The Glock G48 is an interesting CCW 9mm pistol.
Love them or hate them, Glock handguns are here to stay. One of the more interesting new Glocks to come out of the factory in recent years is the Glock 48. Meant to be a carry pistol, this firearm has many similarities to the ever-popular Glock 19. However, the G48 has some design tweaks to make it a slimmer and more concealable carry pistol than other standard Glocks.
This Glock Model generates a lot of confusion when most people hear about it, so let us break down this polymer 9mm Luger in detail to try and answer some of the Internet's most burning questions about it.
For some people, it may turn out the 48 is a better fit for them than the 19 or Glock 43x. This is everything you ever wanted to know about the Glock 48.
Specs of the Glock 48
Before we dive into the how and why of this gun, let us go through a quick rundown of this Glock pistol's specs. Just so you have an idea of why this gun has been so confusing to many shooters. The G48 has an overall length of 7.28 inches. It is 5.04 inches high. If you know your Glocks, you will realize those specs are awfully close to the G19. The height is the same, and the slide length is the same, although the 48 is a hair longer overall.
Then there is the weight. The 48 weighs 20.74 ounces with an unloaded magazine and 25.12 with a loaded one. The G19 weighs 30.16 with a loaded mag. The G48 has a longer barrel too, although not by much. The 48 has a 4.17-inch Glock marksman barrel, as compared to the G19's 4.02-inch barrel length. The biggest difference between the 19 and the 48 is in the width of the firearm. The G48 comes in at just 1.10 inches in overall width. The slide is just 0.87 inches wide. Compare that to the 1.26-inch overall width and 1-inch slide width of the 19 and you have a much slimmer handgun. Why does that make a difference? Well, we will get into that later.
The other thing to know about the 48 is that it has a reduced magazine capacity of 10 rounds in a single stack mag. The 48's magazines are less interchangeable than older model Glocks. Mostly because they had to redesign some things to get that slimline profile. As a result, the G48 can only use G48 and Glock 43x single stack magazines. That is a little bit of a bummer that you cannot slap the G19's 15 round magazines into this gun to up the capacity, but keep in mind that most self-defense scenarios are not going to use that many rounds anyway. The reduced round capacity may or may not be a deal-breaker for some people. That depends on how you anticipate using your firearm.
Almost everything else with this gun is standard as far as Glocks are concerned. This gun does have an nDLC finish that the company says better protects it. Glock also gave it some of the Gen 5 features as opposed to the Gen 4 ones. The front of the slide is beveled for easier use with a holster, and there is a set of precision-milled front serrations to make racking the slide easier. This gun also has a built-in beavertail, and the magazine catch is reversible, effectively making the gun ambidextrous.
What is the point of the Glock 48?
This gun raised a lot of eyebrows when it was first announced. Many people simply could not understand the niche Glock was trying to fill with this handgun because it has so much in common with the 19. It is understandable, especially since the Glock 43x offers the same 10-round magazine capacity with an even smaller profile for concealed carry. However, for every confused person there was at least one person who was thrilled and thanked Glock for listening to their customers.
As popular as the Glock 19 is, for some people the ergonomics on that gun are just not right. Remember that everyone is different. For some people, the 43x's grip was too short, and for others the 19's grip was too fat. There seems to be a lot of interest in the 48 from female shooters and others with smaller hands. That reduced width is going to make the 48 easier to handle for some people than others. In truth, it may require a trip to your local gun shop to feel the differences firsthand.
The other major point of the 48 is simply in concealability. While the 48 is only nominally smaller than the 19, you would be surprised by what a big difference that makes in terms of concealability. For some people, the G19's double-stack design makes it just a hair too bulky for an everyday carry (EDC) gun. For some people, the G48 checks every box on their wishlist of features for a compromise in design.
There is a chance if you do not see the point of the 48, you may not be the target audience and you would be better off looking at the 43x or 19. In many ways, the 48 is a rather niche firearm. However, it is clearly one that there was a market for, as we doubt they would have invested a lot of time and money into it otherwise.
How does the Glock 48 compare to the Glock 43x?
One of the most common questions is how both the 48 and the 43x stack up to one another. For the most part, you can expect better slightly better concealability out of the 43x due to the frame being a little smaller. One thing to keep in mind is that these guns have the same width, so carry comfort is going to similar. At the end of the day, the 48 is only two ounces heavier with a full magazine, so arguing that point seems moot.
Most shooters do report the 48 is slightly more ergonomic and is more accurate than the 43x. Which makes sense given that the 48 has a longer grip, longer slide, and a longer barrel. Other than that, the big differences are probably going to boil down to personal tastes. After all, these guns both have a 10-round capacity, and both shoot the same type of ammo. Your choice may depend on which one feels better in your hands, which is why we recommend handling both before you buy.
Is the Glock 48 a good gun?
All Glocks are solid firearms, especially for beginning shooters. They are easy to disassemble, and all operate off the same basic design features. Once you learn one Glock, you will know how to shoot, reload, and disassemble them all. The 48 is a solid firearm and although it has not been out long, most of the user reviews are extremely positive. This gun offers some great benefits in being slimmer, and slightly lighter than a G19, while still offering close to a full-frame gun.
There are a few things to take into consideration with this firearm though. For one, since it is still new, holster choices are somewhat limited. Second, aftermarket parts are also still somewhat limited. We expect there will be some higher capacity magazines introduced at some point, but you may have to wait a bit. The trigger pull on Glocks is also notorious for being "mushy." Some people love it more than others. This means you may have to do some hunting to find an aftermarket trigger if it is not crisp enough for your liking.
We should mention another benefit of the Glock 48 is the compatibility with optics. Glock also sells the 48 in an MOS configuration with slide cuts for mounting a red dot or other small night sights. The company says the 48's slim design allows the optics to mounted on the firearm lower and closer to a shooter's line of sight. If you want a gun with optics that is still easy to tuck IWB for all-day carry, this may make it an option to consider. The final benefit of the Glock 48 is simply in the price. We did a little looking while writing this article and the Glock 48 often retails for about $100 less than a Gen 5 Glock 19. If you have been looking at the 19, but are on a budget, the 48 might be a solid compromise to save a little bit of money. Military and first responders can get an even better deal by going through the Glock Blue Label program. Who does not like saving a little bit of money?
Overall, the Glock 48 may be a bit of a niche firearm, but it is still a solid design. And for some people, this firearm is going to end up being exactly what they are looking for in their next carry gun.
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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