Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst ... 234
Results 31 to 33 of 33

Thread: Glock 43 magazine extension

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    34
    Feedback Score
    0
    Had good functioning with Remington Golden Saber 124 +P grain so far.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    40
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Thanks everyone for their replies!

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    710
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    I think I may have posted this experience here before, so if I'm repeating myself to any of you, my apologies. I tested the Shield and G43 side by side at a rental range, and the Glock came out on top for me in terms of comfort and my ability to shoot it. They've both good pistols - it just comes down to personal preference. I've had my G43 for almost three years, with about 1,500 rounds through it, I think (I'll have to check my log). I had heard lots of reports of it being temperamental, so I ran a bunch of different types of ammo through it, ranging from 147gr HSTs, to 124gr +P Gold Dots, Sig 124gr JHP, some old Winchester SXTs, and some really crappy Aquila hollow points that looked like someone drilled out the tips of some ball ammo by hand. I basically checked Academy Sports every couple weeks to see what 9mm was on sale and tried it in my G43 so I could test a wide range of brands, weights, and bullet types. I've used the factory mags as is, two Pearce +1s, four Tango Down / Vickers +2s, and one Taran Tactical +1. My overall assessment is that G43 mags have a bad tendency to allow the rounds to nose downward, especially if using the factory springs with an extended baseplate. It seems like the standard springs sometimes don't exert enough pressure and allow the rounds to tilt forward a little, especially the last one or two in the magazine. This can result in the slide feeding the round directly into the lip at the bottom of the feed ramp, which is usually ok with round tip ball ammo, but it can cause malfunctions with flat tip target ammo and hollow points, which jam against the feed ramp. To cut to the chase, my preferred defensive ammo - 147gr HSTs, which reportedly perform well out of short barrels, don't feed reliably enough in my G43 to carry them. They seem to have a sharp lip around the hollow point that catches on the ramp more easily than other types of ammo. I think the 147gr round is just a little longer, which contributes to the issue; I need to try 124gr HSTs to see how they work. I ended up carrying Speer Gold Dot 147gr HPs, which are a little more rounded and feed reliably.

    I like using the Pearce +1 baseplate as my primary magazine because it adds just enough length to make the grip fit perfectly in my large (but not huge) hand. It's a little more comfortable for me than the factory finger extension and provides the benefit of an extra round. However, I experienced a few of the "nose down" feed malfunctions with the Pearce extension and the Glock factory mag spring, so installed this "extra power" mag spring from the Glock Store, and it seems to have completely fixed the problem - no malfunctions since I switched to this spring:

    https://www.glockstore.com/Extended-...Spring-For-G43

    I carry two TD / Vickers +2 mags as my reloads, and those have been almost flawless with most brands of ammo. The only issue I experienced was that one of my four mags wouldn't allow me to add the last (8th round). It felt like there was something catching inside the mag, but I couldn't identify anything, so I installed a different TD +2 baseplate, and the problem went away. I think there must have been some sort of lip on the inside of the first baseplate. As I mentioned above, I now have four TD +2 mags that have been thoroughly tested and work well.

    The one magazine that I've had a lot of issues with, in contrast to what others have reported, is my Taran +1 baseplate. It routinely has issues with a round nosing down and jamming. I think if I order another Glock Store Extra Power Spring, it will fix the problem, but I'll end up with about a $65 magazine at that point. My Pearce +1 mags were a lot cheaper and work fine, so I don't feel like sinking more money into the Taran mag.

    Having said all that, I'd recommend thoroughly testing each magazine that you plan to carry each type of ammo that you may use. I'm about 95% confident in the reliability of my G43 with the six magazines in my carry rotation, which is still not as good as my 100% confidence in my G19. The G43 is a compromise for me to have a more concealable and comfortable pistol for some situations. I like it, but it's had issues that prevent me from being totally comfortable with it.

Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst ... 234

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •