Love my G42
Love my G42
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/s...380-revisited/Originally Posted by zaitcev
Chris Baker concurs on heavier bullets improving the reliability of small locked breech automatics in .380. As quoted above, I preached that for years, ever since the Glock 42 came on the market and refused to cycle Barnes. However, Chris adds measurements of slide velocity, which is a direct input of reliability. The bullet weight is one of the inputs into that. However, he and I agree that bullet weight has the greatest influence, greater than the muzzle energy. This is bad news for fans of lightweight monolithic bullets backed by a spicy charge.
Last edited by zaitcev; 11-30-2023 at 03:59 PM.
Given the spotty performance I've seen 115 grain 9mm offer, this phenomena isn't exclusive to the little guns. Granted they are engineered on the edge to prioritize concealment (read: size, weight, footprint) over raw shooting performance so are understandably much more ammunition-sensitive. A condition exacerbated by the cultural thought that handguns can just be fed whatever despite rimfires having preferred loads one needs to find, shotguns having prefered loads from barrel to barrel, and rifles needing a preferred load for proper performance. Applying that mindset to the little automatics is definitely a recipe for trouble.
First outing with a NIB G42. I had an Ameriglo fiber optic set installed.
Cleaned and lubed and off to the range.
50 rounds of Speer Lawman 95gr FMJ was used.
First round fired resulted in a stovepipe.
Second magazine experienced a failure to feed.
3rd magazine I had a failure to lock back but I’m confident it was user induced due to my grip.
Then on the 4th or 5th magazine I experienced a perplexing malfunction that I still don’t fully understand which I can only describe as some sort of failure to cycle, to the point where I feel a bit crazy. I loaded a fresh magazine and fired a round. Went to fire the second round and heard “click”. I presumed it was a light primer strike or that I would be ejecting a spent cartridge when I racked the slide, however after slowly pulling the slide to the rear to examine the issue, the chamber was empty. So either the spent casing was ejected upon firing and the slide didn’t pick up the next round which seems very implausible or a spent casing or cartridge with light primer strike did come out when I pulled the slide to the rear and I just didn’t see it? Idk, strange.
Experienced no other issues. Accuracy was great out to 7yds with very manageable recoil. The shooting experience was fun as others here have reported however I am disappointed with the malfunctions and will not be carrying it until I can vet it further.
Sorry to see you're having that trouble.
By any chance, did you mark the magazines to track which magazine(s) you're having the issues with in order to isolate the cause?
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
I have a very new one…..it is sensitive. Seems the hotter Factory stuff runs better. Very fun to shoot very low recoil. Don’t really trust it.First outing with a NIB G42. I had an Ameriglo fiber optic set installed.
Cleaned and lubed and off to the range.
50 rounds of Speer Lawman 95gr FMJ was used.
First round fired resulted in a stovepipe.
Second magazine experienced a failure to feed.
3rd magazine I had a failure to lock back but I’m confident it was user induced due to my grip.
Then on the 4th or 5th magazine I experienced a perplexing malfunction that I still don’t fully understand which I can only describe as some sort of failure to cycle, to the point where I feel a bit crazy. I loaded a fresh magazine and fired a round. Went to fire the second round and heard “click”. I presumed it was a light primer strike or that I would be ejecting a spent cartridge when I racked the slide, however after slowly pulling the slide to the rear to examine the issue, the chamber was empty. So either the spent casing was ejected upon firing and the slide didn’t pick up the next round which seems very implausible or a spent casing or cartridge with light primer strike did come out when I pulled the slide to the rear and I just didn’t see it? Idk, strange.
Experienced no other issues. Accuracy was great out to 7yds with very manageable recoil. The shooting experience was fun as others here have reported however I am disappointed with the malfunctions and will not be carrying it until I can vet it further.
It should be up to date but still worth verifying that all magazines are marked "03" on the back.
It's a tiny gun and I don't have another Glock to compare but IIRC the slide sits lower in your hand than any other Glock. Next time you shoot it make sure your thumbs aren't touching/dragging on the slide. You may need to position your thumbs lower than you're used to on a Glock.
Gun came with 2 magazines and I used the same magazine for all 50 rounds because at the time I didn’t want to introduce more variables but I do have it marked and will alternate in the next outing.
Just verified that both magazines are marked “03” on the back with the followers being marked “2”.
Yes, once I got the failure to lock back I realized it was due to my thumb riding the slide stop and adjusted my grip with my thumbs down and it didn’t happen again.
I guess it’s possible all of these issues were due to my grip and inexperience with this gun as the issues seemed to stop about halfway through. I dont recall feeling like I could have been limp wristing but it’s possible.
I’ll try to locate some hotter ammo.
My G42 is going on an outing on 1/18. Report then. It had a checkered history being one of the first. Jam on the first round. Fired out of battery once - scary! Etc. Back to Glock. Been ok. I usually see at least one jam with every gun I shoot at a match. We will see.
Cloud Yeller of the Boomer Age
As much as I usually like Lawman. the 380 ACP load has had spotty reliability in several pistols that have been through my safe. Pre-shortage, I avoided it when possible.
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