Glock 43 Improved

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Wambli Ska
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Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

Ditched the plastic mag catch and added the Shield Arms metal upgrade and got 3 of their excellent 9 round mags for the 43. It’s now a 10 round compact little package that will totally replace my Karh PM9, the gun I carry when I don’t want to carry a gun.

I can now get my whole hand on the grip! I’m excited to go play with it now. That frame has been sitting in the safe unused for years because I was using the slide on a 48 frame that I used to build my originalFrankenstein 43X. No need for that no more so slide and frame are together again.
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Compared to the gun it’s replacing. Barrel is .5” longer but it’s actually a slimmer gun than the Kahr.
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Elk Creek
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Elk Creek »

Nice! Love those sub compact Glocks. Been eyeing a 48 at the shop. like I need one but still.
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

I might have a 48 MOS coming up for sale 😎

One of the best guns I’ve ever carried. But it’s being replaced by the 43 COA.
Elk Creek
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Elk Creek »

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 2:44 am I might have a 48 MOS coming up for sale 😎

One of the best guns I’ve ever carried. But it’s being replaced by the 43 COA.
🤣I’m sure you will….
sakodude
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by sakodude »

Dang, that Kahr makes that Glock look pretty :lol:
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

sakodude wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 4:01 am Dang, that Kahr makes that Glock look pretty :lol:
They are actually very high quality guns and really accurate for what they are! The trigger system is dated but works well. And they eat anything you feed them.
MagsH72
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by MagsH72 »

I'm afraid I'm not totally sure how well that works as a "dont want to carry a gun" gun, tbh... Half an inch longer and a full grip sounds lovely on paper, but surely the whole point of the Kahr is that you forget teh thing is there. Fair enough if it's slimmer, I just wonder how it feels after a full day of carrying it, oh dear.
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CPJ 2.0
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by CPJ 2.0 »

sakodude wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 4:01 am Dang, that Kahr makes that Glock look pretty :lol:
I loved my Kahr CW9.
But I couldn’t hit the brad side of a barn from inside with it. It wasn’t the quality of the gun, it was me. I just couldn’t shoot it.
Swapped it for a Ruger LC9, and could hit what I wanted. Made no sense, but there ya go.


I sold my 43, kinda wish I kept it. But my guns will need a dot if I intended on hitting anything.
“The shepherd slaughters more of the flock than the wolf ever will.”
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Bigslug
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Bigslug »

MagsH72 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 10:41 am I'm afraid I'm not totally sure how well that works as a "dont want to carry a gun" gun, tbh... Half an inch longer and a full grip sounds lovely on paper, but surely the whole point of the Kahr is that you forget teh thing is there. Fair enough if it's slimmer, I just wonder how it feels after a full day of carrying it, oh dear.
The trick with the 43 (and a great many other things) is to carry them with the stock flush mag, and go to the extendies as your reload.
WWJMBD?

I believe we should stand on Ceremony. . . while our friends handcuff the sanctimonious little prick and take him away.
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Zee
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Zee »

I’ve been carrying my 43x daily appendix for the past month and it has really grown on me. Before this, it was only occasionally carried.
A small optic would be nice, though.
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Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.
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shotgunshooter3
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by shotgunshooter3 »

I will at some point get a 48 COA... not because it looks like a G34 left in the dryer too long... Definitely not that.
"Speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

