[aerowinged]

Hey guys,
I'm looking for some opinions here, the GAP round came out in 2003 if im not mistaken, by Glock. However i know for me personally in my area no gun stores will carry a .45 GAP Cal Pistol in their stock, they only have them for special order, AND THE ONLY gun shop that i can find that even carries the round, tell me that he actually "boycotts" new rounds because they never stick and they always end up with tons of useless ammo.

Now im planning a buying the XD 45 GAP, and though the ammo is hard to find, you can still buy it for just about the same price as 45 ACP ammo.

I would just hate to find that in a couple years the 45 GAP dissappears and im left with a gun i cant do anything with. If it phases out, i wont even be able to sell it in the furute and get some of my money back.

I know it definately has its fans as well as those who hate it. For me its great because i have small hands. But are there enough people with small hands and have other reasons for favoring the GAP to make it a success ?

So some opinions please, would the GAP be a good or bad investment ?

Thanks

 

[mullanman]

I think it will end up much like the .357 sig cartridge...Interesting but not really doing anything that hasn't been done before with another cartridge.

Unless PD dept or the military takes it on, i don't see it being a significant cartridge.

 

[ajamesp51]

Your area stores will not order the stuff thats why you dont have it local. All of the top distributers have thousands of rounds of 45 gap ready to ship out if the dealers buy it. And as far as the excusse that the ammo costs more that is also the dealers fualt for pricing the stuff to high. The cost of 45 gap from the distributers is the same or lower than the price of 45acp. Even cases of premium leo only the cost of the 45gap is cheaper than the cost of 45acp. If the dealers want to sell the product (ie make it popular they can they just have to sell it)they need to carry the stuff and when someone asks talk the **** up. In the game of sales its upsell. Think back to the ol HS2000`s dealers had it on the shelf but did not make an effort to sell the pistol, in fact alot of people heard its a another kncok off. Instead they should have beem promoting the product on the shelves. A little advertising later and the xd is one of the best sellers in the US now. Hmm go figure some salesmanship can work.

 

[kraigster414]

If you want a .45, get a .45 - the .45 ACP. In my neck of the woods, the GAP is deader than a door knob. It's a caliber in search of an audience. Expect it to have a cult following similiar to the .357 Sig, 10mm, etc. Plus, while it duplicates standard .45 ACP ballistics, it can not be factory loaded to plus P performance levels. Another negative.

You can't successfully promote something that people neither need or want (in large numbers). Marketing will only get you so far.

 

[JesterXD40]

I say there is a nitch for it... But no one is listening. Would be the perfect round for Jo shmo, but he don't know.


My dealer keeps them in stock xd and glock, and the ammo, and he talks them up, but has only sold one in about a year..

 

[aerowinged]

So how do you current GAP owners feel? Do you feel like its worth it?

 

[kraigster414]

So how do you current GAP owners feel? Do you feel like its worth it?

What do you think they are going to say? They love it of course.

Another thing to consider...do get handloaders to invest in another set of dies (though I guess you could use .45 ACP dies ?), brass, bullet heads, etc. I have all I can handle with the .45 ACP, 9mm, and .40SW.

 

[jetsiphon]

It's gaining more popularity in Denver than the .357 Sig. They have it on the shelf at Sportsman's and most of the other local gun shops. It's a good round and I want one.

 

[glfpunk]

If you want a .45, get a .45 - the .45 ACP. In my neck of the woods, the GAP is deader than a door knob. It's a caliber in search of an audience. Expect it to have a cult following similiar to the .357 Sig, 10mm, etc. Plus, while it duplicates standard .45 ACP ballistics, it can not be factory loaded to plus P performance levels. Another negative.

You can't successfully promote something that people neither need or want (in large numbers). Marketing will only get you so far.

What neck of the woods do you live in here in VA? Because I live in the Hampton Roads area of VA and the GAP seems to be doing pretty good here. I don't own a GAP caliber gun, but it really sounds kind of ignorant to talk about it the way you do.

