G30sf v.s. G36?

[jackson5]

Hey guys, newbie to the site, but not to ccw, I've been carrying my G17 or .357 taurus 605 for 3 years now. I'm not crazy about my revolver, but I love my Glock. I was looking at a new G36 ($598) today, and the gentleman at the gun shop introduced me to the G30sf ($618), I was thinking about a G19, but really want the stopping power of a .45. whats the difference other than the adjustable sights on the G30? Is it worth the extra couple bucks? and lastly, what does the SF mean. It didn't feel that much different in my hand, but the 36 is almost too small. thanks in advance for your help!

Jackson

[JimBianchi]

SF means "Short Frame" according to the GLOCK Talk Brain Trust, so I will take them at their word.

I love my G30 (non SF) mostly because of the accuracy and fast follow ups.

I will say, before someone else does, handgun stopping power is mostly a misnomer.

The .45 ACP does make a nice big holes and while it may expand, it will never shrink. Bigger holes mean more blood loss, but CNS hits kill quicker, long before blood loss becomes an issue.

In the GLOCK calibers,(9, 45, 40, 45, 357SIG, 10) with the right bullet and initial FPS all can deliver 400 to 500 FPE of stopping power, all can penatrate the FBI recommended 12+ inches to hit vital organs and stop the threat.

IMO, only the 10mm can/or may conssistantly over penatrate. (Which I think is a big plus. Bad guy gets two holes with each bullet!)

And of course the .357MAG has the best all time proven street record, but it is a real BOOM stick in short CCW and limited to only 5, 6, 7 or 8 rounds.

GLOCKS, for the most part, start at 9 rounds.

Enjoy what ever you buy.

I love my G30.

[Ravenbear]

I love my G30. And as caliber is a personal thing, they will all do the job.
I am not a big fan of rounds that tend to over penetrate, I have up to five kids in my house and if I was to have to stop a BG I want the round to stop where I put it. Not taking out one of my kids too.
Big rounds do make big holes, and therefore more blood loss, but more to the point they cause a lot of impact trauma, shock and stun.. Which to me equates to giving the BG more to think about that hurting me or mine. Just my humble opinion. :cool:

[shoot_em_up]

i felt them both up, and ordered the 36....

it should be here tommorow. i'll toss you a range report.

[9mmdude]

It is a handgun and stopping power starts with a rifle. If you like the 19 get the 19. With modern ammo the 9mm vs. 45 debate is settled, both will do the job.

Get what feels best in your hand.

[omaha64]

Jackson,

I don't know where you are located, but I just purchased a new G30 fixed sight for $529+Tax in South Florida. The G30SF goes for the same price at this shop. I had a GT member PM me saying that he bought his 30SF for $511. That $618 you mentioned seems a little high. If you decide to take the 30, look around a little more.

I jumped from 9mm to .45 and am enjoying it. The recoil of the 30 is not that much worse than my G19 or G26. Ammo is more expensive though so keep that in mind when you make your decision. I agree with 9mmdude about the 9mm role in SD/HD. I just wanted to try my hands on a higher caliber to see what it's all about.

[J.P.]

Hey guys, newbie to the site, but not to ccw, I've been carrying my G17 or .357 taurus 605 for 3 years now. I'm not crazy about my revolver, but I love my Glock. I was looking at a new G36 ($598) today, and the gentleman at the gun shop introduced me to the G30sf ($618), I was thinking about a G19, but really want the stopping power of a .45. whats the difference other than the adjustable sights on the G30? Is it worth the extra couple bucks? and lastly, what does the SF mean. It didn't feel that much different in my hand, but the 36 is almost too small. thanks in advance for your help!

