I'm trying to decide between the Glock 36 or the G30. I know that the G36 is the slimline version with a single stack magazine and is a little narrower. After that though they seem to be very much the same. (other than capacity.) I was just wondering what people think about either of them if you have handled them.

Thanks!

I gave a 36 a box worth of shots at Bills. I'd go with a Springfield XD 45 Compact over the Glock.

The G36 is the one Glock that seems to experience problems that are talked about on the Glock Talk Forum. You can get the G30 with the recently announced smaller grip too but the slide is still fat. The G30 was developed as a 10MM so it is more robust than it needs to be for a .45 ACP.

I have a G30 and it's one of my favorites, I also have an XD45 and I think either one is a good choice. The XD has a smaller grip if you have small hands. (Correction, I had a G30 and XD45 before my boating accident. I keep forgetting they're gone to the bottom of the lake ).

I should have added that I am a .40 XD owner and that influenced what I expected out of the 36.

If you're not stuck on Glock, try shooting a Taurus PT145. That is my off duty carry & on-duty back-up.

10 round magazine, striker fired, great ergonomics. It fit my hand better than the 30 or 36.

And reasonably priced.

The Glock 36 was the first handgun I bought all those years ago, when I was a lot lower on the learning curve about firearms.

I liked the fact that it was a .45, and I also liked the size. At that point I didn't know what "single stack", "double stack", "polymer frame" or any of that meant.

It's accurate, I can say that much... it was the handgun I carried when I got my permit to carry back in 2003 and it was the gun I qualifired with.

Anyway,

It's light. Light to a point that firing a .45 ACP can be a bit of a handful. Even some experienced shooters find it to be a bit to manage.

Despite the fact that it's a single stack, it's a bit boxy (as all glocks are) and still pretty thick.

Accuracy is one of the thinkgs I like about this particular gun.

To do it over, I probably wouldn't buy a Glock. There are plenty of other (higher quality) pistols out there that are thinner and of comparable capacity.

+1 (actually, +2)
I have a 745 and a 140. Identical in the hand. The 140 had one FTE at the last steel shoot. Otherwise, perfect. The 145 is just slightly thicker in the grip than the two I have. The 745 is 6+1 and the 140 is 10+1.

The 30 is REALLY thick - to the point of it doesn't even fit in many of the holsters stating it will hold a 30. So holster selection may be limited and involve returns - unless of course you get a Side Guard...

Mostly-

I've got both a 30 and a 36. I carry both, but the G36 in an IWB holster is almost like it's not even there. It's thin, it's light, it's comfortable.

I carry the G30 OWB. I like it a lot, as well.

I've never had a single problem with either of them. The G36 was, actually, my first Glock and converted me from being a Glock hater into a fan. I find the G36 to be plenty controllable, even with +P loads--same with the G30. I think I may invest in a G30SF in the near future, however, just as a back-up...

I wouldn't recommend an XD over a Glock. I briefly had an XDM, and found that I preferred Glocks considerably more.

I like Glocks, I know some people complain of the ergonomics but it works O.K. for me. I say O.K. because a high dollar 1911 fits my hand better but I can't afford it. I handled a Glock 36 a few days ago and really liked it. However I would still like to handle the G30 before I make any other plans.

So I suppose a S&W M&P would not interest you?

I guess some would say I am a pretty hard core 1911 guy. But if the 1911's would disappear from the face of the earth and cost was an issue, I would probably go with a S&W M&P as a replacement, followed by a Springfield Armory XD or maybe a Kahr.

I am one of those that have an ergonomics problem with Glocks. I have owned a few and they just didn't work for me.

So....
I handled the Glock 30 for the first time last night.




The thing is HUGE! I have short fingers and I it just did not fit right in my hand at all! I walked around with a friend for a while and then decided to go back and look at the S&W M&P9 compact. That on the other hand was a wonderful firearm.

It looks like it is down to the Glock 36 or one of the compact M&P's for me. I would like to try to get my hands on a .40 caliber version before I actually make a decision.

The G36 is about the same size as the G19 or G23.