Shot my Christmas Present Today-G36

[riddleofsteel]

Due to the kindness of my family I received a Glock 36 with night sights for Christmas this year. I got the chance to start shooting it this afternoon.
At the range I loaded it with Federal 200 grain +P EFMJ ammo. The first carefully fired group at 21 feet was dead center on the X and the group was one ragged hole except for two flyers that expanded the group to the size of the top of a soda can. At 25 yards I bench rested my forearms on my range bag and fired two mags (12 rounds) at a standard combat target. Not one shot was outside the 9X ring!
After that I practiced rapid strings and aimed fire until I used up the two 50 round boxes of EFMJ I had allowed myself to shoot at that session. Recoil was VERY easy to control and the the little pistol functioned perfectly with no jams, failures or jams of any kind.
I field stripped the pistol and cleaned the gold lube out, scrubbed out the barrel and action and relubed according to my normal procedures. After showing off my new toy to some of the guys and ladies at the range I went back in and shot some 230 grain Gold Dots I had stashed in my range bag. Recoil was a bit sharper but by no means unmanagable. I took a small flat file to the sharp corners of the mag release as I am left handed and it was eating my index finger. After that minor modification to a $2.00 part it was totally comfortable to shoot. The 230 grain Gold Dots were also very accurate. I took some time practicing speed rocks and close quarters shooting from the hip with them until I was satisfied I could handle the little handcannon in almost any situation. Laying on the ground and barrier shooting will have to wait for the outdoor range this week end.
However, when I finally cleaned the Glock, lubed it again and loaded it for the ride home in my holster it was the Federal 200 grain +P EFMJ that I stoked it with. I was very impressed with this ammo, its accuracy and mild recoil. Oh yeah, I LOVE my G36.

[C.R.Sam]

What a super Christmas present...
And a good outing report.

Thanx.

Sam

[eap]

i seem to have lost my mind, can somebody remind me of the capacity for the 36. i'll be over here looking for my mind.

[riddleofsteel]

6+1 of .45 ACP

GLOCK 36 Specifications Caliber .45 ACP
Action Safe Action (constant double action mode)
Overall length (slide) 6.77 in. (172 mm)
Height, including magazine 4.76 in. (121 mm)
Width 1.13 in. (28.5 mm)
Barrel length 3.78 in. (96 mm)
Sight radius 6.18 in. (157 mm)
Rifling Octagonal profile with right-hand
twist of one turn in 15.75 in. (400 mm)
Weight, without magazine 20.11 oz. (570 g)
Weight, empty magazine 2.40 (68 g)
Weight, full magazine ~6.88 oz. (~195 g)
Magazine capacity 6 rounds
Standard trigger pull ~5.5 lbs. (~2.5 kg)
Trigger pull length 0.5 in. (12.5 mm)
Number of safeties 3

[Prodigalshooter]

Nice present indeed!

[45R]

The Glock 36 is a very nice present!

[10-Ring]

For something so small that shoots the 45 acp, it is a relatively mild shooter.

[Blackhawk]

Excellent report, and great picture! Thanks for posting.

[Schuey2002]

Your new Glock 36 is a pretty cool Christmas present..

[denfoote]

Now you know why I love mine so much!!!

[Greybeard]

Another happy Glocker!

FWIW, the extra mags are reasonable priced as are the Pearce +1 mag. extensions. I have slightly larger-than-normal hands and found the mag. extensions make the 36 even more comfortable in my hands. Got 'em on 3 of 4 mags to keep little finger on it during torque/recoil.

[Erich]

If you shoot a lot of that +P ammo, you might occasionally take down the slide and check the striker channel to be sure it's clean (do NOT lube it). This is beyond the ordinary field stripping, but still simple to do (you can find instructions on the 'net through a search at Glock Talk) . . . with the amount of primer sealer that higher pressure loads shove up that striker channel, keeping an eye on it will assure that you don't have a light strike at a bad time.

This crud-in-the-channel deal became an issue with my 33 in .357 Sig. Cleaning it made it work flawlessly again.

Enjoy the 36 - I think they're very attractive little pistols.

[Metatron]

I like my 36 a lot. I was deciding between that and the 30(?), the double stack little .45, but I wanted concealability. Besides, I didn't plan on having to take more than 6 shots. I hope

[BigG]

Real nice. Hope you continue to enjoy it. Do all the magazines protrude from the bottom with the grip extension base? Or do they make flush fit also?

[454]

Great. I'm not the only one who likes the 36. I don't care for the 30, It's just to fat.

