Colt Defender or Glock 36

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"WayneO.... not sure what you are saying with reference to what I wrote? Can you clarify? I never mentioned the Glock 36.

The Defender has a 3" barrel. The barrel in the Glock 30 & 36 is 3.8", IIRC, and has polygonal rifling, which tends to keep velocity from dropping as much. You WILL get better velocity from the Glock 30 and 36 w/3.8" polygonal barrel than you will with the Defender's 3" standard rifling barrel.

And you'll get MUCH better CAPACITY with the Glock 30, if you can handle it's "beefiness" in the grip."
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Thanks for clearing it up for me!

Wayne
 
I have both and honestly prefer the Colt as my every day carry weapon. It fits me better, is more comfortable and is somewhat easier to conceal. I prefer shooting the Colt over the Glock. Accuracy, recoil and handling are better (for me). The Defender carries one more round than the 36; not that I'm a "Capacity Freak" (I figure that unless you are LE or Mil, if you can't protect you and yours with 5, you can't do it no matter how many rounds you have) I do carry the Glock when I'm hiking or riding a motorcycle only because I prefer teh extra security of a thumbstrap to insure the pistol doesn't fall from it's holster when I'm doing active things like that. (Only thumbstrap holster I've found for my Colt requires the hammer to be down-and I only carry a 1911 cocked and locked (no IDF training here)) If I had to choose only one - it would be the Colt but at the same time I have to say that of my weapons, (Colt, Glock, Kahr & Taurus) the only one I've had to send back to the factory because it wasn't right out of the box, is the Colt) But thats a another story.
 
if you can't protect you and yours with 5, you can't do it no matter how many rounds you have
Click to expand...

This type of comment is often casually made here and there. It is simply wishful thinking! Usually offered by someone with a low capacity gun.

Let's start by realizing that handguns are VERY POOR STOPPERS. Yes, it's entirely possible that 5 shots might be enough to stop an attack on you or your family.

But then again, think about how quickly those five shots will be fired and how unlikely any one or two of them are in causing a doped up, pumped up, muscle bound, cold-hearted, cold-blooded killer to drop in his tracks instantly.

Do you think all five will all strike the target perfectly? Do you realize that two or three or four of them, or ALL of them, may miss the target as you scramble to protect yourself in the heat of a sudden, violent confrontation? And even if you do get two solid hits, do you think the perp is going to instantly fall to the ground and cease the attack?

Are you sure you won't find yourself in a situation where there may be two or three (or even more) people threatening you? There are so many possible ways for this to happen. And all you have are 5 shots before your gun turns into a stone? Reload? Yeah right... not very likely in the heat of close encounter defense. I'll take a five-shot gun over none at all, but not if I have a choice.

Do you quote the old statistic (probably coined thirty years ago) that *most* defense encounters are over within three or four shots? If you bank your strategy on that statistic, why don't you bank your strategy on the statistic that you are not likely to ever need to use a gun to defend yourself - therefore, don't even both to be armed.

I submit that these days it makes a LOT of sense to carry a gun with as high a capacity as you can comfortably handle in a caliber as potent as you can manage. Perps don't instantly fall down when they are hit by bullets. You may have two or three or four jacked-up heartless jerks to deal with.

There is a good possibility that it may take FIVE SOLID HITS very well placed in very rapid order to bring an attacker to the ground quickly. After your five are spent, assuming you were fortunate enough to have made all five of those rounds count perfectly, what do you do about the other guy or two who are hell bent on taking you out? Throw the gun at them?

Certainly 5 shots is better than none. But greater capacity is ALWAYS much better. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Don't plan for the best and find yourself having to deal with the worst.

Every choice you make in life involves a compromise. Whatever you gain, you give something up. Can't get around that. I love .45 and have a lot of guns in that caliber. My favorite guns are 1911's. I also like .40 and 9mm.

BUT, for me, after considerable study and thought, I have chosen the Glock 23 which is a compact, very concealable, stone reliable CCW which carries 14 rounds of .40.

This is NOT my "favorite" handgun, but it is my smartest choice in a CCW because of the reliability, capacity, and potency. I like the gun a lot, I like the capacity a lot, I like the reliability and durability a lot, I can shoot it very well, and the caliber is a reasonably good choice for a handgun. Your mileage may vary.

