by R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
The new Glock 42 is light, reliable and accurate. After a 200 round firing test the Glock was a little dirty but never malfunctioned.
For most of my life I have carried what some refer to as big guns. The Chief’s Special is a backup. The Commander .45 is a carry gun.
But I am familiar with practically every light pistol made in the past century, from the Harrington and Richardson SLP to the Walther PP Super. Some work better than others. Very few have service gun reliability. The very nice, very slick SIG P 230 is a great handgun but there are not many others I trust. And frankly compared to the current crop of compact 9mm handguns the P 230 isn’t that small.
The Glock proved reliable with a wide variety of loads.
Enter the Glock G42, a long awaited and much heralded pistol. The Glock 42 is a slim, light and reliable .380 ACP pistol. Glock did not attempt to build a pistol that stuffs 10 rounds into the frame, to their credit. There really isn’t anything quite like it. The Glock G42 bears a resemblance to the Generation 4 Glock. The grip texture and magazine release are the same but there is no light rail or interchangeable backstrap.
The pistol is a fresh design building upon proven Glock principles. The G42 is a 6+1 capacity pistol. The pistol is thin, very thin, with a .95-inch frame and .825-inch slide. The pistol is only 4.25 inches tall and less than six inches long. Weight is only 12 ounces unloaded. While some pistols pretend to be pocket pistols, the Glock G42 .380 ACP is a true pocket pistol.
An important difference between the Glock 42 and the other .380 pistols is that the G42 isn’t a blowback pistol. In these handguns the slide blows to the rear off of a fixed barrel. The locked breech is the stronger system. It is seldom used in pistols this size and weight. An advantage is that recoil is controlled more efficiently in this operating mechanism and so is pressure. The pistol features dual recoil springs in the modern spring-within-a-spring Glock design. Another advantage of locked breech design is that the Glock will take heavier loads, and .380 ACP ammunition has improved somewhat in the past decade as I discovered when testing the G42.
The pistol features a six-round magazine and two magazines come with the gun. To those that supply the pistol with only one magazine, I say that is ridiculous! The pistol’s trigger action, sights and appearance are archetypical Glock. The G42 feels good in the hand. I have never thought the Glock has a natural point but this pistol is an exception. Another exception: The pistol is made in America. Imports, exports and tariffs are heady political discussions but the bottom line is that Glock has given a lot of good folk in Georgia honest work. I like that.
The pistol operates in the same manner as every other Glock. When the slide is racked the trigger is partially cocked or “prepped” in Glock parlance. The striker is partially drawn to the rear, and a long press of the trigger completes the job of cocking and releasing the striker. The result is a six-pound trigger compression. In my experience the Glock trigger action may run from 5 to 6 pounds. The G42, however, feels much lighter. Perhaps this is because of the leverage of the small handgun. The RCBS registering trigger compression gauge doesn’t lie.
The mechanics of the pistol are similar to the full size Glock with slight differences, such as the springs used in the takedown lever and the design of the slide stop. This is understandable when the pistol is downsized to this degree.
After initial familiarization the next step was firing the Glock. I had on hand no less than six types of .380 ACP ammunition. Considering the present ammunition shortage this is a goodly amount of ammunition. I had on hand three types from Fiocchi, one ball load and one using a standard JHP and the other, the Extrema line, using the XTP bullet. Next was the Cor-Bon DPX load using the all copper X bullet. The new Winchester Defense load using the PDX bullet was next and finally the Hornady Critical Defense loading. I will remove the suspense. There were no failures to feed, chamber, fire or eject. The G42 is very comfortable to fire. In my experience small guns are less reliable than larger pistols. There is simply a more crowded platform that invites the fingers to interfere with the slide stop or trigger. 
The Glock platform is businesslike and manageable even in this small pistol. The G42 is never uncomfortable to fire. There was little difference between firing the hottest loads and the mildest loads. There was more push and more muzzle flip with the Cor-Bon loading, but nothing uncomfortable. To my mind that is the rationale for the light .380 ACP pistol. It is lighter than the 9mm. It should also kick less. I do not mind mastering a hard kicking big bore, but if one carries a light caliber the recoil should be light as well. The bottom line is that the pistol should be reliable. The Glock G42 meets all of these criteria.
The Jason Winnie IWB holster is first class.
Ammunition performance was an eye opener. As an example the Cor-Bon 80-grain DPX load averaged 1070 fps. This is impressive as the G42 barrel is a stubby 3.25 inches. The Cor-Bon loading breaks right at 200 foot pounds of energy. The heavier bullet loads exhibited respectable velocity. A defense load must demonstrate a balance between expansion and penetration. None of these loads fundamentally change my mind concerning the .380 ACP, but they do make the most of the caliber. I found it interesting that the G42 is accurate enough to invite recreational shooting. Small sticks and the usual range bric-a-brac were easily addressed to 15 yards with the G42. It is accurate enough to serve for pests and reptiles at a reasonable range. The G42 is fast from concealed carry and comes on target quickly. I find it the best handling and most accurate .380 ACP in my recent experience. Glock has a winner in the G42.
Where does the Glock fit? Just about anywhere. The Glock is a primary carry for those that simply cannot carry a heavier firearm. I recommend nothing smaller than the 9mm or .38 Special. However, if you simply cannot conceal a larger arm then the gun on your side is better than the gun on the night stand. The Glock 42 is a reasonable alternative to a larger handgun because the Glock is reliable. Modern .380 ACP loads pack the most punch possible in a light caliber.
I have tested a number of quality holsters that seem to provide a good balance of speed and retention. Among these the Jason Winnie all leather IWB holster seems a good choice. The leather selection is first class and the stitching is excellent. This is a great all around holster for use under a light covering garment. 
I have also tested the PJH pocket holster. For use inside of a purse, or carried in a pocket, this holster offers security and a large foot that is stabilized to ensure the holster is not drawn with the handgun.
The Glock 42 is different from most light handguns in that it is completely reliable even with less than ideal maintenance. Every load fed, chambered, fired and ejected. The level of accuracy is frank surprisingly. I like this handgun a great deal and in all likelihood so will you.
