A Glock 42?

[ToddG]

If how it shoots and handles was a determinant of success or failure, the P232 would be the best-selling .380 on the market by a country mile.

Extrapolate the popularity of SIGs to the popularity of Glocks and you'll get where I'm coming from: the people who want a Glock will be the ones buying these things in droves.

I'm just pointing out that it's a late entry to a crowded market niche that is extremely price-sensitive.

I think Trevor is right here, though. They're not so much interested in busting the LCP market as they are getting the current Glock market to buy another gun. If 10% of the people who CCW a larger Glock buy a 42, how does that compare to LCP or P3AT sales?

[Tamara]

If 10% of the people who CCW a larger Glock buy a 42, how does that compare to LCP or P3AT sales?

I've not looked at any hard numbers, but I think you seriously underestimate LCP and P3AT sales. I'll bet more people CCW pocket .380s than carry full size Glocks, and by a large margin.

BATFE says Ruger manufactured 177,000 .380s in 2011. That's a lotta guns. That's more .380s than Kel-Tec by a factor of ten.

ETA: Holy cow. That's more than all .38 Special revolvers manufactured by S&W of all models combined. And Ruger only made one .380 in '11.

[Chuck Haggard]

I've not looked at any hard numbers, but I think you seriously underestimate LCP and P3AT sales. I'll bet more people CCW pocket .380s than carry full size Glocks, and by a large margin.

BATFE says Ruger manufactured 177,000 .380s in 2011. That's a lotta guns. That's more .380s than Kel-Tec by a factor of ten.

ETA: Holy cow. That's more than all .38 Special revolvers manufactured by S&W of all models combined. And Ruger only made one .380 in '11.

It was all fun and games until you pulled out the math reality hammer.

[jlw]

I have no interest in a small .380 for my own uses, but if the 42 proves to be reliable, having one for youths and ladies at classes may be in order.

[jkurtz7]

I have to agree with what Tam is saying. Will the G42 sell? Sure it will, to the Chris Matthews types who get tingly leg syndrome whenever they think about Gaston, and his perfect pistols. We will have to wait and see if this gun actually appeals to the masses overall, but from reactions I'm also seeing on other forums, most are disappointed, except the Chris Matthews crowd.

[Tamara]

It was all fun and games until you pulled out the math reality hammer.

I wrote the first sentence of that post before I hit Google, but I was remembering how we would literally sell P3ATs faster than we could get them in.

I'll bet the 42 crushes the Kahr 380, though.

[Slavex]

This is obviously a discriminatory ploy by Glock to yet again ignore the massive Canadian market....

[MGW]

Which of the following items do not belong?

Glock 42

.380

$$ dollar signs $$ cha-ching

kitten

I'll buy one

[Totem Polar]

Those are some compelling numbers, Tam. I knew the LCP was runaway-popular, sure, but I didn't know about the thrashing it put on J-frames.

And this, below... is a damn good point. Took me all of a ToddG split after reading to agree that we will hear about safe action pocket leg at some future time, I'm sure. *Somebody* will be stuffing a 42 into jeans sans holster at some point.

ALSO ETA: Not sure how I feel about a gun that will inevitably be pocket carried with a Safe-Action trigger. If Cletus can figure out how to get a bullet into his leg with a P3AT trigger, then self-inflicted gunshot wounds with this thing will be a cinch.

[Tamara]

Those are some compelling numbers, Tam. I knew the LCP was runaway-popular, sure, but I didn't know about the thrashing it put on J-frames.

What would Bill "No honest man needs a handgun smaller than a canned ham" Ruger say?