Glock has established itself as a go-to name in the handgun industry largely because of their simple to use, safe, and reliable handguns. Whether you’re looking for a full-size Glock like the 17 or 34, something in-between like the Glock 19 or 26, or something small like the Glock 43 or 42, Glock has you covered. The Glock 43 and 43X sound pretty similar due to the Glock naming convention but aside from both being striker-fired handguns chambered in 9mm, there isn’t much the two firearms share in common. That’s why today we’re going over the short list of differences between the older Glock 43 single stack 9mm and the newer Glock 43X stack-and-a-half 9mm pistols.
Size Matters
The Glock 43 was intended to be a deep concealment pistol with an ultra-slim frame and slide width of just 0.87 inches, the Glock 43 is not only about the size of your palm, but it’s also so thin you can conceal it in even the lightest clothing. Meanwhile, the Glock 43X is slightly wider at just a hair over 1 inch in width and also features a slightly longer grip measuring in at 5.04 inches and having the same length as the Glock 43 with a barrel length of 3.41 inches and an overall length of 6.5 inches.
The subtle but important difference in frame width between the 43 and 43X is crucial as the slightly wider and longer frame gives the Glock 43X the ability to host 10 rounds in a flush-fit OEM magazine. Some aftermarket companies like Shield Arms have also developed 15-round flush-fit magazines meaning the 43X has the capability of holding a full 6-rounds more than the Glock 43 even if you use the 9-round Glock 43 magazines.
There is virtually no difference in weight between the two handguns unless you factor in ammunition. The 43 has an unloaded weight of 18 ounces while the 43X has an unloaded weight of almost 19 ounces - not that much of a difference until you factor in the extra weight of 6 rounds for the stock Glock 43, and 10 rounds for the Stock Glock 43X.
Another set of subtle differences between the smaller Glock 43 and the new Glock 43X will be in the finishes used for the handguns. The Glock 43 has a standard Glock finish while the 43X uses a nPVD-coated slide. This newer coating used to come in a silver finish but this was only for a limited time and now the newer slides have a medium grey color not quite as dark as the 43X but not as light as the silver slimline editions of the Glock 43X and 48.
Which One Should You Carry?
Both the Glock 43 and 43X are reliable, affordable, and safe pistols to shoot and carry every day. The newer Glock 43X is a more well-rounded carry piece and is quite shootable with its slightly longer grip and a healthy amount of aftermarket parts available. However, the Glock 43X is indeed larger and with the addition of extended magazine baseplates, a threaded barrel or compensator, and a red dot with the new MOS versions, the 43X can quickly balloon in size to something that might not be suitable for situations requiring deep concealment. For those situations, the lower-capacity Glock 43 is the perfect solution, especially when your summer fun attire is the dictating factor for your carry situation.
Of course, we’d like to hear your opinions on both the Glock 43 and 43X. Which one do you prefer and why? If you could only have one Glock, which Glock pistol would that be? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you and start a discussion!
