Which gen is this Glock 30.....

It's considered a "Gen3", possibly made in 2010. The model appears to be a Glock 30SF. It's got an extended slide-stop installed and an "optional" 9-round mag. It would have originally come with 2 10-round mags.

2/3/21. OP now says it's an "S" or G30S model. I can't see any letter "S" following the "30" on the slide, but it may be there.

That is one of my favorite Glocks. I actually ended up with two of them. They are easy on the hand, accurate, and about the same size as a 19. I carry one of mine when I am in the mountains.

I have one of those and never really thought about the generation but it's good to know what L-2 provides.

Definitely a keeper. I have sold two in the past behind my general displeasure in my own personal interactions with Glocks.

Problem is, I shoot these little 30s so damn well. So, when the third one came along with upgraded springs, sights and a cool recoil-tube laser - I figured it's a keeper.

One question though - does anyone really get that 10th round in the magazine?

Also, "30SF" is that for Short & Fat?

Todd.

It's a gen 3, if there is an "sf" on the right side of the frame then... You guessed it, it's an SF.


I've been carrying my 30 sf since November 2012, it's an exceptional carry gun and IMO possibly the best glock ever made. Before the finish got goofy and ergonomics for people who think they need a larger grip on a glock. To me, the g30 is ideal for carry.

ApacheCoTodd said:

Also, "30SF" is that for Short & Fat?

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Yes, but that's ok. The ammos short & fat too.

Obturation said:

It's a gen 3, if there is an "sf" on the right side of the frame then... You guessed it, it's an SF.

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Thanks for the post. So mine is NOT an *SF*.

What makes and SF... SFey?

Todd.

It stands for Short Frame. Apparently there is a reduction in the width from the rear of the frame to the trigger.

ApacheCoTodd said:

Thanks for the post. So mine is NOT an *SF*.

What makes and SF... SFey?

Todd.

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Length from the backstrap to the trigger. Essentially a gen 4 size with no backstraps installed.
Mine was goofy because the trigger bar geometry changed but the didn't shorten the required parts originally and it would tend to hang up just out if battery. They fixed it a week after I bought it and it's never malfunctioned again, I've shot it A LOT.

9mmepiphany, Your IDPA experience is what I have discovered with my nearly stock G30. For your sight upgrade, I highly recommend the Dawson precision sight set. I like the red front fiber optic an the black rear sight. Works like a champ.

I will also share that the G30 will tear up the FBI Qualification Course of Fire. In carry mode, a pair of G21 mags in reserve s smart thinking.

Ks5shooter said:

Apparently its an "s" and came with a KKM barrel.Bought this for $500 ,waiting for it to arrive to my FFL. Came with one 10rd factory mag and one 9 round.
View attachment 975235

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The s model has the slide dimensions of the single stack g36 and the frame of a 30 or maybe an SF frame. Not sure. A bit more compact and still uses g21 mags, sweet gun

The 30S has the shorter SF frame and the narrower/lighter slide from the single-stack G36. Compared to the standard G30 and the SF, the S is a few ounces lighter, has a bit more recoil, and has fewer available accessories (e.g. barrels).

Ks5shooter said:

Apparently its an "s" and came with a KKM barrel.Bought this for $500 ,waiting for it to arrive to my FFL. Came with one 10rd factory mag and one 9 round.

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You scored! That is a great gun and I am sure you will love it.

Cool pistol. I used to have a gen 2.5, finger grooves, but no rail. Great shooter.

9mmepiphany said:

I do with the regular G30 magazine...I did find that the G30 seems to run a bit faster with a bit of tension taken off the magazine release spring.

It really is very accurate. More so than any G17 or G22 I've ever shot...even with the factory "football goalpost" rear sight. I took mine to an IDPA match this last weekend and was a bit surprised at how close my shots were landing to each other at the further targets (15 yards). I may have to upgrade the sights to a fiber optic front and blacked out rear to give the 1911s a run for their money

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This has been discussed by a few other folks too. I've also had exceptional accuracy that I didn't expect from every g30 I've fired. The speculation is that the barrel dimensions are such that it's able to to be rigid and it falls into a goldilocks zone for barrel harmonics because of all the factors combined. I can believe that but I'm not an expert on that sort of thing.

I increased my recoil spring weight and use a heavy steel guide rod, I find that it softens up recoil impulse and brings the muzzle back on target a little better. I'm not one for modifying carry guns but the added weight and spring tension seem to be good upgrades in this case. I had a g21 for years but didn't ever shoot it because the g30 shot just as well , if not better.

Obturation said:

This has been discussed by a few other folks too. I've also had exceptional accuracy that I didn't expect from every g30 I've fired. The speculation is that the barrel dimensions are such that it's able to to be rigid and it falls into a goldilocks zone for barrel harmonics because of all the factors combined. I can believe that but I'm not an expert on that sort of thing.

