In truth, though, I think we have to call this category a tie. The Shield has already proven itself capable of giving many years of reliable service, but we see no reason why the 43 will not be just as reliable as other Glocks.

MAGAZINE CAPACITY

As I said above, this is one area in which there is a real, measurable difference between the guns. Some might find the 6+1 capacity of the 43 just a little on the stingy side for this kind of weapon, and prefer the extra round that the Shield gives them.

However, let’s have a think about this in detail. In most self-defense situations, you are going to be engaging an attacker at very close range. In fact, the most common place for a civilian to be attacked is when getting into your car.

In this situation, you’ll be holding back the attacker with one arm and shooting with the other. You will hit them with every round you fire, or at least you should.

At this range, the extra round makes very little difference. If you can’t take down an attacker with 7 bullets, you are not going to be able to with 8.

In addition, if you are worried about situations in which you have to incapacitate more than one attacker, you really need to be carrying extra magazines.

I would say, in terms of this category, that the Shield wins, but not by much.

CONCEALED CARRY

Finally, the ability to carry these pistols concealed. This, like the ammunition capacity, is an area in which there is a measurable difference between the pistols. The 43 is slightly smaller than the Shield as standard, but only in the grip. This can make a difference in terms of printing in a IWB or OWB holster, but only if you are wearing light clothing.

There is a difference, however. The slightly shorter grip means that the 43 is just about small enough to be used as a pocket gun. Though the relatively light trigger pull on Glocks means that I would never recommend just sticking it in your pocket, with a good pocket holster it works well in this configuration.

Though both guns are relatively easy to conceal, if you prefer to carry your CCW in a pocket holster, go for the Glock.

FINAL THOUGHTS

So there you go. Both the Glock 43 and the Shield are great guns, and it is unlikely that the battle between them is going to be conclusively settled anytime soon.

Both are easy to conceal, and easy to shoot. Both are pretty accurate for this type of pistol, as long as you put in the practice and get familiar with them. Both are reliable guns, though the Shield has the advantage of having been field tested for quite a number of years now.

Despite all the arguments over ammo capacity and size, my advice would actually be to go for the Shield. Unless you absolutely need deep concealment, or are particularly small, in my opinion the Shield simply offers a more comfortable shooting experience. And you also get an extra bullet.

This article by Will Ellis originally appeared at Gun News Daily in 2018.

Image: Glock.