Glock 42 Model U14250201 380 ACP

Due to reader requests, we’ve begun posting top-ten listings of various firearm categories that garner a lot of interest, such as 380 pistols for carry or other self defense. You can find all of those ranked articles on Gun-Tests.com by searching for the keyword “listicle.” A few months ago, we posted one of those best 380 ACP pistols lists, and we were informed by a reader and experienced shooter that his new Rock Island Armory Baby Rock did not live up to the promise of the pistol we tested nine years ago. Our pistol was delivered with a nice, crisp 4.5-pound trigger compression. That’s similar to one of the South Carolina test team’s Baby Rock, which has been in service for quite a few years as a backup to his 1911. That particular pistol features a trigger action breaking at 5.1 pounds. The reader measured the trigger action of his current production Baby Rock at more than 10 pounds. We corresponded with another reader who reported a 13.2-pound let off, and a third managed a 9.4-pound let off after considerable use and lubrication. Were these typical of current production? It would seem so, because the first reader contacted Armscor, intending to send the pistol in for adjustment. The company informed the reader that his Baby Rock was indeed in spec because there have been safety upgrades to the Baby Rock we tested and liked, and those safety enhancements included a heavier trigger. This gave us pause. What could have changed in the nine years since we tested the Baby Rock 380?

Another subject came up. The Glock 42 380 tested a few years ago was not as reliable as all other Glock pistols we’ve evaluated, giving us a number of short cycles and failures to lock open on the last shot in 2020, but only with heavier loaded ammunition. A rater who uses his Glock in daily carry noted that this was true initially, but new magazines and a slight redesign helped his gun to reach 1,000 rounds so far without any malfunction, and very little cleaning, he added. We decided to obtain a new-production Rock Island Baby Rock 380 ACP and Glock Model 42 to see if their current performance was the same, or better, or worse than the previous generations tested nine and five years ago, respectively.

Since we tested the Smith & Wesson EZ Rack pistol more recently in May 2024, we upgraded to a Performance Center pistol of the same type, but with improvements, in this installment. The standard S&W EZ Rack was overall satisfactory, but had experienced some problems with a certain type of ammunition. A tester familiar with both the EZ Rack and the ammunition brand felt that it wasn’t the gun at fault. This revisit is intended to qualify or isolate these problems and fixes. 

Glock 42 Model U14250201 380 ACP

$408

Gun Tests grade: A

The Glock offered flawless reliability and a bit of power in a compact package. This pistol is the best for pocket carry and would serve as well as most 380 ACP pistols in home defense. It is a workmanlike design.

We didn’t feel the need to splurge on different frame finishes or laser engraving and purchased the generic Glock 42 all-black pistol. This is the lowest-capacity pistol tested with six-round magazines. The price was actually lower than the pistol we tested several years ago. The lightest and most compact pistol tested this time is a polymer-frame model with a double-action-only trigger and locked-breech action. The striker is prepped, or partially cocked, as the slide is racked. The trigger press moves the striker to the rear, where it breaks against the sear. This double-action-only trigger feature allows for a relatively light action compared to a double-action-only pistol of the conventional type. 

The slide is plain, without forward cocking serrations. The pistol’s rear cocking serrations work well. This handgun requires the most effort to rack. A lightweight handgun such as this requires more effort to control recoil, and a heavier recoil spring is needed. The sights are typical Glock with white inserts, better than the Baby Rock but not as good as the S&W. The slide is smooth enough for concealed carry. The frame is polymer with lightly pebbled surfaces. There is a slight thumb rise and a wall to protect the slide lock. The pistol is left-hand friendly. During the test, one of our raters changed the magazine release to left-hand use and continued to use the pistol in that role. The slide lock, however, isn’t ambidextrous. The S&W and the Glock are tied for left-hand friendliness, while the Rock lags behind. The magazine lock is positive in operation, dropping the magazine smartly when activated. 

Disassembly isn’t difficult. Remove the magazine and clear the chamber and check it again, then slightly retract the slide. Press the takedown levers down and pull the trigger with your hand out of the way and the pistol pointed in a safe direction. The slide then runs forward off the frame. Lift out the recoil rod and recoil spring and guide, followed by the barrel. The pistol requires little lubrication, only a single drop in the action, per Glock specifications. 

Firing the pistol was uneventful. We fired 50 rounds of FMJs and a magazine of Buffalo Bore loads without a hiccup of any kind. The original test Glock short-cycled with heavier loads for whatever reason, but this time the hot Buffalo Bore JHPs were spit out easily. Because the earlier gun would not digest hot loads, we also loaded and fired three rounds at a time when testing the Buffalo Bore loads. This ensured that the loads would feed with minimal magazine-spring tension.

In combat shooting, the pistol was surprisingly capable. While our shooters are used to the Glock trigger action, we felt that the pistol was very controllable. Felt recoil was more than the other two handguns, but this wasn’t an impediment to good results. The S&W outpaced it, but the margin wasn’t big. In firing for accuracy from a bench, the Glock 42 turned in decent groups, with some as small as 2.0 inches at 15 yards. 

Our Team Said: This is a good shooter. It lacks some things the S&W has. The S&W pistol is easier to shoot well, kicks less, and is easier to load and rack. The S&W also has a nine-round total capacity versus seven for the Glock and eight for the Baby Rock. Also, the Glock doesn’t have night sights, but it also costs about $110 less than the S&W. The Glock is really a different size than the S&W and qualifies more as a pocket pistol and backup compared to the Smith & Wesson. The Glock kicks more than the other two, but it is about 4 ounces lighter than the EZ Rack as well as 0.81 inch shorter and a whopping 1.8 inches shorter. It is also 0.4 inch thinner. We could not find anything to complain about with the Glock this time around. The pistol seems to have had a spring upgrade that now handles hot-for-the-caliber ammunition. 

We fired groups at 15 yards from a bench using an MTM Case-Gard K-Zone Pistol Rest. We measured velocities with a Competition Electronics Pro Chrony. The first screen of the chronograph was 10 feet from the muzzles. JHP = jacketed hollow point. XTP = eXtreme Terminal Performance jacketed hollow point.

Written and photographed by Bob Campbell, using evaluations from Gun Tests Team members. GT