Glock 48 Review
- Price: $448.99
- Barrel Length: 4.19 inch
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Capacity: 10+1
The new Glock 48 is a popular handgun that has gained a loyal following among firearm enthusiasts.
As part of Glock’s Gen 5 lineup, the G48 compact, slimline semi auto pistol brings a host of new features and improvements.
Here we will dive into the details of the Glock 48 review, highlighting its pros and cons, as well as the exciting new features introduced in the Gen 5 version.
The G48 striker fired handgun weighs 5 ounces less than the G19, as well as being slimmer. So if you’re struggling to fit your G19 into an IWB holster, this could easily be your answer.
Pros and Cons of Glock 48 Specs
Pros
- Slim and compact design ideal for concealment and people with smaller hands.
- Improved ergonomics: The Gen 5 Glock 48 features an enhanced grip texture, providing a more secure and comfortable hold, and precision milled front serrations on the slide.
- Improved ergonomics: The Gen 5 version of the G48 features an enhanced grip texture, providing an enhanced grip and comfortable hold.
Cons
- Limited Capacity – An empty magazine holds 10 rounds, which is solid and State compliant, but the double stack pistol, the Glock 19, offers more.
- Recoil management – Due to a slim design, the Glock 48 has more felt recoil.
- Sights – The G48 comes with the OEM Glock factory sights, which aren’t that special. But it’s an easy upgrade.
A Brief Introduction to the New Glock 48
The Glock 48 was introduced in January 2019 at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is an annual trade show for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry.
This is a compact, slimline, single-stack magazine pistol designed for concealed carry and features a slimmer profile and similar barrel to the Glock 19.
Key Features of the Glock 48 Review
The G48 is slightly more than a Glock 19 with a slimline frame. Not much, but slightly more…
First is a significantly shorter trigger distance than other models in the line, which is a huge deal and helps the whole gun feel a lot crisper than the deliberately middle of the road 9mm Luger G19. The Gen 5 Glock trigger is much better, and this one is tuned to be as sharp as it gets without aftermarket triggers.
A built-in-1911 style beavertail also helps control the gun and squash the recoil. It might also seem familiar, because it’s the same grip as the Glock 43x. If you like that, then you’ll love this larger single stack pistol with a longer sight radius and longer line of sight.
You might also love the front cocking serrations for John Wick style push checks and just general handling of your personal defense weapon.
Aside from that this is a Glock. So it’s a plastic block with slightly rounded corners, but you knew that.
What’s New for the Gen 5
The Glock 48 was always a Gen 5, there was no Gen 4 G48 9mm Luger with the annoying finger grooves and mushy Glock trigger. The Gen 4 remains a blight on Glock’s history honestly,
But just to sum up, here are the main points of Gen 5 Glocks that might have passed you by.
There are a number of features on the new Gen 5 Glock 48 that are worth pointing out. They include:
- No Finger Grooves – I have no idea who thought they were a good idea. But they weren’t, ever.
- Glock Marksman Barrel – An improved chamber and nDLC coated barrel improve precision and reliability.
- Flared Magazine Well – Learning from the aftermarket suppliers, Glock molded a flared magwell for faster and easier reloads.
- Ambidextrous slide stop lever – Better for left handed shooting and makes the gun more versatile.
- Built in Beavertail – A heavily molded grip helps hand position and gives more control.
Get a Red Dot Sight on Your Glock
If you want to put red dot sights on your best concealed carry weapon then the Glock 48 MOS is waiting for you. The Glock 48 MOS Glock Modular Optics system means you can put your optics on top of your semi automatic pistol and get much better at the gun range.
For home duties, you might really want to consider red dots on top of your Glock 48 MOS pistol.
No Manual Safety
There is no thumb safety on a Glock, just a firing pin safety that is part of the Glock Safe Action, that also includes drop safeties. Essentially the blade on the trigger is the only safety, which is fine if you know that going in.
The Glock safety system, or lack of it, is the number one reason why people return Glocks, though, so be aware.
Glock Safe Action is a unique thing and you really need to keep the gun in a holster to make sure it’s totally secure. Or leave the chamber empty, but we don’t recommend that round here for self defense.
Glock 48 vs Glock 43x
These Glock pistols are both popular concealed carry guns that share a similar mag capacity and the same basic grip, but there are differences between the two.
Now the G43x comes with a shorter barrel and a shorter overall length of 6.5 inches against the 7.28 inches of the Glock 48.
Both guns have 1.1 inches slide width and are 5.04 inches in height thanks to a similar grip length. But the Glock 43x is a double stack and the 9mm Glock 48 comes with essentially a single stack magazine and a thinner profile than the G19.
