Glock G30 Gen4 .45 ACP vs Glock G36 .45 ACP

Both .45s run the same 3.78" barrel, the same 6.97" overall length and the same 5.91" sight radius, and both break at 6.3 lb, so the magazine and the grip around it are what separate them. The Glock G30 Gen4 .45 ACP holds 10 rounds to the Glock G36 .45 ACP's 6, and pays for them with 0.2" of width (1.38" vs 1.18") and 3.9 oz of weight (26.3 oz vs 22.4 oz). MSRP runs the other way — $570 for the G30 against $655 for the G36.

Pick the Glock G30 Gen4 if:

• You want four more rounds on board (10 vs 6) in the same length of gun
• The extra 3.9 oz (26.3 oz vs 22.4 oz) is welcome mass under a .45 ACP
• You want the lower MSRP ($570 vs $655), and three magazines in the box
• Interchangeable backstraps matter to you; the G36 grip is fixed textured polymer

Pick the Glock G36 if:

• A 1.18" grip conceals better for you than the G30's 1.38" — 0.2" flatter against the body
• You carry all day and want the lighter gun at 22.4 oz
• It also sits 0.08" lower (4.72" vs 4.8"), so the grip prints slightly less
• Six rounds of .45 is enough for your carry role

Barrel, length, sight radius and trigger weight are identical, and neither is optic-ready, so this is purely a width-and-weight trade. Four extra rounds and a lower price against 0.2" of grip thickness and 3.9 oz.