R45 in 45 GAP?

[flyandscuba]

There is no difficulty obtaining ammunition for 45 GAP.  It even sells at prices similar to 45 ACP (see Georgia Arms) - sometimes lower.  Only 5 agencies?  I think you meant to say only 5 state agencies -- but that is 10% of the state agencies.  There are several local Florida agencies who have adopted the cartridge as well -- and I expect the same in Georgia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York where the state agencies have adopted the cartridge.

I was a 45 GAP naysayer myself -- before I shot one. It is a very nice shooting cartridge.  People have said that .357 Sig and 10mm Auto were dying cartridges as well, but yet they persist (with law enforcement agencies continuing to use both).

Will 45 GAP grow in popularity to the level 9mm, 40 S&W, or 45 ACP?  No, I don't think so.  But, those agencies (as well as non-LEO shooters) who have adopted the cartridge really do like it.

Actually, a small true pocket pistol chambered in 45 GAP may actually aid in total sales.  I remember back to the late 70s and early 80s -- when a small, lightweight all-steel 5 shot revolver created a demand for an old forgotten "cowboy" cartridge -- the 44 Special.  At the time, about the only option in bullet design was the round nose 246 gr lead bullet.  However, the demand for 44 Special -- specifically self defense ammunition in 44 Special -- created by the innovative introduction of the small Charter Arms Bulldog caused many options in self defense ammunition to be offered by most ammunition manufacturers in short order.

If the 45 GAP were truly dying, there would be very few ammunition manufacturers offering it in their product line.  Even though the Speer Gold Dot in 200gr seems to be the LEO round of choice -- the other ammo makers continue to produce the 45 GAP.

Wait until the pistol is produced and then shoot one.  After that, if you still think it is a bad idea - you can at least say that you tried it.  I dare say more LEOs will be carrying XR45-Micro-GAPs as a back-up than LEOs will be carrying the relatively large, heavy, long DAO only R45 as an IWB weapon for off duty or plain clothes work...

[yankee2500]

I have shot the 45GAP I had a Glock 38 & a 39 which I sold, my issue is not with how it shoots or how many State agencies use it.
  I sell brass and in the last 4 years have sorted and sold over seven thousand pounds of pistol brass, thats in the neighborhood of three quarters of a million pieces of brass and have had only 1400 pieces of GAP brass. In the last 800 pounds of brass I sorted there were 9 pieces of 45 GAP brass, how do those numbers work out in percentages ?
  This brass is from 2 public ranges and represents LOE and everyday shooters, maybe Florida shooters are big on the GAP round but NC shooters are not. These numbers tell me very few people shoot the GAP round.
 As far as a Boberg (small pocket pistol chambered in GAP) aiding in ammo sales and development, I doubt it, there production numbers and distribution will be far to small to create any waves in the ammo industry.
 After 10 years of sales the Rohrbaugh name is still unknown to many Dealers and even more individuals and Boberg is nine years behind them.
  I wish Arnie luck because he will need it.

[MRC]

If one looks on the websites, I do not believe that availability of 45 GAP ammo is a major hurdle.  Price is entirely a different thing as the "Defense Type" can get fairly high.

If your wish is a "Pocket 45"  the 45 GAP makes some sense.

I agree that a 40 S&W would be more desirable to me.

[tracker]

I have a beautiful 1894 Marlin 25-20 that is a joy to shoot and a work of art. The ammunition is still available but it is priced at $60 a box.

[jensenranch]

I agree on .45ACP being way to go v GAP.  I'm fan of, in a pinch, being able to visit a hardware store, online merchant (Midway, Brownells, etc) sporting goods store, Walmart, AnyStore USA, & readily finding ammo that I can shoot.  This includes calibers like .30-06, .308, .270, 9mm, .40cal, .45 ACP, etc.  While the GAP isn't necessarily a wildcat cartridge, it doesn't fit the "when zombies attack" grab lots more ammo philosophy.  While I own a custom AR in 6.8mm Rem SPC, & it shoots like a dream, I might not have made the decision again v. .308 platform, simply based on ammo availability & it appears to be actually growing a bit of a following.  My small team opted to carry AK-47s overseas for simple reason that if we ran out of ammunition in a pinch, we knew our adversaries would leave plenty of 7.62X39 ammunition for us to use.  In that instance, NATO ammo didn't fit the zombie attack criteria any more than I don't think .45GAP does here. 

[flyandscuba]

I don't expect that people will be burning through cases of ammo through a small deep cover concealable pocket pistol -- thus the need for the OAL of the 45 GAP to create the smallest platform possible outweighed the supply of the 100-yr old 45 ACP ammo.

I won't even comment on the whole "zombie" craze -- as anyone buying into that fantasy regarding firearms needs more help than a quality pocket pistol can provide... 

[tracker]

The market will  speak for the 45GAP but since the Glock 37 was introduced in 2003 the trend doesn't seem to be up even with CCW increasing in popularity. Maybe if enough people talk it up the caliber will hang around. I wish it well with neutral feelings on the pros and cons.

[Reinz]

I'm with FLynScuba, for me, it's about the size of the gun.  If the same ballistics can be gained from the GAP, it just makes sense.


But then, ammo is not an issue for me, I collect and shot 10mm, Auto Mags, Wildeys, and Cowboy calibers.   I can reload anything I want.


For me, It's all about size.  That's what counts.