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View Full Version : G26 9mm or G30SF .45



MSP "Sarge"
08-16-09, 17:54
Wanting to purchase a new concealed carry. Can't make up my mind. Any Ideas or sugestions? Pros and cons. Been thinking about this for sometime. Just want to make the right choice. Lets hear it... Glock 26 or Glock 30SF?

Reddevil
08-16-09, 18:36
No experience with the Glock SF series, but I did own the G26 and G30 as well as the G36. The G30 was a fat bastard to conceal. I would choose the G26 between the two for that reason as well as cheaper ammo. If you want slim in a .45, I'd suggest looking at the G36. It's about the same size as a G19, only thinner and quite an excellent carry piece in .45ACP.

trappernana
08-16-09, 21:38
I know little to nothing about the G26, but I do own a G30 SF. I believe the "SF" stands for "SLIM FRAME".I don't know how that relates to the size of th G26, but I do not have large hands and I love the way it feels. I would reccomend the Pearce grip extensions,not the ones that add rounds I was less than impressed with them. The extensions nicely grab that "pinky " that is wanting to fall off the end of the frame.I come from a long backround of 1911's, so I always go slow and heavy (.45).Probably because I've become similar in my later years. Anyways I hope I could help alittle. Take care, take time and good luck to you and yours!!!

Paul45
08-16-09, 23:02
I own both. Which on fits you the best and which one do you shoot the best? I shoot the G30 SF the best. The G26 is smaller and easier to control but the 30 fits my hand better. You need to try both. Don't forget the G27. Great gun / great round.

TiroFijo
08-17-09, 08:41
The G30 SF is a great gun, but the size is practically the same as the G19, only fatter... if you like the 45 is a great option, but the G19 is a great package too.

The G26 is much smaller than both, but also more uncomfortable to grip and shoot.

awm14hp
08-17-09, 08:48
I have a Glock 30 and Glk26 I am not sure about the SF but all that does is slim the frame not the slide and thats whats alittle blocky on the 30 I would say a 30 is closer to a 19 or 23 frame size than a 26. That being said I carry both I find the 26 more compact.

Business_Casual
08-17-09, 09:02
So you are going to carry a tiny gun that you can barely get your whole hand on and you want more recoil, not less in a life-or-death stress situation?

M_P

ToddG
08-17-09, 09:29
The question should be, "Glock 26 or Glock 19?"

TiroFijo
08-17-09, 10:29
And between those two (G19/26) MY choice would be the G19 :)

Beat Trash
08-17-09, 11:18
The question should be, "Glock 26 or Glock 19?"

If that was the question, the answer would be "Glock 26 and Glock 19".

MSP "Sarge"
08-18-09, 00:17
Thought about the 26 but I wanted a bigger round. I have a 21sf now but would like something a little smaller in size. Easier to conceal.

MP I wouldn't say it's a tiny gun. Holds 10 rounds. I have a Walther TPH .22 now thats small.

JohnN
08-18-09, 19:26
Had a Glock 30 for a while and always loved the way it shot but not so much for concealment. Kinda a felt like a brick in the FBI cant position and appendix would be a non starter for me at least. If you have your heart set on a .45 I would urge you to check out an M&P45 compact. Glock 19 size, which most guys seem to think optimal size wise for concealment, in your preferred caliber.

Terry
08-19-09, 17:19
Having owned all 3, IMO, the 26 without question.

skyugo
08-19-09, 22:01
the 26 is a much better size for easy concealment, also, being the light recoiling 9mm round, it's a very smooth shooting accurate gun.
the big platform (45/10mm) glocks are pretty darn fat.

MSP "Sarge"
08-19-09, 23:05
I tell ya why I shy away from the 9mm. I was involved in a shooting some years ago and was off duty carrying a S&W 639 9mm. It was loaded with Winchester Silver Tips. We each fired seven rounds at each other. His missed all seven times. Hit all around my cruiser. I struck the assailant 3 times out of seven while moving and gunning. We were shooting at each other while moving from one side of my cruiser to the other. I made good hits at that. Thought to myself I know I hit him why wasn't he stopping. Abdomen, right chest and right elbow. Still jumped up from the ground and sprinted 20 yards. Climbed a six foot fence and feel to the other side. He ended up crawling about 20 years and then asking for help.

