Table of Contents

• Specs
• Build
• Shooting
• Magazines and Sights
• Safety, Assembly, and Accessories
• Conclusion

Here at Gunivore, we’re no strangers to the .45 auto line of Glock handguns, having previously covered the Glock 21 and the Glock 30. Things get really fun when it comes to the .45 auto line, however, with the Glock 36 – the subcompact slimline .45 auto model from Glock. With the Glock 36, the appeal of the gun lies in the three C’s: concealment, concealment, and concealment. The Glock 36 is of a size that makes it absolutely ideal for concealed carrying and for storing on your person, perhaps the best concealed carry firearm in the Glock lineup. It’s funny, I’ve seen the gun likened to the comically small Walther PPK/S used by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers movies, but the truth is that depending on your hand size, the gun is not impractically small.

Yes, your results may vary as far as comfort depending on your hand size, but the reality of the situation is such that the more concealed a gun needs to be, the smaller it must be. Any gun that can easily accommodate larger hand sizes can only be so small. More so, Glock makes a point of fleshing out its line as much as it possibly can, in order to accommodate the needs of all handgun owners. For example, for 9×19 guns, Glock offers the G19 (also covered here) and its slimmer model, the G26, as well as the subcompact slimline G43. Same goes for the .357 caliber Glock 31 – smaller models of the same caliber are offered so that any kind of gun owner can find any caliber of handgun produced by Glock accessible. This is a result of the Glock philosophy, really. Glock is all about cornering the handgun market to the benefit of the consumer, and one corner that is firmly occupied by Glock is the .45 auto compact gun one – by the Glock 36.

Glock 36 Specs

Caliber / System

• .45 Auto / Safe Action

Dimensions

• Length: 177 mm / 6.96 in.
• Height: 121 mm / 4.76 in.
• Width: 28.00 mm / 1.10 in.
• Barrel Height: 32 mm / 1.26 in.
• Length Between Sights: 150 mm / 5.91 in.
• Barrel Length: 96 mm / 3.77 in.

Weights

• Unloaded: 635 g / 22.42 oz.
• Loaded: 765 g / 27.00 oz.

Trigger Pull / Travel

• Trigger Pull: ~2.5 kg / ~5.5 lbs.
• Trigger Travel: ~12.5 mm/ ~0.49

Barrel Rifling / Length of Twist

• Barrel Rifling: right hand, octagonal
• Length of Twist: 400 mm / 15.75 in.

Magazine Capacity

• Standard: 6

Glock 36 Build

The Glock 36 is unsurprisingly well-made, and this is apparent from the moment the gun is picked up. I find the familiar polymer makeup of the gun so satisfying, though I am an admitted Glock enthusiast, so this may not be the reaction everyone has to Gaston Glock’s revolutionary plastic-like build. The G36 uses a composite frame with a metallic slide and barrel, each of which feature a tenifer finish, which makes for a solid, durable gun.

I have been carrying my G36 for over a year and fired hundreds of rounds with it – besides for some malfunction which was a result of foolishly trying to use rounds which were not fully compatible, I’ve had no problems with the gun. Ultimately, the G36 more than lives up to its “Slimline” billing – the minimalist frame of the gun keeps protrusions to an absolute minimum, and the 1.1-inch width of the weapon is about as slim as you’re going to find in a .45 auto. The gun looks sleek and feels comfortable to boot – it is light weight, but offers enough substance to make you feel like you’re carrying a powerful firearm.

Glock 36 Shooting

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: this Glock gun fires surprisingly steadily for a gun of its size. This has been a recurring theme in our Glock reviews – compact Glock guns and their deceptive stopping power and controllability – but a theme that is perhaps felt strongest in the G36. It almost took me aback when I initially fired the G36 at the range. Fearing the combination of a .45 auto in a “subcompact, slimline” might be too much for my wrist to handle, I braced for the worst, and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of recoil felt in the gun when fired.

With that being said, it is still important as ever to practice proper technique when firing the G36 – you will pay the price if you don’t! The G36 offers good balance with a full mag, and the grip is comfortably textured. Your comfort when holding the gun will be at least somewhat dependent on hand size, however.

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Glock 36 Magazines and Sights

Anyone investigating the Glock 36 should know right off the bat that they’re not going to be re-enacting the last scene of Scarface with this gun. The factory magazine capacity is 6, and there aren’t many options available in terms of equipping it with a higher capacity (an extended mag might add a round or two, depending on the brand). Still, it’s tough to call this a shortcoming of a firearm that exists to be easy to carry and conceal – it’s just impossible to feature both a compact form and a high magazine capacity, until rounds become much smaller in some distant future.

The factory sights of the G36 are not much to write home about, but they’re not terrible either. The front-end sight features a white dot and the rear a dovetail sight with white inserts – not bad, but not as practical as night sights when looking for a self-defense weapon. There are plenty of different sights available for those who are dissatisfied with the factory ones – I recommend Trijicon Night Sights.

