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Glock 43X CA Added to the California Roster: What Changed and Why It Matters
Oct
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The Glock 43X has done something no other Glock has managed since AB 1127 took effect, which is earn a clean spot on the California handgun roster. On September 29, 2026, the California Department of Justice added a model listed as the “43X CA” to its roster of handguns certified for sale. In a state where new Glock sales through dealers effectively stopped on July 1, that is a bigger deal than one more line on a government spreadsheet.
Over the past year, California buyers watched the Gen 3 Glocks they relied on get discontinued by the factory and then shut out of dealer sales by state law. The 43X CA arrives as a slimline 9mm carry pistol built specifically for this market, and it is the one Glock on the roster that the state does not flag under AB 1127. We have the California model listed now, and the rest of this post covers how it got here, what it is, and where it fits for California carry.
Why California Lost New Glocks in 2026
California has required handguns sold by dealers to appear on the DOJ roster for years, and for a long time the Glocks on that list were a short group of older Gen 3 models. Our post on Glock pistols in California in 2026 walks through that history in detail. Gen 4 and Gen 5 Glocks never made it onto the list, so Gen 3 models like the G17, G19, G26, and G34 carried the brand. Then two things happened within a few months of each other.
First, Glock restructured its lineup in late 2025 and ended shipments of most Gen 3, Gen 4, and Gen 5 models after November 30, 2025, as we covered in our post on the Glock transition and the V Series. The slimline models, including the 43, 43X, and 48, were left out of that cut and stayed in production. Second, AB 1127 took effect on July 1, 2026. It added Penal Code section 27595, which bars licensed California dealers from selling a “machinegun-convertible pistol,” and Penal Code section 16885, which defines that term as a semi-automatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted with a backplate-style converter.
The law does not touch possession, and it carries exceptions, including pistols delivered to a dealer before January 1, 2026 and private party transfers handled through a dealer. Our post on what AB 1127 means for your California handgun purchase covers them in depth. The DOJ now marks each affected model on its roster with a plus symbol, and as of November 3, 2026, all 16 other Glock entries on the roster carry that mark. A handgun can stay on the roster and still be off limits for a new dealer sale, which is why the roster alone never told the whole story.
How the Glock 43X CA Got on the Roster
The 43X CA entry shows the pistol as a 9mm with a 3.41-inch barrel and steel and polymer construction. It does not carry the plus symbol, which means the DOJ does not list it as a machinegun-convertible pistol under section 16885. The state’s attorneys pointed to that same entry in a court filing in the federal challenge to AB 1127, describing the 43X CA as outside the dealer sales prohibition. The entry does carry an asterisk, which the DOJ uses for handguns added under the court order in Boland v. Bonta, the case that stopped enforcement of the state’s microstamping requirement for new roster additions.
One point is worth clearing up, since the redesign provision in AB 1127 has drawn a lot of attention. AB 1127 also created Penal Code section 32103, a special path that lets a pistol already on the roster on January 1, 2026 be modified to remove its convertible features and tested again, as long as it reaches an independent lab before January 1, 2027. The 43X was never on the California roster before this year, so that provision does not describe how the 43X CA got there. It came in as a new roster model, with the loaded chamber indicator and magazine disconnect California still requires on new semi-automatic pistols.
What Glock changed inside the California model has not been published. The roster tells us the state does not consider it convertible, and that is as far as the public record goes right now. We would rather wait for Glock’s documentation than guess at internal parts.
What the Glock 43X Brings to the Table
The Glock 43X first appeared in early 2019, and Glock’s own announcement explained the idea plainly. Customers loved the G43 but wanted more rounds, so Glock paired the short G43-length slide with a longer slimline frame and a 10-round single-stack magazine. Glock also called out the short trigger distance, built-in beavertail, reversible magazine catch, and front slide serrations as part of the package.
Glock’s published 43X figures, which our California listing also carries, put the pistol at about 6.5 inches long and 5.04 inches tall with the magazine. Overall width is 1.10 inches, the slide itself is 0.87 inches wide, and the barrel runs 3.41 inches. Weight comes in around 18.5 ounces with an empty magazine and just under 23 ounces loaded. Trigger pull is rated at 24 newtons, which works out to roughly 5.4 pounds, the familiar Safe Action feel Glock owners already know.
The California model adds the magazine disconnect and loaded chamber indicator, along with an nDLC black slide finish and the 10-round capacity California already limits magazines to. Glock has not confirmed whether the California version will be offered with an optic cut, so we are not going to promise one. Red dot shooters should check the listing for the final configuration.
The Slimline Story From G43 to 43X
Glock’s path to the slimline line is worth a quick look, because it explains why this pistol matters to so many carriers. Gaston Glock founded the company in 1963 and earned worldwide attention after Austria’s military chose the Glock 17 in 1982. As concealed carry permits climbed in the early 2010s and slim single-stack nines from other makers flew off shelves, Glock answered with the .380 ACP Glock 42 in 2014 and the 9mm Glock 43 the following year.
The G43 broke no new technical ground, but it arrived at the right moment and caught on quickly. Glock reported more than a million of them sold within about three years, and our Glock 43 overview dug into why it became the reference point for deep concealment. It used the same Safe Action system and passive safeties as the larger guns, a dual recoil spring to tame the light frame, and a flush six-round magazine that kept the grip short. The tradeoff was capacity, and the short grip left a lot of shooters with a pinky hanging off the bottom.
