Confession time. When I first put my hands on the GLOCK 43 9mm subcompact pistol at a writer’s event held in conjunction with the NRA Annual Meeting 2015, I wasn’t all that excited about it. By that time I had over twenty years experience with GLOCK pistols and had carried a G23/G19 for decades. Also, I had developed a true appreciation for the G26 through experience working with that gun.
From a completely selfish perspective, I didn’t need another GLOCK model.
GLOCK 43: The J-frame of Pistols
No longer the new gun, the G43 has been around for more than a decade and spawned the G43X; one of the Austrian gunmaker’s best-selling concealed carry pistols. As the G43 seems to have fallen into the shadow of its younger X brother, one might wonder how much life the subcompact pistol still has in it.
Back when I was still one of the young guys, you couldn’t call yourself a true gun guy — or at least a respectable aficionado of firearms — if you didn’t own some form of Smith & Wesson J-frame. While I was coming of age, the J-frame, either blued steel or stainless, spur-hammer, bobbed or concealed, was the everyday, always handgun of armed men, and more than a few women.
Even in situations where being armed was strictly frowned upon, sans metal detectors, the J-frame was dropped discreetly into pockets or tucked into waistbands. For my part, I used a soft, suede leather IWB holster to surreptitiously conceal a J-frame under an untucked shirt when frequenting non-permissive environments.
Now, in 2026, I see the G43 taking on that role.
While folks like the extra rounds that the extended frame the G43X model offers, that extra frame real estate comes with a price, that of making the pistol less discreet when discreet carry is called for. Also, while the G43 can truly be carried as a pocket gun, the X frame doesn’t lend itself to that.
G43 Considerations
While not quite “air-weight”, the G43 is only 16.2 ounces empty. An all-steel .38 Special J-frame weighs about 19 ounces empty and the alloy-framed versions weigh around 14.5 ounces. The G43 height is just 4.25 inches including the mag base and it has a mere 6-inch overall length. The capacity is only 6 + 1, the same as the old Colt Officer’s Model 1911. However, seven is two more than the 5-shot J-frame we all used to be satisfied with.
Even if the G43 was only a 5-shot like the old J-frames, it would still beat the wheelgun in the reloading department. Rapidly reloading a compact revolver under stress is a master-level accomplishment.
Speaking of loading the G43, we’re not going to hold our collective breath waiting for GLOCK to make higher capacity G43 magazines. Nonetheless, XTech Tactical has produced some extended capacity magazines for the G43 that show promise. These mags hold nine rounds versus six. Granted, they stick out of the frame a good bit. That’s both a positive and a negative depending on how you look at it.
Yes, the mag sticking out increases the height and eliminates pocket carry and deep concealment. However, that extra length gives those of us with full-sized mitts something more onto which to hold. Ergo, your pinky finger isn’t dangling in space. The XTech mags offer a good two-hand hold as well.
So, with these bonus capacity magazines, you have some options. You can still use the flush factory magazine and carry discreetly and keep the XTech version in a spare mag pouch. Or, you can opt for more traditional belt holster carry and make use of those bonus rounds. At the very least, you should appreciate the bonus rounds when you’re in a training class or on the practice range.
One Valuable Upgrade
Despite the desire of aftermarket accessory makers to convince you that GLOCK pistols need extra crap added to them, the G43 is good-to-go right out of the box…with one exception. If we’re being completely honest, the plastic factory sights on GLOCK pistols are sub-par at best. The front sight is diminutive, causing rounds to go high beyond five to seven yards. The rear sight has so much white paint on it that it distracts from proper front sight focus.
Also, given that GLOCK pistols are supposed to be fighting tools with which the end user saves their life, plastic sights have no business on true fighting guns. I don’t care what color or composition the plastic sights are, they are not for martial purposes. Plastic sights are for toy guns.
Night Fision produces some high quality, steel replacement sights for GLOCK pistols, including the subcompact versions. The Accur8™ sights for the G43 have a bright tritium front sight surrounded by translucent polymer in various colors. The rear sight is steel and can be used for single-hand racking of the slide. There is a subdued tritium vial in the rear as well. For my personal G43, I installed the white ring front sight version of the Accur8 sights onto the pistol.
Range Time
With the G43 plus three of the new XTech magazines and a can of 9x19mm, I hit the range to run some drills. You don’t need to read a review from me to tell you that the G43 will feed any and all manner of 9mm NATO ammunition you choose to feed it. However, such cannot always be said for all subcompact/pocket pistols out there.
Though I spent only a couple hours on the range, I left with a good feel not just for the G43, but for the XTech magazines as well. Fresh out of the package, I found that the LDR2000 loading tool, also from XTech, was useful for getting rounds number 8 and 9 into the new magazines.
All told, I put a couple of hundred rounds down range for my practice session. Yes, I transitioned from two-handed to single hand right and single hand left frequently. No issues with the pistol.
As I was driving home from the range, the thought occurred to me that comparing the G43 to the J-frame could hold one negative connotation. Historically, the compact .38 Special J-framed revolvers were guns that were carried a lot but shot rarely. Only the most dedicated gun carriers ever really got good with their J-frames. Most carried them as some sort of talisman or good luck charm, hoping that they would never need to use them.
My hope is that the owners of the GLOCK 43 pistol don’t fall into the same habit of carrying it a lot and shooting it rarely. Yes, it’s comforting to be armed. But it’s even more comforting to have the genuine confidence to hit your target when called upon in a life-or-death scenario.
If the bonus capacity magazines from XTech are what it takes to get you out and shooting your G43 more often, then they are worth the investment. Remember, your responsibility to be ready for the fight never ends.
Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student of the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.