If someone was really in love with the 45 ACP and didn't want to carry a 1911 would the G36 be a good option? I understand the trade offs related to capacity. I guess I'm asking if the 36 is a viable alternative to a 4" 1911?
If someone was really in love with the 45 ACP and didn't want to carry a 1911 would the G36 be a good option? I understand the trade offs related to capacity. I guess I'm asking if the 36 is a viable alternative to a 4" 1911?
The G36 was one of the worst Glocks. The SS mag never leant itself to great reliability. An M&P 45c would be a much better choice or a G30 or USPc, or HK45c.
I had one, and carried it for a year as an experiment. Mine was reliable, surprisingly soft on the recoil, and very accurate. In fact, it was the most accurate of the six Glocks I have. Getting parts for it can often be harder than the other Glocks, simply because everything is different on a G36. There is very little parts commonality between it and the other Glocks. Which in turn, might be a reason why folks tend to have more problems.
I sold mine not due to any problems with it, but simply because I wanted to just use 9mm Glocks. So off it went.
I would have said it's the most problematic Glock, but then those Austrian geniuses came out with the Gen4 G19.....
I'd only buy a used G36 from trusted sources. I tried a G30, but shot the G36 way better, due to hand fit issues. I have relatively small hands, have busted a lot of bones in both hands, and subsequently have arthritis in both.
ETA: I am only speaking from personal experience on the G36. I've never fired or owned a HK45C or an M&P45C. But from what I have read from people whose opinions I value, I would look at those first.
If I was carrying a shorter barrel .45, without question it would be an HK45C, for reasons of reliability, accuracy and build quality.
My experience with the G36 has been good. Very easy to carry and accuracy is quite acceptable with 230 gr. JHP and FMJ factory and hand loaded ammo.
I completed a two-day "Pistol Tune Up" class with this pistol at Gunsite. It was the first Glock in any caliber and the second short-barreled pistol in .45 ACP I had ever owned.
Before attending the Gunsite class, I had shot 250 rounds through it with zero malfunctions. On the first morning of class, I experienced three malfunctions with the pistol shooting handloads. The instructor correctly identified the fact that I was not holding the pistol firmly enough, and after tightening up my grip, the malfunctions stopped. I finished the first day with no further problems and had zero malfunctions the second day. Total rounds in the two days of class numbered between 600 and 650 rounds.
Since that time, I have fired another 850 rounds through the pistol, including a couple of "BUG" division local IDPA matches, and the gun has continued to shoot with no issues. It is small for my large (size 12 glove) hands, and has factory Glock night sights. I like mine, but you can't get lazy with your grip when shooting it. YMMV.
Early G36s were a crap shoot as GI played with the guns (esp feed geometry). New ones seen are fine. Buy NIB, or a known-good used one from a trusted other.
If shopping for a compact Glock 45, I'd wait until after SHOT. If you can't wait, I'd lean more toward a gen4 G30 than the G36.
I wouldn't bother with a compact 1911 unless I had time, money, and ammo to burn. And a spare gun.
I would posit that there is a vast difference in the likelihood of reliable function between a hand-built, multi-kilobuck Commander-length pistol from Heirloom Precision and any <4" rack-grade 1911 priced comparably to the Glock product.
I like 1911s and am not particularly fond of .45 Glocks, but I know where I'd put my limited funds in that case.