TAKE CHARGE CARRY WITH CONFIDENCE
Glock 48 Review
You need to know all the info and we look at it all in our Glock 48 review.
Glock designed the Glock 48 as a slimmer version of their Glock 19 series of firearms. The Glock 48 is based loosely on the Glock 43 series. It uses a similar slide design to the Glock 43 and a Glock 43 slide will fit the G48 frame.
Glock introduced both the Glock 48 and the Glock 43X at the beginning of 2019.
Both guns were slim, Glock 19 grip length guns, that included a ten-round magazine. But does it offer anything over the Glock 19? We’ll cover that in our Glock 48 Review.
Many speculate the guns were designed to compete with the Sig P365 series of firearms. Despite the fact, the Sig P365 series are a lot smaller and offer more capacity for their size.
The Glock 43X is just a Glock 43 slide with a longer and slightly wider grip. The Glock 48 uses a slide that is roughly the same length as the Glock 19 slide.
Glock calls the series of pistols their Slimline.
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Table of contents
Role
This gun was built for one thing and one thing only. Concealed Carry. It’s a purpose-built gun designed to conceal well.
Features
The Glock 48 comes with a 10-round magazine from the factory, it’s Glock’s normal polymer-coated steel magazine. If you compare it to something like the Sig P365 XL, you’re probably thinking the Sig P365 XL is a much smaller gun.
Yet, it has more capacity by two rounds.
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Well, that’s because of the magazine design it uses. Unfortunately, Glock will not get away from their polymer over-molded magazines.
That doesn’t mean the aftermarket doesn’t have you taken care of. If you live in a free state, I would strongly suggest looking at these shield arms S15 magazines.
Aftermarket Magazines
The S15 magazines hold 15 rounds in a Flush Fit magazine that will fit inside the Glock 48.
These are metal mags so you will have to replace the mag cache or at least as suggested. You replace the mag cache with a steel mag cache, so you don’t wear it out.
Despite being aftermarket, these magazines have had a good reputation for reliability.
I haven’t had any trouble with the ones I’ve run and most of my friends have had success, as well.
I can’t think of anybody that I personally know, who has not had success with these magazines. If you decide to run shield mags and your Glock 48, then you’ll have the highest capacity to gun size ratio.
Much higher than the Sig P365XL or even the Springfield Armory Hellcat.
It will be equal in capacity to the Glock 19, while the gun will be noticeably thinner. That said, I’m not sure if that’s the best choice over a Glock 19. We’ll cover that more later in the shooting section
Magazine Well
The mag-well on the Glock 48 is a typical mag-well. It has a slight bevel around the edges, but it’s not really enough to give you any aid when inserting the magazine.
I know there are aftermarket mag-wells out there if you so wish to add one.
Grip/Ergonomics
The Glock 48 doesn’t really come with any grip modularity.
The grip itself is a one-piece design, so it does not have removable back straps or back straps that you can add on to the system like other Glocks.
The ergonomics are pretty much identical to a Glock 19.
This gun does not have finger-grooves, so it’s quite a comfortable gun in the hand. It’s nice and thin, yet you can still get your bottom pinky on the grip itself.
Like a Glock 19, and it wants to force your hand fairly high into the tang.
Not quite as good as a gun like the CZ P10C.
It still a pretty decent design I feel ergonomic. The thinner grip really seems to make a difference in feel over a normal Glock. There is no beavertail on the Glock 48 but the Glock 48 Tang is nice and rounded and fairly comfortable.
Not really much to say there.
Texture
Now as far as texture, the Glock 48 has some semi-decent texturing. It doesn’t feel aggressive when you hold it softly in your hand, but if you really grip down on the gun.
It’s still not that aggressive but it seems to be enough to keep the gun in place.
I would like to see them use a Glock Gen 5 texturing, which is a little more aggressive than the Glock Gen4 that the slimline series is using.
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Besides that, I don’t have any real complaints about the texturing.
Overall, the general feel of the Glock 48 is really good and sits in a class of its own. It’s a large enough gun to really get a good grip on being larger than a Sig P365. But it’s still thinner than all the other options out there.
And with the full-length slide, the gun just gives you kind of a classic feel almost similar to a 1911, at least in a modern replacement this will do sense.
Sights
When it comes to Glock options, people always make fun of the Glock sights.
You can order pretty much any Glock with the standard crappy plastic slot fillers that they claim to be sights. I did that with this Glock 48 because I knew I would immediately replace them with Ameriglo Defoor Sights.
If you don’t want to mess with getting the sites on your gun replaced, then Glock does offer Ameriglo sights as a standard factory option.
The Ameriglo sights they offer has a bright either orange or yellow front with a square notch rear.
There are really good sights for an out of the box option.
