Glock 43X Review (Best Carry Gun)

Looking for the ultimate pistol for concealed carry? This Glock 43X Review will cover everything you need to know.

Is it worth it? Absolutely yes, this Glock 43X Review will explain why.

I will go over the pros & cons of this gun and give you my overall opinion to hopefully help you decide if it’s worth buying.

Both versions of the 43X will be reviewed, the standard model and the MOS.

This post will review all aspects of the Glock 43X.

Glock 43X MOS Review – Best Glock Yet

Glock has been the most reliable pistol for a long time. The Glock 43X is their sub-compact slim-line pistol designed for concealed carry.

I think the Glock 43X may be the Glock 19 killer.

Glock 43X

• 9mm
• (2) 10 Round Mags
• Optics Ready (MOS Version)
• Perfect Size For CCW
• Most Aftermarket Support
• Extreme Reliability

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Price Check: Grab A Gun, Guns.com, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Primary Arms, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shop, Sportsman’s Guide

The Pros & Cons

Here is a quick list of the Pros & Cons of the Glock 43X:

The Pros

• Great reliability
• Perfect size for concealed carry
• Tons of aftermarket support
• Easily customized
• Optics ready if you get the MOS version

The Bad

• The short barrel and compact design increase the recoil
• Only 10-round mags (aftermarket options available for higher capacity)

Short Answer

The Glock 43X is a great option and my “go-to” choice for concealed carry. I have carried this gun’s bigger brother for years, the Glock 19.

Here is my Glock 19 Review to check out.

Switching over to the Glock 43X just feels right. It’s smaller and even better for carry. The factory mags are the only downside being limited to 10 rounds.

If you pick up some Shield Arms S15 Gen 2 magazines you can increase the capacity to 15 rounds without adding to the overall dimensions of the gun.

These guns are very affordable and you get a lot for the price.

They are more expensive than other brands that make similar compact pistols but well worth the price in my opinion.

Features:

To start, this gun has everything you would need in a carry gun and nothing you don’t.

It’s simple and reliable.

Let’s go over some of the key features of the Glock 43X.

The Glock 43X has a short slide and a shot barrel but a long enough grip to be substantial.

It holds 10 rounds of 9mm standard

One of the best features of this gun is that it is streamlined for concealed carry. It is compact, lightweight, and has a somewhat snag-free design.

Glocks have 3 internal safeties and are well known for their reliable reputation.

There is no external thumb safety but has a split trigger safety.

The trigger is average but this can always be upgraded.

Standard Glock sights and serrations.

If you get the Glock 43X MOS version you will be able to add a red dot without slide work or a new slide.

The gun is also future-proof with plenty of aftermarket support.

The perfect-sized gun for concealed carry.

Specs:

Caliber: 9mm
Trigger Pull: 5.4 lbs.
Barrel Length: 3.41”
Overall length: 6.5”
Sights: Polymer Glock Fixed Sights
Finish: nDLC Black
Sight Radius: 5.24”
Barrel: Hexagonal (GMB)
Twist: 1:9.84”
Overall Width: 1.1”
Mag Capacity: 10 Rounds
Weight: 18.70 oz. (unloaded)

Glock 43X

• 9mm
• (2) 10 Round Mags
• Optics Ready (MOS Version)
• Perfect Size For CCW
• Most Aftermarket Support
• Extreme Reliability

Check Price

Price Check: Grab A Gun, Guns.com, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Primary Arms, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shop, Sportsman’s Guide

What Comes In The Box

Here is a list of everything that is included in the plastic case:

• Glock 43X
• Owner’s Manual & Information
• Glock Warranty Form
• (2) 10-round magazines
• Nylon Brush
• Cable Lock
• Mag Loader
• Plastic Case

Size & Concealability

You’re probably thinking about buying this gun for concealed carry and I believe it’s the perfect size.

It’s the sweet spot for me, not too small I can get a full grip on it,

Very slim and comfortable to carry.

This has become my new everyday carry gun and absolutely love it. I have found this more or a versatile size that can be carried all year.

Here is a size chart comparison of the Glock 43X MOS and the Shield M2.0:

• Comparison Info

The Glock 43X is an upscaled version the the Glock 43. It will hold 10 rounds instead of six rounds.

It is a single stack with the factory Glock mags.

This gun is 16.40 ounces unloaded and 23.07 ounces with a 10-round mag.

Holster Options

You will never have an issue finding a holster for the Glock 43X or any other Glock.

Most people will carry this inside the waistband and the two holster companies I recommend are Galco and Alien Gear.

Galco Holsters

Kingtuk Cloud IWB Holster For Glock 43X

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They both have multiple styles of holsters that work with the Glock 43X.

Alien Gear Holsters

Alien Gear Shape Shift Holster For Glock 43X

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Sights & Optics

The Glock 43X comes with standard Glock iron sights. If you get the MOS model it will come with an optic cutout on the top of the slight.

Adding a red dot is what this gun was designed for.

Now that pistol red dot sights are so popular and most people are starting to adopt them on their carry pistols, you have lots of options deciding which red dot to add.

Here are some of the most popular Micro Red Dot Sights (MRDS) that people add to the Glock 43X:

• Holosun 507C V2 – reviewed
• Holosun 507K V2 – reviewed
• Shield Sights
• Trijicon SRO
• Trijicon RMR
• Leupold Delta Point
• Burris Fastfire III
• Sig Romeo Zero – reviewed
• Sig Romeo 1 Pro
• Vortex Viper
• Vortex Venom
• Vortex Razor
• Vortex Defender

This gun is the perfect size for a micro red dot. The slim frame and slide work really well together with the red dot.