I increased my recoil spring weight and use a heavy steel guide rod, I find that it softens up recoil impulse and brings the muzzle back on target a little better. I'm not one for modifying carry guns but the added weight and spring tension seem to be good upgrades in this case. I had a g21 for years but didn't ever shoot it because the g30 shot just as well , if not better.

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It's nice to hear that there might actually be some physics to it rather than just some magical weirdness allowing me to fire these things far beyond any expectation as to accuracy.

Todd.

Obturation said:

This has been discussed by a few other folks too. I've also had exceptional accuracy that I didn't expect from every g30 I've fired. The speculation is that the barrel dimensions are such that it's able to to be rigid and it falls into a goldilocks zone for barrel harmonics because of all the factors combined. I can believe that but I'm not an expert on that sort of thing.

I increased my recoil spring weight and use a heavy steel guide rod, I find that it softens up recoil impulse and brings the muzzle back on target a little better. I'm not one for modifying carry guns but the added weight and spring tension seem to be good upgrades in this case. I had a g21 for years but didn't ever shoot it because the g30 shot just as well , if not better.

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Certainly not my experience with either my 30S or the 30 Gen 4. Accurate, yes, but not more accurate or anywhere near as smooth or easy to shoot as my Gen 4 21.

Part of my issue was the annoying hybrid compact/subcompact grip. Extended mags pinched my pinky terribly and the 9 rounds were better, but I prefer a full grip. I wish they'd gone with a fat 19 length grip instead.

Probably why I still have the 21 and don't have either 30.

JR24 said:

Certainly not my experience with either my 30S or the 30 Gen 4. Accurate, yes, but not more accurate or anywhere near as smooth or easy to shoot as my Gen 4 21.

Part of my issue was the annoying hybrid compact/subcompact grip. Extended mags pinched my pinky terribly and the 9 rounds were better, but I prefer a full grip. I wish they'd gone with a fat 19 length grip instead.

Probably why I still have the 21 and don't have either 30.

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I could see that, I'm talking more about potential accuracy - clamped in a vice or in a hand that can manipulate it like it wants.
Perhaps my advantage is that I learned to shoot SA revolvers first, my pinky never does anything . I can extend it, tuck it under, grip a little with it or whatever but it in no way is part of my normal handgun grip regardless of grip length. A 2 finger grip is the same as a 3 finger to me so the g30 works real well like that. If you're out of your comfort zone with the shorter grip, no doubt groups will suffer.

9mmepiphany said:

I believe it is due to the "rifling" in the barrel; you know the Glock barrels isn't true polygonal rifling, right? (I was told this quite a few years ago, by the country's leading H&K pistolsmith )

The .45 caliber barrel rifling is a hexagon as opposed to the 9mm which is an octagon.

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No, I wasn't aware one was a hex and the rest octogons. I don't know why that would matter and if one were better than the other why glock wouldn't just stick with the superior design.

I don't know if I can fully get behind that theory, only because as I mentioned before , I had a g21 for several years and I think the g30 was equally or even more accurate . even though that seems counterintuitive due to the shorter sight radius and reduced gripping surface. I'm not a competitive shooter and I really don't know much about the nuances of mechanical accuracy but some guns (for whatever reason) are easier to shoot well than others. That's something I can't easily explain , I do believe that most modern handguns are more mechanically accurate than I can take full advantage of so maybe there's some magic there that isn't as easily explained with the number of grooves (or corners?) In the barrel. But then again, maybe the grooves are the whole answer, I honestly don't know.

Obturation said:

seems counterintuitive due to the shorter sight radius

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Back in the day there was many articles where the gun reviewer would do a pair of Glocks. A full and a subcompact or a full and a compact. More often than not they got just as good groupings and plenty of times better groups from the smaller guns. Just how the gun fit. I can shoot my 29 just as good as my 20. But the 29 is dang near as big as the 20 too.

Personally I don't shoot my 27 as well as my 22. But its certainly me, not the gun.

Of course nowdays nobody needs to review a Glock much less two new models. They can copy and paste an old review and no one would know

crestoncowboy said:

Personally I don't shoot my 27 as well as my 22. But its certainly me, not the gun.

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Me either, or the 26 vs the 17. Slow fire, sure, they were pretty close that's true (still better with the big ones), but anything rapid or dynamic the bigger guns and bigger grips let me handle recoil and follow-ups better.

Also, if it's anything from the holster, I get to high on the subcompacts and end up with a bloody hand from slide bite pretty quick, unless I have a beavertail but that has some other discomfort with the way the "hump" interacts with my palm. All "me" issues though.