Who uses the 45GAP?

twhidd

New member
I'm working on a degree in criminal justice at the local college and I'm currently doing my internship with a sheriff's department in a near by county. I was surprised to see that several of the deputies with this agency are carrying Glocks chambered in 45 GAP. Now that's one round that just never quite made since to me. When I asked why they were using it, the training coordinator described it as a "pretty hot" round (as if that was the reason they were carrying them). I didn't want to argue the fact that it's no hotter than the regular 45 ACP but just in a smaller cartridge. Not to mention the 45 ACP has a wider range of ammo loadings to choose from.

I'll also add that this agency has some deputies who carry 1911's and also 357 revolvers. So there is no hard and fast rule about standard issue sidearms. As long as they can qualify with it, and it's "within reason" you're good to go. I was pleased to see the variety.
 
Every Trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol carries the .45GAP.

I heard (from an active Trooper) that Glock made them an offer that they couldn't refuse, to switch over.
 
Smaller cartridge means shorter (fore and aft) grip frame, easier for small hands; also allows slightly faster action. Only guys I know who have personal .45GAP pistols use them in competition (Glock).
 
Also: New York State Police, Georgia State Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police, and South Carolina Highway Patrol. The Glock GAPs are 0.09 inches narrower than the ACP. I have never tried a GAP, but the ACP grip is too big for me.
 
The grip is indeed smaller, at the cost of capacity. You lose 3 rds in each mag.

Also, I thought the GAP was a bit hotter then the ACP due to case size. Could be wrong though.

That said, I'd prefer the g21sf over the GAP chambered glock. Keep the extra rounds with a very comparable grip shape and size.
 
termn8tr,

if you go to the Glock site and do some simple math with the line of site minus the barrel length for the ACP vs. GAP, i get as a rough approximation a 0.17" shorter (fore, aft) grip for the GAP with identical width as the ACP.

EDIT: My bad, the GAP grip seems to be ~0.09" narrower as well.

Regards,
 
The agencies that use the GAP had Glock almost give them the guns for free. Online and in store pricing shows the GAP to be more expensive and less available than ACP. The ACP case should not be cut down to GAP size for reloading since the inner dimensions are different by the primer area. The GAP is basically at it peak in performance, the ACP can be loaded much hotter than its standard loading.

I saw tons of GAP Glocks and XDs hit the used shelves and sit for months after the XD45 and the Glock SF models became available. My LGS had to sell them at a loss online to get rid of them. They now won't carry any GAP models unless someone orders one.

It was a round that existed to fix Glocks brick like 45acp grips. I'm only aware of 3 compines that made a gun in GAP and that was Glock, SA and Para. Maybe there is another one or two but no new guns have emerged in the GAP round for quite some time from any manufacture because it just doesn't sell.
 
Nakanokalronin said:
The GAP is basically at it peak in performance, the ACP can be loaded much hotter than its standard loading.

This, as much as anything, I believe will keep the GAP from really going anywhere. While I don't personally have anything in +p as far as ammo goes, we surely do like to amp up are ammo! Be it in wheels, .38spl to .357 mag, or auto, anything +p, +p+, etc, we like things hot!

And we like to tinker, be it through reloading or gunsmithing. People amped up the .32 H&R mag before the .327 Fed Mag came out for example, which originally was the amped up version of the .32 S&W Long, IIRC. IF we can't make it any hotter, we don't like it, lol.

Well, that's my opinion anyway.
 
I don't know anyone that has, or wants one. I'm the most eccentric person I know when it comes to guns and you would have to make me a helluva deal for me to buy one. Never saw the point.
 
"Never saw the point" .............. I recently discovered a possible "point". The Glock 39 is perhaps the most efficient "size/power/package" available anywhere. Pocket sized, 7-round capacity, 25 oz loaded, ballistically equal to a .45acp. Slightly larger than a Walther PPK but weighs less, nice defined sights, easily takes higher capacity mags as backups. What's not to like?
 
Who uses the 45GAP?
Anyone who gets them on a subsidized basis.

As a handloader who owns and loads for 10mm, .41 Mag and .45 LC, I have no use for the .45 GAP.

IMHO, it is an answer in search of a question.
 
I hate to ruin your day BUT 7rds in a 26oz pistol is nothing to brag about
in anyway. The only people using are a few agencies that were practically given them.
 
I read about a direct comparison between the ACP and the GAP and to my suprise the GAP actually had more kinetic energy than the ACP! The GAP was designed so that you could have the punch of the ACP in a smaller framed gun. Hmmm, doesn't the 40 S&W pretty much accomplish this AND provide higher capacity???
 
You are not ruining my day. I carry a Glock 29, with 11 rounds of serious medicine. It's a little larger, a little heavier (well, 11 rounds is darn near double the capacity, so it should be heavier), but the compromise pays dividends. If I wanted a smaller, lighter package, the Glock 39/.45 GAP would be a perfect choice. The only other gun I can think of that would pack as much punch and be as small and light would be the Kahr PM45. And I'd still take the Glock 39, because of it's standard of reliability and tested design.
 
Somebody was on here touting the price of loaded rounds for .45 GAP and it was staggeringly low. In this day and age of rising costs for ammo, I truly felt it worth a look on that basis alone.
 
My ccw of choice is a Glock 39, mainly because the ACP Glock's don't compare in size to the smaller 39 (which is the same size as the 26, just has a slightly wider slide). I'm more accurate with it compared to the other calibers and ammo is very easy to get online. 6+1 of .45 is plenty for a gun I can pocket carry, and when its at home, I slap in a Glock 37 mag and get 10+1.
 
Been a Glock in 45 Gap for sale going on two months. Gun, 8 mags. and ammo for $200 OBO. The fact that it's still there says something. Heading towards obsolete?
 
Been a Glock in 45 Gap for sale going on two months. Gun, 8 mags. and ammo for $200 OBO.

provide a valid link and I'll get it sold.

The fact that it's still there says something. Heading towards obsolete?

not so much, people been saying that since it came out...guess what, its still here.
 
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