The Glock 48 is dumb: Change My Mind

[TC215]

Like my agency with the P320, they require an agency specific version of the 43/43X. Hopefully the improvements incorporated into both of these guns will make it into regular production.

The POW 43's have to be ordered directly from Glock purely because there are so many in circulation and it would be difficult for an average agent to identify if the gun had the agency-required changes.

The POW 43X's do not have to come from Glock, as any 43X with the black slide has the required changes. No silver-slide 43X's are allowed.

[Le Français]

but they're personally owned, right? I'm just curious if they shot other stuff on "their own time" to see if the problem is consistent.

Maybe their POW policy is different than I'm expecting. With our now defunct POW policy, we could only carry the authorized load but it's still your gun, you could do whatever you wanted at the range.

If memory serves, the policy applies to POWs as well as issued guns, and applies 24/7. I’ll hazard a guess that the idea is to avoid people damaging their duty guns with crappy reloads. (The agency does provide FMJ/TMJ ammo for training and practice.)

[YVK]

The POW 43X's do not have to come from Glock, as any 43X with the black slide has the required changes. No silver-slide 43X's are allowed.

What's the difference between silver and black? I have one of each, 48 silver and 43x black, to go with one frame and I've had no issues, sample size of 1 and all.

[GJM]

I have been trying to run down the ongoing changes between 43 and the different iterations of the 43X and 48, but so far have been unsuccessful beyond noting a difference in the finish, and the breach face cut out. Looking at the 3.1 and 4 inch Shield, for example, I see that the RSA is different between those two models.

[steve]

I’ve been kicking this around for a while- I thought the 43X and 43X Rail/MOS was a decent addition to the Glock line up. Slim, small, decent handling guns that could really fill a niche. Then I saw the 48 and I continually ask myself “why”. The 43X has an overall smaller footprint than a 19, better grip characteristics than a 26, with the same factory capacity, this gun ‘makes sense’ to me. The 48 doesn’t. Longer than a 19, similar footprint, granted thinner, but most folks who would buy a 48 or carry a 48 probably carried or would carry a 19. My dept just outfitted our secret squirrel group with 48s. They wear them in Blackhawk Retention style holster- not exactly a concealed carry design. This made no sense to me. The guns footprint is almost identical to a 19, you’re carrying it OWB, no rail 5 less rounds of capacity- why? Someone change my mind. I know these guns are supposedly the “bee’s knee” but I don’t understand the allure.

It looks to me as your initial title should be changed. My Department is using a Glock 48 OWB like a Glock 19, in a crappy holster, that is dumb. Nothing is wrong with the Glock 48 just the way someone you know is using it.

[HCM]

Have these shooters put other types of JHPs through them just to see if there's a difference?

I'd be greatly disappointed if I were in that same situation, and definitely wouldn't carry it either.

No. They haven’t since the 124 GDHP is the only authorized load.

It’s unlikely most of them would spend the money on other JHP duty loads. If they don’t them with something else it would be range type ammo.

I’ve run sone 124 hydra shok and 147 ranger through my G43 but not under pressure or in any significant amount.

[HCM]

Isn’t the 124 +p Gold Dot supposed to be a quality duty load?


Does the round perform well in other small autos, like the Shield?

It is a quality duty load - it’s made for duty guns and runs well in them.

IMHO the issue is this particular load cycles too fast for the timing window of the 43.

A standard velocity version would likely work better. But that’s a moot issue for us. We’ve issued 124 grain GDHP +p for 20 years and it works very well. We did ammo testing before the last round of duty gun testing, the result of which was to stick with the 124+p GDHP.

We just deauthorized 38 and 40 to standardize on 9mm. In the past we’ve had issues with people putting 9 mm and 40 caliber guns and in at least one instance someone loading a Glock 26 mag with 40 Cal rounds. Our training rounds are dyed purple to minimize the chances of someone carrying FMJ on the street. We are not going to induce the logistical issues that adding a second slim line gun only 9 mm duty load would entail.

Shields - no idea / moot issue shields are not something we authorize. It runs in the P365 guns so maybe ?

[EPF]

Isn’t the 124 +p Gold Dot supposed to be a quality duty load?


Does the round perform well in other small autos, like the Shield?

No issues with 124 GD +p or standard pressure in my P365s or P365XL

No issues with HST 124 +p either

[HCM]

No issues with 124 GD +p or standard pressure in my P365s or P365XL

No issues with HST 124 +p either

No issues with 124 GD +P across 50 or so P365s and 3 365XL's locally.

[O4L]

A friend of mine has a NIB G48 (black slide) and some of the Shield Arms 15 round mags that he said he would sell me at cost since he hasn't touched it because he lost all interest after he purchased a Wilson EDC 9.

I have been wanting to try this combination for CC to replace a first generation Shield 9 but some of you have me wondering if I want a slim line Glock at all.

Hmmm...maybe I'll just wait until the Shield Plus prices level off.

Well I made the deal and I pick it up tomorrow.