I know anything can happen. Expect the unexpected. And I am sure that other members , LEO's and military folks on here can tell us about some weird outings. That's why I was asking for opinions. Always wondered if I had used a larger round like a .45 ACP, if I would have stopped him sooner. Like within a step or two. Not giving him the chance to dance around the cruiser with me.

Business_Casual
08-20-09, 08:57
Ah, you are emotionally invested in the 45 ACP and are seeking validation from strangers on the Internet.

OK, buy the 30SF, dude.

M_P

ToddG
08-20-09, 13:38
Sarge -- I'd respectfully suggest you reconsider your one incident as demonstration against current modern 9mm hollowpoint technology.

First, pistol shots to the abdomen and elbow are not going to cause physiological incapacitation regardless of caliber. Without knowing exactly how/where your right chest shot hit him, it's impossible to determine if the bullet performed admirably or not.

Second, the 9mm Silvertip is not at all respected in terms of stopping power. Even Winchester has stopped actively promoting it for LE use. You're talking about a bullet that is decades and generations of technology out of date.

It's perfectly reasonable to look at your real-world experience in a traumatic stressful situation and try to learn things from it. But if that is the reason you're shying away from a 9mm, my advice is to examine broader evidence ... in particular, DocGKR's writings here at M4C.

But in the end, if you know in your heart that you're only going to be confident with a .45, then by all means carry a .45! It's certainly not bad or a mistake to have a .45, and when push comes to shoot, you've got more important things to think about than whether you trust the bb's in your gun.

tpd223
08-20-09, 19:31
I was once on scene at a raid where the bad guy was shot through the chest front to back, hit was just to the side of the sternum and left a 5/8" entrance wound, cut the aorta on the way through and left an exit 7/8" across.

Bad guy with shotgun chased the narc who shot him down the hall, down the stairs to the first landing, realized the place was full of cops, ran back up the stairs and barricaded himself in the bedroom at the end of the hall, then realized he was shot and called 911 demanding an ambulance. He refused verbal commands to come out, but dropped over dead in the next few minutes.

Our good guy was using a S&W 645 launching Winchester 230gr ball.

Back in the day we had lots of "fails to stop" events where large number of rounds were fired from 9mms, thus the 9mm got a bad rap for poor stopping power.

My strong feeling is that back then the only pistols available that would allow for a large number of hits were 9mms, thus allowing these events to occur.

Now-a-days we have high cap .40s and .45s, and we are now seeing high rounds count events involving those rounds.

I know of a recent case in NOLA where the bad guy took 9 torso hits with 230gr Ranger-T launched from a Glock 21.

Sarge,
If deer can take hits through the boiler room with rounds such as the 30-06 and still run a 1/4 of a mile or so before they pile up, why should we expect people to fall quickly to hits from rounds that are puny in comparison?


Anyway, the question was G26 or G30SF,,,,, my answer is that the G26 is "enough gun" and far easier to conceal.

MSP "Sarge"
08-21-09, 01:07
Guys thanks for the input. Can't say I have changed my mind one way or the other but you guys have sure made some great points. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Gary

USBP379
08-22-09, 02:43
Hey Buddy,

I've owned both, and honestly, because of the girth of the 26, I could not do anything with the 26 that I could not do with the 19. So, I sold the 26 and bought a Khar PM 9 which was a truly concealable 9mm.

I think the 19 is a perfect sized gun and the 30 seems to me to be about the same length and height, but a little fatter. In a Comp-Tac IWB holster, it is plenty concealable. It is also extremely accurate and a joy to shoot. It shoots better, to me, than the 21 SF that I own as well.

I own the M&P 45 C, as well, but I don't have enough rounds down range with it to trust it yet. It only gets 8 rounds of 45, as opposed to ten on the Glock, but the grip is super comfy and the gun is much more akin to the size and weight of the G19. I am intrigued by it and will continue to see how it does on the range.

As far as 9 vs. 45, that's a futile cock measuring exercise. Just pick one and shoot it til you can hit with it.

If your department gives you ammo at no charge, then I'd go with the caliber they pay for.

Cheers.

87GN
08-22-09, 22:43
Haven't owned a 30 but I have owned a 19, 21SF, 22, 26 and 34.

Only one left is the 26.

I can carry it IWB with a T shirt and bend over without any worries of printing. Same holster with the 19, more printing. Plus I can shoot the 26 very well. I preferred the 22/34 size grip to the 19 for everything but "I can't print at all" carry which as I already mentioned the 26 is better for.