Short Barrel Ammunition

[The Night Rider]

I'm sorry, this is not a hand loading or reloading question but it does seem to fit best here.

There is currently a discussion on another Forum without whether or not regular ammunition will perform correctly in a short barrel pistol, a Glock 26 for example.

I know that a few self-defense ammunition manufacturers do make ammunition that's formulated for shorter barreled handguns but is it really necessary or is it a marketing gimmick?

 

[HKGuns]

It depends on the bullet characteristics and at what velocity it stops expanding and whether your setup exceeds those characteristics or fails to meet them. Lots of variables invovled.

It "could" be a thing and it might not be a thing.

 

[Thomasss]

I have a variety of .38s with known rifling, etc. and even with specifics on the best ammo to use, I have found the best answer is to try different ones to determine what is best. Trial and error doing my own experimentation and judgement has proved recommended ammo isn't always the best choice.
Glocks are an "animal" unto themselves. Your mention may have been a poor example. For example, Glock 19 does have a history jamming or trouble going into battery based on OAL.
Please give us more specifics on YOUR guns and let us know what works best for you. You would be surprised how that might help others in this forum.

 

[The Night Rider]

Please give us more specifics on YOUR guns and let us know what works best for you. You would be surprised how that might help others in this forum.

I don't have any experience. That's why I'm here asking the question.

As specific as I can get is that I have a 4th generation Glock 19 and a 4th generation Glock 26 and I want to know if I really need to go out and buy this spear short barrel ammunition for the 26.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I don't have any experience. That's why I'm here asking the question.

As specific as I can get is that I have a 4th generation Glock 19 and a 4th generation Glock 26 and I want to know if I really need to go out and buy this spear short barrel ammunition for the 26.

Short answer: No.
Long answer: The biggest differences between short and long barrel pistol ammunition will be in the projectile and in what velocity range it performs best, and the flash suppression in the powder used to load the ammo. For a pistol shorter than a standard service length pistol - 4-1/2” to 5-12/“ barrel - the muzzle velocity will be probably lower. How much lower just depends. I can’t tell you because there’s just too many variables but some folks consider 50fps significant and some figure 100fps is in the window for defense and should be fine.
Flash and recovery in the dark matter way more than a few fps in my opinion. Two bullets in about the same hole is pretty devastating. Quick follow up matters. Try lots of different brands and styles of ammo. Get whatever lets you put two holes in about the same spot when you’re half asleep and just woke up to a strange noise at 3AM. Ignore the box labels and go for the ammo you can control best.
JMO-YMMV

 

[The Night Rider]

Short answer: No.
Long answer: The biggest differences between short and long barrel pistol ammunition will be in the projectile and in what velocity range it performs best, and the flash suppression in the powder used to load the ammo. For a pistol shorter than a standard service length pistol - 4-1/2” to 5-12/“ barrel - the muzzle velocity will be probably lower. How much lower just depends. I can’t tell you because there’s just too many variables but some folks consider 50fps significant and some figure 100fps is in the window for defense and should be fine.
Flash and recovery in the dark matter way more than a few fps in my opinion. Two bullets in about the same hole is pretty devastating. Quick follow up matters. Try lots of different brands and styles of ammo. Get whatever lets you put two holes in about the same spot when you’re half asleep and just woke up to a strange noise at 3AM. Ignore the box labels and go for the ammo you can control best.
JMO-YMMV

Thank you very much for your response. I asked this question because I really don't know and I appreciate that you've given me a well reasoned answer.

You also brought up another question. The barrel of my Glock 19 isn't four and a half inches long. So going by that metric it sounds like I need short barrel ammunition for both of them.

Just to be clear I probably not going to go out and buy a bunch of short barrel ammunition for my glock 26 and apparently my Glock 19

I asked this question because I don't know the answer and I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something important.

 

[Charlie98]

In my experience with, specifically, Speer Gold Dot vs Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel in 230grn .45ACP.... yes, there is a difference.

Clocked out of my 4.25" Kimber, the standard GD 230's give me 750fps, the GDSB's give me 840fps. Compared against a standard loading, the Remington 230grn FMJ, which gives me 790fps from the Kimbers.

I don't have data for the GDSB in a standard 5" 1911, but the standard GD clocks 840fps... exactly the same velocity I get with the Short Barrel ammo, in a short barrel.

I believe they use a flash-suppressed powder that better utilizes the short barrel length.

But, I wouldn't take my word for it... I would buy a box of each, and see how they perform in your particular pistol. FWIW, the accuracy of the GDSB is better in my Kimbers (I have 2...) than the standard GD, but they both satisfy my accuracy requirement.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Thank you very much for your response. I asked this question because I really don't know and I appreciate that you've given me a well reasoned answer.

You also brought up another question. The barrel of my Glock 19 isn't four and a half inches long. So going by that metric it sounds like I need short barrel ammunition for both of them.

Just to be clear I probably not going to go out and buy a bunch of short barrel ammunition for my glock 26 and apparently my Glock 19

I asked this question because I don't know the answer and I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something important.

I would buy a box of each, and see how they perform in your particular pistol.

Exactly this ^^^^
That’s what I meant when I said, “Try lots of different brands and styles of ammo. Get whatever lets you put two holes in about the same spot when you’re half asleep and just woke up to a strange noise at 3AM. Ignore the box labels and go for the ammo you can control best.”.
The SB ammo is probably going to perform better. How much better and whether the difference in price is worth the difference in performance is a judgment call.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

You also brought up another question. The barrel of my Glock 19 isn't four and a half inches long. So going by that metric it sounds like I need short barrel ammunition for both of them.

The real question is whether or not you have chrono'd the ammo you are using to find out if it has sufficient velocity to perform properly or not. If it will, then don't buy the special ammo. If it won't or is on the cusp, see if the short barrel ammo will improve your velocity sufficiently and run that in your gun, or maybe the improvement is too small to matter.

What is the operating range of your defensive ammo for it to open up properly?

You need a chronograph.