Help me spend money, lighter CCW

[Crow Hunter]

I am looking for a 20 oz 'ish loaded option for occasional CCW duty when my normal 30 oz loaded is too heavy/bulky.

I think I have it narrowed down to a G43, G42, or a LCR.

I have been shooting Glocks in one form or another since getting my CCW in the late '90s.

My wife has a G42 that she likes and I am okay with.

I have never shot a G43 but I owned a g43x for a little while and I found it uncomfortable for extended practice.

I have never shot a LCR before but I have owned several Smith j-frames and they hurt my right hand thumb knuckle to shoot. Felt like a needle in the base of my thumb. I was always shooting 130 gr WWB, never wad cutters in both air weight and steel frame versions.

All of them have relatively similar capacity and similar weights.

I like the idea of the revolver as a "get off me" tool.

What is the advice of the group? What has worked for you in the past?

[Jim Watson]

I have a G43 which is a handy hideout.
But the 25 rounds of GSSF Indoor Pocket division is about all the fun I want at a time.

[G19Fan]

Have a g43 it is a great small gun. Would probably choose a g42 if starting over.

Personally pick a p365 over any of the above

[MattyD380]

If you're looking at a G43 don't forget about the Walther PPS (M1 or M2). Very nice shooters. And everything I've gleaned suggests they're durable and reliable. I don't exactly use my guns hard, but neither of my PPSs have had any issues. I believe Walther had LE contracts in mind when they originally designed the pistol, back in the mid 2000-oughts, so... they're solid "professional feeling" little blasters. The Navy SEALs even bought a few batches of them, at one point.

The M2 is still available new, the M1... isn't. But they're basically the same gun except for the mag release and some slight differences in the striker assembly.

[pangloss]

I vote G43. I can pocket carry mine with the right pants. However, the pistol becomes unpleasant to shoot after about 100 rounds. It's rare that I shoot more then 50 rounds per range session with that pistol now.

I agree that the PPS is worth a close look.

[FNFAN]

If you're looking at a G43 don't forget about the Walther PPS (M1 or M2). Very nice shooters. And everything I've gleaned suggests they're durable and reliable. I don't exactly use my guns hard, but neither of my PPSs have had any issues. I believe Walther had LE contracts in mind when they originally designed the pistol, back in the mid 2000-oughts, so... they're solid "professional feeling" little blasters. The Navy SEALs even bought a few batches of them, at one point.

The M2 is still available new, the M1... isn't. But they're basically the same gun except for the mag release and some slight differences in the striker assembly.

I'd never heard about SEALS being consumers of the PPS. I thoroughly enjoy my M1 and it's the only striker pistol I've shot since retiring from a Glock shoppe. I had never noticed your hipstertactical.com. It looks well done and I plan to read the reviews. Thanks!

[fatdog]

Shield, Shield plus from S&W should be in the mix, I found the PPS M1 to be totally reliable and the G43 was not in my hands. I always struggled with the G43 grip more than the shield or PPS. P365 is also a solid gun and I like the Wilson grip module.

[Dov]

I am looking for a 20 oz 'ish loaded option for occasional CCW duty when my normal 30 oz loaded is too heavy/bulky.

I think I have it narrowed down to a G43, G42, or a LCR.

I have been shooting Glocks in one form or another since getting my CCW in the late '90s.

My wife has a G42 that she likes and I am okay with.

I have never shot a G43 but I owned a g43x for a little while and I found it uncomfortable for extended practice.

I have never shot a LCR before but I have owned several Smith j-frames and they hurt my right hand thumb knuckle to shoot. Felt like a needle in the base of my thumb. I was always shooting 130 gr WWB, never wad cutters in both air weight and steel frame versions.

All of them have relatively similar capacity and similar weights.

I like the idea of the revolver as a "get off me" tool.

What is the advice of the group? What has worked for you in the past?

Take a hard look at the LCR in 327 Federal mag long thread here https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?59473-32-vs-38

Thread I started asking about 32 S&W Long (which work in 327 mag & 32 H&R mag revolvers) vs 380 https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....-380&p=1509309

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....agnum-thoughts

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....2-S-amp-W-Long

also link to Lucky Gunner article linked in one of above threads https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/poc...esults/#380ACP




eddied to add more links

[Dov]

[Noah]

If you’ve always been a Glock person, I’m sure you’ll find the 43 or 42 more familiar than the LCR.

My dad has the 43, my wife and sister in law have 42s. The 42 is dramatically easier and more fun to shoot. I’d give up 9mm expansion in the 43 to get the drastically lower recoil of the 42 8 days a week.

Anecdotally, the 43 is also super tight loaded 6+1 or 8+1 with a Vickers. The 42 does not see a huge increase in friction loaded 6+1 or 8+1, so in practice for me, it’s actually 1 round higher capacity than the 43.

My wife’s 42 was my NPE and yardwork gun until I started doing Rhett/Demonstrated concepts deep carry with the 43X. Also carried the 42 for the week after my vasectomy last year. Talk about needing a light and easy carry!

With how easy it is to shoot, I feel better armed with the 42 than the 43.