You Can Run, But You Can't Hide From a Glock

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TarDevil

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I always found something I liked better... always found something I shot better...never thought I'd go down the well-worn path, but...

Think I'm gonna buy a Glock.

Kept hoping Ruger would make a SR45c, which would have been MY perfect .45 CC gun, but they went the way of the RAP, which isn't my cup of tea. When I drilled down my list of requirements - weight, size, capacity, accessories - da winnah is the 30S.

I can shoot Glocks fine, I just have to work at it a bit harder than other guns. But considering all the 30S offers, it might be worth the effort.

Please don't tell anyone!! Counseling, however, is welcome.

* Mods, I goofed and stuck this in Revolvers... care to move it for me?
 
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TarDevil

It's alright, we here on THR understand. My one and only Glock is a G17, purchased not long after they hit the market. I got it mainly for the novelty of it (I know, not the first polymer semi-auto but certainly one of the most successful ones), but didn't really gave it much thought (or range time), beyond that. Never really warmed up to the gun's design and ergonomics, much preferring my tried and true Browning Hi-Power and numerous 1911s instead.

 
I always found something I liked better... always found something I shot better...never thought I'd go down the well-worn path, but...

Think I'm.gonna buy a Glock.

Kept hoping Ruger would make a SR45c, which would have been MY perfect .45 CC gun, but they went the way of the RAP, which isn't my cup of tea. When I drilled down my list of requirements - weight, size, capacity, accessories - da winnah is the 30S.

I can shoot Glocks fine, I just have to work at it a bit harder than other guns. But considering all the 30S offers, it might be worth the effort.

Please don't tell anyone!! Counseling, however, is welcome.

* Mods, I goofed and stuck this in Revolvers... care to move it for me?



This is something I wrote elsewhere, but considering your post, I feel it appropriate to re-post here.



An all around Outdoorsman's practical handgun. A compact Big Bore auto.


Years ago I had a Glock 30 ( a compact .45 ACP, that holds 10 rounds in the magazine, and can use the full size 13 round Glock 21 mags) for a number of years.

It was a solid, ultra reliable shooter, but I did not care for how thick it felt overall, and sold it to a Trooper friend.



The newer G30S is built on the slightly different SF frame, along with a thinner width slide (From the G36 single stack .45 Glock). It is a whole other animal in terms of how it feels in the hands, overall weight and conceal-ability. The combination of the narrower slide and slightly smaller grip turns the G30S into a much better carry piece for me. Though the numbers don't look like much on paper, I have noticed a very definite difference in handling the G30S.



Last week I shot my Colt Light Weight Commander that I just got back from a truly excellent gunsmith, alongside my G30S. As much as I really like LW Commanders, I performed better with the little G30S.



I also compared the G30S alongside the G19, and they are very similar in overall size. The G30S is also extremely close in size to the S&W M&P Compact .40, which is my issued duty gun. The G30S is substantially easier to shoot well than the M&P Compact .40. By a long shot.


I had previously been contemplating an ideal combination backwoods big bore carry semi auto handgun and a CCW type piece, versus a revolver. The G30S made perfect sense.



I often carry a G21 .45 as a sidearm in the mountains when weight is an issue and I do not want to tote a rifle (such as when I am doing return trips, packing out a quartered up animal such as an elk). The Glock 21, while a large auto, is a rather light weight sidearm, and has an excellent firepower to weight ratio. In fact, with 13 rounds in the magazine, and one in the chamber, it still weighs less that an EMPTY steel framed 1911A1. It is also the softest shooting .45 auto I have ever used.



Since I hunt and do recreational things in the heart of wolf country, I feel better with more than just 6 rounds on deck, prior to being forced to reload. The .44 is an incredibly practical cartridge, and a long time favorite, but it could be very easy to go through 6 rounds at a pack of fast moving wolves, and end up with an empty gun, while still having numerous targets available. This is one of the reasons I sometimes favor a lightweight big bore such as the G21.



The G30S makes sense as a lightweight, compact big bore sidearm with adequate firepower on deck initially (10+1), with a G21 mag for a reload. The standard 13 round capacity, with a plus 4 baseplate, gives a person a 17 round magazine.