Glock 36 Safety, Assembly, and Accessories

It’s that time again! In every feature on a newer Glock model, we need to talk about safety, and that means it’s time to talk about Glock’s incredible and patented ‘Safe Action System’ – the very best in gun safety from the very best handgun manufacturer (in my opinion). The Safe Action System is a three-part system designed to comprehensively cover the most important aspects of handgun safety by accounting for the most risk-associated elements of handguns.

Firstly, the Glock trigger features a built in safety which prevents the trigger from being pulled unless it is simultaneously engaged with the trigger. Secondly, there is the firing pin safety, which sets the firing pin in a safe position from which it is only activated by engaging the trigger safety. Lastly, the built-in drop safety of the G36 ensures that there will be no unwanted or accidental firings of the weapon. The G36 is easily disassembled and reassembled, a task made even easier by the Glock disassembly tool accessory. Speaking of accessories, there are a lot of options to play with when you own a G36. A good holster is almost a pre-requisite, but there is a wealth of other options out there if you want to ‘trick out’ or modify your Glock – try different sights, grips, lasers, lights, magazines, and more.

Conclusion

The Glock 36 does exactly what it and the other models in Glock’s extensive handgun line are supposed to do – it fills a niche for gun owners, and it fills it well. As far as .45 auto guns which are intended for concealed carry purposes, you will not find better than the Glock 36 – guaranteed. The G36 won’t be perfect for everyone, however. Your best bet is heading down to the range and trying out the 36 to see if it works well for you. Happy shooting!

Want more of the best gun content on the web? Looking for some fresh Glock 17 and 19 reviews? We’ve got it all for you right here at Gunivore.

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Table of Contents

• Remington 870
• Mossberg 500
• Benelli M4
• Catamount Fury 12 Gauge
• Winchester 1897
• Browning Automatic 5
• Conclusion

Protecting your home, yourself, and most importantly – your loved ones – is one of the most noble reasons to own a firearm. Life can come at us in many unexpected and unsafe ways, and owning a firearm is a great way to ensure that you’re prepared for any and all of what life can throw at you. Most home defense situations involve tight corners, close combat, and occur around the nooks and cranny’s one would expect in a house or apartment, which makes the shotgun a popular choice for home defense reasons. Lacking in range but packing some serious punch, the shotgun is a classic home defense weapon, affording users the ability to neutralize threats confidently and emphatically. Given that shotguns fire ‘shot’ – a burst or spray of ammunition, as opposed to a single round – shotguns can be counted on to more reliably hit their mark in some capacity, which is extremely useful given the high-pressure nature of home defense situations and incidents.

There is a vast array of shotguns available to service the entire gun community – no matter your skill level, experience, budget, or living situation, there is a shotgun out there that can help you. It’s important to consider all of these factors and more when deciding which shotgun to purchase, and most importantly to make sure the shotgun you’re using is best suited for you – as is always the case with guns, shotgun safety must always come first! However, with that being said, specifics of the user aside, there are undoubtedly a number of shotguns that are best when it comes to home defense purposes. There are a lot of age-old debates among shotgun owners, such as pump action vs. semi-automatic, or .410 Bore VS 20 Gauge, but in this feature we’re talking strictly self-defense. We have compiled a run down a number of these firearms here, in our Best Home Defense Shotguns 2016 feature!

The Best Home Defense Shotguns:

Remington 870

Utilized for a number of purposes ranging from sport shooting, to hunting, to home-defense, to law enforcement and military use, the Remington 870 is one of the best all-purpose shotguns available. However, where the 870 model truly shines is as a home defense weapon. Although there are a number of editions and variants of the 870 shotgun, all of them fall under the same general makeup which is, again, ideal for home-defense purposes: short barrel, short stock, healthy magazine feed with options for extended mags, high ease of use, and great build quality (as all Remington models are known for). The versatility and customization options afforded by the 870 are also extremely helpful for home defense purposes, as the shotgun can handle different kinds of ammunition including both lethal and non-lethal rounds, is easily cared for and maintained, and features a modular design.

What a modular design means is that the parts can be easily swapped or change to fit more specific wants and needs of the user, meaning the shotgun can be customized to fit the needs of any home owner. At around $400, the Remington 870 is also very competitively priced for a home defense shotgun, which is part of what makes it such a popular choice among gun owners.

Mossberg 500

The choice of the Gunivore staff when it comes to home defense shotguns, the Mossberg 500 is an excellent choice for homeowners looking to defend their homes. Part of what makes the Mossberg 500 shotgun such a reliable choice for home defense use is that Mossberg has been producing, fine-tuning, and perfecting the 500 shotgun for over 50-years – the model has, above all else, earned a reputation for its dependability and reliability, which are the most critical factors when it comes to home defense weapons. The manual-action cycle significantly reduces the odds of malfunction, giving the 500 one of the best track records for malfunctioning (or lack thereof) in the category.
Additionally, the pump-action and sliding fore end helps to stabilize the gun, making it friendly to both novice gun users and experts alike.

