The Glock 43 vs. Glock 43X: A Side-by-Side Comparison

The Glock 43 and its bigger brother, the Glock 43x, are the two smallest pistols in their respective product families. Both are subcompact 9mm semiautomatic pistols with standard double-stack magazines and fixed sights. The primary differences between the two guns can be boiled down to four points: capacity, recoil reduction, slide size, and trigger pull. Let’s take a look at each of these key areas to see which of these compact Glocks is right for your shooting needs…

The most noticeable difference between the Glock 43 and G43X is the magazine capacity. The G43X comes with a standard-sized, full-size magazine with a capacity of 15 rounds. The Glock 43, on the other hand, has a reduced-capacity magazine with just 10 rounds. The standard-capacity magazine for the Glock 43x is compatible with the Glock 19 and Glock 17. Both magazines are double-stack and have a polymer body with a metal feed lip and floorplate. Both magazines also have a finger-follower that helps push the round stack down into the magazine as you insert rounds so you don’t have to use a ton of pressure the way you do with most other magazines.

The G43X uses a proprietary mechanism called Glock’s “Glo-Tac” that provides some reduction in felt recoil. A lot of people say the Glock 43 is too snappy for them, but the G43X might be a good choice for those people. The Glock 43, on the other hand, comes with standard Glock polymer grips. While they are not as comfortable as the G43X’s Glo-Tac material, they do help keep a lot of the recoil energy away from your hands. Glock 43x owners can also add aftermarket grips made with the same Glo-Tac material used in their gun. These are a great way to add a unique look to your gun and maybe even help with some of the felt recoil.

The next biggest difference between the two guns is the slide size. The Glock 43 has a nine-millimeter-wide slide, and the Glock 43x has a 10-millimeter-wide slide. Both slides have a nitride finish, which is a specialized coating that is supposed to protect against corrosion. Both slides have a dislodgment prevention plunger on the underside of the barrel. They also have polymer frames with a standard Glock grip texture.

The last significant difference is the trigger pull. The Glock 43 has a standard 5-pound trigger pull. The G43X has a lighter 4-pound trigger pull. The G43X’s lighter trigger pull is likely partially due to its larger slide. Larger slides often have less mass and therefore require less force to push. It’s also possible that Glock just put lighter springs inside the G43X’s trigger.

The Glock 43 and Glock 43x are both excellent pistols that will serve most people well as either a primary or secondary gun. The biggest deciding factor in which one to go with is magazine capacity. If you want the biggest magazine you can find in a subcompact pistol, then go for the Glock 43x. Otherwise, the differences in recoil reduction, slide size, and trigger pull only matter if you’re curious about the fine details.

GunCritic has complied the best prices online for the Glock 43 and Glock 43x if you're looking to buy one! If you're looking for the best price on the Glock 43, click here.

If you're looking for the best price on the Glock 43x, click here.