17 rounds of 230 grain .45 caliber slugs should likely handle most things a pistol is capable of handling.


Without question I am still a huge advocate of the "Goldilocks" sized Glock 19 9mm for an all around personal defense, home defense, and general purpose sidearm.


With that said,the G30S makes a bunch of sense (to me) as an ideal sidearm for those who both carry CCW, and also may work around large livestock, along with doing outdoorsman type activities where large predators such as bears, wolves, etc reside.


In the thread on the other forum, a person mentioned that he thought the G30S had considerably more recoil than the standard G30. The punchline is that I don't think the G30S is difficult to handle at all in regards to recoil. I was running pretty hot 230 grain Blaser ball ammo, which is generally known for being on the warm side, and I found it quite manageable.


The G30S will not be completely replacing my G21 SF as an outdoorsman's big bore auto, but I do envision carrying it quite a bit in the role that the G21 SF had previously filled.

Below are a couple of quick pics I snapped with my phone while waiting on bad guys to do bad/dumb things at work. They are not the greatest pics, but they are all I have at the moment. I am very much looking forward to packing the G30S, running a bunch of ammo through it, both for defensive practice and for small game hunting.






Cheers!


Since I wrote that, I have spent a fair amount of time afield, as well as CCWing the G30S and it has proven to be an outstanding little lightweight big bore.



 
TarDevil

It's alright, we here on THR understand. My one and only Glock is a G17, purchased not long after they hit the market. I got it mainly for the novelty of it (I know, not the first polymer semi-auto but certainly one of the most successful ones), but didn't really gave it much thought (or range time), beyond that. Never really warmed up to the gun's design and ergonomics, much preferring my tried and true Browning Hi-Power and numerous 1911s instead.




Nice looking old Gen 1.

I have an old, all original Gen1 as well, and find it to be a solid shooter.

Shown here with a Gen 2 G17, and Gen 3 G19.

Great little guns.

 
This is something I wrote elsewhere, but considering your post, I feel it appropriate to re-post here.


Since I wrote that, I have spent a fair amount of time afield, as well as CCWing the G30S and it has proven to be an outstanding little lightweight big bore.
You pretty much hit on all the reasons I plan to purchase this pistol. Thanks for the info!
 
Mackay Sagebrush

Great write-up! I have pretty much been a 1911 fan since as far back as I can remember. Flat, lightweight (at least my Commanders are), perfectly sized for my smaller hands; I am always right at home with one, at the range, for home defense, and concealed carry.

I have also ventured into the land of the other .45s, like the Browning BDA and the HK P9S, decent designs and well built but for the most part they haven't been a good fit for me one way or another. This is how I feel about Glocks too: nice guns but just nothing in their line-up that fits my hand very well (worst "feeling" guns in the Glock family for me are their subcompact models), as some other guns do.

A few years back I went looking for a compact, polymer frame 9mm. Tried the much recommended G19 along with similar offerings from Springfield Armory, S&W, CZ, and Ruger. Ended up going with the Ruger SR9c. Had all the features I wanted in that size gun, was very ergonomic in it's design and function, had the best trigger, and the sights were very easy to acquire.
 
Mackay Sagebrush

Great write-up! I have pretty much been a 1911 fan since as far back as I can remember. Flat, lightweight (at least my Commanders are), perfectly sized for my smaller hands; I am always right at home with one, at the range, for home defense, and concealed carry.

I have also ventured into the land of the other .45s, like the Browning BDA and the HK P9S, decent designs and well built but for the most part they haven't been a good fit for me one way or another. This is how I feel about Glocks too: nice guns but just nothing in their line-up that fits my hand very well (worst "feeling" guns in the Glock family for me are their subcompact models), as some other guns do.

A few years back I went looking for a compact, polymer frame 9mm. Tried the much recommended G19 along with similar offerings from Springfield Armory, S&W, CZ, and Ruger. Ended up going with the Ruger SR9c. Had all the features I wanted in that size gun, was very ergonomic in it's design and function, had the best trigger, and the sights were very easy to acquire.