So you can definitely get good sites from the factory for this gun. So don’t let people for you by saying that Glocks don’t come with good sites. And when you look at it from an affordability standpoint, it doesn’t cost much more to get the gun with those improved sights.
Glock 48 Red Dot
Now, if you want to add an optic to a Glock 48, that is another conundrum altogether. Glock just released their Glock 48 MOS.
The Glock 48 MOS has an optics mounting system that I’ll link below but the optics accounting system does have some issues over other guns on the market.
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One potential issue is the Glock 48 MOS has a light rail. If you want to add a light you have the option. If you don’t you’ll need to make sure your Glock 48 holster is set up to accept the rail.
The rail won’t work with standard Glock 48 holsters.
The Singleton Gen 2 Glock 48 holster is setup to accept the rail on the 48 MOS but our original singleton was not. It’s designed to fit the Shield Arm RMSc style of the site.
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The problem is they also include recoil bosses in the design, so it will not fit other similar optics that use the same screw mounting pattern.
This is a major oversight on Glock’s part, in my opinion.
That said, this decision was probably made by Glock Austria, so they could sell more Shield Arm SC sites on the U.S. market and it was not made by those at Glock USA.
Aftermarket is key in the US market and people on the US market want to be able to add SIg Romeo Xeros and more importantly, the Hollow Son 507K to this gun.
To do that, they’ll either have to buy an adapter plate, which will melt the optic much higher, or they’ll have to get somebody to mill off the recoil bosses.
I’ve heard it can be done with a file, but I’m not sure how willing I would be to try that.
Controls
Safeties
The only external safety on a Glock is the little dingus on the front of the trigger. This keeps the Glock drop safe. It’s a basic Glock trigger and there’s nothing special about it.
It is the old Gen 4 style trigger. I would have liked to have seen a smooth Gen 5 style trigger shoe on the Glock 48, but we can’t win everything.
Glock 48 Review Magazine Release
You can reverse the magazine release on the Glock 48.
It’s just a plastic basic Glock magazine release and it’s set up from the factory for a right-handed shooter.
It’s positioned well and you can press it easily without breaking your grip. It is a little bit sharp on the corner and I would like to see that changed but you can easily switch it out for something like a Tango Down mag release.
That’s the good thing with any Glock.
There are more aftermarket options for Glocks than pretty much any other guns out there.
Shield Magazine Mag Release
Now, I will note, if you’re running the shield mags, my understanding is a lot of those magazines are still right-hand only mag releases.
So, if you’re a left-handed shooter and want to run the mag release on the right side of the gun, you may not be able to use shield mags at this point.
You’ll also want to run a metal magazine release to avoid wearing it down on the metal magazines.
Slide-Stop
The slide stop on the Glock 48 is similar to every other Glock slide stop you’ve seen. It sits only on the left-hand side of the gun, so, unfortunately, it is not ambidextrous but it’s low profile and it’s easy to use.
You can definitely get an extended slide stop if you would like something a little more aggressive, but I see no need to replace it.
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You’re a left-handed shooter and you want to use your index finger to draw up the slide, the slide stops.
It’s a little far back for you to reliably be able to do that. If you have really small hands, it might work or really short fingers but for most people, I don’t believe that’s going to be an option.
Glock 48 Review Overall Ergonomics
The overall ergonomics of the Glock 48, in my opinion, are quite good for the slim profile of a gun.
This would make a great option for smaller-handed shooters that can’t get a good grip on a gun like the Glock 19.
If you measure the distance from the front strap to the backstrap on the Glock 48, is similar to Glock 19.
So your draw times will be similar, as you won’t have to move your fingers really far behind the gun between the gun in the body when you draw from your Glock 48 holster. This is the gun that you could grab if you wanted to have matching carry guns would say a significant other.
This is a good option because it will work well for people with both small and large hands.
It’ll work well with small hands due to the thin, narrow profile but it’ll work well for large hands due to the normal distance between the front strap and the backstrap of the gun.
Slide Ergonomics
The slide itself does have forward serrations on the front and serrations on the rear but the serrations on the slide are not terribly aggressive.
They’re OK, but I would like to see them a little bit deeper.
The forward serrations also are fairly short and they’re really only meant to be used for something like a press check. I wouldn’t suggest manipulating the slide completely from the front of the gun.
Trigger
The trigger on the Glock 48 is pretty much a standard Glock trigger.
There are lots of aftermarket Glock 48 trigger options if you desire to change it out but in this write-up, we’re only going to talk about the factory trigger.
Glock 48 Review Trigger Pull
When looking at the trigger pull, you’ll notice there is a slight bit of heavier take up as you pull on the trigger and then you’ll hit a wall.
From the wall, you’ll start to feel a little bit of creep before you hit a rolling break that almost feels like there might be a wall there.
There isn’t quite a wall and I would still consider a rolling break but the feel is somewhere between a rolling break and a hard wall.
