, which would you introduce first? Not too different than Apple's strategy, where you release one model now, and better stuff next year. Critics pan the current iPhone and Apple sells out of them. Tam, I bet after the 9 is introduced in a year or so, Glock cumulatively sells more .380's, despite being panned by the "cool boys."

One more thought -- Glock gets points, from a brand perspective, for building a smaller pistol that looks just like a Glock, but smaller. Most smaller pistols bear no resemblance to their larger siblings.

No interest here in a .380, but I bet this is a home run for Glock.

[Tamara]

But I think George is right in that the above-described segment is huge. They will sell a lot of them not because it's the best compact .380 out there but because it's the smallest, lightest Glock. The entire army of "rock out with your Glock out" faithful will gobble them up.

Fair point. But there's something to be said for using new products to grow market share.

Look at Colt's Mustang re-release: What percentage of those things do you reckon get bought and put in the gun safe without the trigger tag ever even being removed by people who would reflexively buy a rock if you put a prancing pony on it?