Do I need a .45GAP?

[el Godfather]

Dear THR:
What niche .45 GAP covers that is left out by the other calibers out there?

What SD/HD scenarios call for a need to have .45GAP?

Who else makes handgun in this caliber other than Glock?

Thank you

 

[2wheels]

None, besides allowing for a slightly smaller grip for a .45.

Nothing you can't get done with any other service caliber.

Nobody anymore.

 

[HOOfan_1]

It covers no gaps...
It was produced to give Glocks a .45 ACP equivalent in a thinner grip. But the Glock 21 SF and guns from other manufacturers nearly make that moot.

As far as I know at the moment only Glock makes guns chambered for it.

IMO it is essentially a dead cartridge.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I don't see why anyone needs a .45gap. I have never seen any ammo for one so, for me, it was a non event.

 

[HOOfan_1]

I don't see why anyone needs a .45gap. I have never seen any ammo for one so, for me, it was a non event.

I have a .45 GAP cartridge in my collection...It was given to me by a guy who found it packed in a box of .40 S&W Winchester White Box

 

[el Godfather]

Well the caliber has survived over a decade now. Glock must be foreseeing a use for it. I know few LEAs have adopted it.

Who would be willing to speculate that this caliber would take off?

Who has some shooting experience with, who can tell us its recoil and accuracy or any other information he may want to share that is important or useful?

 

[HOOfan_1]

.
Who would be willing to speculate that this caliber would take off?

It won't. As you said it has been around for a while. If it hasn't taken off by now, it won't.

the XD came in .45 GAP at one time, then they discontinued it.

 

[Esoxchaser]

A silly round that filled absolutely no GAP in what was available.

 

[rcmodel]

who can tell us its recoil and accuracy or any other information he may want to share that is important or useful?

What's to tell.

It is a shorter cased .45 ACP, running +P .45 ACP pressure, to get not quite .45 ACP standard performance.

It's only claim to fame is, it fits in 9mm/.40 size pistol frames & magazines.

rc

 

[2wheels]

Well the caliber has survived over a decade now. Glock must be foreseeing a use for it. I know few LEAs have adopted it.

Who would be willing to speculate that this caliber would take off?

Who has some shooting experience with, who can tell us its recoil and accuracy or any other information he may want to share that is important or useful?

Like many other niche calibers throughout history, it will just barely cling to life but won't gain any mainstream success. .45GAP is as good as dead. Even the almighty Glock couldn't make it a success.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

It's only claim to fame is, it fits in 9mm/.40 size pistol frames & magazines.

And, until recently, with the introduction of the SIG P227, it was unique in that regard. This new SIG seems to have bridged the gap a bit -- but I say that without having actually held one.

Anyone who likes .45 and likes Glocks were forced to hold a 2"x4" (the Glock 21) or go to a lower capacity single stack .45 (Glock 36). I found the 21 a very "unnatural" gun for me, and wanted more capacity than the 36 (6 rounds).

I've had a bunch of different .45s over the years, and now have a Glock 38 and a SIG P220 Super Match. I find the Glock 38 easier to shoot than the SIG, and for everything but the most slowly-taken shots, just as accurate. Firing rapidly, it does fine.

As for ammo: I can generally find it as easily as .45, and my last bulk purchase from Georgia Arms, it was the same price as .45 ACP. I found .45 Gap during the great ammo drought over the past couple of years easier than anything else. Still looking for .22 in quantity, locally, however.

Most .45 enthusiasts argue that the .45 GAP is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Me? I like the cartridge, and in the Glock frame (17/22 size, or 19/23 size), it seems to lessen felt recoil better than any .45 I've shot.

Is there a reason to buy it? Depends on your needs, your hand size, and your sensitivity to recoil. It won't do a thing thing that the .45 ACP pistol can't also do -- except, maybe, fit in some smaller hands.

It's the gun I keep in my small bedside "home defense" gun safe, in case things ever go "bump in the night."