Thanks for the Kudos in regards to the write up. I am a long time 1911 guy here too, and would not have predicted liking the plastic guns as much as I do, but more than 20 years of use has shown that they are quite capable sidearms in a wide variety of venues.

In the early 90s I went to a gunshow intent on picking up a P 220 .45. None were to be found, and with money burning a hole in my pocket, I came home with a G21. It ended up being extremely fortuitous. That early G21 was what I shot a lot of USPSA with, taught with, and eventually carried as a work gun. It became a very high round count gun.

In fact I was teaching a class in Boise, ID and relaying my high round count experience with a CCW class, when the regional Glock rep popped in. He asked to stand in the back of the class. I explained that due to using the G21 in USPSA, and weekly practice for matches, that I had gone through many 10s of thousands of rounds.

At the end of the day, he asked to see the gun. He stated that he had not seen a .45 Glock with that high of a round count. Long story short, he asked if he could send it back to Smyrna or the factory (I cannot recall now as it has been a long time ago). Of course I agreed. He gave me a loaner G 21, as well as a then new G30. Eventually my G21 came back. All the springs had been replaced with new ones. As a thanks they gave me the G30. He also set me up to attend the Glock Armorers course.

That was at a time when any extra training had to be paid for personally, as the department I worked for was tiny, and could not afford to send me to anything. I paid for the armorer course out of my own pocket, but did not have enough money to do the police transition training. When I was done with the first part of training and was leaving, the rep asked where I was going. I told him my situation. He comped the price of the transition class, so I ended up staying for the transition shooting course. Hard to beat that kind of support, and needless to say, I have been even more of a fan ever since.

I ended up running the same G21 until they came out with the Gen 3, with it's light rail feature. Due to working almost exclusively at night, I purchased an early 3rd Gen G21. My dad ended up with my old Gen 2, and he still carries it to this day, along with a G19 that I gave him as a fathers Day gift years back.

I absolutely enjoy a well built 1911, especially for slow, Bullseye style paper punching, and could never see myself without one. That said, due to the easy shooting, low felt recoil attributes of the Glocks, I shoot the .45 ACP Glocks better when it comes to speed shooting like USPSA, plate racks, etc. They both have a place in the stable.
 
Mackay Sagebrush

Besides being a fortuitous Glock aficionado you're also a very good writer! I have enjoyed reading about your various Glock experiences (and of course any other firearm you would like to talk about), and encourage you to do more of it here on THR. Looking forward to your next installment!
 
I might consider a Glock in .45 ACP in a MOS configuration. It seems to be manageable in my smaller hands even with snappy hotter loads.

What breaks it for me is a .22 LR conversion, perhaps I missed who makes one, but that breaks it for Glock for me.

I love the DA/SA SRT that SIG has, plus the ability to install a threaded barrels and .22 LR conversion kit on my P226 TACOPS. While I have shot G17, G19, G22, G23, and I forget the .45 model I shot, I love SIG more.
 
There are plenty of choices in .45 Auto handguns, and for a bedside only gun I'd be prone to a CZ 97, maybe a revolver - my wife's preference. I'd like an option to carry and that's where many options get filtered. There's Smith and Wession; the Shield weighing in 4 oz less but with 4 less rounds and the M&P compact 3 ozs more with 2 less rounds. The XDs is 2 ozs lighter with half the round count. Might be a couple other polymer options, but then finding holsters and accessories becomes difficult. There are some hammer options, also with compromises for carry. Like, you can stick this Glock in holsters for almost any other Glock compact. All the above options are excellent guns and folks buy them for their personal reasons.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, I can't think of a better all around choice for a relatively light, high capacity .45 carry gun that fits my requirements. Believe me, I tried.
 
The grip treatment is the only thing about my 30S about which I am not particularly keen.

G30S_zps59a47f49.jpg


I have 7 other .45acp pistols and while all are accurate, to me, the 30S is the most comfortable to shoot.
 
I always found something I liked better... always found something I shot better...never thought I'd go down the well-worn path, but...

Think I'm gonna buy a Glock.

