12 Compact & Subcompact Glock Pistols for Backup

**Glock 42 .380 ACP**
With the debut of the Glock 42 in 2014, we have a new subcompact with the smallest frame, slide and barrel length Glock has ever offered. The Glock 42 offers all the advanced features of the armsmaker’s subcompact line in a small, easily held frame size that offers every desirable feature for a .380 ACP pocket pistol, including dovetailed white-dot sights and easily operated slide and magazine releases—and the G42 slide locks back after the last round is fired. The new subcompact .380 ACP employs a dual recoil spring unique to the model and a cold-hammer-forged, 3.25-inch barrel, providing lighter recoil. The G42 measures 5.9 inches in overall length, a very pocket friendly 0.9 inches in width, weighs 13.7 ounces (empty) and has a capacity of 6+1.

**Glock 30S .45 ACP**
The Glock 30S is a hybrid .45 ACP model introduced in 2012 that combines the slide from the six-round capacity model G36 with the larger, 10-round capacity G30 SF frame, thereby creating a smaller .45 design without compromising capacity, while at the same time adding a dustcover accessory rail. The new subcompact pistol has a 3.7-inch barrel, overall length of 6.9 inches, width of 1.2 inches, height of 4.8 inches and a carry weight of 22.95 ounces (empty).

**Glock 26 Gen4 9mm**
Among the most popular concealed carry Glock subcompacts is the 9mm G26 Gen4, which offers 10-round magazine capacity along with the smallest frame and slide dimensions available for a 9mm Glock model. Introduced in 1995, the G26 was the first subcompact in the Glock lineup and remains, in its latest form, one of the easiest subcompacts to shoot, as the new Gen4 models use Glock’s improved dual recoil spring guide rod design to further regulate felt recoil.

**Glock 27 Gen4 .40**
Introduced in 1995 as a companion model to the Glock 26 but chambered in the more powerful .40 S&W caliber, the Glock 27 is otherwise identical. The G27 is favored today by law enforcement, even though in .40 S&W the magazine only holds nine rounds versus the 9mm’s 10-round capacity. Now in the Gen4 series, the Glock 27 continues to rank among the most carried of all .40 S&W subcompact handguns with an overall length of 6.4 inches, height of 4.1 inches, width of 1.1 inches and carry weight of just 21.89 ounces (empty).

**Glock 36 .45 ACP**
The .45 ACP Glock 36, introduced in 1999, gave up four rounds and a double-stack magazine for a single-stack, six-round capacity, but gained a grip frame and width that was narrowed to only 1.10 inches, still the narrowest large-caliber Glock ever. While maintaining the same 3.7-inch barrel as the Glock 30, the gun came in slightly longer at 6.96 inches but lighter for concealed carry at only 22.4 ounces (empty) and shorter in height at 4.7 inches. This model remains among the smallest .45 ACP semi-automatics ever produced.

**Glock 39 .45 GAP**
In 2003, Ernest Durham and Gaston Glock designed the company’s own proprietary caliber, .45 GAP Created as an alternative to .45 ACP, the cartridge allows for a more compact pistol design while providing a round with equal bullet size and velocity. This led to the Glock 37 being introduced that same year and the subsequent compact Glock 38 and subcompact Glock 39 versions in 2005. The Glock 39 is narrow at 1.18 inches, with a single-stack magazine and 6+1 capacity, very short with a height of 4.1 inches and length of 6.4 inches. With a shorter 3.4-inch barrel and carry weight of 24.18 ounces, the Glock 39 is one of the smallest large-caliber models in the Glock line.

**Glock 33 Gen4 .357 SIG**
Back in 1997, Glock introduced the subcompact Glock 33, the compact Glock 32 and the standard Glock 31. This was an immediate trio of guns that allowed law enforcement to have two primary carry options plus a matching backup gun all in the same new caliber. The .357 SIG. This remains mostly a law enforcement specialty even today, but the latest Glock 33 Gen4 (as well as Gen4 versions of the Glock 31 and 32) offer users all of the company’s latest advances in grip design and recoil management in a unique, high-performance caliber. The 9+1 capacity Glock 33 Gen4 measures 6.4 inches in overall length with a 3.4-inch barrel, a short 4.17 inches in height, 1.8 inches in width and a carry weight of 21.89 ounces (empty), making it the size equivalent of the Glock 27.

**Glock 29 Gen4**
The hard-hitting 10mm subcompact Glock 29 Gen4 was introduced in 1996 and rounds out a very popular trio of law enforcement calibers. The latest Gen4 version of the G29 remains an all-around carry gun with the added advantage of a dustcover accessory rail, comparatively short 6.8-inch overall length, moderate height of 4.4 inches, width of 1.2 inches, a carry weight of 26.83 ounces (empty), and packs a full 10+1 capacity in 10mm. The pistol is also offered in the Gen3 short-frame version, the G29 SF.

