Tell me about the G37/38/39 & the .45GAP

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carguychris

New member
Howdy all,

I'm a bit intrigued by the .45GAP cartridge and the Glocks that fire them. I don't own any examples of the "Perfect" Industrial-Grade Plastic Shooting Appliance® but I'm thinking of getting one. I'd like a .45, and I figure that if I'm going to own something ubiquitous, I'd like there to be at least something weird about it. ;)

Does anyone have any personal experiences with this cartridge and these guns? Opinions to share?

I'm an active handloader so ammo cost and availability is not a factor.

Thanks!
 
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vyse.04

New member
The .45GAP was the first Glock that I had ever shot. This will probably come up quite a bit, but for me it didn't seem to provide much that wasn't already available. I shot another .45 afterwards, and nothing really stood out to me with the GAP. The statement gets overused, but I think it is a solution in need of a problem. For CC I would rather go with the Glock 36, and if CC is not a concern, then I would go with a mid sized Glock in .45 instead. The 36 is probably the only Glock that I would buy, but then again I am partial to single stack handguns so take that for what it's worth.

Oddball cartridges have never really been my thing either. Typically when I go to the range I have boxes of .45 and 9mm, so take that into consideration as well.
 
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arch308

New member
I own a G36 & G21 45ACP. From what I have read the 45GAP is pretty much a dead round. It won't do anything an ACP won't do and the ammo is kind of hard to find and expensive. If you reload I say stick with the tried and true 45 ACP. Admittedly I have zero expierence with the GAP but can't really see any reason for it. JMHO.
 
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Officer's Match

New member
I own multiple G38's and for me find them to be the best Glock ever made. Perfect balance, smooth shooting, incredibly accurate.

Prior to shooting a G38 I used to post very reasoned and well thought out opinions as to why the GAP was unnecessary and a solution in search of a problem.

Shoot a G38 and make your own mind up - AFTERWARDS.
 
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TMUSCLE1

New member
I like the GAP. Contrary to popular belief it was not Gaston Glock just wanting to put his name on a cartridge. It was mainly developed by Speer and Glock simply made a firearm around the chambering. It came about to get .45ACP performance into a 9mm sized frame. In this regard it performs admirably. I like the .45GAP because of that fact...45 in a 9mm sized frame.

Cons: While the frame is approximately the same size; because it is a .45 caliber the slide is wider and so holsters will be hard to find if you decide to carry one.

Pros: My state(SC) Highway Patrol carries the GAP and every officer that I have spoken to also like the round.

SUPPOSEDLY from a Glock instructor straight from Smyrna that I have spoken to the GAP is much more popular on the Eastcoast than it is on the West Coast. That being said, ammunition is still very hard to find if you need to find it or a load that is suitable for self defense.
 
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orionengnr

New member
I, too am a handloader. But when I compare .45acp brass (that I pick up almost every week at the range) to .45GAP brass (of which I have picked up exactly one piece in the last 3-4 years) I realize that I will have to buy and chase that brass, as I do with my 10mm.

I only shoot the 10mm once in a while, because I find myself paying more attention to where my brass goes than to where my lead goes. :)

I shoot the .45acp every week. Yesterday I walked in with 50 rounds of .45acp (and 550 rounds of .22LR), and walked out with almost 200 .45 acp cases. Last Tuesday evening, same thing.

If you want something really unique, buy a Glock 20/21 and a .50GI conversion.
 
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twhidd

New member
Someone mentioned that the round is dead. It may be dead in the civilian markets but several law enforcement agencies are using it. The Georgia State Patrol carry the 45GAP as well as other agents with the Georgia Department of Public Safety. The Florida Highway Patrol also carries it. I'm thinking that the cost per weapon might have had something to do with that. Meaning, Glock made them an offer they couldn't refuse.

Stories I've read online suggest Glock gave them even swaps for their old guns. They could have done the same thing with any of their calibers of course, but why the GAP? If grip size was the issue, why not GEN 4 Glock 21 with adjustable back straps or even the GEN 3 Glock 21SF? It could be argued that Glock may be trying to keep the round alive.
 
