The Glock 26 VS 43 – Which is the Best CCW Pistol for You?

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Glock pistol glock 26 vs 43

When it comes to concealed carry weapons, no other weapon is as famous as the Glock line of pistols especially the Glock 26 vs 43. And that is not surprising. The Glock was built on principles that make it a very desirable weapon for many people – government agencies included. Perhaps a brief look at those principles is in order.

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Glock: The Rise of America's Gun

Used Book in Good Condition
Hardcover Book
Paul M. Barrett (Author)

The Glock 26 VS 43 – Where it All Began

world war 2 army with guns glock 26 vs 43

In the 1980s, the Austrian Army went on a mission to replace their World War II era pistols. They had a list of requirements that the pistol had to fulfill. Among them being that all parts had to be interchangeable. Disassembly had to be extremely easy so as to make maintenance easy for anyone to do. And the pistol had to be very safe and reliable. The army then advertised their need for such a pistol.One of the respondents to the bid was Austrian engineer Gaston Glock. His area of expertise was in polymers, not guns. But he brilliantly came up with a design that wowed the tender committee and they gave him the go-ahead to produce his innovative handgun – the Glock 17.

Popularity

And because of the reliability and durability of the Glock, it soon became the most sought after the pistol in the world. Since its birth in 1980, the Glock has seen many variants being created, all based on the principles set out by the Austrian Army – reliable, durable, safe, and easy to maintain.

Two of those variants that are very popular among gun carriers, as I have already mentioned, is the Glock 26 and the Glock 43. And their popularity has sparked a very heated debate – Glock 26 VS 43, which is better? Well, that is a very interesting debate that warrants us to join in. So let’s look at the differences and similarities between these two popular handguns. You will find one that suits your needs above, the other.

Glock: The Rise of America's Gun

Broadway Books
Barrett, Paul M. (Author)
English (Publication Language)

The Glock 26 VS 43 – The CCW Battle Royal

To find out which piece between the Glock 26 and the Glock 43 makes a better conceal carry weapon for you, we need to disassemble the two. Also, we need to look at their external and internal specifications and their performance as well.

Glock 26 Overview

glock 26 with bullets glock 26 vs 43

The Glock 26 is subcompact 9mm pistol that makes for a great concealed carry weapon. It has with it a double stack magazine that packs an impressive 10+1 rounds. Glock 26 was the first “baby Glock” introduced (in 1994) and has since led to other baby Glocks being made. It is 6.41 inches long, 4.17 inches tall, and 1.18 inches wide. The barrel is only 3.42 inches long. As for weight, it weighs a mere 21.71oz unloaded.

The best feature of the Glock 26 is its Modular Back Strap design that allows you to change the grip in favor of one that is more ergonomic for you.

Glock 43 Overview

glock 43 in a man's hand glock 26 vs 43

Another extremely popular subcompact 9mm weapon that is perfect for concealed carry is the Glock 43 – one of the first Glocks to come with a single stack magazine.

The Glock 43 is 6.26 inches long, 4.25 inches tall, and 1.02 inches wide. It features a 3.39 inches long barrel and weighs an amazing 17.95 ounces unloaded. The single stack magazine has a capacity of 6+1 rounds.

All the features you love most in a Glock are available in this mini-Glock. With one added advantage though – its small size.

Recoil : The Remington CSR; Tripod Buyers Guide; Glock 43; Knight...

Dave Smith (Author)
09/25/2021 (Publication Date) - The Enthusiast Network (Publisher)

The Glock 26 VS 43 – The Face-Off

A general look at these two pistols shows that they have more similarities than differences, both are Glocks after all. But their slight differences can have quite a few dramatic effects as you shall soon see.

The first and most obvious difference in the Glock 26 VS 43 face-off is the size of the 2 guns. For example, the Glock 43 is the taller of the 2, this due to the need to fit in the 6th round, while the Glock 26 is wider so as to accommodate the double stack magazine. From this, another difference is immediately highlighted, the difference in magazine capacity – of course with the 26 packing more rounds.

Ergonomics

In terms of ergonomics both weapons are not as easy to shoot as their bigger brother, the Glock 17, due to their being short and having smaller grips. If you have bigger hands, it is possible and even advisable to get an extended magazine that will slightly increase your grip.

Performance-wise though, both weapons are accurate and superb weapons to carry with you for protection.

Glock 26 VS 43 – Which is Better?

So which is the better weapon between the 2? That all depends on your purpose for buying a gun in the first place, but all things equal, the Glock 26 would make a better weapon mainly due to its magazine capacity.

If you are just looking for a small and light piece that you hope to never use, then the Glock 43 will better suit you. But if push comes to shove and you need to use it, it will still perform as well as the Glock 26.

The bottom line – both pistols do what they do very well. You can also read HERE about Glock 17 vs 19 and what you need to know about them.