Reset
Now, the trigger itself resets right to the wall portion at the front of the trigger, then you feel that creep again before it breaks in that rolling break.
The reset on the gun is fairly short and it is very positive, you can hear it both audibly and you can feel it.
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Trigger Overall
One thing I will warn you is this trigger is quite heavy and with the thin frame, it might be a little bit for most people to handle.
I personally kind of like the trigger, but I like rolling brakes and I don’t mind heavier trigger pulls. But I think most people will probably prefer another trigger, like something on the Sig P365XL, or the Springfield Armory Hellcat.
Glock 48 Review Maintenance
Cleaning your Glock 48 is no trouble whatsoever.
It takes down just like a standard Glock, so it’s easy to filmstrip the gun and get it clean.
All you have to do is check the gun to make sure it’s safe and there is no ammunition in the gun or anywhere near it, then you’re going to have to let the slide ride forward, so you can deactivate the striker by pulling the trigger.
You have to deactivate the striker before taking the slide off the gun. Once the strikers deactivated, you’ll pull the slide back slightly and then pull down the takedown tab on both the right and left hand side of the gun, using your support hand, thumb and index finger.
Once you’ve done that, the slide will come right off and you can take apart the recoil spring and the barrel.
If you want to replace parts in the frame of the Glock, it’s also easy.
Or you can replace strikers, springs, strikers, any other parts you want to in the slide as well.
I suggest going to a local gunsmith if you’re not that handy, but if it’s something you feel comfortable with a Glock is a very easy gun to work on.
Aesthetic
The Glock 48 and Glock 43X initially were shipped, only offered in a silver color slide.
The silver color slide, in my opinion, looks great from a distance.
A lot of people didn’t like it, they just wanted black. But I kind of liked the fact that it looks a little bit different than most other Glocks out there.
That said, this slide shows dirt, debris, grime and carbon, worse than anything I’ve ever seen. It’s not a slick finish by any means, so it’s not the easiest to clean off all that dirt, grime and debris.
They now offer a black slide.
So it’s easy to pick out something that you’ll like. That said, overall, the gun does look good, the forward serrations provide a nice little touch, giving some balance to the front of the gun.
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The fact that it doesn’t have finger grooves and you have the dust cover on the slide sticking out, around three-quarters of an inch, gives it a little bit of a 1911.
Look, I know people are reading this thinking this guy is crazy.
This gun looks nothing like a 1911, in my opinion. It’s probably the size gun John Browning would design today if he were to design a gun for concealed carry. But what do I know?
Glock 48 Review Shooting
Shooting the Glock 48 is probably a little bit different than you would expect.
This gun is a lot snappier and has more recoil than you would think. Shooting this gun side by side with a Glock 19, there is no comparison.
I’ve heard a lot of people say that there’s no reason to even own a Glock 19 with the 15 round capacity shield mags being available for the Glock 48.
I’m going to disagree with those people.
Shooting the gun is boringly reliable though, and it’s not a fun gun to shoot a thousand rounds in a day like you could with a Glock 19 theoretically.
This gun is definitely not hard to shoot, but it’s not easy to shoot either. It fits somewhere between the roles of a Glock 43 and a Glock 19.
Conclusions
I do wish it was a little bit easier to shoot, but considering the size of the gun, what it brings to the table and concealment, I kind of like the fact that it has ten round factory magazines in case I concealed carry in a state that does not allow normal capacity magazines.
The Glock 19 is a much easier shooting gun than the Glock 48.
The Glock 48, though, is a lot better for carry with a slim profile.
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If you want to carry in a Glock 48 OWB Holster it’s going to be ten times more concealable than the Glock 19 for most people and body types.
That said, for carrying in a Glock 48 IWB Holster, I don’t know if there’s a huge advantage over the Glock 19. It’s really going to depend on your build and clothing.
So there are upsides and downsides to this gun.
Personally, it’s made it into my carrier rotation and I think it’s a great option if you’re looking for something that’s dead nuts reliable, and keeps you in the same format as other Glock pistols.
All that said, I’m not sure the Glock 48 is the best choice for everyone, but it’s definitely a great gun that comes in at an affordable price and it’s not a bad gun to keep in the truck or to have as your daily carry.
Comment was you think about the Glock 48 Below.
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11 Comments
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I think that for certain of us folks with small, short fingered hands, the 48 is perfectly sized! 19s feel like a 2×4 to me. Very uncomfortable to handle and shoot, much less muzzle flip than my Hellcat. But the 48 is perfect! I too bought Shield 15 round mags and their metal magazine release.
Your snarky comment about larger magazines for people living in a “Free state” was misguided. I live in Colorado and support a ten round magazine limit and feel free as hell. My family has been here since 1857 and all of the other men in my family, as well as the women, feel fine and free despite your call for large magazines. We don’t want our children to be mowed down with 30 round and up magazines in the schools anymore. So stuff your opinion where the sun doesn’t shine, displaying your self-interest and not the lives of our children.