Basically the GAP is a smaller version of the ACP fit into a smaller frame. It has very similar ballistics to the ACP as well. You also speak about the .357sig and 10mm as "cult" calibers, when later you refer to having your hands full with 9mm and .40. 10mm is the real .40, and .357sig is a superpowered 9mm. So it seems like you contradict yourself. Either that, or you need for a caliber to be accepted by the masses before you deem it a good round which is pretty lame too. I know everyone has their own opinions but if everyone thought the way you did, nothing new would ever come about. You'd still be sitting there with your musket, pissed off about revolvers.

 

[Motengator]

If you like the gap and worried about them stop making the Gap then just save all your brass and learn how to reload.

 

[Hardcore]

All I know is no dealers want 45gap guns in trade around Houston. I had a Glock 37 that no one wanted. I would not recommend buying one unless you get a gun around $400 or less and don't put any money into upgrades on the gun. I would pass on one unless you just really have to have it. They don't seem to hold a good value at least in the Houston area.

 

[kraigster414]

Agree with Hardcore. Everyone is just voicing an opinion, ditto for me. Calling people ignorant yada yada is typical bulletin board devensiveness and that's fine, I don't take it personally. I am a fan (and an owner) of the .380, 9mm, 45 ACP, ..40 SW, 45 Colt, and other mainstream calibers because they meet a need and each has distinct advantages and applications. The .45 ACP offers nothing over and above a standard load .45 ACP other than the fact that Glock went with it so they could chamber their existing design handgun without having to alter the grip size. That was the impetus behind the GAP pure and simple. For me, that is not justification enough to shell out my hard earned money on a new caliber. I hope that SA with their XD will hop on the .45 ACP bandwagon. I'd be the first one to buy one and there will be a long line behind me.

Now if it will make you feel better to start thowing stones fine. For those of you who enjoy your GAPs, great. Go forth and conquer. It's just not for me. Enjoy!

 

[MPSoldier]

I can't tell you how many times I hear people talking about .45 GAP vs. .45 ACP. I know it's natural to compare those rounds as they are the same caliber, but what I think a lot of people are forgetting, if they ever thought of it in the first place, is that the .45 GAP was not meant to compete with the .45 ACP. The .45 GAP was meant to compete with the .40 S&W and the 9mm.

Ok, before all of you call me crazy, let me explain. The .45 GAP was meant to be a big bore alternative in smaller frames that are normally chambered for the .40, 9mm, and .357-sig. The XD has been lauded more times than can be counted for its feel and grip which allows for better comfort, easier shooting, and thus BETTER shooting. Anyone who's fired an XD knows what I'm talking about.

Why on Earth would Springfield mess with one of the main features that makes an XD an XD when they can keep it and go with an already existing (although very new) cartridge that already fits in the frame? I prefer to have a .45GAP than to have Springfield say, "Nope, forget a .45, 'cause the ACP won't fit..."

Am I biased? Yes, I own an XD .45GAP, but I also plan on getting a 1911 because I also love the .45 ACP. I am not jumping on anyone who says the .45 GAP is not for them - there are mainstream calibers that are not for me, and to each his own. But don't put it down, it does fill a need, and nobody's forcing you to get one. If you don't like it, don't buy it. I will say though, that it is irresponsible of local gun stores to NOT carry that caliber as they are there to meet the needs of the greater firearms community and not to make political statements. Just my 2 cents......

 

[baa]

The gun ranges and stores in my area stock .45gap ammo regularly and it seems to be in the same price range as 45 ACP.

I don't see 45gap as being a major caliber ala 9mm 45acp etc, but that's not to say it will disappear from the shelves in a couple years. I have fired the XD in 45gap and it is a lot of fun to shoot, and ballistics on the 45gap are basically identical to 45 acp.

If you want a 45gap, get one! You won't be sorry (as long as you live in an area with a diverse ammo selection)

 

[Frenchy]

At this point in time I place the GAP in the same catagory as the .41 Mag as far as popularity is concerned. It will find a small but devoted following.

 

[glfpunk]

Agree with Hardcore. Everyone is just voicing an opinion, ditto for me. Calling people ignorant yada yada is typical bulletin board devensiveness and that's fine, I don't take it personally. I am a fan (and an owner) of the .380, 9mm, 45 ACP, ..40 SW, 45 Colt, and other mainstream calibers because they meet a need and each has distinct advantages and applications. The .45 ACP offers nothing over and above a standard load .45 ACP other than the fact that Glock went with it so they could chamber their existing design handgun without having to alter the grip size. That was the impetus behind the GAP pure and simple. For me, that is not justification enough to shell out my hard earned money on a new caliber. I hope that SA with their XD will hop on the .45 ACP bandwagon. I'd be the first one to buy one and there will be a long line behind me.

