GLOCK MODEL 36 SLIMLINE; The newest offering from Glock is a .45 acp pistol (using the same round as the M1911 pistol and the Thompson submachinegun) designated the G36. It is not the first 45-caliber Glock. The full-size G21 came out a decade ago, followed in 1997 by the compact G30 (also in .45 acp). The new G36 is an advance over the G30, being four ounces lighter and only slightly smaller. The G36's grip is only 1.13 inches wide compared to 1.27 inches for the G36. This comes at a cost, as the G36 holds only six rounds in its single-stack magazine, compared to ten rounds in the double-stack magazine of the G30. Both the G30 and G36 have relatively short grips; the little finger of a normal-sized hand actually grips the extension of the magazine, not the weapon itself. The G36 is a short-recoil semi-automatic. It uses an internal hammer. The 96mm (3.78 inch) barrel is grooved at one twist in 400mm. The overall size is 6.77 inches long and 4.76 inches high with the magazine and sights in place. It weighs just over 20 ounces without a magazine or ammunition. Retail price is $700.--Stephen V Cole