Look into school shootings. VA Tech is still the most deadly and was done with 2 pistols. A centerfire and a 22. Both had magazines with limited capacities. Most mass shootings occur with handguns and shotguns. Those just don’t make the news because they don’t support a political agenda. The type of gun is irrelevant.
I can reload a handgun in under 1.5 seconds when I’m not practiced and right at 1 second when I’m practiced. Most others can do the same. Capacity restrictions help the attackers and hurt the honest people trying to defend their life with what they have on their body or grab from their bedside safe.
Maybe you feel so safe that you carry multiple spare mags and sleep in a battle belt with spare mags. You’d be the exception. Most of us don’t. And before you make a comment about being a bad shot for needing so many round I suggest you look into ballistics and the effectiveness of ammo. Many weird things happen when a bullet hits skin, fat, muscle and bone. Unless you’re lucky and good, no telling how many rounds you’d need. That risk obviously increases with multiple attackers.
As tragic as Ulvadle was, it shows how ballistically ineffective the AR15 is when there was a 77-minute response time plus the time for medical first responders to enter, stabilize the victims and transport them to the local and San Antonio hospitals. 16 students who were shot thankfully lived despite having a minimum of 25 minutes from being hit to the Border Patrol taking out that Psycho. Thankfully he wasn’t using a shotgun with buckshot or slugs or it would have been significantly worse. The media likely inspired that murderer’s actions and also inspired his weapon choices.
Learn about the multiple types of guns and how to use them and you’ll realize you either have to believe in banning all guns or allowing people to have what will best help them defend their life. I highly suggest you get out there and train you’ll understand the things I’m talking about.
Thank you Harrison for the reply to the insanity that guy posted above. Also, last I checked, Colorado is anything but a free state. Not sure how any gun owner can agree with magazine limits.
Because they haven’t taken the time to get educated and act with emotion instead of fact.
Damn, JJ. Troll much? You come off in your screed as a hell of a lot less pro 2A then you appear. And a lot of your screed is totally irrelevant to anything. Family been in CO since 1857? Who cares?! The rest of your “Feelz” rant is equally irrelevant to the discussion namely larger vs smaller capacity magazines for citizens living in a state that trusts them vs serfs that reside in a bondage state. Which type of resident are you? Never mind, I already know. And it ain’t a citizen.
Your closing sentence is equally applicable to you. So stuff your opinion where da sun don’ shine, troll. And may your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our counteyman.
James… On the offensive side of a pistol, one with evil intent can arguably do as much damage with a 10 rnd magazine, as with a 15 rnd magazine. That’s a net sum of zero for 10 rnd pistols being “safer” or “less deadly.” A 15 rnd magazine can be a defensive force multiplier, especially when one is engaged in a fire fight, facing incoming rounds. Like it or not, evil is evil, no matter the form or number of bullets carried. Those are real life facts. I think everyone can agree that the overwhelming majority of people who own/carry firearms do so to protect themselves when pure evil comes knocking at their door.
10 rnd magazines can serve a number of valid arguments. It’s less weight to carry, thus one of the intended benefits of a lighter and thinner slim line pistol. It may also conceal a bit easier and carry more comfortably, especially with the weight distribution being more top heavy in a holster.
If one feels satisfied carrying a 10 rnd magazine… excellent. If another prefers additional capacity… that is excellent too. The “freedom” articulated here lies solely in the ability to choose, without government mandated restrictions. Nothing more and nothing less.
That is the most ignorant comment on magazines I have ever heard. Four or five more bullets is just a bunch of liberal crap! Next you will want it to be 6 rounds. Your guns will be confiscated by liberals despite the constitution. Thank God for the Supreme Court and our constitution!!!
Easy, fella. One or two mag changes are pretty easy to perform in a school room full of cowering children, so that’s just bilge. If you think the gun grabbers that took over your state are going to stop at 10, you’re not clued in at all on the agenda. Biden said recently “I want all the semi-automatics.”. Then I guess you and your blue CO friends will get to exercise your liberty with revolvers instead…until there’s some killings from revolvers and then they’ll need to go.
They only reason it’s not worse there is that they need another generation of propagandized voters to come of age and/ or another wave of Californians to arrive there.
Why don’t they put the light rail on the standard 48? Looks like it only comes on the 48mos?
Great review, this looks like a good fit for my daughter to use for a pistol class. She currently has a Glock 42 and it isn’t that fun to to shoot hundreds of rounds needed for the course.
We shot the sig 365 and she didn’t like the snappyness of it, how would you say it compares to the 365?
Why??? For the same reason Glock came out with the G42 pocket pistol, then released the G43 a year later. To sell more pistols! 😂