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Glock 42
The highly anticipated Glock 42 in .380 caliber hit the market in February 2014, and became an instant success for Glock. The size and caliber selection of the 42 left many Glock fans a bit confused as the 42 was slightly larger than most other ultra compact .380 models.
However, the 42 was designed as a sub-compact .380 handgun that could both be concealed and a pleasure to shoot. It’s interesting to note that most Glock aficionados were hoping for a single stack sub-compact 9mm, and then were slightly disappointed when Glock brought out the Glock 42 instead. However, those same fans were happy again the following year, when Glock introduced the Glock 43 model in 2015.
Click this link or scroll down to the see all the Glock 42 holster models that we carry.
Since the pistol has been released, there have been 4 concerns that seem to swirl around the G42:
- Capacity – Although the G42 is slightly larger than some other sub-compact .380 pistols on the market, it only holds 6 rounds. Given it’s size, it looks as though it should be able to carry more than 6.
- Sights – Like most all Glocks, the G42 comes with standard Glock sights. On a gun of this size, those sights are difficult to use. Most people swap the sights out with some form of night sights.
- Size – While the G42 gets plenty of good press, it’s not the smallest 380 on the market so some types of potential CCW options could be hard to pull off. For example, pocket carry. For most pockets, the G42 is a little bit on the large side to comfortable fit in a pocket.
- Accuracy – While the Glock 42 is larger than most pocket sized 380 models, it’s still a small handgun with a very short sight radius. Some people have complained that the G42 is not as “out of the box” accurate as the larger Glock series of handguns. Given it’s short sight radius, and it’s focus as more of a close quarters self defense handgun, it makes sense that the Glock 42 wouldn’t be quite as accurate at longer distances compared to the larger Glock 19.
Outside of these few knocks, the Glock 42 has proven to be a outstanding 380 option for concealment. The size of most smaller 380 options makes them somewhat unpleasant to shoot. The G42 is actually very comfortable to shoot and offers typical Glock out of the box accuracy.
Now the Glock 42 did hit a few bumps in the road to success. The early versions that were first released had reports of failure to feed (FTF) and failure to eject (FTE) issues, along with complaints about the G42 being ammo picky. However, Glock was quick to address these issues, and later versions had no issues at all.
As the Glock 42 has grown in popularity, like most Glock models, an entire group of aftermarket options is/are now available. Now there are a plethora of aftermarket sights, trigger packages, magazine options, and slide options (including various non-factory colors) that are available for the Glock 42.
Glock 42 Holsters
There are several different holsters for your Glock 42 available on the market. These include OWB or belt holsters, IWB or inside the waistband holsters, pocket holster options, and paddle holsters
Glock 42 IWB Holster Styles
The most popular leather holster style for the G42 are inside waistband holsters. This concealed carry holster style mounts to the belt using a belt clip or leather straps. ITP (inside the pants) holsters are designed to be carried on the strong side, appendix, or behind the hip. Many holsters designed for inside waist carry also feature a sweat guard or body shield.
Belt holsters for the Glock 42
Belt holsters (also called outside waistband holsters) are designed to be worn on the belt strongside, crossdraw, behind the hip, or small of the back position.Available to fit a 1.25 and 1.5 inch belt, our leather OWB holsters are molded for the Glock 42, and built for every day concealed carry.
Glock 42 Paddle Holster Options
The paddle holster design is easier to put on or take off compared to a belt holster. Our top selling paddle model for the Glock G42 is the MTR Custom Paddle.
Here are some commonly asked questions that we see regarding our made in the USA Glock 42 holster options:
Will the Glock 42 fit in a holster for any of the other Glock models?
Unfortunately, the unique frame size of the Glock 42 pistol requires it’s own unique fit. Holsters for any other Glock model will be too big for the G42.
I’m interested in a Don Hume holster, but I don’t see the specific holster I want in the Glock 42 fit?
While Don Hume offers a number of gun holster models in their line for the Glock 42, they don’t offer it for every holster in their line.
Can you recommend a small, high riding holster for the Glock 42?
One of our most popular sellers is the Don Hume JIT slide, which can be seen here.
Do you offer any holsters to fit the Glock 42 with a Crimson Trace laser?
Yes, we carry holsters to fit the G42 with either a red or green CT laser, and those can be seen here.
I have a Glock 42 with a Streamlight TL6 light mounted to it. Do you have any holsters that will fit that?
Most any MTR Custom holster listed below is available in a version made to fit a Glock 42 with a Streamlight TL-6 mounted to it.
I’ve got a Glock 42 and a Glock 43. Can I buy one holster that will fit both models?
Unfortunately, not in leather. You might be able to find a solution in a one size fits all type of nylon holster, but in terms of a leather holster, the Glock 42 is too small to fit in a holster made for the Glock 43, and the Glock 43 is too large to fit in a Glock 43 holster. Your best bet will be to purchase one holster for the Glock 42 and another specifically for the Glock larger Glock 43.
If you are shopping for a Glock 43 here, try here: Glock 43 holsters.
Do you carry any holsters to fit a Glock 42 with a Viridian R5 laser attached?
We sure do. Most any MTR Custom holster listed below is available in a version made for a Glock 42 with a Viridian R-5R (Red), R-5 (Green), or RTL laser attached to it.
What is the best G42 holster that you have?
Like we usually tell customers over the phone, "best" is a descriptive word based on opinion. And, since most people don't have the same opinion, one person's opinion of the best Glock 42 holster will probably be different from another person's opinion of the best holster for the G42.
Our advice is to give some thought to how you want to carry the G42 and then plan from there. If you are planning to carry for CCW, then certain holster styles will work better than others. If you only want a G42 holster for the range, then there will be holster options that are designed for that specific activity as well.
Can you recommend a good G42 pocket holster?
A number of the staff here at Gunner's Alley owns a Glock 42, and the opinions are somewhat split on the G42 pocket carry. About half have the opinion that the G42 is a bit on the big side for pocket carry, while the other half seem to make G42 pocket carry work for them.
Our top selling G42 pocket holster models are as follows:
Don Hume 001 Front Pocket Holster
OK, you say that any of the holsters on this page will fit a Glock 42, but none of the holsters pictured seem to made to fit a G42? Most look to be made to fit a larger semi-auto handgun?
The holsters pictured below are just sample models so you can get an idea of what the holster looks like. The weapons shown in the holsters below are for demonstration purposes only. The holster models listed on this page are made to fit the Glock 42 even though a Glock 42 is not pictured in the holster. Although we try to photograph as many gun/holster combinations as possible, however we do not own every single handgun model on the market. As a result, we are not able to show every possible combination.
Holsters listed on this page are available in a version to fit the Glock 42 model pistol in right-handed and left-handed configurations..