G48 and G43X

[ACfixer]

The reason most of us go with smaller guns is for its compactness and easier concealability. The 48 does shoot better than the 43x, but it's size is so close to the 19 that it doesn't really offer any reason for me to move away from the larger gun. For the most part, if I can carry the 48, I can probably get away with a 19 or even a 17.

Carrying the 48 IWB is easier to button your pants than the19, that's about it.

[stormvet]

Carrying the 48 IWB is easier to button your pants than the19, that's about it.

Gonna disagree, it’s lighter and much slimmer, if you carry at 3-3.5 it?s actually a pretty big difference. With a 48 jeans and a normal fitting T shirt you can’t tell it’s there for me. With a 19 there is a noticeable bump and change in the symmetry of my T shirt. It may be different at 1 o’clock carry, but I never carry that way.

[SVT-40]

May I ask how you carry conceal? For aiwb st lrssr slide length doenst matter and imo if I can conceal a g43x or g48, I may as well conceal a g19

For me and many others, carrying a G19 sized pistol causes back pain.

I carried a G19 for decades both on duty as a Detective and off duty. I love that little gun.

If I carry my G19 now (and for the past 10 years) I get severe back pain. No pain if I carry a lighter and smaller G48 / G43 / SIG 365xl sized pistol.

[ACfixer]

Gonna disagree, it?s lighter and much slimmer, if you carry at 3-3.5 it?s actually a pretty big difference. With a 48 jeans and a normal fitting T shirt you can?t tell it?s there for me. With a 19 there is a noticeable bump and change in the symmetry of my T shirt. It may be different at 1 o?clock carry, but I never carry that way.

I carry @ 4:00 and I can't tell much of a difference in outward appearance, but admittedly out here I am less conscious of that. It boils down to (for me) carrying 15 rounds in either, do I trust the Shield mags? I THINK I do, but when it comes to the G19 and I KNOW I do so it's a mental thing.

No one solution for everyone right?

[stormvet]

Very true if I could I’d carry a 17 it’s what I shoot best, I’m just being stubborn about dressing around my gun. I still want to dress like I don’t have a gun, form fitting T shirts and the like. Really hate the baggy unkept look and that’s what it would take for me to carry a larger gun. Winter no problem, but we don’t have much winter here.

[TrailerparkTrash]

I agree if I was to carry what I shoot best it would not be my 48 or even my 19, it would be a 17, 47 or 45.

Yes!!! I love my G17’s!!! Best combat gun ever, regardless of generation. I also love the M&P 2.0 5” FDE, but it’s a pain in the appendix when carrying IWB and in a seated position. But the full sized guns is what I prefer to be armed with if I find myself fighting my way out of a zombie assault (Lord forbid).

[static2126]

While I agree red dots are the future and the future is now, that?s simply not necessarily true. There are a lot of shooters who can do it with irons a hell of a lot faster then most could ever dream about doing with a RD.

RD?s may make it easier, but the fact is people where shooting very fast and very accurate with irons for a very long time and those were and still are very serious shooters.

My rule of thumb is if you aren't willing to.put in the time with for presentation from.holster and clean uo your draw with a red dot, stick with with irons (irons afford a ton of slop on draw)

But amongst shooters of equal caliber dot wins all ranges.

That said most people don't shoot or practice enough o have the dot be 2nd nature imo.

But I a world with potential active shooter engagement give me a dot anyday

[static2126]

I agree with You. 100% A lot of people I work with started carrying red dot equipped pistols on duty. A lot of people with irons out shoot them regularly. I have seen some older guys ( me included) out shooting people with tricked out pistols using regular out of the box Berettas and Glocks. Also , in CQB style reactive defensive shooting , red dot equipped pistols really SUCK.

100% disagree if training with dot has been put in (most Leo do not get enough training with dot). For.reactive and everyone moving and running around the dot is much faster and easier to shoot with (provided shooter can do it)

[stormvet]

Ran my 48 and 43 slide on my 48 frame (43x) through a few different drills this morning.

A combat drill I like to run (old SWAT) pistol qual course. It’s 50 rounds from 3 to 25 yards, includes failure drills, strong and support hand only and firing while moving all from the holster. Passing is 46 out of 50 in the body and head go zones. Passed with both, 50/50 with the 48, 48/50 with the 43x. Missed two shots just low with the 43x at the 25.

Larry Vickers test, disappointed in myself failed with both guns. Shot a 10/10 for a 97 score with the 48 but was over the time limit by .67 seconds. Knew I needed to speed up with the 43x and did. But while I was good on time 9.72, I put one shot in the 8 ring. No go with a score of 94.

Bill drill. Was faster by .45 with the 48, had a run with the 43x that was faster by .21 but had one round out of the go zone.

FAST test. Was .32 faster with the 43x but again a no go with one round out.

3x5 test. Draw from the holster shoot a 3x5 card at 7yards once. 48 1.47, 43x 1.65.

My take away, if I ran the drills again tomorrow the numbers could be flipped. At defensive ranges I don’t feel the extra length on the 48 really benefits much, but also I didn’t feel any faster on the draw with the shorter 43x slide. The only one advantage I feel comfortable with saying one has over the other is the 48 at longer distances. The 25 yard line was the only clear advantage I felt.