Now if it will make you feel better to start thowing stones fine. For those of you who enjoy your GAPs, great. Go forth and conquer. It's just not for me. Enjoy!

Truth hurts I guess. It wasn't malicious. I didn't call you stupid, or anything like that. Just ingnorant. You're talking about something and voicing an opinion about something based on a limited knowledge of it and your opinion on it is based on how it affects you directly and not anyone else.

There's a difference between saying something like "I prefer the ACP over the GAP, and think the differences are too small to justify buying one"

And saying what you said which was basically that there was no point in having that caliber and everyone's wasting their time and money if they have one and should switch to ACP immediately.

The caliber was designed so that you could have a .45 caliber round in a smaller frame than the current .45ACP doublestack frames. I'm sorry if you can't see the advantages of that, especially with the ballistics being so similar. Now, there may not be any advantages for you personally, and that's fine, it might not be for you. But to pretend that it doesn't have any advantages over .45ACP for anyone is ignorant.

The more choices we have in calibers, the better off we are. Choice is a good thing.

 

[Frenchy]

Here's my problem with the GAP in the present XD platform.

9mm.=15 rounds

.40S&W=12 rounds

357SIG=12 rounds

.45GAP=9 rounds

Why would I want a 9 round capacity in GAP in the same grip width as the other 3, when I could have had a slimmer package with 7 or 8 ACP rounds? 10+1 could be justified, but....
Tell me where the GAP's advantage is over the .40 or 357 in the same damned platform?

 

[MPSoldier]

Steve, C'mon man. You could justify 10+1, but 9+1 and it's "Forget it"? Truthfully, aren't you being just a little picky?

Besides, what do you need all the ammo for? I've been attacked by insurgents in Iraq so I can definitely appreciate the need for extra ammo, but here stateside, it's a different animal. Many concealed carry weapons are sub/micro compact handguns, which have smaller capacities as it is. A revolver and it's probably even less.

You are probably not going to be in some long, drawn out, Old-west/Lethal Weapon - style shoot out. You're probably going to be up against 2-3 guys at the most. If it's more than that, you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.

Are those 3 extra rounds you get in other calibers really the deciding factor? If you haven't hit the bad guy with the first 9 rounds, you're probably not going to hit him with the next 3. If it's such a concern, carry an extra magazine. To each their own, but let's be realistic; 3 less rounds does not make the weapon obsolete.

 

[kgpcr]

GAP WILL DIE A SLOW DEATH. I SEE NO REASON FOR IT TO LIVE ON

 

[aerowinged]

Well,

Sure you may not have as many rounds, but isnt it proven by ... whoevers job it is to prove these things... that the bigger the bullet the more penetration you will get which means the better the chance the bullet with go further into the body and knock out some vital stuff all the while creating more damage all the way through (bigger cavities). Every little thing in the bullets path effects what its going to do, so if your wearing a heavy coat or something, then yes, sure, that is goign to hinder penetration. Penetration is more dependant on the weight of the bullet than the velocity, or at least this is what i have learned in school.

So, yeah, there are obviously advantages having more bullets as well as having bigger bullets. It may come down to stopping them in 3 little bullets or 2 bigger bullets. If this were the case, then capasity really doesnt seem to matter as much.

The way i look at it, if you ever have to shoot someone, you are shooting to kill them, not to just wound or hurt or disable, but to put them down for good so that they can no longer in any way pose a threat to you thereafter. Because as long as that person can still move an arm, he can still use his own weapon against you. And in my opinion bigger bullets have a better chance killing that bad guy quicker (as long as you actually hit them) considering the infinate ammount of vairables that arise in these situations. However, if you cant his the broad side of a barn, then i guess you have a better chance of doing damage with more bullets.

With all this said, it brings me back to my last threads which didnt help out so much. I still dont know wether to go with the .40 or .45 GAP ? haha, and im looking to buy one by the end of the week.