feature
prevents the gun from fi ring unless the trigger is deliberately pulled. Careful dry fi re confi rmed no over travel once the striker was released. Glock kept their G42 as similar to their ex- tensive line of larger caliber pistols as possible. T ere is no additional manual safety added to this .380 handgun. It functions the same as all other Glocks. Despite the Safe-Action trigger, I would not drop this pistol in my front right pocket without a pocket holster to cover the trigger. I would certainly never, ever carry keys, a mini-penlight, or even coins in the same pocket as this pistol. Many have seen the video where a police offi cer’s stray plastic jacket tightening device worked its way into the trigger guard of a duty Glock pistol and it went off . Even coins in your pocket could wedge their way via Mr. Murphy’s laws and cause a negligent discharge. Choose a good pocket holster for pocket carry of the G42. T e large extractor is moved slightly to the right when a cartridge is loaded and is designed to act as a loaded chamber indicator. Seeing or feeling it tactilely is possible, but the diff er- ence between loaded and unloaded is not very much. A press check is preferable and there is enough space to the right rear of the chamber to see a loaded round through the ejection port. T e overall look and feel of the G42 is smooth. Nothing protrudes to catch on cloth- ing and the slide stop (which does function as a release as well, no matter if the magazine is loaded or not) and magazine release are posi- tioned tight in with the frame. T e grip tang extends well so as to prevent slide bite (the Wal- ther PPK was notorious for causing bleeding railroad tracks on the web of shooters’ hands until recent versions extended it). Retracting the slide requires little force, despite the cap- tured multiple spring recoil guide. Slide serra- tions are not very deep, but they still work fi ne. T e G42’s barrel is 3.25 inches in length and features Glock’s hexagonal rifl ing (this means you should only shoot jacketed bullets, not pure lead bullets to prevent “leading” in the bore, which could build up and cause prob- lems). T e Glock’s barrel length will off er a bit more velocity, with excellent carry rounds like Hornady’s Critical Defense, than the Ruger or S&W pistols with their shorter 2.75-inch bar- rels. T e tradeoff is measured in carry size. T e Ruger and S&W fi t in my outside vest carrier’s breast pocket. T e G42 is too big to fi t.
8 The Police Marksman Sep-Oct 2014
Glock’s New Diminutive 42
The .380 is “Made in the USA.”
The Glock 42 is slightly thinner than the classic Walther PPK. Range Testing
Loading the G42 magazine with six rounds was not diffi cult and the sixth round was pressed in as easily as the fi rst. T e magazine is stan-
dard Glock, being made of polymer with a steel inner sleeve. Chambering a round and then topping off the magazine functioned every time, making the G42 a seven-shot carry gun.
www.policemarksman.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46