The G26 is the “Danny Devito of Glock pistols,” says Michael Goerlich, but the Glock 48 is Goldilocks. It’s just right.
The advent of the Slimline series of Glock pistols (Glock 43X and Glock 48) stirred up a predictably huge amount of discussion. There were compliments, declamations, criticisms, and pontifications of every kind.
Pretty much the same as any time an interesting or unusual new firearm makes an appearance.
One of those involved in the discussions was Michael Goerlich, of Raven Concealment Systems. Goerlich, the Great Glock Colluder of Cleveland, has had his long, blanched dickskinners on a Glock 43X and Glock 48 for a while now, likely in order to develop holsters for them. This gave him some informed perspective on it, more so than many, less than some. This, coupled with his encyclopedic, if eerily pale, knowledge of concealing stuff under clothes (read some of his posts about it, sometime), lent his commentary a little more credence than others. Perhaps more importantly to some, the images (with explanation) provided many people with their first clear look of how the different pistol frames compared.
Because I haven’t put hands on either of the Slimline Glocks yet (prob’ly ‘cuz I look better in cowboy boots than Josh Dorsey), I compiled a bunch of what MG had to say and put it in one place.
Here’s an example.
MG: “Let’s compare the @glockinc G48 to other pistols in order to highlight some of the advantages that the G48 brings to the CCW handgun market. While it’s easy to make the obvious “single-stack G19” analogy, perhaps a better pistol for comparison is the Danny Devito of the Glock pistol family: the G26.
Here you see two 9x19mm semi-automatic handguns with 10+1round ammunition capacity. The G26 is short and…well, what’s the socially acceptable term? THICC? Husky? Chunky? Stocky? We aren’t here to body-shame any firearms, so whatever term you prefer to use, it’s a double-stack pistol. The G48 has the same capacity as the G26, but a longer sight-radius, a longer barrel (which increases muzzle velocity, even if only a small amount), a longer slide, and an overall noticeably slimmer slide, frame, and grip…all of which make it easier and more comfortable for many people to conceal and shoot, especially if you have small hands.
We recruited @waypoint_shooting to help illustrate the difference the G48 grip size makes for average-size hands. These hands wear a size Medium in @mechanix_wear and @mechanixtactical gloves, and you can see how the two grips fit his hands. So is this gun a replacement for your G19 and/or your G26? That depends on your hand size, where you carry it, and how you dress.”
Read on for more about the Glock 48 and Glock 43X Slimline Pistols.
Just kidding, Josh. You look straight outta the Hat Creek Cattle Company (& Livery Emporium).
Q: What’s the big deal about the Glock 48?
A: “It’s the capacity of a G26, combined with all the advantages of the G19’s longer slide and barrel (longer sight radius, higher muzzle velocity, reduced muzzle flip, greater comfort and stability IWB), but with the benefit of the slimmer profile of the G43. That’s a pretty fuckin’ Goldilocks combination of attributes if you ask me, especially if you have smaller hands or wear more fitted attire. What’s so hard to understand about that? People have clamored for a single stack G19 for 20 years.”
Goerlich is a proponent of the G48 and G43X. You can agree with him, or not, I’m just passing along the information.
“The G48 requires a dedicated holster,” advised MC in one post. “The 43X fits in our [Raven Concealment Systems] existing 43 holsters.”
“On the left [below] is the Glock 48. On the right is a Glock 19. I have seen some people hating on the G48 already because it’s “the same size as a G19, but with less capacity.” Well, for those with smaller hands, the slimmer profile makes it significantly easier to shoot. And there are instances where a thinner grip is preferable to a shorter grip when it comes to concealability.”
“The G43X and G48 give you the 10+1 round payload of a G26, which is nothing to sneeze at — especially if those ten rounds are in a form factor that is easier for you to conceal and/or shoot. In my opinion, the G48 is the most exciting product Glock has released since RCS has been in business.”
Asked about the seemingly minor difference in size, Goerlich responded,
He’s right, of course. A quarter of an inch would make a really big difference for me. *sigh*
Q: Will the 43X put the G26 out of the mix?
A: The G26 is still better for ankle carry. But for AIWB or strong-side IWB, the G48 beats the G26 in almost every way (except mag compatibility with service pistols).
Here are three different views of the Glock 48 and Glock 43X.; commentary below.
“Imagine shooting a G43 that wasn’t so snappy – that’s what the G48 feels like. The G48 shoots pretty much like a G19, but with the slim profile of the G43. It’s some of the best features of the G19, G26, and G43, all rolled into one. Pictured here for comparison is a standard G43 in the center, with a Vickers Tactical magazine extension. I love my G26, and it isn’t leaving my lineup. But the G48 solves problems that the G26 just can’t touch, and vice versa.” MG
Now, here’s a bit about holsters. There’s obviously some self-service here because, well, RCS builds holsters, but there’s still some info to be gleaned.
