The Glock 30 is still an extremely capable concealed carry firearm.
Love them or hate them, Glock pistols are here to stay in gun culture. The many different variants of these polymer semi-automatic pistols mean there is something for almost everyone while also keeping the simple operation style familiar across the different platforms.
The subcompact Glock 30 is chambered in powerful .45 ACP and continues to be one of their most popular models. This handgun has three different variants all perfect for self-defense purposes.
Today we will look at the differences between these variants and attempt to answer some of the Internet's most burning questions about this gun.
Specs of the standard Glock 30
These specs are for the Glock 30 Gen 4, which is the standard Glock 30 since the company phased out the Gen 3 models. This handgun has a 3.78-inch barrel length, a 6.77-inch slide. The slide is a little fatter than most Glock slides at 1.12 inches in width. The height is 4.80 inches and the whole package weighs 33.69 ounces with a fully loaded magazine. The overall length is 6.97 inches.
Speaking of magazine capacity, the Glock 30 holds ten rounds standard. Which is not bad for a .45 caliber pistol, especially one designed with concealed carry in mind. This gun gets compared often with the Glock 36. The thing to keep in mind is that the G30 has a much chunkier slide that hurts the concealability just a bit.
One nice thing the G30 has over the 36 is the compatibility with other magazines. Many of Glock's other offerings will not work in the slim G36. However, the G30 can use Glock 21, and Glock 41 magazines. Of course, this is not ideal for concealed carry because the mags stick out quite a bit in the G30, but it does offer the chance for a better capacity beyond the G30's standard 10-round magazines.
Other than that, almost everything else is standard fare stuff you would find on other Gen 4 safe action Glocks like the Glock 22, Glock 17, and Glock 19. The grip has finger grooves and adjustable backstraps. And the magazine catch is easily reversible to make the gun effectively ambidextrous.
The Glock 30s and Glock 30 SF
Glock makes two variants of the G30. It seems these were the result of a popular modification where many people were taking the slide from a Glock 36 and putting it on the frame of a G30 to give it a slimmer profile for carrying. If you compare the stats on these three guns side by side, they are nearly identical in every aspect except weight. The Glock 30 S is about three ounces lighter thanks to a slightly slimmer slide.
In fact, the differences in the slide are so subtle, most shooters will not notice looking at them side-by-side. However, once you pick up and draw one from a holster, the difference becomes obvious. When using with an inside the waistband holster, (IWB), the G30 S is much more comfortable to carry. It is amazing what a difference shaving off some of the metal to drop three ounces can do.
The G30 SF's designation stands for short frame. Once again, the dimensions are nearly identical. To the point you would need calipers to measure the exact difference. With this one, Glock reduced the grip dimensions slightly. That means this gun has a slightly shorter trigger reach, which is helpful for shooters with smaller hands. Especially since Glocks have a reputation for having a mushy trigger pull already. That also allows this gun to draw a little easier from concealment than the standard G30 models.
This is one of those guns where you may need to see and handle all three in person to know exactly which one is going to work for you. Most shooters will pick one of them up and just instantly know that it feels right. Glock really did not need to go above and beyond to provide such accessibility to shooters like this, but we appreciate that they do.
Is the Glock 30 a good gun?
This answer to this is a resounding yes. There is a reason this is one of Glock's most beloved models. It is simply a design that works. Remember that .45 ACP can deliver anywhere from 350 to 800-foot pounds of energy to a target at muzzle velocities between 850 and 2,000 feet per second depending on the weight of the bullet used. That is some serious stopping power.
Usually, with a gun this powerful, most self-defense encounters are going to be over in a few shots anyway. Still, that 10-round magazine does give a little extra peace of mind that you will have all the ammo you need in the unfortunate situation where you must draw your firearm. Some users like to add night sights or a red dot to this setup for things that go bump in the night.
One thing we will warn is that the recoil can be a little on the heavy side. Especially if you are using super-heavy 230-grain full metal jackets. It may not be an ideal gun for a beginner to handguns because of that. For the experienced shooter looking for more firepower, it is hard to go wrong with a G30 in any configuration. This gun is simple, reliable, and will go "bang" when you need it.
How much is the Glock 30?
Depending on who you purchase from a brand-new Glock 30 is going to set you back about $600 to $700 brand-new. You can save a little money by searching the used markets. One thing we appreciate is the fact that the price stays mostly the same no matter if you are looking at the standard Gen 4 Glock 30, the G30 S, or the G30 SF.
This means you should not have to compromise on the ideal handgun based on budget. Simply find the one that feels most comfortable in your hand and go with it. When it comes to solid handguns chambered in .45 ACP, the Glock 30 is one of the better bargains on the market today.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: THE 5 BEST HOME DEFENSE SHOTGUNS
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