The 43X was Glock’s answer to that complaint. It keeps the G43’s slide length and slim profile but adds enough grip to hold 10 rounds and give the whole hand a place to go. For many shooters it splits the difference between the pocket-sized G43 and a compact double-stack like the Glock 19. For years I carried a G43 before moving to a 19X for capacity, and the slimline still rides along when concealment matters most, which is exactly the job the 43X was built to do with four more rounds.
How the Slimline Carries and Shoots
Slimline Glocks have earned their reputation on reliability more than on flash. In our time with the G43, practical accuracy inside typical defensive distances was very good, and the pistol ran mixed full metal jacket and hollow point ammunition without drama. Recoil is sharper than on a full-size Glock, which is expected for a light single-stack nine, but it stays controllable with a proper grip. The 43X’s longer frame helps here, since a full firing grip makes follow-up shots easier to manage than on the shorter G43.
The aftermarket is another strong point. Holster makers have supported the slimline frame for years, with plenty of appendix and strong-side options, and night sights, grip treatments, and magazine base pads are easy to find. Until Glock details the CA-specific internals, owners should confirm any trigger or internal upgrade is compatible before installing it.
The pistol was built to disappear under a shirt and run when it is needed, and it makes no claim to duty or competition work. That focus kept the G43 family selling through a decade of higher-capacity micro-compacts. In California, where every carry pistol is held to 10 rounds anyway, the capacity gap that hurt the slimlines elsewhere mostly closes.
Glock 43X CA vs Other California Carry Pistols
Before the 43X CA arrived, California shoppers looking for a slim nine had a short list of strong options. Our post on alternatives to the Glock 43 for California buyers covered them in detail, including the Sig Sauer P365 and P365XL, the Springfield Hellcat and Hellcat Pro, and the Ruger MAX-9. Several of them offer factory optic cuts and more modular frames than the Glock. What the 43X CA brings to that group is the Glock manual of arms, a huge holster and parts market, and a design that has been carried by millions of people.
In our Dirty Bird TV comparison of the P365, Hellcat, and Glock 43, the Glock gave up ground on capacity and customization. California’s 10-round limit levels the capacity part of that comparison, since the CA versions of the P365 and Hellcat also ship with 10-round magazines. The choice then comes down to grip feel, trigger preference, sights, and whether an optic matters to the buyer.
Shooters who already train on Glocks will feel at home with the 43X CA right away. For a broader look at carry choices across sizes and budgets, our guide to CA roster guns for concealed carry is a good next read. CCW holders should also check whether their county issuing agency has its own rules for adding a new pistol to a permit, since that step is easy to overlook with a brand-new model.
Buying a Glock 43X CA in California
Because the 43X CA is on the roster and not flagged under AB 1127, it can be sold new through a California dealer like any other rostered handgun. The usual California purchase steps still apply, including a Firearm Safety Certificate, a background check through the DOJ, and the 10-day waiting period. Our post on buying a first gun in California lays out each step for first-time buyers.
Our Glock 43X California listing is live in our California compliant guns collection and shows current pricing and availability. Demand for a newly rostered Glock is likely to run ahead of supply for a while. Checking the listing is the best way to see where things stand on any given day.
[Video embed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5XOPBKX1YA (USA Carry, Glock 43X and Glock 48 hands-on). Swap for Burt’s preferred video if he has one.]
Common Questions About the Glock 43X CA
Is the Glock 43X legal to buy in California?
The California model, listed on the DOJ roster as the 43X CA, can be purchased new through a California dealer. It was added to the roster on September 29, 2026, and it is not marked as a machinegun-convertible pistol under AB 1127. The standard Glock 43X sold in other states is a different configuration and is not on the California roster.
Is the 43X CA affected by AB 1127?
According to the DOJ roster, it is not. The DOJ marks pistols that meet the Penal Code section 16885 definition with a plus symbol, and the 43X CA does not carry one. Every other Glock on the roster as of November 3, 2026 does carry that mark, which bars new dealer sales unless an exception in section 27595 applies.
What is different about the California Glock 43X?
The California model adds a magazine disconnect and a loaded chamber indicator, which California requires on new semi-automatic pistols added to the roster. It ships with 10-round magazines and an nDLC black slide finish. Glock has not published details on any internal changes, and the state’s roster listing is the only official word that it falls outside the convertible pistol definition.
Did the 43X CA come in through the AB 1127 redesign provision?
No, based on the statute’s own terms. Penal Code section 32103 applies to pistols that were already on the roster on January 1, 2026, and the 43X was not one of them. The 43X CA was added as a new roster model with the California safety features in place.
Does the California model have an optic cut?
Glock has not confirmed an optic cut for the California model. The current listing notes that the configuration details are still coming from the factory. Buyers who want a red dot should check the listing for final specifications before ordering.
The Slimline Finally Comes Home
California has spent most of 2026 watching Glocks leave the dealer counter, so a factory Glock built for the state’s rules is welcome news. The 43X CA is a carry pistol first, with a slim profile, a full grip, and proven Glock reliability. A good rule of thumb for the roster now is simple: if a Glock carries the plus sign, a new dealer sale depends on an exception, and the 43X CA is the one Glock that does not need one. When it is time to add one to the carry rotation, our California listing is the place to start.