Glock 42 Magazines
Factory Glock OEM • ETS • Amend2 • .380 ACP Slimline • 6 / 9 / 12 Round
The Glock 42 — introduced January 2014, Glock's first .380 ACP pistol and its first single-stack subcompact — defined a new category for the brand: the Slimline platform that would later produce the G43, G43X, and G48. Built in Smyrna, Georgia for US-market GCA import compliance, the G42 is the benchmark deep-concealment Glock for pocket and ankle carry. Keep Shooting carries the complete G42 magazine spectrum — factory Glock OEM 6-round (standard and with grip extension), ETS extended translucent 9- and 12-round magazines, and the value-priced Amend2 6-round alternative.
About Glock 42 Magazines at Keep Shooting
Keep Shooting carries five magazines for the Glock 42 — factory Glock OEM 6-round magazines (standard flat-base and with grip extension), ETS extended 9-round and 12-round translucent polymer magazines, and the Amend2 6-round value-priced alternative. The G42 is Glock's .380 ACP single-stack subcompact — Glock's deep-concealment Slimline pistol for pocket, ankle, and backup carry. For the broader Glock magazine lineup, see our parent Glock Magazines category, or the full Glock brand page for pistols, parts, and accessories.
The Glock 42 was introduced at SHOT Show 2014 — January 14, 2014 — as Glock's first pistol in .380 ACP and its first single-stack subcompact. The rollout was historically significant for Glock for two reasons. First, the G42 launched a new product line — the Slimline platform, a narrower-frame architecture that would later produce the Glock 43 (9mm single-stack, 2015), the Glock 43X (9mm with full grip, 2019), and the Glock 48 (9mm longer slide, 2019). Before the G42, Glock had built its entire catalog around the double-stack architecture inherited from the original 1982 Glock 17 — the G42 was the first departure from that 32-year architectural assumption. Second, the G42 was the first Glock manufactured at the Smyrna, Georgia plant expressly for US-market sale. This was driven by Gun Control Act of 1968 import compliance: the GCA uses a "sporting purpose" points system for handgun imports that penalizes small-frame short-barrel pistols. A .380 ACP pistol small enough to compete with the Ruger LCP in the pocket-carry market could not be imported from Glock's Austrian production; the G42 was built in the US to bypass the import restriction entirely.
The G42's design brief was specifically the deep-concealment pocket-carry market that Ruger had opened with the 2008 launch of the LCP. Between 2008 and 2014, Ruger sold more than a million LCPs, Smith & Wesson introduced the Bodyguard .380, Kahr produced the P380, Sig Sauer launched the P238, and the concealed-carry market consolidated around the lightweight single-stack .380 ACP subcompact as the default backup-gun / pocket-gun form factor. Glock was conspicuously absent from that segment for six years. The G42 was the response — Glock's entry into the market Ruger had defined, six years late, built specifically to the form factor the market had validated. The G42 measures 5.94 inches long, 4.13 inches tall, and 0.94 inches wide — slightly larger than the LCP in every dimension — but weighs 13.8 ounces unloaded and carries the standard Glock trigger, manual of arms, and maintenance routine, making it the natural pocket-backup choice for Glock-platform CCW users who want their primary and backup to feel identical.
The factory Glock 42 magazine is a 6-round single-stack magazine — the standard Slimline magazine geometry that would later carry over (with different feed-lip and body geometry for the larger 9mm cartridge) to the G43 series. The G42 magazine is a steel-bodied single-stack with a polymer follower, stainless-steel compression spring, and removable polymer floorplate. Keep Shooting carries two factory Glock OEM G42 magazine variants: the standard 6-round flat-base magazine ($28.51) which sits flush with the bottom of the G42's grip frame for minimum profile, and the 6-round magazine with grip extension ($38.28) which adds approximately 5/8 inch of additional grip length below the floorplate for shooters who need more than two fingers on the frame. Both variants carry six rounds; the grip extension is purely ergonomic and does not increase capacity.
ETS extended magazines (Elite Tactical Systems, headquartered in Sevierville, Tennessee and manufacturing in the US since 2013) are the higher-capacity G42 option for range and training use. ETS produces G42 magazines in 9-round ($21.47) and 12-round ($22.61) capacities — both built around ETS's signature translucent polymer body that shows the magazine's round count at a glance without having to strip the magazine. The 9-round magazine extends roughly 3/4 inch below the G42 grip frame; the 12-round magazine extends roughly 1-1/4 inches. Neither is recommended for concealed-carry use — the longer profile defeats the G42's pocket- concealment purpose — but for range practice, training classes, and steel- challenge competition the ETS magazines are the practical choice. Three times the G42's factory capacity means one-third the reload frequency through a 200-round training session.
