A joint development program by Glock and Speer resulted in the .45 Glock Automatic Pistol. This new cartridge was designed by Glock to be used in the medium frame sized Glock 37 semi-auto pistol. It is based on the .45 ACP pistol cartridge, but is shorter, having the same overall length as a 9mm Luger or .40 S&W. The .45 GAP operates at a higher pressure than the .45 ACP to make up for the smaller chamber volume. It was first believed that the traditional .45 ACP loading of a 230-grain bullet at 830 ft/sec would not be possible in the .45 GAP, but careful gunpowder selection on the part of ammunition manufacturers has realised that standard.

.45 GAP (.45 Glock Automatic Pistol) Handgun Cartridges

**See below for further reference regarding the power rankings listed in the tables above:

MV-Muzzle Velocity
Muzzle velocity when fired from a typical handgun. Measured in feet-per-second.

ME-Muzzle Energy
Muzzle energy when fired from a typical handgun. Measured in foot-pounds.

PF-Power Factor
In shooting competition the Power Factor is used to determine the competitive division in which a particular handgun/cartridge can be used. A simple calculation of the bullet's mass times its muzzle velocity.
PF = bull. mass x muzzle vel.

TKO-Taylor Knock Out Formula
Developed by big-game hunter John Howard Taylor in the 1940's. Calculates the relative effectiveness of bullets for hunting game.
TKO = (bull. mass x muzzle vel. x bull. dia.)/7000

Link back to the main table listing of handgun and rifle cartridges HERE.