Do I need a Glock 42?

[Navin Johnson]

Since I posted the above, I had a malfunction on G42: an FTF, round partially chambered. I slammed the back to the slide to make it work. I didn't tap-rack it because I saw the slide way out of battery. The ammunition was Aguila and magazine ETS 12-rounder.

By my approximation it was around 800 or 900 round count when the string terminated. So far I cannot seem to see G42 through a 1000-round string without a malfunction. It does 500-round strings easily.

One other thing. In the recent months I put about 2500 rounds through my P320, and one of my instructors made me grip it using my thumbs early on. Before, I strived to imitate Jerry Miculek, who lets his thumbs stick out. This new for me gripping with thumbs works fine on a large gun. However, when I got back to G42, I started inducing premature lock-backs with my right thumb. My support (left) hand jammed it against the slide stop. When it happened for the first time, I immediately loaded a new magazine. Never was an issue before! In one of the drills I ended harvesting rounds from partially empty magazines in my dump poach, it was that bad.

Can you get through 1K rounds with factory mags?

[BigT]

Since I posted the above, I had a malfunction on G42: an FTF, round partially chambered. I slammed the back to the slide to make it work. I didn't tap-rack it because I saw the slide way out of battery. The ammunition was Aguila and magazine ETS 12-rounder.

By my approximation it was around 800 or 900 round count when the string terminated. So far I cannot seem to see G42 through a 1000-round string without a malfunction. It does 500-round strings easily.

One other thing. In the recent months I put about 2500 rounds through my P320, and one of my instructors made me grip it using my thumbs early on. Before, I strived to imitate Jerry Miculek, who lets his thumbs stick out. This new for me gripping with thumbs works fine on a large gun. However, when I got back to G42, I started inducing premature lock-backs with my right thumb. My support (left) hand jammed it against the slide stop. When it happened for the first time, I immediately loaded a new magazine. Never was an issue before! In one of the drills I ended harvesting rounds from partially empty magazines in my dump poach, it was that bad.

Yeah try it with factory mags. In my experience ETS are rubbish.

[Sero Sed Serio]

Now that I've gotten my G42 set up and vetted (SCD, Ameriglo Agent sights, and Overwatch Precision DAT), I'm embracing the G42 lifestyle for short, quick trips. As temperatures rise in AZ I spend a lot of time in shorts, flip-flops, and t-shirts, and the G42 in a JMCK AIWB steel clip holster disappears even in this getup (or gym shorts or even pajama pants) while still remaining an incredibly shootable gun. I am seriously considering a second dedicated trainer given the amount that I see myself carrying this little pistol.

[No.6]

Yes, you do.

Much is made of the .380’s alleged weakness. Nobody should think it’s the new barrier-penetrating FBI round but for the purpose of defense, very sufficient.

I’ve scavenged the net for data and compiled well over 300 gel tests and applied data science magik to them. Unmonetized blog with graphs and data at https://wereratgames.azurewebsites.net/.

(tl;dr: there’s a big difference in G42 and such vs tiny barreled guns, but you don’t have to resort to JHP. Ironically I set out with a hope of proving STB410’s snarky YouTube face wrong and wound up substantiating him ... for the micro LCP and similar true pocket pistols. G42 owners and me with my PPK have more choices.)

[HopetonBrown]

Yes, you do.

Much is made of the .380’s alleged weakness. Nobody should think it’s the new barrier-penetrating FBI round but for the purpose of defense, very sufficient.

@DocGKR seemed to think the opposite, has there been advances or has he changed his mind?

https://www.lightfighter.net/topic/b...0-acp-vs-38-sp

[ldunnmobile]

Recently I had a serious upper body injury. The only Pistol I could run well during my recovery was a G42. It made me a believer.

[peterb]

@DocGKR seemed to think the opposite, has there been advances or has he changed his mind?

https://www.lightfighter.net/topic/b...0-acp-vs-38-sp

It’d be foolish to argue with his level of expertise.

But as has often been discussed here, a big part of effectiveness is getting good hits. Some folks shoot a .380 pistol like a G42 better than they do a small .38 revolver.

I have a couple of J-frames, and like them, but when I switch from a J-frame to the G42 in a practice session the difference in the clarity of the sight picture(Ameriglo) is dramatic. It’s easy to see why someone might be more accurate with a G42.

[No.6]

@DocGKR seemed to think the opposite, has there been advances or has he changed his mind?

https://www.lightfighter.net/topic/b...0-acp-vs-38-sp

I honestly can’t tell why he has his opinion; there’s no specific data cited to argue about. My bit used 300+ samples, none of which are “mine” (I didn’t shoot them, but aggregated results from Lucky Gunner, Ammo to Go, Ammo Quest (Shooting the Bull 410) and others).

The idea is that by collecting so many vs. a 5 shot string, variations from one box or setup or pistol are accounted for and I could visualize trends in results.

All the graphs are there and the data’s sourced back to each original site or video, so make your own mind up and/or feel free to ask follow up questions on the blog or data.

[Navin Johnson]

I honestly can’t tell why he has his opinion; there’s no specific data cited to argue about. My bit used 300+ samples, none of which are “mine” (I didn’t shoot them, but aggregated results from Lucky Gunner, Ammo to Go, Ammo Quest (Shooting the Bull 410) and others).

The idea is that by collecting so many vs. a 5 shot string, variations from one box or setup or pistol are accounted for and I could visualize trends in results.

All the graphs are there and the data’s sourced back to each original site or video, so make your own mind up and/or feel free to ask follow up questions on the blog or data.

If you honestly can't tell why he has his opinion.....start by reading every sticky in the ammunition section..... Then you could use Google......

After you know his body of work and his background you could compare and contrast it with yours..... Then you might understand the push back from long term members here.

[No.6]

Ok, I’ve fired up his name and found a vast body of podcasts and other info. Since I’d like to answer the post without first undertaking a three month study in anyone’s video series, I’ll go straight to a salient point.

The use of .380 ACP and smaller caliber weapons is really not recommended for LE use and many savvy agencies prohibit them.

That is the punch line from the above cited article, and I agree with it 100%. —>For LE use<— .380 is a poor choice. I wrote the same in part 1 of the series. We’re not writing to the same end, so I have nothing to dispute with him, or you, about.

The bit I wrote is about whether the body of .380 results suffice for civilian self defense, set against a benchmark of the FBI spec for the denim/gel test (NOT the hard barrier tests!!). One could look at the results and say, hey, I don’t see many results with both ideal penetration and expansion; forget about this .380. That’s a viable conclusion! Some put a preponderance on penetration as long as there’s any expansion, and might be encouraged by these findings.

Personally my take as applied daily is that I won’t be buying that Pico I really like, but find the G42 and others with 3”+ barrels OK; and I’m still choosing my 19.2 by preference when possible . Enjoy the data as additive to others, not argumentative, please.