Is .45 GAP dead?

[JReedEsq]

Simple question really. I have only 9mm handguns for now. One think I like about 9mm is that you can just about always find it somewhere. I've noticed that Bud's has the .45 GAP handguns for dirt cheap. Is the round being phased out as Glock switches to Gen IV?

[Mike]

That cartridge should have never been born.

Don't waste your money.

[nightrunner]

It was stupid to start with. It never took off or gained enough popularity to do anything.

To get .45GAP, you take the slowest centerfire pistol cartridge and make it even slower to perform worse in every aspect just so it will fit a gun frame you already have instead of taking a proven cartridge a redesigning a gun to make it more ergonomic.

[Guest jackdm3]

.45 is slower than a .50?

Don't answer that.

[nightrunner]

.45 is slower than a .50?

Don't answer that.

.45acp or gap?

.50GI or AE?

[USMCJG]

The .45 G.A.P has always been dead. It was stillborn.

[nightrunner]

.50GI 275JHP 890fps

.50AE 300HP 1550fps

.45gap 230FMJ 850fps

.45acp 230FMJ 875fps

[Guest eggman]

It might as well be dead. I seen one box yesterday at a local gun shop and was higher than all the .45 acp stuff. Then the guy behind the counter who sold me my Blackhawk a couple weeks ago told me. If I took it to a gunsmith he could make the .45 acp cylinder shoot the .45 gap. I asked him what for.

[bvarnell]

Was it ever "alive" ??

[Guest 1817ak47]

45 gap casing is equally and long as the 9mm luglaeast er aka 9X19 cartridge. or at least as the naked eye can tell

[eapking]

This is a no-brainer. Stay away from GAP (ha, if you can find it too). The cartridge that did not need to be invented. .45 ACP all the way!

[I_Like_Pie]

If you reload there really isn't a problem so long as you have a lot of brass. Love that it uses 45 bullets and small pistol primers.

But agree with the others...the cartridge was a commercial flop. The .40s&w was good enough to not really care about anything else.

[JReedEsq]

Thanks for having the patience to answer another newbie question. I was curious about the round but I probably would have stayed away anyway.

I decided to get into this hobby at the height of the ammo scare so I'm inclined to stick with the most common calibers. I may buy one more 9mm and then I will venture to either .45ACP, .40S&W or a .357/.38 revolver.

Edited February 16, 2010 by JReedEsq

[molonlabetn]

I had a .45 GAP pistol back when the cartridge was new... It has never really become popular, but in another sense it is still viable since plinking ammo is available for it, and good SD cartridges. Loaded properly, it outperforms standard pressure ACP (which was the intent), much like the .40s&w replicated FBI 10mm loads... the problem is that the .45ACP is already far more popular than the 10mm was, so replacing it with a shorter case cartridge is of little value at this point. If this cartridge had come out 50 years ago, it'd be a bit different story. As it stands... there's no real market for the caliber, but that doesn't mean it's not a viable option if it meets your needs. The only pistol I am aware of which captures the advantages of the .45 GAP is the G39 (subcompact, same size as G26/27), since it is even smaller than the G30 or G36. But there's really no point in buying a full-size pistol in this cailber, when there are so many more options in .45acp.

[jaredshs]

What a bunch of dang skeptics!!! I have a XD45LE in 45 GAP. I love it ---you guys

carry and shoot what ever you want......I'm keepin my XD, carry it every day.

[JReedEsq]

But there's really no point in buying a full-size pistol in this cailber, when there are so many more options in .45acp.

This makes sense to me. I really like the consistant trigger feel and easy take down of the G19 and G26 that I bought to carry. I also like that they will eat any ammo without fail. Somewhere on my list is a full-size .45, but the grip on the 21 is just way too big. I guess if a 4th Gen 21 doesn't solve that problem I'll go with an XD as a HD and occasional backwoods carry pistol.

[molonlabetn]

This makes sense to me. I really like the consistant trigger feel and easy take down of the G19 and G26 that I bought to carry. I also like that they will eat any ammo without fail. Somewhere on my list is a full-size .45, but the grip on the 21 is just way too big. I guess if a 4th Gen 21 doesn't solve that problem I'll go with an XD as a HD and occasional backwoods carry pistol.

Most .45s have a smaller grip than the G21... even my FNP-45 (which holds 2 more rounds) is faaaaar more ergonomic than my G21SF. One doesn't have to get a .45GAP to get a reasonable sized grip. The XD-45acp, for instance, has a similar grip to the XD-45gap, and holds 4 more rounds. Two of my favorites (among the double-stack options) are the HK45 and the M&P-45, as far as the grip-size and feel is concerned.

[Jasongar8]

What a bunch of dang skeptics!!! I have a XD45LE in 45 GAP. I love it ---you guys

carry and shoot what ever you want......I'm keepin my XD, carry it every day.

Tell me that in 5 years when you cant buy ammo anywhere and cant buy brass to reload it.

[gunsablazin]

Ah yes, the .45GAP another fine solution looking for a problem to solve.....

Smoke 'em if you've got 'em

[threeshot]

I had a .45 GAP pistol back when the cartridge was new... It has never really become popular, but in another sense it is still viable since plinking ammo is available for it, and good SD cartridges. Loaded properly, it outperforms standard pressure ACP (which was the intent), much like the .40s&w replicated FBI 10mm loads... the problem is that the .45ACP is already far more popular than the 10mm was, so replacing it with a shorter case cartridge is of little value at this point. If this cartridge had come out 50 years ago, it'd be a bit different story. As it stands... there's no real market for the caliber, but that doesn't mean it's not a viable option if it meets your needs. The only pistol I am aware of which captures the advantages of the .45 GAP is the G39 (subcompact, same size as G26/27), since it is even smaller than the G30 or G36. But there's really no point in buying a full-size pistol in this cailber, when there are so many more options in .45acp.

I am not trying to start any calibur wars, I would like to know exactly what configuration the 45GAP you consider as outperforming the 45ACP?

Thanks

[redneck]

I am not trying to start any calibur wars, I would like to know exactly what configuration the 45GAP you consider as outperforming the 45ACP?

Thanks

NONE:screwy:

[motoman1012002]

Ive got a glock 37 and love it nice gun one of my local shop got winchester and rem ammo at good prices cheaper to shoot than my 22 and 23

[Guest moreland281]

Was it every really alive?

[Jasongar8]

Was it every really alive?

No.

[Guest rystine]

It certainly never caught on like ol' Gaston would have liked. But what do expect when you try and take on what is probably THE American pistol round, the .45 acp?

That said, everyone remembers the nightmare that it was trying to find ammo early last year. But one thing I noticed is that there was always a decent stock of .45 GAP available and for no more than .45 acp. In the past year it's actually been easier to get .45 GAP than .45 acp. Just a thought. . .