Amend2 magazines (Amend2 Corp., Rexburg, Idaho, founded 2008) are the value-priced aftermarket alternative to factory Glock OEM. Amend2's G42 magazine is a 6-round flat-base polymer magazine ($13.99 vs. Glock OEM's $28.51) that matches the factory magazine's dimensional envelope and capacity. Amend2's construction is polymer body with stainless-steel spring and polymer follower — lighter than the steel-bodied factory magazine but tested through sustained range use with reliability comparable to the OEM magazine. For shooters building up training-magazine inventory or looking for 50%-cost factory-alternative magazines for routine practice, the Amend2 G42 is the working solution.
G42 magazine compatibility is narrow and strict — the G42 magazine fits only the G42 pistol. It does not fit the G43 (different frame dimensions, different cartridge — 9mm not .380 ACP), the G43X or G48 (longer Slimline grip, 10-round capacity magazines), or any double-stack Glock (G17, G19, G26, etc.). The G42 is a single-platform magazine with no cross-compatibility. This is a feature of the caliber difference — .380 ACP cartridge dimensions are smaller than 9mm Parabellum, so the G42 magazine body, feed-lip geometry, and follower are all scaled for the smaller cartridge and will not properly feed 9mm rounds even mechanically. If you own a G42, G42 magazines are the entire magazine conversation — no cross-platform magazine substitute exists.
The G42 civilian market segments into four overlapping user profiles. Pocket-carry CCW users carry the G42 as a primary — for shooters who prioritize deep concealment over capacity, the G42's 13.8 oz unloaded weight and 0.94" width make it a practical pocket-holster or inside-waistband option. Backup-gun carriers carry the G42 as a secondary to a full-size Glock service pistol — the identical-manual-of-arms advantage is decisive here (muscle memory transfers perfectly between a G17/G19 primary and a G42 backup). Ankle-holster carriers, including plainclothes LEOs and investigators, use the G42 as an ankle BUG because its thin profile fits ankle rigs that larger pistols cannot. And new / small-statured shooters often select the G42 as a first defensive pistol — the .380 ACP cartridge's modest recoil and the G42's slim grip make it approachable for shooters with smaller hands or less strength than a full-size 9mm requires. For all four groups, the Glock ecosystem's trigger consistency is the recurring value proposition — the G42 operates identically to every other Glock in the owner's safe.
Glock (Glock Ges.m.b.H., founded 1963 by Gaston Glock in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria) is the most commercially successful service-pistol manufacturer of the modern era. Glock's original 1982 Glock 17 won the Austrian Army service-pistol competition and introduced the striker-fired polymer-frame architecture that now dominates the global service- pistol market — adopted by the US Army (M17/M18), FBI, DEA, ATF, and roughly 65% of US law-enforcement agencies, plus the Austrian Army, Norwegian Army, Swedish Army, and dozens of other national militaries. The G42 represents a specific niche within that larger catalog — the deep-concealment corner — but the engineering pedigree and 40+ years of accumulated production experience transfer fully. For the complete Glock pistol, magazine, and parts catalog including OEM sights, slide-stop springs, TekMat cleaning mats, and Talon grip wraps, see our Glock brand page.
Keep Shooting ships all Glock 42 magazines from our Pennsylvania warehouse with free shipping on orders over $49.95 and hassle-free returns. All G42 magazines in our catalog — the 6-round factory variants, the Amend2 6-round, and the ETS 9- and 12-round extended magazines — ship to all 50 US states (the G42 magazine capacities all fall under state-level magazine capacity limits in every capacity-restricted state). Whether you're a pocket-carry CCW user building up factory OEM magazine inventory for daily carry, a range shooter looking at ETS 12-round magazines to cut training- session reload frequency, a cost- conscious shooter choosing Amend2 magazines to stretch the training- magazine budget, or a G42 owner who wants the grip-extension magazine for better control on a range session, every Glock 42 magazine in our catalog is verified to feed the G42 reliably and is backed by its respective manufacturer's warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions — Glock 42 Mags
Keep Shooting carries a wide selection of Glock 42 Mags products from trusted brands. Browse our catalog to see the full range, and use the filters on the left to narrow by brand, price, or product type.
Yes! All orders over $49.95 qualify for free shipping, including Glock 42 Mags products. Orders typically ship within 1–2 business days.
Keep Shooting offers hassle-free returns on Glock 42 Mags products. If you're not completely satisfied, contact our customer service team for a return authorization. All products must be in original, unused condition.
If you need help choosing the right Glock 42 Mags product, our team is available to assist. Check individual product descriptions for detailed specifications, or contact us directly and we'll help you find the best fit for your needs.