Just some thoughts.
 
One of the beauties of living in the USA is that we are all free ot express our own opinion, as I have - and I'm still convinced my position is best for me. However; the topic of this post was the personal preference between 2 specific weapons, Model 36 vs. Defender. I suppose I could have just kept my comment to one having a 6 round mag and the other up to a 7 round mag but that isn't an over riding factor in my preference. In fact, if the mag capacity were reversed, I would still prefer the Defender.
 
The reason for my digression from topic is that I have given a lot of thought to carrying the Defender that I once owned. After a lot of careful consideration, I decided it would be a much better decision to carry a Commander (bobtailed) for many reasons (stated above). Beyond that, I have leaned toward increased capacity as well (stated above). I just though that these additional considerations *might* be helpful to anyone who is in the position of thinking of choosing a Defender or G36 as a carry gun. None of these is really a bad decision, but there are really so very many factors to consider.... I think it's a really complicated decision to make.

ONE more thought regarding capacity.... remember when we had a ban on sale of magazines with more than 10 rounds? If the Democrats get their way, we may see such a ban again! Buy your high(er) capacity guns and mags now that you can!
 
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Real quick

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I agree with D Hart in regards to shooting 185gr in 3" barrels, not too use it.

Personally, I have found that with my Colt Defender, I get far less snap with 230gr JHP's along with far better follow-up shots with accuracy. I trust that the 230gr JHP will be most effective, if needed, and even here in Winter time in Calif.'s colder 50 degree nights, and 64 degree days, and the heavier clothing that goes with it.. lol I hear all those back east and in the mountains laughing at that being cold.. :D

As far as most 3" guns being limited (especially for me in Calif, 10 round max) that given what it will, if ever, be used for, up close and personal, at 16ft or closer, 7 rounds should suffice to change one's, BG/s encounter, situation.

And I have no problems carrying 1 extra mag, but I could carry 2, in the same mag clip, if I wanted to, as reloading mags, for me, is quick, a force of habit, well learned.

I don't go to places, nor seek them out, that support war zone type battles.

I always look back over my entire life, without any incidents, before I joined the handgun, CCW, club, and use the same (SA)thought-process today, as I did for all those years without a gun out in public and feel confident that my better judgement will keep me from ever having to fire a shot, let alone, pull and load-up a reserve mag, and use up all 14 shots.

Least, that is my game plan for the rest of my life..


Ls
 
Lonestar... there is a lot to be said for living life well, staying in a good & generally safe zone. The way I live my life, I am extremely unlikely to ever have to defend my life with a gun... though I do plan for the worst. Of course, the last thing most of us would ever want to do is have to pull out our gun in a defensive encounter! Chances are good most of us will never have to do that and should we have to, again chances are that 8-9 rounds on board will be enough. I just have a better comfort zone knowing that I have more than that (11 rounds in my G30, 14 in my G23, 16 in my G19) before having to reload.

As you live in California, it is unfortunate that the State has decided you cannot buy any mags with greater than 10 capacity. Is it ok to posses them and carry them if you already owned them before? Or has the great liberal state banned that as well???
 
Yes and No

Quote: As you live in California, it is unfortunate that the State has decided you cannot buy any mags with greater than 10 capacity. Is it ok to posses them and carry them if you already owned them before?

Or has the great liberal state banned that as well???
...

It's, IIRC, legal for anyone that owned any guns prior to when the law came into effect to have 14 round mags, or larger mag loads for rifles, with any weapons owned, with proof, if the matter were to come into legal question.

As for me, any guns I own are restricted to the 10 round max, even if I buy a used gun from anyone, any business, if they came with 14 round mags, etc., legally, they cannot go with the purchased used gun, nor used. One must find legal 10 rounders for any gun, used, to stay legal.

So, one or two reserve mags is the only way for many of us.


Ls
 
i would go with the glock nothing to hang up on if you ever had to pull it (pray that you dont).im with dhart i also would like to have a few more rounds. i have a glock 20c (10mm) with a 15rd clip and thats good enough for me but to each his own
 
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