Colt Mustang Pocketlite vs. Glock 36

I have an older Colt Government 380 and it's a very nice pistol. It's small, reliable, easy to conceal, and is really lovely. I also have a Glock 36 and it's definitely a better range gun and for personal protection is a much better choice. There is no comparison between the two different rounds. The Glock is a very accurate pistol and it's recoil is not as bad as most 40 cal Glocks.

The advantage to the Colt is one of ease of concealment. It's smaller and can be more comfortably carried. I've also found that loading your 380 magazine with Buffalo Bore ammo will put the 380 right up there with the 38 special in terms of impact energy. It will be easier to shoot than the 45. That is an important consideration. You just need one box of the Buffalo Bore. One magazine to test fire, and 18 left over for emergency use.

I think you'd like the Colt better. If you shoot straight it will get the job done. If you just want to pull the trigger once - get the G36.

Here's my personal opinion on the matter:

I own a G36. I have never, and will never advocate, a .380 for protection... especially as a house gun.

The .380, when loaded hot hot hot, will approach the low-to-mid-level .38 spc loadings. the .38 spc is generally considered the absolute minimum for personal defense. Yes, it has been shooting bad guys for a long time, but it has also been letting bad guys get away for a long time, too.

Even the "mighty" .45 doesn't stop every adversary after the first shot. It's still a pistol round, after all. Most defensive fire experts agree that a fighting caliber should start at 9mm for semi-autos, .38 for revolvers, and work its way up from there... depending on how well you can handle the recoil.

Recoil in the G36 is stout for a .45, no lie there; but it is entirely manageable for myself and most others I have given time on the range to. The only person who thought it too much to handle was my friend's wife who coincidentally also thought my buddy's full-size Taurus 1911 too stout. We were shooting +p handloads through it, fwiw. She is about 110-115 lbs and very thin.

The G36 is almost as slim as a 1911. In fact, I recently had the opportunity to do a side-by-side size comparison to a Detonics Combat Master, the original micro-1911 production pistol. The CM was physically thinner overall, but by .1" or so. However, it did feel drastically slimmer in the hand. The Glock fills the hand better, at least it does mine. That makes it easier to control for me.

The Glock's Trigger is actually pretty decent, though I will agree no match for a nice single-action trigger pull. But if you're sold on a 1911-pattern pistol, why not go with any number of micro-1911's available on the new or used market? That Combat Master I mentioned earlier was being sold with 3 magazines and a holster (a pretty nice one, at that) for $650. I have about $100 or more over that in my G36 set-up with holster and 3 magazines because they were all bought new.

The only arguments I can make for a .380 on the plus side is that it is significantly easier to conceal, and the recoil is milder than most "serious" calibers.

.380 takes the worst part of the .45 (the *potential* for under-penetration when dealing with barriers) and in particular the .380 you are talking about (the low magazine capacity) and combines it with the most-lamented part of the 9mm (the small caliber/light weight). The arguments are typically small and fast vs large and slow... you are considering small and slow, so you can see where that puts the .380 in terms of the traditional arguments. Additionally, out of a small barrel the .45 doesn't suffer as much from velocity loss as smaller caliber bullets do. The reason is in figuring energy numbers, the weight of the projectile is constant, but the velocity is squared.

Lastly, I encourage you to look at a comfortable IWB holster regardless of what you choose. Pocket carry isn't particularly safe, but if you must pocket carry a SA pistol, do so on an empty chamber. Having said that, that simply adds one more step you'll have to perform under duress in the event you need to defend your life or the life of someone you love.

I have both the guns you mention. Given the choice, between the two, the G36 would be my vote.

With the proper holster and belt the G36 is easy to conceal IWB. Blade Tech makes an excellent IWB holster that is thin.

I personally don't like pocket carry, but if this is still of interest, and you can get only one gun, look at a compact gun in 9mm. Kahr PM9/CM9 with a Pearce +0 mag base PG-MK9 gives a good grip on the gun. Add a 7 round spare magazine and that's 14 rounds. The gun is light and recoil is noticeable, but manageable.

I think you realize, the ideal range/house gun is not the ideal carry gun. If the primary use is range/HD. I would get a full size gun. Having said that the G36 with spare mags, and perhaps a few mags with Pearce +1 mag bases, and Wolff +10% mag springs, would make a formidable house gun.

I see you were typing at the same time I was.

Good choice on the Glock.

Jumbo, I have to say I think you made a great choice. Now the most important accessories you can buy are bullets, targets, and a nice holster. Practice often, and after several hundred rounds any upgrades to the sight or trigger you want to have done will make themselves evident.

Enjoy your new gun!

Get both. I have a g36 that I've carried IWB for almost 4 years every day. I also have a sig p238 that is almost identical to the colt mustang and don't carry as much but when i do its while I'm wearing cargo shorts and it lives in my side pocket. If you can only get one I'd get the g36 no doubt about it. Its a more useful gun and the 45acp is far better (and cheaper in my area) for self defense.

Cory