Jackson

The G30 has a long history of reliability, accuracy,and a generally respected firearm....the G30sf is just an extension of that with the only difference being that the frame is slimmer.
On the other hand, the G36 has a history of being a truly bastard design and a completely defective lemon.
Yeah....some people have had zero problems with theirs but even Glock has admitted failure with the design in some cases. A well known gun shop even traded their g36s back in to Glock for G30s because the problems couldn't be solved satisfactorily. (sorry, you're gonna have to research this one yourself if you need "proof" linkage)
Now as far as "feel" is concerned, I personally feel that the G30 is too fat, and the G30sf is better but not by much. A lot of people have said the G36 feels awkward like a "deck of cards" or a "2x4".
I don't have such an issue with the G36's size or feel but I don't trust them to run reliably.period.
(sorry but I've been burned too badly)
I think you'd be much better served with the G19, and practice ammo will be common to your G17 and certainly cheaper!
"Stopping power" isn't something you gain in going from 9mm to .45, that's gained through training.
If your dead set on a Glock .45, the way I see it is that you are going to have to make the G30 or SF work for you. ;)
..... the 45GAP could be another option. :dunno:

[Dean]

How important is concealment to you?
The G30 is a war weapon. it's a compact .45 ACP duty pistol.
The G36 is much more concealable, but is less comfortable to shoot.

For a seldom shooting citizen who carries concealed and doesn't expect to need his weapon: G36 or G39.
For a hardcore guy who frequents the range weekly and works in a high stress, high violence environment - G30 or G23. :drillsgt:

[GMAN40]

You'll be best served with either the G30sf or the G19. Although the G19 is cheaper to shoot.

[Hivoltage]

I just got a G36 and really like it.

[pens-66]

I had both..I would suggest the G36..It was lighter,thinner and fit my hand better.I concealed better and was more comfortable to carry...But the G30SF was nice too,but I wanted something for everyday carry and it just didnt fit the bill for me.

[WayaX]

The difference between the 36 and the 30sf is in width of the gun (thinness) or width of the grip (from backstrap to finger grooves). The 36 is thinner than the 30sf, while the 30sf is shorter front to back in the grip.

As for the sights, the standard GLOCK sights are non-adjustable. Adjustable sights cost more. For a carry gun, the adjustable sights are pointless. If it will be a carry gun, you'll probably want to switch out whatever sights it comes with for a good set of night sights, so paying extra for the adjustable rear sight would be silly.

The 30sf will allow you to deliver faster follow-up shots, as it absorbs more of the recoil. In my opinion the 36 has more felt recoil than a 20 (10mm).

The edge in concealability goes to the 36 but not by much. A good holster can conceal the 30sf well. I think where the 36 really excels is in carry comfort. With a thin holster, the 36 sometimes feels like it isn't even there.

I wouldn't worry too much about "stopping power" when carrying any service caliber pistol. A good first shot and fast follow-up shots are more important than caliber. "Stopping power" is an excuse for mall ninjas who think a bigger caliber gun is an excuse for not training.

[RichZman]

I love my G30. And as caliber is a personal thing, they will all do the job.
I am not a big fan of rounds that tend to over penetrate, I have up to five kids in my house and if I was to have to stop a BG I want the round to stop where I put it. Not taking out one of my kids too.
Big rounds do make big holes, and therefore more blood loss, but more to the point they cause a lot of impact trauma, shock and stun.. Which to me equates to giving the BG more to think about that hurting me or mine. Just my humble opinion. :cool:
Well said. :wavey:

[jackson5]

Thanks for the opinions guys.
I am in southern WV, and I figured the prices at the mom and pop gun stores I like to frequent aren't the best at $618 for a G30sf.
I understand what your saying about the adjustable sight and not needing it because I'll probably replace it with night sights, makes sence.
I also agree that stopping power is where you put it, not so much how big the bullet is, I have been comfortable carrying my 9mm despite what naysayers share with me about it not be able to expand and blah blah blah... All I know is that is probably hurts real freakin bad and will give me time to evacuate my son and myself while the threat is stabilized.
Lastly my buddy has a G19 in great shape he's had for about two years from new and has maybe put 5-600 rnds through it; he wants $350, good deal right? He lives in PA, I live in WV, how do you legally transfer ownership of this weapon?
Thanks again guys

[sevenpedaler]