My 43 is not optic capable so I ran my iron sight 48 slide. Sights were Ameriglo Hackathron on the 48 and Trijicon HD’s on the 43, the HD’s are my favorite iron sites.

[stormvet]

Oh forgot to mention I also tested a couple of the new PSA 48/43x 15 round mags. They ran excellent and worked with my steel Shield Arms mag catch, ran them from full 15 rounds to 10, 6, 4 and 2 rounds. No stoppages and slide always locked back. Small sample size of a couple hundred rounds but I was impressed with them, absolutely the way I would go if not already invested in SA mags.

[ACfixer]

Oh forgot to mention I also tested a couple of the new PSA 48/43x 15 round mags. They ran excellent and worked with my steel Shield Arms mag catch, ran them from full 15 rounds to 10, 6, 4 and 2 rounds. No stoppages and slide always locked back. Small sample size of a couple hundred rounds but I was impressed with them, absolutely the way I would go if not already invested in SA mags.

I wouldn't mind trying them, I'll look at the website tonight.

[scout II]

Oh forgot to mention I also tested a couple of the new PSA 48/43x 15 round mags. They ran excellent and worked with my steel Shield Arms mag catch, ran them from full 15 rounds to 10, 6, 4 and 2 rounds. No stoppages and slide always locked back. Small sample size of a couple hundred rounds but I was impressed with them, absolutely the way I would go if not already invested in SA mags.

Very good to know, thanks. I just ordered a few for my 43X.

[static2126]

Ran my 48 and 43 slide on my 48 frame (43x) through a few different drills this morning.

A combat drill I like to run (old SWAT) pistol qual course. It?s 50 rounds from 3 to 25 yards, includes failure drills, strong and support hand only and firing while moving all from the holster. Passing is 46 out of 50 in the body and head go zones. Passed with both, 50/50 with the 48, 48/50 with the 43x. Missed two shots just low with the 43x at the 25.

Larry Vickers test, disappointed in myself failed with both guns. Shot a 10/10 for a 97 score with the 48 but was over the time limit by .67 seconds. Knew I needed to speed up with the 43x and did. But while I was good on time 9.72, I put one shot in the 8 ring. No go with a score of 94.

Bill drill. Was faster by .45 with the 48, had a run with the 43x that was faster by .21 but had one round out of the go zone.

FAST test. Was .32 faster with the 43x but again a no go with one round out.

3x5 test. Draw from the holster shoot a 3x5 card at 7yards once. 48 1.47, 43x 1.65.

My take away, if I ran the drills again tomorrow the numbers could be flipped. At defensive ranges I don?t feel the extra length on the 48 really benefits much, but also I didn?t feel any faster on the draw with the shorter 43x slide. The only one advantage I feel comfortable with saying one has over the other is the 48 at longer distances. The 25 yard line was the only clear advantage I felt.

My 43 is not optic capable so I ran my iron sight 48 slide. Sights were Ameriglo Hackathron on the 48 and Trijicon HD?s on the 43, the HD?s are my favorite iron sites.

Nice shooting! May I ask the bill times?

Also I am so bad at FAST I have like 8 second reloads lol

[stormvet]

They weren’t good, I usually will throw a shot out of the go zone with the slimline Glocks if I try to go to fast. The 48 was in the 2.8 range with the 43x in the 3.2, I had one run with the 43x in the 2.6 but missed with one shot.

As far as the FAST goes with a full size Glock I’m usually in the 5-5.5 sec range but the slim lines go up to the 6 sec range. Another problem I have with the slime frame guns is hitting the slide stop causing the slide not to lock back, do that and you’re going to get another second on your FAST. It will humble you that’s for sure, the quest for consistency is a long arduous one.

You will appreciate this, after running all my drills I had four rounds of 9mm left over, so I ran the Cold Heat drill with the 43x. Of course I was far from cold so disqualified before I even started. But anyway I threw caution to the wind and let it fly. Got off 4 rounds(3 hits)in 1.83 seconds. Felt good, left the range on a high note.

[static2126]

They weren?t good, I usually will throw a shot out of the go zone with the slimline Glocks if I try to go to fast. The 48 was in the 2.8 range with the 43x in the 3.2, I had one run with the 43x in the 2.6 but missed with one shot.

As far as the FAST goes with a full size Glock I?m usually in the 5-5.5 sec range but the slim lines go up to the 6 sec range. Another problem I have with the slime frame guns is hitting the slide stop causing the slide not to lock back, do that and you?re going to get another second on your FAST. It will humble you that?s for sure, the quest for consistency is a long arduous one.

You will appreciate this, after running all my drills I had four rounds of 9mm left over, so I ran the Cold Heat drill with the 43x. Of course I was far from cold so disqualified before I even started. But anyway I threw caution to the wind and let it fly. Got off 4 rounds(3 hits)in 1.83 seconds. Felt good, left the range on a high note.

Fantastic finish!

I FAST in the 8 or 9 cause I pocket carry a reload and never practice (since for ccw reloads are never used in like 40k plus cases reviewed)

Yeah I like doing super warm heat with my left over ammo too. Under 6 super warm heat. 6 bill drill lol

If you ever decide to run eastridge 2.5 would love to know hour full size vs slimline times.