Despite its small size and low weight, the author found it a lot more controllable during rapid-fire strings than he expected.

Next, I fired a few failure-to-stop, or body armor drills, which involve firing a double tap to the chest and one to the head. Again, I was a wee bit slower than with my full-size gun, but that was to be expected given the size and weight difference between the two.

What I didn’t expect was how small the difference was, or how accurately I was able to shoot the little G30 SF at speed. Clearly, the shorter trigger reach made a difference by allowing me to get a more solid grip. The gun slid around a bit during extended rapid-fire strings, but not as much as the old Glock 30 did.

I was impressed with Glock’s latest offering. It proved to be as unflappably reliable as every other Glock I’ve tested, and it was pretty darn accurate, too. It was also a lot more controllable during rapid-fire strings than I expected, given its size and weight.

As good as it is, like just about every gun I’ve ever tested, the Glock 30 SF had a few warts. First, although it is, technically, a subcompact pistol, it’s still a bit on the chunky side. For example, its slide is 1.124 inches, compared to a 1911’s slide width of .918-inch. The .2-inch difference may not seem like much, but it is noticeable.

My only other issues had to do with the grip. It felt fine during slow fire, but when I sped things up, the pistol tended to shift around in my hand after a few rounds, forcing me to adjust my grip mid-string. Those with larger hands would likely not have that problem.

I also had trouble with my right ring finger getting pinched between the magazine and the grip frame. This may or may not be a user-specific issue, as my friend, John Wood, had the same problem.

Still, Glock’s new 30 SF combines .45 ACP punch with relentless reliability and fine accuracy in a slick, easily concealable package. It certainly made a lasting impression on me. Sadly, its grip may still be a tad thick for my small hands, but that’s my loss. Average-size shooters will find the newest Austrian offering to be a peach of a packin’ pistol.