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twhidd

New member
The ballistics of the 45GAP round are only marginally better than the similar 40 caliber round. The Georgia State Patrol's carry ammo for the 45GAP is the 200 grain Speer Gold Dot. The ballistics from the Speer website put the muzzle velocity for that round at 970 fps and the muzzle energy at 418 ft/lbs. Prior to that they carried the 40 caliber 180 grain Speer Gold Dot. The ballistics for that round are 1025 fps and 420 ft/lbs of energy.

Based on that comparison, there is no ballistic advantage with the 45GAP. The 185 grain Gold Dot shows better performance, but that isn't the round they chose. Add to that the fact that the Glock 37 gives up 5 rounds of capacity to the Glock 22. It really makes no sense. It's the kind of thing that makes me, as a Georgia taxpayer, shake my head.
 
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Burger

New member
Glock shaped their GAP slides a bit differently. A bit thicker, shaped the nose and rounded in the bottom of the slide.

Aside from that, here goes another praise/bash gap conversation.

I'd get one if I had money to burn. I'd also get a Smith & Wesson in a .40 cal and a Sig p226/9 in a .357sig too. The brands that made the rounds! What a collection
 
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Sharpsdressed Man

Moderator
The ballistic advantage of the .45 GAP over the .40 S&W is .451 cal holes, rather than .400 caliver holes. That .40 has to expand to a larger per centile to equal the .45, and it is not going to do that in the same medium, at near the same velocity. The .45 will make a larger wound, and contact more flesh.
 
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Incognito

New member
Two weeks ago I traded in my G37, which I've carried for 5 years, for a Gen4 G21. I've decided to keep my G39 however for CCW. There are certain aspects about the .45 GAP line that stand out from other models that have become obvious over the years, none of them really negative, just perculiar.

The magazine springs are VERY stiff. Getting that last round in is a mother without the thumbsaver. Consequently, seating a full magazine into the pistol as one would with a tactical reload (loaded chamber, slide in battery) requires assertive force.

Extended slide stops come standard; nice feature. The muzzle end of the slide on the G37 is more beveled as is found on sub-compact models; makes reholstering a tad bit easier.

Personally, I find the .45 GAP to be snappier than the .45 ACP. Whereas the .45 ACP has a stronger, slower, and more forceful recoil, the .45 GAP is more pronounced, but it's faster to follow up and get back on target, imo.

Also I found the .45 ACP to have considerably more muzzle flash than on the .45 GAP, which I found to be non existent, even in the sub-compact. YMMV...

If it hadn't been for the extra 9 rounds one can carry in three magazines and the extra 30 grains per bullet that the G21 platform offers, I'd happily still have the G37. If your looking for an ubiquitous Glock, I think the .45 GAP is it.
 
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Officer's Match

New member
Good write up Incognito. I too see much less advantage in the 37 as compared to the 21SF/Gen4 (grips reduced from previous 21 models). I would like to point out however that my findings were very different regarding magazine springs on G38's, in fact I regularly (and reliably) load a ninth round in the "8" round G38 mags. For me, a 9+1 round 45 caliber G19 is just plain sweet.
 
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C0untZer0

Moderator
Totally off-topic but IGB makes a conversion barrel for the Glock 25 that converts from 380 ACP to 9mm

So Glock takes their 9mm model G19 and chambers it for 380 Auto and designs the G25 as straight blow-back and then an after-market company makes a 9mm conversion barrel for it.

Gotta love it.
 
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Incognito

New member
Officer's Match said:
I would like to point out however that my findings were very different regarding magazine springs on G38's, in fact I regularly (and reliably) load a ninth round in the "8" round G38 mags.
Click to expand...
Weird :confused:
 
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Officer's Match

New member
^ Not really, that is pretty widespread. I have approximately 10 G38 mags and every single one took a 9th round noticeably easier than getting the 10th round in my 10 round G30 mags.
 
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