 

[HOOfan_1]

And, until recently, with the introduction of the SIG P227, it was unique in that regard. This new SIG seems to have bridged the gap a bit -- but I say that without having actually held one.

SR45 might be right there as well

 

[wow6599]

Do I need a .45GAP?

If you want one, then I guess you need one.

I remember a post where you said you were going to get (5) 10mm handguns and 10,000 rds of ammo for each, and that money was no object for you.......so go get one.

But I would hurry-up and get 10,000 rds for a GAP gun too, unless you reload.

 

[JohnKSa]

A silly round that filled absolutely no GAP in what was available.

I always find this amusing. It did for the .45ACP what the .40S&W did for the 10mm round and most agree that the .40S&W was a stroke of genius.

It's only claim to fame is, it fits in 9mm/.40 size pistol frames & magazines.

That claim to fame was more than enough to drive the .40S&W to the number one spot in LE. Except the GAP not only fits into a 9mm frame like the .40S&W does, it goes one step better. While .40S&W was significantly downloaded compared to 10mm performance, the .45GAP duplicated .45ACP standard pressure performance--sometimes even slightly exceeded it.

From what I can tell, the two things that kept it from becoming mainstream are:

1. It was introduced by Glock.
2. It was seen, by many, as a threat to the .45ACP.

But that's never the argument against it. The "arguments" against it are almost always either just general mudslinging, or a mixture of fact and fiction/speculation.

 

[PedalBiker]

I was very interested in the 45GAP. It made putting a 45 into a reasonable sized double stack magazine easier.

Then Springfield pulled a coup with the XD45, S&W followed soon after and even Ruger got into the act with their SR-45.


I am no longer interested in 45GAP. Especially since the 45Auto with +p ammo trounces the GAP.

Maybe in something like a Kahr the GAP would be worth considering, but it just has not happened.

IMO the 45 GAP will have too much recoil and too little velocity for sub compacts like the Kahr P series and in bigger guns it's just not giving much benefit.

I think the 40S&W plugged that niche already.

 

[David E]

The niche it had disappeared when the AWB, limiting mag capacity to 10 rounds, sunset.

The choice then was, if you can only have 10 rds, then it's better to have ten .45's in the same size package that held ten rds of .40 or 9mm.

But now that choice isn't on the table in most states.

 

[JRWhit]

I guess I don't understand how the Gap made it any easier to have a double stack over the acp given that the diameter is the same. The grip could be slightly shorter, by .1", having never handled one I can't say it wouldn't make the difference, I just don't see it.
All that aside, I'm gonna tell you what you came here to read.
Yes, you need it, like a fish needs water. Go get it.

 

[jmr40]

Except the GAP not only fits into a 9mm frame like the .40S&W does,

It fits in the same frame, but requires the same wide slide as used on the G-30 and G-21. Glock has tried to round off the corners a bit on the GAP chambered guns to create the illusion that it is narrower.

The GAP may equal standard pressure 45 ACP, but won't come close to 45ACP+p. With the development of the SF versions of the Glocks any size advantage the GAP has over ACP is almost non-existant. Certainly not worth the negatives.

I can sorta see 13-14 rounds of 45, either ACP or GAP, but wouldn't trade 10-11 rounds of GAP for 15-16 rounds of 40 S&W or 17-18 rounds of 9mm anyday. The GA State Patrol was one of the handful of agencies to adopt the GAP. I think they took a big step backwards by trading in their G-22's in 40 S&W. I'd say the same if they were carrying 10 rounds of 45 ACP.

 

[Walkalong]

No you don't need one, and it will never take off, but if you want one, by all means get one.

 

[2wheels]

From what I can tell, the two things that kept it from becoming mainstream are:

1. It was introduced by Glock.
2. It was seen, by many, as a threat to the .45ACP.

But that's never the argument against it. The "arguments" against it are almost always either just general mudslinging, or a mixture of fact and fiction/speculation.

Or, maybe it simply didn't offer enough of an advantage to justify an entirely new cartridge. With the current crop of .45ACP handguns, I don't see too many people demanding something with smaller grips, and most of the people that do have probably moved on to calibers like .40S&W.

