G35 Gen4 vs G21 Gen4 for Duty

[Jackrabbit]

Headed to the POST Academy in July, and I'll be working for Dept. of Natural Resources when I graduate. I've carried and competed with a G19 Gen4, but my boss is saying either Glock or 1911, .40 or .45 for duty use, and he prefers .40 for commonality. I've owned a G22 and didn't like it much, and I won't be carrying a 1911 for duty. That leaves the G21 gen4 and G35 gen4.

I'm not interested in a caliber war, I wanted some input on either of these as duty guns from people who have carried them.

--The advantage I see to the G35 is that I can have a backup gun which takes the same magazines with the G27, and a primary which takes the same magazines as many of my coworkers. The longer sight radius would be nice, but might be a liability in extreme close quarters. I could also trade out the upper with a G34 upper for competition. The disadvantages would be the stand out factor as an FNG (I'm not wanting to be "that guy"). My concern is that the G35 is built for shooting rather than fighting.

--The advantage to the G21 is the slightly better terminal ballistics in the round I'll be carrying (Winchester PDX1) and subjectively more predictable recoil impulse, in my experience. The gen4 fits my hand fine. The G21 is definitely a fighting gun--no frills, ugly as sin, built like a sledgehammer. Disadvantages are that my backup will have to be a different caliber or won't take the same magazines.

Thoughts?

 

[ptrlcop]

I wouldn't worry about the extra length on the 35. A light on a 22 sticks out just as far...

But I would probably pick the 21

 

[regdudedrtyjob]

A good friend of mine has run a G35 for 3 years on patrol. He seems to be a big fan of it over the G22 he started out with. Another guy I know is on the SWAT element with his department, and is also running a G35 with nothing but praise. If I were you, I would stick with what I would be able to compete with, because the more reps you get shooting the actual duty gun, the better and more comfortable with that gun you will be. Both of the guys I referenced above actually prefer the longer sight radius and longer slide/barrel over the G22. Hope that helps.

 

[nate89]

I don't have a lot of time shooting a 35, but I have taken a gen 4 Glock 21 to a class, and have shot one quite a bit. I think it has an easier recoil to manage than just about any other .45 I have shot. I found it easier than even an all steel 5" 1911. Have you shot the 21 before? If not I'd try to find one and run it through it's paces.

 

[Prdator]

The Gen4 G35 has been my primary carry gun ( Yes AIWB.LOL) for well since they came out. I have 6 ish of them now and they have all ran like champs.. The only things I do to them are good sights, AMeriglo Op Pro's, good trigger I like the Lone Wolf connector but thats a personal deal. If you can get one that has adjustable sights it will come (should) with a 4.5# connector just FYI. I also under cut the trigger guard to keep my Glock knuckle down.

The added sight radius and added weight of the slide I believe help the gun be a bit more reliable than the G22. Mine have proven very accurate, and the Gen4 is quite a bit softer recoiling than the Gen3 guns...

On another note. with modern ammo in all the service calibers I'd MUCH rather have more than bigger. So that might be something to consider.

 

[jlw]

One of my guys dropped his Gen4 G34 in the dirt as part of a drill in a class. Enough grit got into the RSA via the slide cut that it completely locked up the pistol. He had to get a new RSA to get the gun running again.

 

[Erick Gelhaus]

Which gun do you shoot best?

 

[Jackrabbit]

Thanks for the input. If the 21 is your primary, what do you carry as a BUG? The G30 is huge for ankle carry, and seems very wide for inside the vest.

 

[McKenna]

Have you looked into the Glock 41 at all? it is the Long slide equivalent to the 34/35s and its chambered in .45ACP. Also the grip and slide on the 41 is the slimmer like the G34/35 compared to the G21.

 

[PM07]

Who says the 35 isn't built for fighting? Yes, I've read the internet opinions about the open slide getting jammed up etc etc. Nothing against JLWs friends experience, but I carried a 35 as a duty weapon for several years. During that time, even with the various training events I've attended in which I was covered head to toe, holster filled, with rain, dirt, mud, I've never had a issue. My current duty weapon is a 34. I'm 100% confident it will do the same. With that said, McKenna makes a good suggestion too if your agency with approve it. I like the 41 a lot .

 

[Matt Landfair]

I ran a gen 3 G35 for 8ish years as a duty weapon. I like it far more than the G22.