Kept hoping Ruger would make a SR45c, which would have been MY perfect .45 CC gun, but they went the way of the RAP, which isn't my cup of tea. When I drilled down my list of requirements - weight, size, capacity, accessories - da winnah is the 30S.

I can shoot Glocks fine, I just have to work at it a bit harder than other guns. But considering all the 30S offers, it might be worth the effort.

Please don't tell anyone!! Counseling, however, is welcome.

* Mods, I goofed and stuck this in Revolvers... care to move it for me?
 
Glock Customer Service.
I live close to Smyrna, Georgia.
I have taken many Guns to Mr. Glock.
Impeccable service always.
Most of the time FREE.
Superb employees.
Why are you still reading this?
Everyone should have at least one. :)
 
I have owned 3 Glocks. I no longer own one, and I seriously doubt that I will ever own another one. The ergonomics stink and they do not point naturally for me. But, too each his own.
 
Mackay Sagebrush

Besides being a fortuitous Glock aficionado you're also a very good writer! I have enjoyed reading about your various Glock experiences (and of course any other firearm you would like to talk about), and encourage you to do more of it here on THR. Looking forward to your next installment!


Thanks Friend!

Very kind words, indeed. :)
 
The grip treatment is the only thing about my 30S about which I am not particularly keen.

G30S_zps59a47f49.jpg


I have 7 other .45acp pistols and while all are accurate, to me, the 30S is the most comfortable to shoot.


In regards to the grip, it is pretty easy to modify. I personally am not a fan of finger grooves, and wanted to get a bit higher grip on the G30s. I rounded off the finger grooves slightly, then undercut the back of the trigger guard where it meets the frame. These 2 minor modifications made a difference and now I like the compact big bore even better.

The mods can be seen here.

 
My 30S that I've been carrying for about 2 1/2 months now. I find compact guns fit me best for carry guns and technically glock labels the 30S as a sub compact but the dimensions say it's a compact considering its about the same size and weight of the g19/23/32. I also carry a hk usp compact 45 from time to time but it's bigger, heavier, and less capacity. The 30S I think is the perfect 45 carry gun if there is such a thing. But then again I carried a glock 23 for years and years so I may be little glock biased IMG_0656.JPG IMG_0658.JPG IMG_0657.JPG
 
I don't understand all the Glock hate. By now it should be readily apparent that Gaston was on to something. His pistol has revolutionized the industry and is now the one all others are compared to. I initially jumped on the bandwagon because I was interested in the 10mm Auto cartridge and the G20 had durability and capacity over most other designs chambered for that cartridge. A decade later, I still love my Gen III Glock 20. I had a G19 stole out of my truck. I miss it and can't imagine replacing it with anything else when the time comes. The G19 is IMO the best 9mm ever created. Perfect size, good capacity, lightweight, and unapologetically, boringly reliable with no qualifiers. Glocks haven't taken over the industry cause they suck. They work every time without excuses, still have among the best capacity for their frame size of any pistol on the market, and are so simple that all one needs to work on them is 15 min of Youtube and a pin punch. You don't need to be sorry you're jumping on the Glock bandwagon. There are far worse wagons to be on.

My quintessential trail pistol. Loaded, it provides 15+1 200 gr FMJ-FP or Hornady XTPs-- driven just over 1200 fps. Little bigger than the 30, but has a lot more ballistic performance when something is trying to chew on you. And in MT, conceal-ability isn't as important outside city limits.
 
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From a "never owned a Glock guy," this has become an inescapable truth for me. Sometimes you just can't argue with reality.
No, you can't lol. You will really notice how the glock feels awkward in your hands at first, especially after years of shooting other guns with obvious superior ergonomics. But after handling and shooting the 30S for a while you'll suddenly one day feel like it's and extension of your hand. I never liked the sub compact and full size glock ergos and the 30S is slightly different than the compact sizes in feel because it's a tad bit thicker. One day I drew my G30S out the holster and ran some drills and it was like WOW! Now it's my favorite 45 acp polymer pistol and I've had quite a few. Glocks grow on you for sure.
 
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