See also: capitalism.
“We have been getting quite a few questions about holster fitment for the new G43X and G48 pistols, so we took this picture to help answer them. The G43X will fit in all existing RCS holsters for the standard G43, including:
• the Morrigan (our IWB holster, pictured here),
• the VanGuard 2 (our AIWB/IWB minimalist holster),
• and the Perun (our OWB holster).
The G48 will *also* fit [I left the asterisks in, much better than all caps] in the VG2 for the G43 due to commonality of trigger guard dimensions, but will require its own dedicated Morrigan (pictured) and Perun. Also worth noting is that in the same way you can holster a G26 in a G19 or G17 holster, you can likewise carry a G43 or G43X in a G48 holster. Any way you slice it, RCS has holster options for several carry methods available for pre-order RIGHT NOW right now on our website!”
Q: Is the grip on on a gun the hardest thing to conceal?
A: Certain body types and clothing styles/fits can handle a slightly longer grip if the gun is slimmer. Some can handle a wider gun provided the grip is short. It is not as cut and dried as your statement makes it seem. As the guy actually in possession of the G48, I can tell you there are outfits I would DEFINITELY definitely prefer the G48 for concealment, and others where I would prefer the G26. But I have large/extra-large hands and can shoot either pistol quite well. Many people have small-to-mid-sized hands, and the G48 would end up being dressed around simply based on the shootability.
MG: In a previous post, we showed you “medium” sized hands on the @glockinc G48. Well, here’s another important comparison shot: HUGE hands on the G48. On the left, you see @barroompaladin holding his normal carry gun (a Glock 34) in his enormous hands. On the right, you see his giant mitts on a G48. Unlike most ‘little’ guns, the G48 is incredibly shootable by people that can palm a basketball. In fact, it fits a tremendous range of hand sizes. I am 6’4, 210lbs, and look petite standing next to Jack. The fact that he had the same “hell yeah” reaction to the G48 as @waypoint_shooting (who has significantly smaller hands) did is a testament to how “Goldilocks-perfect” the size of the G48 is.
[Editor’s note: those are real hands. A professional strangler for some barbarian king in his early years, the owner of those hands is an experienced shooter who failed miserably as a proctologist but eventually became a champion pickle jar lid taker-offer.]
Q: Why are you so giddy about the Glock 48? This is just shady marketing stuff. You’re a pallid shyster.
A: RCS was as silent as a church mouse about the G42, G43, G19M, G19X, G45, etc. Hell, I have even openly stated I am “meh” about the G43X. So tell me what’s funny about the fact that after almost 20 years of waiting, Glock finally made the pistol that I always wanted, and now I am excited to tell everyone about it?
More on the size comparison:
MG: Big paws don’t usually mix with tiny gats. But the G48 is a Goldilocks size 9mm pistol. This is a handgun that is equally shootable by a 5′ 3″ female with tiny hands or a 6’7″ berserker with hands the size of catcher’s mitts, A customer requested a pic of “the other side” of this comparison photo, so here it is.
Here’s a look at the new Perun holster for the Glock 48, which will make their public debut next week at SHOT Show.
GM: In my book, the G48 is truly a pistol to get excited about. Lots of ‘expert’ opinions are flying around out there on IG, but those of us who have actually carried and shot these new pistols are pretty stoked about their upcoming release.
As you can see, he spent more time on the G48 than the 43X but did answer a number of questions many people (myself included) were asking.
Does this mean you should run out and buy one of either? No, but hopefully it provided you with some of the information you need to begin making an informed decision. For myself, I would never buy a gun I hadn’t had the opportunity to shoot, and (if it’s one I might have to stake my life on) never before talking to folks far more knowledgable than myself. I’m tending towards wanting a G48 more than a G43X, though the grip of the latter does look like it would help tame muzzle flip. Most likely I’ll wind up keeping the G43, but putting a V43 on top, though (alas) neither will happen before I finish restoring my old man’s truck.
I’ll post some more links in the coming days. Rich Grassi of Tactical Wire has been doing a series of articles (like this one with Chuck Haggard) about the Slimlines, and they’re well worth the read. In the meantime, go follow Raven Concealment on Instagram (@ravenconcealment) to watch for more of the Pale Man’s pontification.
Oh, and on the subject of IG accounts to follow and concealing weapons, be sure to check out Sharp Dressed Shooter, too. You’re welcome.
That’s all for now. Go forth and conquer.
DR
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