43X vs 48

[Dagga Boy]

Having spent time with GJM training and knowing how technically proficient he is as well as amazing level of twitch reflexes, the speed in which the 43X slide is running versus the 48 allows him to see what he needs to faster. The have very different things I am looking for and with my arthritis and grip issues, soft Shooting is more important to me and I prefer the lesser slide speed of the 48. I have pretty much decided to really commit to spending a lot of my future time with the two guns that cause me a pained decision every day when I am deciding what to carry...the G48 or my PX4CC. I will likely be playing with a small red dot on the G48 as well. What has been happening lately due to schedule is the G48 is my default travel and driving gun and the PX4CC for everything else.

[GJM]

Here is my update after two range sessions today, and some dry firing.

First, I found some Ameriglo Agents for the 43 in my stuff, and installed them. Moved the rear sight a skosh right in the dovetail, and stuck the MGW sight took in my range bag. Seems like I prefer the straight BOLD rear vs the U with the Agents, but decided to keep an open mind.

Shot the 48 first thing, and POA/POI seemed pretty good. I have learned it might take me several range sessions, with different light and sun angle, different ammo, and different me, to get a refined zero. I shoot a dot so much that I naturally target focus with irons when I first pick them up again. Interestingly, the U rear on the Agents seemed to help with target focus as I could easier look right through the sights and make them into a form of a dot. I shot enough to really, really like the 48. Enough so, even though my plan was to send this off for a dot, I may keep this one as is. I finished off with a walk back from 7-20 yards, with some Colt branded JHP I was given in the Gunsite goodie bag, and all ten rounds stayed in the 3x5 on a PF target. Only thing I didn’t have was 115 Gold Dot to test. Did some close splits with the 48, and was in the .17 range with A zone hits. Since I am not a fast splitter, this would suggest the 48 is OK fast, at least for me.

Came back to the range again this afternoon, as my wife was having trouble with a Romeo 3 Max and needed to zero a replacement. More shooting, the POI may be an inch right at 20 yards, so the rear may get nudged to center if this trend continues. Another walk back with 9/10 in 3x5 out to 20. Trigger feels good, and the pistol has functioned for me so far.

Not sure I can generalize longer to shorter based on my 45/34 experience, but I am open to feel and results being different. Intellectually I prefer the 48, as the extra barrel seems more in the envelope of ammo performance, generally shorter pistols are not as reliable as four inch ones, and the 48 seems softer in my hands.

I brought a 43X to test against the 48, but couldn’t bring myself to spend the time looking for an increment, when I would rather devote time to competition training with my full size pistol.

[JHC]

A possible reason for their being less chaos in the 43x sights than in the 48x sights is the phenomenon seen when using handguns with shorter sight radii. The same would be noticed when comparing drills shot with a 3 inch J frame vs a 2 inch J frame. Even if the 3 inch barrel did not wiggle more than the other, shooter perception tells him it did as he views the sights in each case. It is this difference in perception that allows the bullseye shooter to aim more precisely. In field shooting longer barrels greatly aid accuracy. This statement becomes apparent for those shooting at distant targets. It is also noticeable when attempting to hit small targets at closer ranges.

Very true generally. On the other hand a couple of us have measured wider dispersal of hits with the 48 vs 43X shooting speed oriented drills with both guns side by side for similar times. Hits on target are measurable vs perception. When 365L shooters reported comparisons vs the 48's recoil dynamics, I registered that as another interesting data point.

[JHC]

Just installed these 10-8 Performance sights on my G48...
Glock Front Sight (all styles), (Glock Front Sight : .250h x .125w Orange Night/Day), SKU: 0502-250-60

Glock MOS Rear Sight, Standard Height (Notch Width: .140"), SKU: 0501-325-140

The above shoot pretty much POI = POA with Federal HST 147gr.

Interesting that my G48 also came with rear sight sitting left in the dovetail. I installed the 10-8 sights similarly, and the guns still shoots to POA. YMMV.



-Rainman

@GJM I missed this post on my phone yesterday. That is the combo I was referring to. Sounds pretty slick to me.

[GJM]

@GJM I missed this post on my phone yesterday. That is the combo I was referring to. Sounds pretty slick to me.

The Ameriglo Agent is .190 tall in front, curious as to why the 10-8 is so high?

[HeavyDuty]

FWIW my 48 ended up taking a 0.200 Ameriglo front with their Hack rear.

[JHC]

The Ameriglo Agent is .190 tall in front, curious as to why the 10-8 is so high?

I'm not sure. To match the MOS sights height I assume. Generally, I've seen those tall sets I needed to make a nice tight (slide to frame) standard frame 9mm's shoot to my preferred POI just over the front post - to be pretty much what the 48 or 43X needed also. Generally that's been .245 tall HD front posts for me since I've had so many laying around. I have one set of the Wilson Combat sights for standard frame Glocks which is their Vicker's Battlesight rear matched with a .250 tall AmeriGlo bold front. That too is working very well on my silver slide 43X.

[GJM]

Thoughts on a comprehensive course of fire to tease out the practical difference, if any, between the 48 and 43X?

[JHC]

Thoughts on a comprehensive course of fire to tease out the practical difference, if any, between the 48 and 43X?

Off the top of my head

1. All or a subset of Gabe's standards - nice because it will measure well against known performance with other pistols
2. The 10-8 headbox standard (15 yards)
3. 10 rounds from Ready to a B8 in 15 seconds from 25 yards.

[GJM]

Off the top of my head

1. All or a subset of Gabe's standards - nice because it will measure well against known performance with other pistols
2. The 10-8 headbox standard (15 yards)
3. 10 rounds from Ready to a B8 in 15 seconds from 25 yards.

Seems like there might be two tests — an overall test that includes a range of shooting tasks, and a second test that tries to tease out this “chaotic Glock 48 sight phenomena?” For the sight tracking, Gabe’s test might be good, but I would start from some ready position and take the draw out since they have the same grip, and those tests are so draw intensive, a bad grip on a particular evo could skew the data.