Some of the red dots will have a rear sight integrated into the optic.

They will still give you something to aim with even if your red dot doesn’t work.

You do not need a red dot and this gun still shoots great with the factory sights. If you have not tried a red dot on a pistol yet, I highly recommend it.

Trigger

The trigger isn’t anything special but it just works and goes “bang” every time.

I have shot a lot of guns and never liked the factory Glock triggers all that much but really no major complaints.

One of the first changes I make to a Glock is to install an aftermarket trigger.

With that being said there is nothing wrong with the trigger and it works flawlessly.

This is a striker-fired pistol and uses the classic split trigger safety.

This is to help prevent accidental discharges and is designed to make sure there is a substantial amount of force on the whole trigger.

It feels ok and isn’t bad but certainly can be improved upon.

The more you shoot this gun the more you will get used to the trigger.

Luckily, there are a good amount of great aftermarket options when it comes to the trigger.

If you want to upgrade the trigger on the Glock 43X, I made a list of the Best Glock Triggers.

Frame & Slide

This gun feels great in your hand. When drawing and aiming it felt natural and quick.

I had no problem getting a good sight picture.

The front slide serrations mirror the rear serrations. These feel good and are a nice touch from Glock.

The magazine release button feels good and is easy to press. Has the right amount of detent.

The polymer is smooth except for some checkering on the grip. I personally prefer a more aggressive grip texture and would add grip tape or maybe get some stippling.

Overall it looks like a little Glock and feels good in your hand.

If you have the standard model Glock 43X you can always get a new slide with an optic cut.

Here is my list of the Best Glock Slides.

Safety Features

If you are new to Glocks or Pistols in general, I will go over all of the safety features.

Glocks scare new shooters because they think there is no safety on the gun and think they need an external thumb safety.

Just don’t pull the trigger if you don’t want it to go “bang”.

These feature 3 different internal safeties:

• Trigger Safety
• Firing Pin Safety
• Drop Safety

Glock calls this their Safe Action System and it works great.

They have been using this system in their guns for decades and is reliable. When I hear people say I don’t like Glocks because they don’t have a safety I cringe a little inside.

Performance

Most of my experience with Glocks has been with the Glock 19 Gen 4. So I was comparing everything with that in mind.

The smaller size felt nice but I was originally worried the increased recoil might mess with my accuracy.

After firing a few mags through the 43X, I quickly got used to the recoil impulse and was able to adjust to the snappiness.

While carrying the Glock 43X with the aftermarket mags, I never felt like I would be outgunned.

I felt like I was carrying a fully capable duty weapon which is a nice feeling.

I quickly realized how convenient this gun was to carry. I mostly carried a Glock 19 in the winter and a M&P Shield in the summer.

The size and firepower of the Glock 43X have replaced both of these pistols as my EDC.

As far as shooting goes, it handles as any compact 9mm would. Nothing unexpected.

It will handle hotter self-defense rounds that are designed for short barrels without any issues.

The handle felt great and barely had any printing when carrying. Using the aftermarket 15-round mags did increase the weight of the gun.

During my testing, I didn’t have any feeding issues with the Shield Arms S15 Gen 2 magazines.

If you do not have a good holster and belt setup with can get annoying. It’s not like a small pocket pistol or something chambered in 380.

I was very impressed with just how slim the gun is.

I’m not really a Glock fanboy even though I do own a few, but this truly is a perfect gun for me currently as my CCW.

I like to have a flashlight on my self-defense pistols and the Streamlight TLR-7 Sub works perfectly on the 43X.

I love collecting guns and shooting, but if you are looking for one gun and want to get the right one the first time you buy, I think this is the best choice.

If you want a reliable gun that can easily be customized, find parts or accessories, and work as a concealed carry pistol or a “do-everything” gun, The Glock 43X is it.

9mm Ammo

9mm Ammo

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Price Check: Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, GunMag Warehouse, Guns.com, Grab A Gun, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman’s Guide, Bereli, Lucky Gunner, Gorilla Ammunition

Field Strip & Cleaning

No tools are needed to take down Glock pistols. Always make sure the gun is unloaded with the magazine removed before dry firing.

Cleaning is quick and easy because of the simplicity of the Glock design.

Glock 43X Cleaning Tek Mat

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Best Glock 43X Upgrades & Accessories

If you want to find out which parts and upgrades will work best on the Glock 43X, check out my post on the Best Glock 43X Upgrades and Accessories

I list everything you can do to this pistol to get the most out of it and make it a better self-defense handgun.

Final Thoughts

To put it simply, I love this gun! I haven’t had any issues with it and it has replaced my S&W M&P Shield as my compact carry gun.

It’s hard to beat for the money.

You get a reliable pistol that is the perfect sized and still has the capacity of some full-size pistols.

There are plenty of upgrades, accessories, & modifications you can do in the future. Along with countless holster options.

If you are considering picking up a Glock 43X you won’t go wrong. I highly recommend this pistol, especially for a good compact concealed carry pistol.

What do you think about the Glock 43X? Have you shot one or do you use it as your everyday carry? Let me know in the comments below.

Glock 43X

• 9mm
• (2) 10 Round Mags
• Optics Ready (MOS Version)
• Perfect Size For CCW
• Most Aftermarket Support
• Extreme Reliability

Check Price

Price Check: Grab A Gun, Guns.com, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Primary Arms, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shop, Sportsman’s Guide

Glock 43X Review FAQ?