Tag: .45 GAP

The .45 GAP, also known as the .45 Glock Automatic Pistol, was designed by Ernest Durham. Durham was commissioned by GLOCK. The .45 GAP was developed to correct the design flaws of the .45 ACP. As a shorter and fatter equivalent of the .45 ACP, it holds more rounds, operates at a higher pressure, and has a stronger case head. The need to create a new .45 cartridge is because the .45 ACP is traditionally used in large-frame pistols, but with the shorter .45 GAP, the power can then be transferred to a smaller framed gun. The .45 GAP is the first ever commercial cartridge produced by GLOCK and is used for its Glock 37, Glock 38, and Glock 39 pistols.

There are 4 state patrols that have adopted the .45 GAP to replace the 9×19 mm Parabellum. These are the New York, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida state patrols.

In recent years, the .45 GAP’s decline in popularity is due to the limited number of handguns chambered for this round. Aside from GLOCK, other gun manufacturers didn’t find a reason to chamber their pistols with the GLOCK cartridge.  As of now, only GLOCK continues to manufacture handguns which use the .45 GAP caliber.