The G43x is an easier daily carry, while the G48 with its longer barrel is a more versatile pistol that can cover you as the best concealed carry pistol and for home defense.
With a longer line of sight and sight radius, it’s simply easy to shoot and exploit that Marksman Barrel at the range.
It has the same built in beavertail that helps accuracy and repeatability. That built in beavertail ensures your hand stays high up on the frame without suffering from that infamous old Glock slide bite.
Conclusion
The Glock compact pistol with its compact and slim design, combined with the notable enhancements introduced in the Gen 5 model, remains a top choice for concealed carry pistols.
Whether you are a seasoned shooter or a first-time firearm owner, the Glock 48 striker fired pistol offers the perfect blend of comfort, power, and performance, ensuring peace of mind in critical situations.
It probably isn’t the best 9mm pistol out there. Or even the best Glock. But it is an intriguing proposition for Glock pistol connoisseurs that want a slimmer profile to the G19 and are willing to sacrifice magazine capacity.
Parts and Accessories For Your Glock
Of course it’s a Glock, so there are a wealth of accessories, including lights, lasers and night sights. Having originally launched without an accessory rail, you can now order a G48 with a simple rail at the bottom for a weapons light.
Extended controls like a magazine release and slide stop are also readily available in the Glock accessories’ stores at Brownells, Primary Arms and more. Also an upgraded firing pin safety is a popular add-on and a drop in trigger can still improve the feel of your 9mm pistol.
Don’t forget gun cleaning kits. A Glock pistol is low maintenance, but gun cleaning is still important and you should have a basic gun cleaning regimen. For that, you need a basic gun cleaning kit.
So you can add all these parts and accessories, gun cases, concealed carry holsters, high capacity magazines, standard Glock magazines and more to your order without too much trouble.
Go for top quality metal magazines like the Shield Arms 15 round magazines, by the way, rather than cheap plastic options.
High-quality metal magazines will be more durable and reliable, be they single stack or double, so get the best parts & accessories for your carry handguns. Including Shield Arms magazines and magazine extensions.
The Best IWB Holsters for Glock
Now the best IWB holsters for your carry pistols are a matter of personal choice, of course they are. But at the same time, there are so many options that you might need a helping hand to find the right IWB holsters for your Glock pistol.
Our favorites are Alien Gear holsters, Crossbreed holsters and the simple We The People IWB holsters.
Glock 48 Alternatives
A new Glock striker fired pistol is still the default choice for Law Enforcement and home consumers, albeit the G19, but not everybody loves these Austrian handguns. And we get that too.
So what are the alternatives to the Glock?
1. Smith & Wesson M&P
- Price: $599.99
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
With an optional manual safety, a proper accessory rail and a grip angle that plenty of folks will tell you is just better, the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield subcompact 9mm pistol and the larger compact pistol are some of the most popular handguns on sale in North America right now.
It’s a great option, and an increasing number of concealed carry holsters are filled with M&P carry pistols. The gun reviews all say the same thing, too, it’s a great pistol.
2. Springfield Hellcat Pro
- Price: $549.99
The Springfield Armory has taken the mico compact 9mm pistol world by storm, and the larger Pro version is a stunning handgun too.
This 9mm compact Springfield Armory Hellcat OSP is optics ready, has the highest capacity in its class and boasts a near-perfect trigger pull. It is also a great alternative to the Glock as a concealed carry gun and it comes with a built in beaver tail as well.
You can buy the XD-M Elite as well, which is arguably a more complete 9mm pistol with a longer barrel. You get size options there, too, with the OSP Compact and the full size competition grade handgun for target shooting.
They all come with a reversible magazine catch and the gun reviews love it.
3. Sig Sauer P365 XL
- Price: $599.99
The Sig Sauer P365 changed the game and became one of the best selling carry guns in recent years. Now the P365 has evolved into a model line and the larger Sig P365 XL is the best alternative to the standard Glock 48.
You could make a case for the smaller Sig P365, which is much easier to conceal. But we’re trying to compare apples and apples here and the Sig P365 is a natural competitor for the G43x semi automatic pistol in the best concealed carry gun class.
So the larger Sig P365 XL has the 12 round capacity magazines, a 3.7 inch barrel and is another gun that can handle both carry gun duties and home defense.
The reversible magazine catch, mag release and slide stop are elegant, simple and relatively low drag. And the built in beaver tail is extended almost to 1911 proportions. That makes it easy to shoot without worrying about the slide.
That’s important for a CCW and the gun reviews love it.
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