A question to Glock owners

[GM]

Can any of you please write a few lines comparing the G26 and G36 (do not get too excited , I am not asking you to compare the 9mm caliber with the .45 ACP )? It would be interesting to hear about how they do at the range, how they conceal, which one you believe that is better than the other considering that there is not a perfect weapon and that everything implies a trade-off, recoil, problems they might have, etc.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[OldVet]

Obviously the 26 is slightly more concealable (thinner-lighter) both gun and ammo wise, but the 36 has more power. The first 36s had some problems but the new ones seem to be working fine, a lot of good comments made.

Ammo for a 9mm is cheaper and easier to find. .45 is out there but takes a bit more looking in most cases.

I have a G30 and find the recoil is very managable. If you can handle a .45, the 36 should be no problem. I can't vouch for the accuracy of any pistol; I'm no deadeye.

Have you considered the 27? The .40 is a pretty good SD round, popular with LEOs. One advantage with the 27 is you can buy conversion barrels and have a 9 mm or .357 Sig for @ $100 or so more. It's an option to consider.

[retsupt99]

I have both...
I've got them both sitting right here as I type.
Either is EASY to conceal.
The grip on the 36 fits my hand perfectly.
The grip on the 26 is a little shorter, but with the pinky extension, I can get all my fingers on the grip.
The 36 has a bit more punch when shooting, obviously, a .45 is going to feel a bit stronger than the 9mm...either is easily handled.
Both guns are easily taken down for cleaning.

I would feel comfortable with the 26 (my wife's gun), but I still prefer the 36. My Glock-36 is the perfect weapon for me...OMOYMV...I guess I like bigger holes...more air-conditioning.

Tough choice for some, not for me...Glock-36!

[BriNik]

I have a 26 and love it. Sorry never shot the 36. Good gun at the range and fun to shoot. It shoots well at 10 yards. I never pushed it out further than that. As far as concealment it is great. Does not weight a lot, I don’t use the extended mag. Since its cold out I have been carrying a 19 OWB, but the wife has been grabbing the 26 everyday. She likes it too. In fact she likes it so much I may have to get another one before spring for me since I don’t think she is going to give it back.

[Wasabi]

Obviously the 26 is slightly more concealable (thinner-lighter) both gun and ammo wise, but the 36 has more power.

Actually, I think the 36 gets the slight nod for thinner as it is a single stack. To the OP, look hard a a G33 also. Very potent .357SIG round and you can easily shoot .40 and 9mm also with just a barrel change (mag too for 9mm). Of course you can do the same with a G27 but not a G26. Also, look into GAP floor plates if you go with a G26/27/33.

[jem102]

Have had a 27 for years...Great gun and the power of the .40 is very impressive from this package. I carry 165 GoldDots.

[bruce21b]

IMHO......the ONLY Glock to consider is in 9mm.....

i owned a Glock 36 and it was a jam-o-matic......the 9mm's i have owned have all been flawless......

[redbird]

Both are great CC guns the great part is that the 36 will fit in most holsters that take the compact and sub compact Glocks. You can't go wrong with either.

[ckfarris]

I had both at one point. Still have the G26. Great shooting gun, especially with the pinky extension. One of the finest 9mm's made, full size or compact if you ask me.

I had some FTE malfunctions with my G36. When it did work, I really liked it. It just wasn't dependable enough for me so I sold it. I have to believe that I had an earlier model because I read where they were prone to malfunctions. People who get the newer models seem to love them.

[Tn Mitch]

my Glock 27,top M&P fs also in 40 cal.

[Cuda66]

I had a G26; I have a G36.

I liked them both; both were/are typical Glock 100% reliable, both had good accuracy...recoil is no problem with either (just your normal 9mm snap vs .45 push) in rapid fire.

I'll probably get another G26 down the road; I only got rid of it because I found I carried the 36 more (slimmer-more comfortable in an IWB, slightly longer grip for better control).

You won't go wrong with either.

[adaman04]

IMHO......the ONLY Glock to consider is in 9mm.....

i owned a Glock 36 and it was a jam-o-matic......the 9mm's i have owned have all been flawless......

When did you have a G36? Not doubting you had issues, but I do know the older 36es seemed to be the ones with issues.

I have a 26 and it is a very concealable package, shoots very well for me and is comfortable to shoot even without a pinky extension. The G36 feels quite thin to me, but I'm sure I could get used to it no problem.

Personal preferece, but I like capacity. Not going to get in to a caliber debate, I own 9s and .45s. Decide which you like better and go with it.

[gglockster]

G36 great to carry, fires the excellent 45ACP round and is one of the best for concealment. I hate it. I'd rather shoot full sized 10mm rounds any day over a magazine from a G36. Bright muzzle flash in low light. It has "lively" recoil. I did have some FTF/FTE's but I would blame myself for cringing as I pull the trigger.

Although I have never shot a G26, I would happily carry a G19 before shooting a G36. I have just never found a small concealable semi-automatic pistol that I am comfortable shooting in a "manly" caliber.

[gottabkiddin]

I too have both and I'll echo what retsupt99 said with the exception of choice. I prefer the G26 for CC due only to round count. IMO, a quality 9mm round will stop ya as fast provided placement is good. The .45 makes a big hole for sure, but 6,7,8 rounds (depending on the mag config) vs 11 and up is the only real reason for me.

Both are a pleasure to shoot and the reliability factor is 100%. I think the G26 conceals just a tad bit better for me, but not by much. The edge for comfort goes to the G36 due to the thinner frame, but not by much. IMO the overall height for a CC pistol is the most important factor, for me anyway. The G26 is a great compromise for both firepower and size for CC. There's my .2cents

GBK

[DIABLO9489]

The Glock 26 (or 27) is easier to conceal. If you don't have a preference for 9mm or .45 and were going to consider carrying the Glock 36 I would recommend the Glock 19 because it is almost the exact same size and weight as the Glock 36. I recently switched from carrying my Glock 36 to my Glock 19 for that exact reason. Just some food for thought.