Thanks for the opinions guys.
I am in southern WV, and I figured the prices at the mom and pop gun stores I like to frequent aren't the best at $618 for a G30sf.
I understand what your saying about the adjustable sight and not needing it because I'll probably replace it with night sights, makes sence.
I also agree that stopping power is where you put it, not so much how big the bullet is, I have been comfortable carrying my 9mm despite what naysayers share with me about it not be able to expand and blah blah blah... All I know is that is probably hurts real freakin bad and will give me time to evacuate my son and myself while the threat is stabilized.
Lastly my buddy has a G19 in great shape he's had for about two years from new and has maybe put 5-600 rnds through it; he wants $350, good deal right? He lives in PA, I live in WV, how do you legally transfer ownership of this weapon?
Thanks again guys

um, with legal tender and a handshake:whistling:

[RAINS]

.45 is the best cal handgun you can carry as a CHL holder. (with some exceptions it dose not go threw cars very well, .45's kick more and are bigger to tote around as well) Alas even if the bullet fails to expand at all it still won't over penetrate nearly as much as 9mm, .40 or .357 sig will. Sure .38+P, 9mm, .40. .357 sig all work very well if the bullets work like they are supposed to. BUT BEWARE OF MURPHY! His law is absolute .45 acp works no matter what. As soon as I can get the green I am going to get a 30SF.


R

[hill billy]

How important is concealment to you?
The G30 is a war weapon. it's a compact .45 ACP duty pistol.
The G36 is much more concealable, but is less comfortable to shoot.

:I have and love them both. I disagree that the 36 is uncomfortable at all to shoot and I am a smaller guy. It's a toss up for me which one is my favorite.

[Sarge45]

i felt them both up, and ordered the 36....

it should be here tommorow. i'll toss you a range report.

Same here. Thin is in for carry. :supergrin:

[Not Simple]

Oh this frame is shorter, this one is thinner, this one has a longer barrel, this one is better for big hands, this one is better for smaller hands, this one is trouble free, this one is accurate, this one is longer in production, this one is Gastons answer to the 1911, this one is Marvin the Martian's favorite, this one is Massad Ayoobs favorite, Guns magazine wrote this about this one,

And so forth and so on.......... till hell freezes over.

Look, here is the real score

Model 30 (any flavor) 10 rounds

Model 36 ( " " ) 6 rounds

Any questions?

_______________________________

[RAINS]

Umm never could figure out the point of a 6 shot automatic pistol. If your only talking 6 rounds then I start talking snub.


R

[Sarge45]

Look, here is the real score

Model 30 (any flavor) 10 rounds

Model 36 ( " " ) 6 rounds

Any questions?

_______________________________

I guess if that's all that important, why stop with 10 ? Heck, get a model 21 and go for the gusto with an extended mag. (self edit)

[Not Simple]

Sarge, your feathers ruffled because I used your signature line in my post?
Well please accept my humble apology.............. Ok then wasn't the point of the OP to carry this weapon for CCW? Yeah I think it was. He probably wants to have something to carry that doesn't print like Desert Eagle "Get It" ?

Ok now I shouldn't have picked on you that wasn't nice.

I wasn't trying to get under your thin skin, so please don't take it as a personal affront to you. Scheeesch !!

Now that said I still think that in the realm of practical concealment a Mod. 36 isn't a bad choice. However for not too much of a give away in bulk I think I would swap it for the 10 round Mod. 30. Normally more snowballs wins. Two mags for the Mod. 30 gives me eight more than two mags for your Mod.36............ And are you still with me here on the math? that makes it two more than you carrying three mags. Simple huh?

Yeah I think I get it.

[Sarge45]

No, not really. I just didn't get your over simplistic approach to the "round count means all" recommendation. Sorry if you thought I was reactive. I guess when I read it again it does appear so. My day was full of the criminal element and I'm just short of fried. My apologies.

My thing is for common carry, a combination of factors is at play. Many complain of the 30 being too fat and unfriendly for concealment. On the other hand, many don't, also. Your choice is good for certain but many times, if a gun ends up being too thick, large or heavy for carry the end user oft times ends up trading or buying another gun because of these factors.