[eap]

riddleofsteel, thanks.

i rented a 36 and didn't care for it, but i didn't have my favorite 185gr load, the range gave me 230gr. 185gr is very smooth in the 30.

the 36 was sharp with 230gr, it kinda bit me in the web of my hand. maybe it was the 230gr i was shooting or maybe it was the narrow grip of the 36?

i thought the 30 was too fat when i handled it, but when i shot it i fell in love. shooting winchester white box 185gr, it's the smoothest light recoilin shooter i've ever shot.

i'm waiting for the fullsize slimline .45 from glock. it's damned hard, but i'm waiting.

[Lennyjoe]

Now you know why I love mine so much!!!

Hey foote, thought the wife took that over from you?

[blades67]

Great X-mas present. Enjoy.

[44Caliber]

Riddleofsteel:
You have some family to get you a glock. I get sweatshirts,sweaters. I think I will propose to my son-in-laws that they get me a S&W Performance Center Revolver say something in the 44 Caliber class
best of luck with your gift!
44 Caliber

[Kentucky Rifle]

..could you please compare the recoil of a G36 to a G27? I don't know what to think. Some people tell me that their 36 has a mild recoil, some people tell me that the bottom of the mag pinches your little finger...I don't get it. I consider my G27 a joy to shoot. I also realize that recoil is felt differently by different people, but do you think the two would at least be comparable? I'm tired of stories. I need the real skinny!

KR

[riddleofsteel]

G27

Caliber
.40
Action
Safe Action System
Length (slide)
6.29 in. 160 mm
Height 2)
4.17 in. 106 mm
Width
1.18 in. 30 mm
Length between sights 3)
5.67 in. 144 mm
Barrel length
3.46 in. 88 mm
Barrel rifling
right, hexagonal Length of twist
9.84 in. 250 mm
Magazine capacity 4)
9 / 11
Mass (weight)
Empty without magazine
19.75 oz. 560 g
Empty magazine
2.12 oz. 60 g
Full magazine 5)
~7.23 oz. ~205 g
Trigger pull (standard)
~5.5 lbs. ~2.5 kg
Trigger travel for discharge 6)
0.5 in. 12.5 mm
Number of safeties
3

G36

Caliber .45 ACP
Action Safe Action (constant double action mode)
Overall length (slide) 6.77 in. (172 mm)
Height, including magazine 4.76 in. (121 mm)
Width 1.13 in. (28.5 mm)
Barrel length 3.78 in. (96 mm)
Sight radius 6.18 in. (157 mm)
Rifling Octagonal profile with right-hand
twist of one turn in 15.75 in. (400 mm)
Weight, without magazine 20.11 oz. (570 g)
Weight, empty magazine 2.40 (68 g)
Weight, full magazine ~6.88 oz. (~195 g)
Magazine capacity 6 rounds
Standard trigger pull ~5.5 lbs. (~2.5 kg)
Trigger pull length 0.5 in. (12.5 mm)
Number of safeties 3

As you can see the two guns are almost identical in size and weight. That leaves the caliber. I have been a .40 S&W man since it came out, having owned several dozen of these fine weapons over the years. My MK40 is still one of my favs.
However the recoil of a .45 even in +P is different than a .40 S&W. The .45 is more akin to a hard push while the .40 is more of a sharp SNAP. Having now owned both I prefer a compact .45 to a compact .40 in the recoil department. You would have to shoot both yourself to get a feel for what I am saying.
Other than than I would not turn around for the difference because I feel well armed with either one. As I type this My G36 stoked with Federal 200 grain +P EFMJ is riding my hip in its Kramer belt scabbard. Partly because its new, partly because it's a Glock, compact and a baby hand cannon.

The Federal EFMJ is producing almost 500 ft/lbs form my G36 and even if it does not expand it is cutting a 1/2" hole. All the rounds I have test have expanded to over .62" even thru cloth, wall board, plywood, metal or deer flesh.

You do the math.

[Capital Punishment]

Whats that stuff in the photo that was just had its crap ruined?? Looks like a blob of jello!

[riddleofsteel]

ballistic gelatin

the idea here is to show how little a thickness it took to expand the projectile.

to show the EFMJ's reaction to a hard layer check this;

http://communities.prodigy.net/sportsrec/gz-efmj.html

[Kentucky Rifle]

Man! Those Expanding FMJ's seem to work well, don't they? I think at least as well as hollow points. I wonder if these can get around New Jersey's (?) "no hollow point ammo" rule?

KR