MagsH72 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 10:41 am I'm afraid I'm not totally sure how well that works as a "dont want to carry a gun" gun, tbh... Half an inch longer and a full grip sounds lovely on paper, but surely the whole point of the Kahr is that you forget teh thing is there. Fair enough if it's slimmer, I just wonder how it feels after a full day of carrying it, oh dear.
I'm so used to carrying a 48 AIWB with an RDS right through the Las Vegas summer that a 43 is not noticeable at all for all day carry and neither is the Kahr. I have actually carried that rig (the 48) into COSTCO while wearing a bathing suit and t-shirt for summer beer runs. Even the 43 COA, which is a relatively bulky gun and just vanishes under a t-shirt enough that I don't worry about it and both guns are very comfortable all day wear even while hiking and such in the summer. But that's just me. Some folks are way more sensitive to weight and bulk I guess so their mileage might vary. From a making sure I have "enough" of an SD tool on me all the time perspective, this 43 in it's current form is about the ideal low end in capabilities.
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 11:21 am
sakodude wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 4:01 am Dang, that Kahr makes that Glock look pretty :lol:
I loved my Kahr CW9.
But I couldn’t hit the brad side of a barn from inside with it. It wasn’t the quality of the gun, it was me. I just couldn’t shoot it.
Swapped it for a Ruger LC9, and could hit what I wanted. Made no sense, but there ya go.


I sold my 43, kinda wish I kept it. But my guns will need a dot if I intended on hitting anything.
At some point I will probably have this gun's slide milled for a small Holosun RDS so I can keep my SD carry options consistent as possible.
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

shotgunshooter3 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 4:43 pm I will at some point get a 48 COA... not because it looks like a G34 left in the dryer too long... Definitely not that.
of course not... :D
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

Zee wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 1:33 pm I’ve been carrying my 43x daily appendix for the past month and it has really grown on me. Before this, it was only occasionally carried.
A small optic would be nice, though.
IMG_5027.jpeg
It's the closest gun I've ever owned to "ideal" CC carry. It has replaced just about all other options. With a second 15 mag in my back pocket by my wallet it's 31 rounds in as small a package as can be had and still the ergonomics and "shootability) are great!
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

Bigslug wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 1:09 pm
MagsH72 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2026 10:41 am I'm afraid I'm not totally sure how well that works as a "dont want to carry a gun" gun, tbh... Half an inch longer and a full grip sounds lovely on paper, but surely the whole point of the Kahr is that you forget teh thing is there. Fair enough if it's slimmer, I just wonder how it feels after a full day of carrying it, oh dear.
The trick with the 43 (and a great many other things) is to carry them with the stock flush mag, and go to the extendies as your reload.
I HATE the flush mags. I HATE having a floating pinky because it affects my recoil control (the way I shoot). Plus I have never had one instance of the extra .5" of magazine being of any consequence to my ability to CC the gun. I think most folks spend way more energy than they have to trying to figure out if a gun prints and end up sacrificing capabilities for a perceived benefit.

I've spent 8 hours in front of a class with a Glock 19 stuck in an AIWB holster and when the topic of conceaaibility comes up I face the class and ask the question, am I wearing a gun? I'm usually wearing just a light collared shirt, untucked. Usually half the class says yes. Then I ask are you saying that because you assume I have one on me or because you have noticed I'm wearing a gun. That usually pairs the group down to 1-2 people. Then I ask are you so certain I have a gun on me that you'd bet your life on it and the answer then goes zero hands raised.

Out in the real world nobody is looking at you that hard.
Japhy
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Japhy »

But the question is does the new magazine run perfectly?
And does rhe 43 run perfect on the favorite ammo
I take it that is 147gr HST?

As for concealed printing in NV I dont think anyone cares. Its a lot like AZ. I see tee shirts almost over glocks almost every time im in the grocery store or home depot.
Wambli Ska
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Re: Glock 43 Improved

Post by Wambli Ska »

Japhy wrote: ↑Sat Oct 31, 2026 12:51 am But the question is does the new magazine run perfectly?
And does rhe 43 run perfect on the favorite ammo
I take it that is 147gr HST?

As for concealed printing in NV I dont think anyone cares. Its a lot like AZ. I see tee shirts almost over glocks almost every time im in the grocery store or home depot.
Hope to test reliability today if can run out for an hour or so. But a solid history with both Glock and Shield Arms mags is on my side. And yes in the SW in general no one cares 🇺🇸😎👍
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