When I bought the 36 I handled the 30 extensively. My goal is the most "carryable" gun in the most optimal caliber (and I like .45). That means IWB and OWB. I wanted to choose the 30 but there was such a tangible difference in feel between the two so I jumped on the 36. Ten rounds vs. six ? I don't mind a reload if needed but that thin little .45 is a hard thing for me not to like.

Again, your choice is good IMO but I just wanted to say, this time a little more diplomatically, that round count should not be the primary indicator of a good carry gun. If the OP gets either one, he will be well armed.

[Detectorist]

If the G36 is comfortable for you to handle, then it's a great CCW weapon. Make sure you get a new one. The one I had would jam 2-5 times out of 50 rounds, and it was a used one. The dealer gave me full credit towards a G30SF.

I view CCW guns as weapons of last resort. No need, in my view, to carry a year's supply of ammo with you....

It would be interesting to do a survey of CCW using their weapons and how many shots it took to neutralize the threat..

And WayaX - that avatar of yours gets me every time. I keep trying to flick that bug off of my screen. :wavey:

[Hivoltage]

So all used guns jam?

[stmcelroy]

So all used guns jam?

Of course, that's why they are for sale:tongueout::tongueout::tongueout:


Some early Glock 36's had issues, so that is why you see most people recommending a "new" one. I'm sure there is a rough serial number where things changed, but i'm not positive where that starts.

[Atlas]

Umm never could figure out the point of a 6 shot automatic pistol. If your only talking 6 rounds then I start talking snub.
R


You are of course entitled to your opinion and preference, but...
Snub-nose revolver 6-shot means reloading cartridge-by-cartridge or with a speed-loader.

G-36 means a small, easy-to-pocket, easy/quick-to-reload magazine.
The G-36 fits my hand better than any other Glock.

I have a few G-36 mags with the Pearce +1 mag extension and they work 100%, but I've come to (usually) prefer the mags as they are with 6-rd capacity. It is nice to have the choice though...

Depends I suppose on what scenario you want to feel prepared for.


FWIW, my G-36 was purchased in late 2001, and has never failed with any ammo I feed it.
.

[RichZman]

I guess a carry gun, IMO, would be for some sort of an emergency when you are out away from your domain, so I like a 36 in the ankle holster. If I'm going to be in an area know for having a popoulation of undesirables, I may put the 30 on the hip, but still have the 36 on the ankle. If necessary, I'll have the 21 close by, too. But at that stage of the ballgame, I have to ask myself...do I really need to be there??:dunno:If I'm expecting trouble, maybe the .45's shouldn't be my first choice.

[jackson5]

I really like the size of the 36, however, I definantly need to feel it up some more and see how much of an extension I need, I want it to be comfortable to carry, the G17 with my SOB holster I typically use is getting old especially at the end of summer, during the winter it's no biggie. I was open to used or new, I just never find a used 36, so I figured I probably had to get new anyway. What kind of difference in recoil should I expect between this and my G17? Is it a fairly controllable weapon despite it's small size?

[hill billy]

I bought my 36 used, it only jams when I use magazine's with a +1 extension.

[goody]

I had a G30, it's an awesome little package 10 rounds of 45 in a relatively small package..........But it was too fat for my grip and too fat for cc (for me), I just had to try too hard to hide it. I sold it and got the G36 and yes I read all the reviews of it not being reliable, I still went with it because of the size and I figured Glock would stand behind it if i had issues. To date it is my favorite cc gun. It is a 45 which I like. It has enough rounds and being a semi-auto, it's easy and fast to reload and the extra mags are easy to carry because they are thin also. The gun simply disappears in several different holsters. Several thousand rounds later I have yet to have an issue with it, 100% reliable so far. I also find it easy to shoot unlike some others. I guess it comes down to what you want to do with it. You should try them all and base your decision on your needs and what fits them best.

[yotecaller]

The Glock 36 is close to the perfect carry gun.The only gun I would rather carry is my Wilson Combat KZ45 compact.But the Wilson is a bit more heavy.

[Remington700VS]

7+1 has worked for many guns for longer than Glocks have been around...

