By Scott Smith |Contributing Editor
Folks who know me know I am not a fan of “pocket pistols.”
Generally, they are hard to shoot well or the grip is too small for folks with big hands. Sadly, small pistols and revolvers seem to be the first ones suggested by many shops when a customer wants a concealed carry pistol. Up until now I’ve wanted to pull my hair out when I hear someone tell me the guy at the gun shop said this small pistol is perfect.
Recently a family member wanted a true “baby Glock” (Phone: 770-432-1202; Online: us.glock.com), the G42 which gave me a chance to give it the twice over. Chambered in .380 ACP it will literally fit in the palm of my hand. I knew this was their first pistol, but they had done a lot of research and handled a wide variety of firearms. Doing the paperwork, aka paying for it; I had a G42 coming to my FFL.
I was curious to see how a pistol that loaded is just shy of 16 ounces with a 4.88” sight radius would shoot. In my ammunition stockpile, I have a few loads for .380s, most of it is mixed full metal jacket. This was fine to get a feel for the pistol.
Surprisingly even with its two finger length grip the G42 was wickedly accurate. At 7 yards I was able to shoot a sub-2-inch six-shot group. Moving out to 15 yards the group opened up to just under 3 inches for six shots. This may not sound great but this is a small pistol that I can barely get a solid grip on with my big meat hooks. Once the TFX Pros are installed, I will shoot it again from a rest.
With the proliferation of true pocket pistols, ammunition manufacturers have developed loads specifically for them. I am a fan of the Honey Badger solid copper loads from Black Hills Ammunition. The solid bullet delivers consistent penetration and the design creates a wicked wound cavity. Even with the new cartridges hollow points may not get the expansion through heavy winter clothing. The solid will still perform and it is a controllable if multiple shots are required. I like the bullet and trust it enough that I carry it in my daily carry Glock 19.
I was happy to see the Truglo (Phone: 972-774-0300; Online: Truglo.com) TFX Pro Sights were available and my order was not delayed. These days, most everything has been in short supply. I like the TFX sights. They are both fiber optic and tritium. The Pro has a “U” notch rear sight, which in my opinion is faster to acquire than a square notch. The human eye tends to center objects faster in a round sight.
The TFX Pro has three other features that set it apart from others. First is the bright orange ring of the front sight which makes this one as fast as many mini-red dots for acquisition. The second feature is the ledge of the rear that allows for easy one-handed manipulation should one hand be disabled. For many folks the last feature could be one of the TFX’s best; they run $89.99 for a set. This is more than competitive with other tritium sights that offer far less features. Like BHA’s Honey Badger, I use these sights on daily use pistols.
So how does the G42 perform with TFX Pro Sights and NHA’s Honey Badger .380 ACPs? For a pistol of this size it is a tack driver. At seven yards from a rest, even with a sweat induced flier; the six-shot group was 1 ¼ inches. At 15 yards the same group was 2 inches. This is on par with some 5-inch barreled pistols I have shot.
If I were looking for a pocket pistol, the Glock 42 would be the first pick. As a matter of fact, it will be protecting family. I cannot endorse a pistol more than that.
New Gear
Finding a pocket pistol that I liked was surprising, even more surprising this year; I found Gore-tex lined boots are not ideal for year round wear. In my summer ventures to the mountains of Wyoming and Montana, I experienced all four seasons in a week. Literally we had rain, cold, wind and snow about 100 miles northeast of Cody. Once Mother Nature was done throwing all this nasty weather at us, it got high desert hot.At elevations of over 3000 feet; the air is clear and dry and the sun is bright and hot. If you are going hiking, sightseeing or shooting you need supportive shoes with an aggressive sole without a waterproof liner.
Several years ago my choice would have been BLACKHAWK’s (Phone: 406-284-3840; Online: Blackhawk.com) Light Assault Boot. This boot was a practically perfect boot for hot dry conditions with its Cordura upper and Vibram Multi-sport sole; this boot was a tank. Fortunately, BLACKHAWK has come out with a new boot, the Trident 6-inch Ultralite.
With a name like Trident (the Navy SEAL badge), I suspected this was a tough boot. It is available in black or coyote in men’s sizes 5.5 to 14 with a MSRP of $129.95. I chose coyote because black would show the dust from the mountain trails.
Like previous BLACKHAWK boots, the Trident Ultralite uses 600 denier Cordura. This material is lightweight and durable. Unlike its heavier cousin 1000 denier, 600 denier Cordura is flexible and breathable. This helps to keep your feet from sweating and the Agion lining prevents foot and boot odor. Nylon by itself is not very supportive, so the Trident is reinforced with rough out leather. It wraps the body of the foot and heel for maximum support without additional weight.
Support is further increased with the NATO Speedlace System. This system uses the leather reinforcement to cinch up the boot at key locations like the lower portion of the foot arch and around the heel. When you snug up the laces, the boot feels like it is part of your foot. The gusseted tongue also helps keep your foot secure when wearing the Trident loosely laced by keeping your foot in the boot.
Once BLACKHAWK ensured the Trident was supportive, the boot had to give you cushioning. This was accomplished by using Phylon for the midsole. Phylon is compressed EVA pellets that are heated and cooled in a mold to give a precise fit to the upper and outsole.
Comfort is further increased by using Ortholite for the insole. Ortholite is open cell foam that compresses barely five percent over the life of the insole. Combing the Ortholite insole with the Phylon outsole you should not have tried feet or an aching back at the end of the trail or shooting match.
When out on the trail or range we want a comfortable boot and one that gives good traction. The multi-dimensional tread clears debris and grips even on wet grass or muddy clay. The outsole rolls up the toe and up the angled heel. This gives you traction at toe off and when descending a slope. The angled heel allows your foot to roll and stay in contact with the ground where a boxed outsole may not give you traction on a slope with loose dirt or gravel. This is a feature that is generally found on high end hiking boots not boots with a $129.95.
BLACKHAWK’S footwear team packed the Trident Ultralite Boots with loads of features. These features make this boot ideal for hiking, hunting and competitive shooting when it’s hot and dry. If you get caught in a summer cloudburst they do dry fairly quickly. Quality footwear like the Trident Ultralite Boot will make your ventures more enjoyable by reducing strain on your feet, legs and low back. Not having aches and pains definitely will help you stay safe and have fun.