**Glock 30 Gen4**
While the G30 Gen4 is not as “pocketable” as other Glock subcompacts, it does pack 10 rounds of threat-stopping .45 ACP in the magazine. It measures 6.8 inches in length, 4.8 inches in height, 1.2 inches in width and weighs a modest 26.30 ounces (empty). The Gen4 version offers interchangeable backstrap panels, the latest guide rod and recoil spring upgrades and a dustcover accessory rail. The pistol is also offered in the Gen3 short-frame version, G30 SF.

**Glock 19 Gen4 9mm**
The 9mm G19 entered the Glock line in 1997. It was one of the earliest compact models and has continued to evolve over the last 18 years into the Gen4 version. It measures 7.2 inches in overall length with a height of 4.9 inches, a width of 1.1 inches and a carry weight of 23.65 ounces (empty). These specs apply to all four Glock compacts for height and width, along with a barrel length of 4 inches. The 9mm Glock 19 Gen4, and the Glock 23 Gen4 in .40, have identical specs with the exception of weight.

**Glock 32 Gen4**
The Glock 32 Gen4 compact has the exact same dimensions as the .40 S&W Glock 23 through its 4-inch barrel, 13+1 capacity, overall length of 7.2 inches and weight of 24 ounces (empty). Like all Gen4 models, the frame surface has Glock’s new textured finish for a secure grip with less “bite.” Internally, the recoil spring assembly substantially increases the life of the system and helps mitigate harsh recoil from the high velocity .357 Sig round. A reversible, enlarged magazine catch, changeable in seconds, accommodates left- or right-handed operators and is another standard Gen4 feature.

**Glock 38 .45 GAP**
The last of Glock’s compact carry models is the Glock 38 in .45 GAP. Using a staggered column, eight-round magazine to increase capacity by two rounds, it was introduced in 2005. Similar to the Glock 37 except with a shorter 4.01-inch barrel, the G38 is the heaviest of the compacts, weighing 26.83 ounces (empty). The G38’s 8+1 capacity and the power of the .45 GAP cartridge present an ideal option in a model sized much like traditional caliber Glock compacts.

With the addition of the Glock 42 in .380 ACP, the celebrated Austrian armsmaker now has concealed carry models in every major caliber. The groundbreaking 9mm G17 design successfully implemented the use of a polymer frame to make carry guns lighter in weight without compromising strength or function. At the same time, Glock introduced its Safe Action trigger, which is now used by arms-makers the world over. And while coincidental to the model name, the G17 increased standard cartridge capacity to 17+1. Back in 1982, the highest capacity in 9mm was 14+1.

Glock has progressed over the past three decades to become an innovative leader in military, law enforcement and civilian sidearms with cutting-edge concealed carry subcompacts complementing all its standard-size models. Why is this important? Because every Glock, regardless of caliber or frame size, from standard to compact and subcompact, is built to handle, operate and be field stripped the same way. If you are familiar with one Glock pistol, you are familiar with them all.

This continuity of design, whether using a subcompact with a single-stack magazine for better concealment or a double-stack magazine for higher capacity, makes Glock one of the very first choices for concealed carry use, especially with multiple guns for carry and backup in matching calibers. Virtually all Glock models have an average trigger pull of 5.5 pounds, length of travel of 0.5 inches and quick reset that hardly varies from one gun to the next. The general dimensions for Glock subcompacts vary slightly by calibers and magazine capacity. The largest subcompact, chambered in hard-hitting .45 ACP, is the G30, weighing 26.48 ounces (empty) and measuring 6.9 inches in length, 4.8 inches in height and 1.2 inches in width with a 3.7-inch barrel. The smallest is the new G42 in .380 ACP.

Shared features on all Gen4 models include interchangeable backstrap panels. On the Gen4 models, standard grip size is slightly smaller than earlier models and there are two easily attachable backstrap panels that alter grip size and increase distance from the trigger by 2 and 4 millimeters, respectively. The panels cover the entire backstrap surface from the top of the grip frame to the bottom of the magazine, thus increasing the entire area of the grip, not just a portion of the backstrap like most interchangeable backstrap panels. Glock sights are also interchangeable to user preferences. By selecting a preferred caliber, frame size, and magazine capacity, it is easy to choose a Glock handgun to meet every self-defense and concealed carry requirement.

For more information, please visit Glock’s website.

This article was originally published in the 2015 issue of CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS. Subscription is available in print and digital editions below.

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