I own or shot all of the 9mm, 40SW, and 45ACP Glocks. Why are you looking at the compact 9mm? Are you going to carry concealed?
Anyway, there is a big difference in recoil between the 9mm and 40SW Glocks.
Many of the Glocks going kaboom occur in the 40's because the cases are highly pressurized, double charges by reloaders and the frames may have been built off of Glock's original 9mm design.
I shoot the Glock 27 in 40SW exceptionally well. Maybe better than how I shoot my G26. But I prefer the softer recoil of the 9mm round as a civilian. If you are LE or military, your agency may have moved up to the 40 SW round.
Many LE agencies stated they moved up to the 40 SW round because it is a more effective round. I like it . . . if you reload, you know that it is smack in between a 9mm and a 45 ACP case.
But LE agencies in the 90s just weren't able to recruit the caliber of cop that they used to. If you mention you have experience with firearms, the interviewing committees tend to get nervous. Furthermore, many agencies have problems getting and keeping a percentage of their officers/agents firearms qualified. Minneapolis/St Paul's department/s have a 50% failure rate on the first go around of handgun qualifications a while back. It's a tool to them but fella's like Jim Circullo (sp?) are hard to find nowdays.
Unemployment is at an all time low and the LE and miliatry communities aren't getting the candidates they once enjoyed.
Hell . . . the FBI only offers $32,000 to start off as a special agent. Most attorneys, accountants, analysts, and military intelligence officers are making almost twice that starting out.
The Glock 19 is the most successful Glock among civilians. If I could only have one Glock, it would be either the Glock 19 in 9mm or the Glock 30 in 45 ACP (The Big Dawg as we GlockTalkers call it!).
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The Seattle SharpShooter
If it can't shoot jacketed rat turds powered by mouse farts, I ain't gonna shoot it!