.45 GAP vs .45 ACP

[MachIVshooter]

With 185 or 200 gr. pills, the GAP is comparable to the standard ACP. It suffers with 230 gr. slugs. That said, the GAP will never achieve the 600 + ft./lbs. that a .45 ACP can dish out with +P loads.

 

[Pointblank]

The GAP pistols are made for the higher pressures. Most 1911s out there are not going to stand up long to the .45acp +P.

 

[BluesBear]

A quality made and properly sprung 1911 pattern pistol (in other words, one made to original specifications) will stand up to a whole lot of properly loaded +p ammo.

The point is that in order to achieve .45Gap performance .45 acp pistold don't have to withstand ANY +p pressures. But if a pistol chambered in .45gaston wants to achieve .45acp+P performance it would have to endure very high pressures.

And most of them just aren't up to it.

 

[denfoote]

Lets punish that poor decesed equine a little more, shall we??

That's all I have to say on the matter!!

 

[Ky Larry]

If the .45 GAP turns your crank, buy it. If not, who cares?

 

[conan]

Pick up a Glock model 21(45acp), and the grip is way to fat for a lot of people. Pick up a glock model 17(9mm) and is much nicer. Pick up a glock model 37, 38(45gap) and it feels like a 17

 

[MachIVshooter]

Pick up a Glock model 21(45acp), and the grip is way to fat for a lot of people. Pick up a glock model 17(9mm) and is much nicer. Pick up a glock model 37, 38(45gap) and it feels like a 17

Pick up a 1911, and you'll shun Gastons creations 'til the day you die

 

[Pointblank]

Pick up a 1911 that you spent a thousand dollars on and it just might be dependable right out of the box.. (if you're lucky)

 

[Shootcraps]

Now fellas. It ain't about 1911 vs Glock. That dead horse is being beaten in another thread.

I would like to try the Springfield pistol and see how it shoots.

 

[happy old sailor]

i like the idea of the gap. if one had no 1911s, it would be worth looking at. or, so it seems to me. the 200/230 grain discussion is lost on me as im not hunting large animals with either. and, with hands large enough to use the standard 1911, i still prefer the flat mainspring housing and believe the gap and i would gee haw. however, i am full up on 1911s and have no plan, none, to switch. no 1911 ?, take an open minded look

 

[cowpuncher/pi]

I wish the Glock 37 had been a full size Glock 36. Now, that I would have bought. Maybe two. Regards.

 

[Nnobby45]

One of the best benefits of the 45 gap is that it is probably the best choice when it comes to subcompacts packing a punch i.e. glock 39. Hopefully springfield will make a xd-45 subcompact. As a result, I think the 45 gap will stay. It really benefits the subcompact market which is quite significant for ccw.

Congradulations. You'd think there'd be more folks on a board like this who recognize the benefits of a shorter cartridge for subcompacts where reliability is difficult to achieve. Shortening the cartridge equivilates (made that word up ) to lengthening the slide--and to increasing reliability. That get's to the heart of the matter.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The Springfield Micro compact GAP is a whole 1/8" shorter than the ACP version. Forgive me if I don't see the advantage here.

Glock pistols are all grossly oversized in the grip, regardless of chambering. So in order to get a .45 cal. cartridge into a gun that will fit the average hand they had two choices; Make a more ergonomic pistol with a reasonable grip diameter or make a new cartridge. They chose the latter. I bet the grip on my Witness 10mm is no larger in circumference than the GLocks firing GAP cartridge.

 

[C. H. Luke]

"I wish the Glock 37 had been a full size Glock 36."

Nothing defies good sound Logic!

Me Too.....

 

[Nnobby45]

The Springfield Micro compact GAP is a whole 1/8" shorter than the ACP version. Forgive me if I don't see the advantage here.

My gunsmith went to work on my Springfield Champion and modified the gun so that I got a lot less than 1/8th of an inch more reward slide travel, but that was enough to turn it into a reliable gun. I didn't think to ask him the exact principle involved.

 

[Brad Johnson]

The Springfield Micro compact GAP is a whole 1/8" shorter than the ACP version. Forgive me if I don't see the advantage here.

And there is only five hundreths of an inch between a .40 and a .45...

An eight of an inch may not sound like a lot, but it sure makes a difference in the hand.

Brad

p.s. five hundreths of an inch converts to 1/20" for the decimally challenged.

 

[Island Beretta]

for those wanting high capacity .45s, the gap is a useful compromise although it does have that gap...

 

[BluesBear]

The real life difference between .40 and .45 is NOT simply .05" because you are not dealing with a lineal measurement.

You are dealing with the area of a circle. BIG Difference.

And that difference between a .40 S&W bullet and a .45 ACP bullet is .034087 SQUARE inches.
Whih translates into the .45 being about 27% larger than a .40.

27%! That's bigger than ¼.

And that, even for the mathimatically challenged, is significant.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Shortening the cartridge equivilates (made that word up ) to lengthening the slide--and to increasing reliability. That get's to the heart of the matter.

Not quite. The key is the vertical distance the cartridge has to be moved to chamber it. Given equivallent distances (and the .45 ACP and the .45 GAP have to go up the same distance to get into the chamber) the longer the cartridge, the shallower the angle. Longer cartridges feed better.

 

[RyanM]

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_34

.45 ACP
185 gr at 1225 fps
200 gr at 1125 fps
230 gr at 1010 fps

From a 5" barreled 1911. Not +P.

When .45 GAP can come close to those numbers, then I'll be impressed.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

.45 ACP
185 gr at 1225 fps
200 gr at 1125 fps
230 gr at 1010 fps

From a 5" barreled 1911. Not +P.

Those are impressive numbers -- but you'd want about a 20 lb recoil spring in an M1911.

 

[BluesBear]

You do not need to increase the recoil spring to shoot higher velocity ammo.
How long must we endure that misconception? :banghead:

 

[Vern Humphrey]

You do not need to increase the recoil spring to shoot higher velocity ammo.
How long must we endure that misconception?

Recoil is a function of mass times velocity. When you leave the mass constant and increase the velocity by some 17% (as in the case of the 230 grain bullet at 1010 fps), you increase the recoil by 17% (approximately -- I'm leaving out gas in this calculation). A 17% increase in velocity will cause battering over time if you don't have an appropriate recoil spring. I'd also recommend a buffer, if your gun will function reliably with one.

 

[Brad Johnson]

The real life difference between .40 and .45 is NOT simply .05" because you are not dealing with a lineal measurement.

You are dealing with the area of a circle. BIG Difference.

And that difference between a .40 S&W bullet and a .45 ACP bullet is .034087 SQUARE inches.
Whih translates into the .45 being about 27% larger than a .40.

27%! That's bigger than ¼.

And that, even for the mathimatically challenged, is significant.

Yeah? Well, my 27% is bigger than your 27% any day!

Brad

 

[45auto]

If the GAP makes the 3" 1911's run reliably, it will be the 1911 that "saves" the caliber IMO. "Saves" mean sells quite a bit. Right now, I suspect the GAP is pretty much a gun for a Glock user that has most of their models now, needs something to buy. Or the guy that just likes something different, and nothing wrong with that.

Better still, Springfield now has a 9mm sized grip/frame, whatever. Now, they just need to scale down the slide, rest of the gun and have a 'reduced sized' 1911 for the 9mm. Couldn't keep them in stock IMHO.

Double stack 1911 45 GAP might be a real nice grip.

Don't slap me too hard...I "is" a 1911 user.