Like the 870, the gun offers a large number of options when it comes to customization, including (but not limited to) extended mag tubes, integral lights, tactical sights (laser or otherwise), accessory rails, and heat shields. Again like the 870, this means that users will be able to fine tune their gun to fit their specific needs – which, again, has driven the popularity of the 500 to incredible heights. At $300 to $400, the 500 is also very reasonably priced and affordable for gun owners of any income level.

Benelli M4

Stepping into a more advanced level of home defense or tactical shotgun is the Benelli M4. While some shotguns can feel like a classic, beat-up pickup truck, the M4 is more like a sports car, boasting bells and whistles that lesser shotguns could only dream of featuring. Firstly, the semi-automatic nature of the gun eliminates the commonly found pump-action on shotguns and makes for a quicker, more efficient, and more tactical shooting experiences – great for stealth home defense situations. Quite simply, the gun is built with speed, efficiency, and performance in mind – no corners were cut in the manufacturing of this gun, as is evidenced by the price tag (more on that later).

The Benelli Argo system is a dual short-stroke, self-cleaning gas piston mechanism, which makes the action cycle very quickly while keeping the gun clean and free of obstruction. However, like a sports car, the M4 needs to be cared for intricately in order to maintain its high level of performance – a minor drawback in an otherwise world-class shotgun experience. The design and ergonomics of the gun are on-point as well, as the grips, handling, and exterior of the gun are built for both comfort and functioning. At about $1,800, the gun is certainly on the pricier side, but that is to be expected when dealing with a world-class firearm like this.

Catamount Fury 12 Gauge

Featuring a number of unique features not generally found on traditional home defense shotguns, Catamount’s tactical shotgun is a nice change of pace for gun owners looking for something different, or with particularly specific needs. A gas-operated, piston driven, semi-automatic 12 gague shotgun, the Catamount offering is adjustable for both high brass and low brass ammunition and can handle 2 3/4 -inch and 3-inch shells, a feature that is virtually unheard of in shotguns of this nature. The 12-gauge also includes removable chokes, an adjustable gas system, a dust cover featuring a rail, a bolt-hold open (which is especially practical), and extra magazines.

The primary advantage to this gun is in the options when it comes to magazines, as well as the ease and accessibility of the magazine well – swapping mags with the Fury 12 gauge is far easier than doing so with other shotguns, and is especially easier than loading a shotgun tube with rounds. At about $500, the Catamount is on the lower range of the middle of the pack pricing tier for home defense shotguns of this nature.

Winchester 1897

It wouldn’t be much of a home defense shotgun list without the inclusion of this absolutely classic Winchester model, the legendary 1897 shotgun. The brainchild of the revered and respected John Moses Browning, one of the most celebrated gun inventors of all-time, the 1897 has come a long way and seen many alterations from the time of its introduction in 1897, but it has truly stood the test of time and remains a reliable home defense shotgun to this day. The first successful pump-action shotgun produced, there is something so satisfying about operating the 1897 – it’s a feeling that no other shotgun has quite been able to capture or emulate.

The 1897 is an external hammer shotgun lacking a trigger disconnector, which means that the shooter can hold down the trigger while cycling, and once the action is returned to battery the gun fires, making this a quick and easy fire and thus a great option for any and all would-be home defenders. The Norinco 97, produced by the Chinese company of the same name, is an exact copy of the Winchester 1897 and a popular choice among gun owners today. At anywhere from $400 to $1000 depending on condition and vintage, the 1897 is at best a cheap option, and at worst a moderately priced one.

Browning Automatic 5

Another classic of a shotgun that has maintained its standing as an ideal go-to home defense shotgun to this day is the Browning A5. The namesake feature of the gun, the A5 is an autoloader shotgun with a capacity of five rounds of ammunition (four in the magazine and one in the chamber. Shells in the A5 are stored in a tubular magazine beneath the battel – when a chambered shell is fired, the barrel recoils together with the bolt, and the hammer is re-cocked.

The barrel returns forward as the spent shell is ejected, after which the bolt feeds another shell into the action. This patented design was developed by John Browning himself, and went a long way towards revolutionizing the shotgun as we know it. Known for its build quality, reliability, ease of use, and accuracy, the A5 is one of the most commonly used shotguns for home defense purposes in the world, and it’s no mystery as to why – the gun is easy to pick up and use for beginners, but still sophisticated enough and featuring a high enough level of quality to appeal to experienced gun owners as well. At $1,300 to $1,500 in price, the Browning A5 is on the upper end of the middle tier in terms of shotgun pricing.

Conclusion

A shotgun is a great option to select in order to ensure that you’re ready and able to defend yourself and your family for anything while inside of your home. Although some great options were not included here, notably the Kel-Tec KSG, Familiarize yourself with the options available in shotguns and select the gun that is best suited to fulfill your needs. Remember, it’s important to always keep in mind that what works for some gun owners may not work for another. Figure out what’s best for you in terms of home defense shotguns and you’ll be primed and ready to keep your home fully defended in no time!

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