.45 GAP Opinions

[iamhunter]

Hey everyone. I've been looking around at trying some different calibers lately (been a long time 45 ACP fan...) and I was wondering what people think of the .45 GAP.

Alot of people seem to like it... but how does it compare to the 45 ACP and 40 SW.

Cost of ammo isn't really an issue here because this would be purely for self defense... I'd probably practice with it once or twice a month.

I really like the idea of the glock 39.... the size would make it so easy to conceal, and I'm a t-shirt and jeans kinda guy so I really need something that I can wear IWB without a bulge.

But performance wise, what do you guys think? Is the GAP a good value in comparison with the 45 ACP or 40 SW?

[Bailey Guns]

Performance-wise? I doubt there's much difference between .45GAP and any of the other popular defensive calibers.

The issue for me would be cost and availability of the ammo.

Everybody carries .45ACP, .40SW and 9MM. Not everyone stocks the GAP.

And, you're limited to relatively few guns in GAP. I don't know if that would matter or not.

[Circuits]

.45 GAP basically exists so that Glock can offer a .45 to purchasers in countries which outlaw civilian ownership of any military/police caliber. It's roughly equivalent to .45ACP, maybe a teensy bit hotter.

Only reason they offer it here is because they make it, and they can - but since we don't have restrictions on ownership of military/police calibers, there's not much reason for it.

[iamhunter]

.45 GAP basically exists so that Glock can offer a .45 to purchasers in countries which outlaw civilian ownership of any military/police caliber. It's roughly equivalent to .45ACP, maybe a teensy bit hotter.

Only reason they offer it here is because they make it, and they can - but since we don't have restrictions on ownership of military/police calibers, there's not much reason for it.

I was considering the glock 36 (45 ACP) but started reading up on the glock 39 (45 GAP)[/quote] and you save about 5" off of the length and the height and get the same ammo capacity.

I could go with a glock 30sf but I'm a little concerned it might be to big to conceal easily.

[iamhunter]

bump.

I just want to get some more opinions. Do you think the GAP offers a good compromise between size and firepower?

[Roger]

I don't own a GAP. But I'm an armorer and I have shot them and have talked to a lot of people that own them. I don't see that they are anything special when the ACP is available. I can conceal the 30 just fine so that's not an issue. And the 36 is even easier to hide.

There are agencies that have approved them for duty use. But again, the ballistics are just not that much different for it to be of any real advantage. The shorter frame is nice for smaller hands, but the new SF's have made that a non-issue too.

Modern ammunition components have made the differences in caliber a non-issue in most cases.

YMMV

[iamhunter]

I don't own a GAP. But I'm an armorer and I have shot them and have talked to a lot of people that own them. I don't see that they are anything special when the ACP is available. I can conceal the 30 just fine so that's not an issue. And the 36 is even easier to hide.

There are agencies that have approved them for duty use. But again, the ballistics are just not that much different for it to be of any real advantage. The shorter frame is nice for smaller hands, but the new SF's have made that a non-issue too.

Modern ammunition components have made the differences in caliber a non-issue in most cases.

YMMV

Hey Roger, thanks for the quick reply. You say you conceal the 30SF no problem? Is it fairly comfortable to wear for long periods of time?

The only reason I was looking at the 39 is because of the smaller frame, but if you feel that it's comparable to the 30SF in size, I'd much rather have 10+1 capacity and ammo availability of the ACP.

On a last note... while there is not a significant upside to 45 GAP, to me, there doesn't seem to be a significant downside either so long as I like the feel. Ammo isn't expensive online (winchester, speer gold dot, etc.). And it would be used almost purely for self-defense. and lastly, with the adoption of the caliber by the pennsylvania and NY police departments, I forsee a rise in its popularity.

But I could be wrong....

[bjl913]

.45 GAP basically exists so that Glock can offer a .45 to purchasers in countries which outlaw civilian ownership of any military/police caliber. It's roughly equivalent to .45ACP, maybe a teensy bit hotter.

Only reason they offer it here is because they make it, and they can - but since we don't have restrictions on ownership of military/police calibers, there's not much reason for it.

I was under the impression that the GAP was created so that Glock could use the standard size frame(9mm/.40) for a .45 that is, as they put it "near identical" ballistics as an ACP. Great round for glock fans that dont have bear paws! Too bad ammo for a year of steady practice will cost you a wilson combat 1911! haha

[Graves]

I was under the impression that the GAP was created so that Glock could use the standard size frame(9mm/.40) for a .45 that is, as they put it "near identical" ballistics as an ACP. Great round for glock fans that dont have bear paws! Too bad ammo for a year of steady practice will cost you a wilson combat 1911! haha

That's another thing they had in mind when deveolping it. It was initially brought up to offer markets that were limited to the G25/28 by local restrictions (as far as owning a glock goes) something with more of a punch.

[iamhunter]

I was under the impression that the GAP was created so that Glock could use the standard size frame(9mm/.40) for a .45 that is, as they put it "near identical" ballistics as an ACP. Great round for glock fans that dont have bear paws! Too bad ammo for a year of steady practice will cost you a wilson combat 1911! haha

That's my main attraction to it. .45 punch in a 9mm frame.

I wouldn't need to practice that much with it. Maybe once or twice monthly. I'd use a 21 for practice.

I'm still pretty tempted by the 30SF though. It'd be nice to have interchangeable clips and ammunition with a 21... but then again if I got the 39 it'd be almost purely for CCW so does it really matter?

Decisions, decisions.