I'm a Glock guy. I hated the Glock 36. I love .45 and this was that one pistol I wanted so badly to love, but alas.
The one I "rented" for less than six months I couldn't warm to. I just never shot great with it especially as a firearm intended for concealed carry. Having shot a Kahr 45 and the XDS I shot those better than the Glock 36.
Mine had no issues in the 500 to 600 rounds I put through it. This was circa 2009.
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Posts: 1080 | Location: On the outskirts of Richmond | Registered: September 10, 2009
I've owned one. Found it to have very light recoil and shot it as well as I can shoot my 19's out to 15 yards. I prefer the Shield 45 to the Glock 36 as far as frame design/feel.
I have a G36. I like it quite a bit. It has a slight gap between the magazine and bottom of the mag well, as does the G29 and G30. The gap is where the top of the baseplate meets the frame. It can pinch the finger, or at least does mine, when shooting.
I've found that if I don't shoot the pistol for some time, I can get pinched. After I've shot it a little, it doesn't happen, which probably means that I subconsciously adjust my grip a little. In any case, if it happens, it disappears quickly and doesn't occur again.
The G36 has been 100% reliable for me. It's thin, which is good for inside the waistband carry, for comfort. If you like the .45 acp, it's a great pistol. Just limited in capacity.
The G36 is also limited on the ability to accept various parts; most of what the G36 can take must be specifically for the G36, as most other glock parts aren't interchangeable.
The G36 also uses a thinner barrel than the G30. If I recall, it's not a +P barrel. It's the same slide and barrel used for the G30S (Glock 30 Slim, which is a G30 frame with a G36 slide on top)
I owned a G30S for awhile and considered the G36. So I bought a G36 frame and ran the G30S slide on it for a few months. It ran ok except for the mag/frame finger pinch of the G36 frame.
I ultimately sold both pistols as I favor my 9mm Glocks. But the Gen2 G21 stays in the safe...
Posts: 4434 | Location: Great State of TEXAS | Registered: July 05, 2008
My brother had one also and it did jam when very dirty. I installed Wolff extra power mag springs in the magazines and a Wolff extra power recoil spring asmy (11lbs seems to ring a bell) and the gun ran flawlessly afterwards.
I have a 30S also, and both the 36 and 30S are very accurate.
I rented one circa 2000 and it actually shot pretty well, but still didn't thrill me. I don't understand the purpose of a short grip and extended magazine for only six rounds. Make it less than half a inch taller with a full length grip and flush 7-round magazine and they would have something.
Posts: 28967 | Location: Johnson City, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012
I bought one back in the day thinking "concealable .45 Glock" but the grip was awful for me. The typical 2x4 grip everybody complains about online, only except thinner and larger front to back. I truly wanted to love that gun, but it only lasted a couple months before getting traded. A 19 works great for me, the 36? Almost like a different manufacturer when I shot it. I would suggest renting one if at all possible before plunking down $.
I got a Glock 36 when they first came out. It was a jam-0-matic for me. After 500 rounds and no improvement I got rid of it. I rented one a few years later and it worked perfectly. Easy to shoot and very accurate. Nothing wrong with a .45 six gun.
You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred! - Henry Cabot Henhouse III, aka "SuperChicken"
Had a fairly early edition of the G36. Strange that it was fine for a few hundred rounds then became a jam-o-matic. Would jam 2-3 times per magazine using factory and reloads. Tried several fixes, magazines, springs, ammunition both round nose and HP, with no success.Jammed on everything. Sent it back to Glock with no improvement. Only Glock I highly recommend against. Highly! I believe that the thinner barrel hood that slides up and down in the slide has heat treat issues. The hood has a very thin section on the ejection side while the other side is thicker. Mine showed wear on the thin section. Pointed this out to Glock but they said it was within spec. Just my opinion. I would give a 75% chance your G36 will be ok and 25% that you'll get a lemon. Glock never gave any of we lemon G36's satisfaction in getting them fixed, refunds, or replacement. Have had zero issues with 2 G21's or 2 G19's.
I never had any problems with my 36, but sold it after picking up a 30SF. It's a few ounces heavier, but you get four more rounds in pretty much the same sized package.
Posts: 950 | Location: WV | Registered: May 30, 2013
The G36 is definitely thinner in the waistband than the G30. The frame width on the G30 and G30S, and G30SF all have the same width. The SF differs in length from the backstrap, and the 30S has a slimmer slide...but they're all as thick in the waistband. The G30 is considerably slimmer.
I think of G36 capacity as being the same as carrying a revolver; one that's faster and easier to reload, easier to clean, slimmer, and easier to carry.