I don't think Glock hate had much to do with .45GAPs failure, Glock after all has done a pretty good job of selling their "tupperware" pistol no matter what people think or say about them. I just think that the niche that .45GAP fills is so small it wasn't enough to allow the new caliber to succeed.

 

[rondog]

A .45 Short - not for me, thanks.

 

[dogtown tom]

el Godfather Dear THR:
What niche .45 GAP covers that is left out by the other calibers out there?

None.....The .45acp/.40/9mm are more easily available in dozens of brands, hundreds of loading and bullet designs.

It's sole purpose seems to be the idea that Glock wanted a .45 caliber projectile that would fit in a smaller frame than what .45 frames Glock had at the time.

What SD/HD scenarios call for a need to have .45GAP?

There are no self defense "scenarios" that call for a specific caliber. The caliber and gun you can accurately and rapidly fire seems to work just fine.
Obscure or expensive calibers may make finding ammo problematic in the best of time........I would love a handgun in .357sig but ain't no way I'm getting into that pricey caliber.

.45GAP is going the way of .32 magnum......owners are probably happy with the ballistics but you sure as heck better handload, 'cause finding a box on the shelf at WalMart is doubtful. (even during nonpanic times)

el Godfather Well the caliber has survived over a decade now. Glock must be foreseeing a use for it. I know few LEAs have adopted it.

Those LEA's adopted it because Glock gave them the guns for nearly nothing.

Who would be willing to speculate that this caliber would take off?

I'll take that bet. It's been ten freaking years and only two firearm manufacturers other than Glock ever made a gun in .45GAP........neither do now, only Glock.

JohnKSa ....From what I can tell, the two things that kept it from becoming mainstream are:

1. It was introduced by Glock.
2. It was seen, by many, as a threat to the .45ACP.

But that's never the argument against it. The "arguments" against it are almost always either just general mudslinging, or a mixture of fact and fiction/speculation.

I disagree.
Glock Inc has an excellent reputation among LE........and even by offering FREE pistols they couldn't get more agencies to adopt the GAP.

Non LE buyers recognise the problems with a proprietry round that has limited availability.

 

[bannockburn]

Someone out there may have a need for the .45 GAP but I sure don't. I already have enough trouble finding ammo for all of my guns as it is. Certainly don't want or need another caliber, especially one that's relatively obscure and hard to come by, to be looking for.

 

[JohnKSa]

Non LE buyers recognise the problems with a proprietry round that has limited availability.

What do you mean by proprietary? The .45 GAP is loaded by at least three major ammunition companies.

As far as availability goes, it's not a "Wal-Mart caliber" but it doesn't seem to be hard to find and I don't see reports from GAP shooters complaining about availability.

...you sure as heck better handload, 'cause finding a box on the shelf at WalMart is doubtful...

Using Wal-Mart availability as a threshold for determining that people who like it better start loading their own is just plain ridiculous. This is the kind of thing I was talking about when I said that the arguments against the GAP "are almost always either just general mudslinging, or a mixture of fact and fiction/speculation."

There are any number of calibers I've NEVER seen at Wal-Mart that are in no danger of disappearing. Using your criteria, anyone who shoots 10mm or 6.5x55, or any of a huge variety of viable and long-lived cartridges which just aren't mainstream enough to warrant being stocked at Wal-Mart, should be worried.

...gave them the guns for nearly nothing.

...even by offering FREE pistols...

From what I can tell, it's very common for Glock to make LEAs very good deals on pistols. I can't count the number of times I've heard the "nearly nothing" story when it comes to Glock and LEAs, so having it come up in conjunction with the .45GAP doesn't surprise me at all.


Since you bring it up, I'd be interested to know just how much "nearly nothing" was in this case. I'm guessing it must be a lower "nearly nothing" than usual since it's apparently the same as free.

 

[Walkalong]

Bottom line is it hasn't caught on and is languishing.