It is a semi-automatic handgun created for South American civilians for defense because they could not legally carry military caliber weapons. This gun is chambered with a . 380 caliber bullet, making it legal to use in South America and, ironically, illegal to import to civilians in the United States.

The Glock 42 becomes a lot more viable as a pocket pistol. But with the typical pants I'd find off the rack, there's no way it's going to work. For the average person, the Glock 42 can be pocket-carried. But not as effective as the smaller options.

380 doesn't have much stopping power, making it a less ideal choice than the next step up the ladder, the 9mm. I've even heard people say that if you were to shoot an attacker with a . 380, all you'd succeed in doing is making him mad!

The . 380 ACP cartridge found a home in various small concealed carry pistols and eventually served as the basis for other more popular calibers. The primary use of . 380 ACP has been for self-defense, as its small size allows for easy concealment and can hold a relatively high number of rounds.