[hill billy]

7+1 has worked for many guns for longer than Glocks have been around...

Except a 36 is 6+1.:wavey:

[Dalton Wayne]

Glock 30

[Atlas]

Glock 30+6


:supergrin:

[J.P.]

I had a G30, it's an awesome little package 10 rounds of 45 in a relatively small package..........But it was too fat for my grip and too fat for cc (for me), I just had to try too hard to hide it. I sold it and got the G36 and yes I read all the reviews of it not being reliable, I still went with it because of the size and I figured Glock would stand behind it if i had issues. To date it is my favorite cc gun. It is a 45 which I like. It has enough rounds and being a semi-auto, it's easy and fast to reload and the extra mags are easy to carry because they are thin also. The gun simply disappears in several different holsters. Several thousand rounds later I have yet to have an issue with it, 100% reliable so far. I also find it easy to shoot unlike some others. I guess it comes down to what you want to do with it. You should try them all and base your decision on your needs and what fits them best.

Glad to hear you haven't had any issues with yours.

Glock offered to stand behind mine but wanted me to pay shipping which I wasn't too thrilled about..... Especially not after seeing other G36s come back from Glock still unreliable.

I've heard that people can get Glock to pay for shipping but I've never had any luck getting that to happen. :dunno:

[SC_G36]

You are of course entitled to your opinion and preference, but...
Snub-nose revolver 6-shot means reloading cartridge-by-cartridge or with a speed-loader.

G-36 means a small, easy-to-pocket, easy/quick-to-reload magazine.
The G-36 fits my hand better than any other Glock.

I have a few G-36 mags with the Pearce +1 mag extension and they work 100%, but I've come to (usually) prefer the mags as they are with 6-rd capacity. It is nice to have the choice though...

Depends I suppose on what scenario you want to feel prepared for.


FWIW, my G-36 was purchased in late 2001, and has never failed with any ammo I feed it.
.

+1....same story w/mine...has never failed to feed many different brands and types of rounds. It was made in 2008.

[elde]

1000 rounds in my 36: tried every kind of round I could find to ensure it was reliable - old Speer flying ashtrays, Hydra Shoks, aluminum Blazers, Barnes Hex Bullets, my personal reloads - not a single failure of any kind. I rely on it for carry every day.

[sigcalcatrant]

And of course the .357MAG has the best all time proven street record, but it is a real BOOM stick in short CCW and limited to only 5, 6, 7 or 8 rounds.
And that is why I like the .357SIG.

[Prosser]

What kind of difference in recoil should I expect between this and my G17? Is it a fairly controllable weapon despite it's small size?

The design of the recoil spring on the G36 makes it very comfortable to shoot. The recoil will feel different from shooting a 9mm, but not 'stronger'. I'm always surprised on how light the recoil 'feels' when shooting my G36. I shoot 115gr, 124gr, and 147gr in 9mm and 230gr in .45ACP. I carry a G19 on duty, but choose to carry a G36 off duty for better CC, especially in warmer weather.
And as others have posted, no issues with mine ever. But, I would stick with a newer G36 because the reliability issues were a concern early in production.

[Remington700VS]

Except a 36 is 6+1.:wavey:

Mine has a pearce +1 mag extension :wavey:

[hill billy]

Mine has a pearce +1 mag extension :wavey:

I have Sherer's that I got in a deal. They make mine jam.:wavey:

[buckshotshorty]

I went through a bunch of guns for carry. In my opinion, ounce for ounce, and inch for inch no gun packs the punch, lightness, built-to-carry, and reliability of the G36. I also own and carry a G-30, when dress permits. As far as concealability though, there aren't many better than the 36. As for the SF model, it is only narrower in the backstrap. It really didn't feel good in my hand, the 30 and 36 felt better even though they are quite different from each other. If you can, fondle each.

As for the extra rounds that the Glock-30 carries over the 36, I'm not concerned, 'cause I figure if I can't get the job done with 7 rounds, I'm in deep doo-doo anyway!

My favorite Glocks:

http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s360/cantshoot4crap/G30_G36d.jpg