Glock continues to design and engineer pistols for all users and types of situations—a fact well exemplified by the brand-new Glock 41 Gen4 and Glock 42, in .45 ACP and .380 ACP, respectively. Each model has a niche, if you will. The mighty Glock 41 is well suited for an overt role. And the revolutionary slim-line, subcompact Glock 42 may well set a new standard for deep-concealment pocket pistols.

The Glock 41 Gen4 and Glock 42

As Massad Ayoob can tell you in his exclusive video footage, each model has a niche. The mighty Glock 41 is well suited for an overt role. However, the revolutionary slim-line, subcompact Glock 42 may well set a new standard for deep-concealment pocket pistols.

Deep Concealment

Moving down to the other end of the size scale, we come to the Glock’s other new autopistol—the Glock 42 in .380 ACP. This is a super-slim-line Glock—it’s not even an inch thick (rather, 0.94 inches)! It features the usual Glock components: a super-hard and corrosion-resistant finish, the Safe Action trigger system with its three automatic, independent safeties, a dual recoil spring unique to the model and a cold-hammer-forged barrel.

But while this is a pocket-sized pistol, the engineers at Glock provided it with one outstanding and paradigm-shaping design feature: It fires with the barrel and slide locked, instead of as an unlocked blowback like its pocket-pistol compeers.

SPECIFICATIONS: GLOCK 42

CALIBER: .380 ACP
BARREL: 3.25 inches
OA LENGTH: 5.94 inches
WEIGHT: 13.76 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Polymer
SIGHTS: Fixed
ACTION: Safe Action
FINISH: Black, surface-hardened
CAPACITY: 6+1

Overt Firepower

For situations in which concealment is not a primary concern, a powerful, reliable and accurate pistol is a critical piece of equipment. In the realm of full-size combat pistols, one would be hard-pressed to find a model more suitable than the new Glock 41 Gen4 in .45 ACP. Using a Glock Gen4 frame—with its multiple backstrap system that includes four backstrap sizes (two of them beavertails), a reversible magazine catch, a high-traction texturing that wraps fully around the gripping surface—the Glock 41 sports a 5.3-inch barrel. The Glock Safe Action system, with its adjustable trigger-pull weight capability, is included in the design and contributes to the gun’s competition-worthy range capabilities. The extended slide length of 8.31 inches gives users a sight radius right at 7.5 inches, a length that also has a salutatory influence on accuracy.

SPECIFICATIONS: GLOCK 41 Gen4

CALIBER: .45 ACP
BARREL: 5.31 inches
OA LENGTH: 8.90 inches
WEIGHT: 27 ounces (empty)
GRIPS: Polymer
SIGHTS: Fixed
ACTION: Safe Action
FINISH: Black, surface-hardened
CAPACITY: 13+1

Indeed, a shooter could well imagine a Glock 41 as a primary weapon and the pocket-sized Glock 42 as the ultimate backup gun!

To read a full review and see how the Glock 41 Gen4 and Glock 42 performed during a battery of accuracy and function tests, check out the May 2014 issue of Combat Handguns, available on newsstands and digitally January 28, 2014. To subscribe, go to OutdoorGroupStore.com.