On a brisk November morning, I found myself taking my very first concealed carry class in a small yet tightly packed classroom. The room was packed shoulder to shoulder, chair to chair, with other citizens of northern Colorado who found themselves in the same predicament I had found myself in. That predicament, of course, was the fact that in order to legally carry a handgun on one’s person and in a concealed fashion, you needed to take an informative class on gun safety and all the ins and outs of how to carry responsibly. The class was a four-hour in-class only seminar with a written test and show of knowledge before getting a document signed by the instructor to show that you are ready to start the process of getting a concealed carry weapons permit. As the class finished up and my paper was signed by the instructor, I still had a big unanswered question looming in the back of my mind. What handgun should I consider for everyday carry? A question of this magnitude could only be answered through thorough research and a good amount of time on the shooting range. As I embarked on my journey to find the perfect gun for my everyday need to keep myself and my family safe, a couple of guns entered the possible lineup. A friend of mine had recently purchased a Sig Sauer P365 Macro Comp as his everyday hip hugger, so that option had crossed my mind more than a few times. Another buddy chose a Springfield Hellcat as his dependable everyday carry. Being an owner of several firearms myself, one of those being a Glock 40 MOS, I had to pay homage to the brand that claims perfection in every firearm that they sell. The only way to settle the inner conflict that continued to occupy my mind was to drive to the gun store and see what they had to offer.

As I walked into the gun store and saw the countless options that lay before my eyes, I zeroed in on the Glock selection. Now, being an owner of a Glock 40 and having a lot of experience with that gun (more on that in a future post), I knew that Glocks were dependable, customizable, and had a great feel in my hand. During my research online, I had come across the Glock 43X, a single stack slimline model that many God-fearing, Constitution-loving Americans had chosen to carry every day. I asked the store clerk if I could further inspect the Glock I had set my eyes on. As the kind gentleman handed me the pistol, the first thing I noticed was just how comfy the slimline frame felt in my hand. I would, at best, describe my hand size as being average and the Glock felt snug and safe in my palm like a small puppy does wrapped in a blanket around a cozy campfire. The specific model I was holding was the MOS edition; for those unfamiliar, all that means is that the handgun came with a cut in the slide that would allow for future mounting of an optic of one’s choosing. A lot of gun manufacturers will put this on their handguns as a stock option, but Glock offers it as a small upgrade to their pistols. Whether you choose this option or not is completely personal preference, but having it on my Glock 40 made me want to keep the tradition up, and being just a few dollars more, it wasn’t going to stop me from getting it. Instead of looking for another option, I told the clerk that this was the gun that I would be purchasing. The handgun cost me $485, which many would say is a very reasonably priced firearm, especially if one chosen for the purpose of everyday carry. The term “buy once, cry once” might apply to some things, but I don’t remember ever crying after adding a fine firearm to my collection. Once the background check came in and after selecting some ammo, I was ready to check out and head home.

The next day, I woke up, made some coffee, and headed out to the shooting range. The range is about a 45-minute drive from my house, and as I rounded curves and made my way, I was feeling the friendly flaps of butterfly wings in my stomach. Maybe it’s just me, but after buying a new untested firearm, I find myself as giddy as a kid on Christmas Eve. As pavement turned into dusty country roads, I knew I was only a few minutes away from being able to fire my new pistol and see what the Glock 43X had to offer. It was about 7 a.m., and the morning was a little brisk and still cool from the night before. I came over the last little hill, and before I knew it, I was parking my car and setting up some crisp new targets. After putting on my hearing protection and chambering the first round, it was time to make some music. The target was about 5 yards away; I figured this would be a good distance to gauge the accuracy of the 3.41-inch barrel of the firearm. A slow and steady squeeze of the trigger produced a slight and subtle snap as the first round fired. The 43X, being a compact pistol, proved to be easy to shoot after emptying the first magazine. Although short in size, it had good accuracy, and the 5-pound trigger felt comfortable for an everyday carry pistol. With the sight radius being 5.24 inches, a good bit of practice and time on the range, anyone can become a true master of the firearm. One critique that Glock pistols may receive is the lackluster sights, which can easily be replaced with aftermarket ones if the shooter chooses to pony up and buy such accessories. What I love about Glock is they make handguns that are truly built to serve as a reliable and utilitarian tool. When you squeeze the trigger, they go bang. At the end of the day, they are purpose-built guns, and I firmly believe that when Gaston Glock used the slogan “Glock Perfection,” he understood that any true enthusiast would agree. The Glock 43X was a good gamble, if one could make such a statement. That range day was 2 years ago, and I still carry the 43X every day. As the sun rises each morning and the day begins, excitement still floods my heart as I reach for my 43X and tuck it into my waistband. The Glock 43X will be my go-to for many more days, and I couldn’t recommend it enough!