Slimline Shootout – Glock 43 vs. Glock 43X vs. Glock 48

26 Comments / Concealed Carry / By

Glock’s slimline series encapsulates their single-stack designs.

These are fairly small when you look at the totality of the Glock lineup. They include the .380 ACP Glock 42, the 45 ACP Glock 36, and the 9mm triplets, the G43, G43X, and G48. Today we are going to talk about the 9mm triplets and hopefully find the right slimline Glock pistol for you. They are similar but different, and each offers shooters several advantages we will go over in this article.

The Glock 43 – The Original 9mm Slimline

When Glock finally released a 9mm single stack, people were excited, and it was righteous excitement. The G43 promised Glock reliability in a tiny, easily carried package. If you want the smallest Glock 9mm, then here you go! It’s 6.26 inches overall and only a little over an inch wide. It’s not quite pocket carry small, but it’s close.

The G43 gives shooters six rounds of 9mm, plus an additional round in the chamber. It drops out of sight on the smallest of shooters as long as you have a good holster and a proper cover garment. Carrying it concealed is hardly ever uncomfortable with the slimline G43.

As a small gun, it can be challenging to shoot. The grip isn’t exactly large, the line of sight is short, and recoil with such a like pistol can be a little stout. The capacity is also just a bit more than a revolver and doesn’t necessarily impress these days.

The Glock 43X – Slimline Compromise

I often call the Glock 43X the central AC of handguns. It’s built to maximize comfort. The g43X is a bit of a mixture between the Glock 43 and the Glock 48. The weapon uses a Glock 43 slide to keep things short at 6.5 inches overall length. However, the grip is G48 length and gives the gun a height of a hair over 5 inches.

This gun is very comfortable to carry and pretty comfy to shoot. Its short barrel makes it a little less pokey for IWB and appendix carry rigs. With the gun mostly submerged in your waistline, the size doesn’t matter much. At the same time, you have a hand-filling grip that helps you control recoil and shoot the gun comfortably. It’s a weird mix that works.

The downside really comes down to the shorter barrel and shorter sight radius. It’s short for comfort but comes with a short sight radius and a little more recoil. It’s a tradeoff to capture comfort. The G43X Slimline comes in both standard and optics-ready MOS models.

The G48 – The Slimline Glock 19

Glock’s flagship pistol is the Glock 19. It’s incredibly popular. Glock saw that popularity and put the 19 on a diet. The end result was a thinned-out single-stack Glock 19. To be fair, it’s actually a hair longer than the G19, with a barrel length of 4.17 inches. This made it Canada legal until their total handgun ban went into effect.

The Glock 48 slimline pistol offers shooters a thinner, easier-to-carry, and conceal version of a compact pistol. The mixture of a hand-filling grip with a full-length slide gives you the best of both worlds. It’s easy to shoot and to be accurate. The G48 is one of the easiest slimline guns to shoot. At the same time, it’s thin and ideal for comfy IWB and AIWB carry. With ten rounds of 9mm on tap, you’re ready to defend yourself effectively.

As you’d imagine, a larger gun is a harder-to-conceal gun. It can feel pokey and proddy, especially if you are new to conceal carry. The little extra length can help concealment when carried in an appendix position. Longer guns tend to be easier to conceal when carried AIWB. Much like the G43X, the G48 comes in a MOS variety with Glock Kit for optics.

Keeping it Slimline

Glock’s Slimline pistols have proven to be awesome concealed carry options. Much like Goldilocks, you have three very different choices, and you need to figure out which porridge is for you. If you’re still lost on which model is for you, here are the highlights you should know.

Glock 43 – Smallest, lightest, and easiest to conceal. Hardest to shoot.

Glock 43X – Built to be easy to carry and comfortable to shoot. It’s a compromise in size that does most things well but nothing exceptional outside of comfort.

Glock 48 – The Glock 48 is the biggest gun in the slimline series, but also the easiest to shoot accurately, rapidly, and with total control. It’s also the hardest to conceal.

Hopefully, that will help you pick the perfect Glock for your needs. Let us know below which Glock you rock and roll with!

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Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record-setting 11 months at sea. Travis has trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines, and the Afghan National Army.

He serves as an NRA-certified pistol instructor and pursues a variety of firearms-based hobbies.

 

 

 


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26 thoughts on “Slimline Shootout – Glock 43 vs. Glock 43X vs. Glock 48”

  1. John Edgar Turrentine

    I carried a G43 at first. Yes, it was easy to conceal but it was a bear to shoot. It was extremely hard to be accurate at any distance. I traded it in and purchased a G48 with night sights. I love its concealability and shoot ability. I have no problems concealing it strongside. It is definitely more accurate than either G43 variant. It is comfortable to carry and shoot.

    Reply
  3. Wayne Hendrix

    The one upgrade to the 43X and 48 that is so common and works so well that I felt it should be mentioned is the Shield Arms magazines which up the capacity to 15+1 and still fit flush with the grip.
    I don’t know anyone who hasn’t made this upgrade and it is something to consider when chosing a compact pistol for concealed carry.

    Reply
  5. Steve Kopischke

    I own three Glocks (17, 43, 43X) and have carried all of them concealed. I shoot them all equally well at self-defense distances.

    I currently carry the 43X (OWB at my left hip because I’m a southpaw and it’s winter) because it’s just as the article indicated – it’s the Goldilocks size.

    Reply
  6. Curt Hatch

    It is useful to read comparisons like this but good luck actually being able to go into a shooting range and in this case, rent a 43, 43x and 48 to compare for yourself before buying. Too bad Glock doesn’t provide a selection of most or all of their models so interested gun buyers can shoot for themselves and decide what works best for them. Ditto other manufacturers. Even if Glock or others had a few “featured” ranged in each state or maybe a “traveling” show where they advertised and then brought a couple of every model to a certain range for a week or weekend. Would t that be a sim-win-win for Glock, the shooting range and the potential buyers in the area? (I want a cut of the sction).

    Reply
  7. Chris Corby

    I have both the 43X and the 48. I have a red dot optic on the 43X and iron sights on the 48. I can shot the 43X much more accurately than the 48. I have been carrying the 43X for the past three years in a Crossbreed Supertuck or Minituck holster. It is very comfortable to carry. I also have the Shield arms 15 round magazine which increases capacity by 50 percent without increasing the footprint.

    Reply
  8. Rob

    The Glock 48 is the slim line handgun that I carry. LOVE IT! The one thing that I’ve noticed and nobody has discussed is the fact that it’s a great under the arm weapon. I have yet to see anyone mention the fact that the Glock 48 is a great shoulder holster weapon. Nobody has discussed it as far as I can tell. They always discuss it like it’s only an IWB or a AWIB. AHHH! something to think about…

    Reply
    1. Steve

      This is exactly what I have been looking for. I have looking for a 9mm auto replacement for my .38 special revolver that I shoulder carry. I appreciate the comment!

      Reply

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