Glock Model 39 .45 GAP

As I was trying to decide what to write about first in the new year I thought "why not write about what I'm carrying right now?"  Ah, a small Glock in the maligned .45 GAP caliber.  I'm sure that everyone knows the story that the .45 GAP was born from Glock's realization that Americans love the .45 Caliber but their .45 ACP pistols were built on their 10mm frame causing their .45's to be larger than they needed to be.  Many people with medium sized hands and most everyone with small hands found the large Glock pistols in .45 ACP to have a grip circumference that was not conducive to their shooting grip.  Hence the .45 GAP round was developed to be shorter allowing Glock to trim that grip circumference down to a more universally user-friendly size.  The more compact grip gave police departments who wanted a .45 caliber weapon the ability to provide their officers a pistol in  the familiar Glock platform with a size that could accommodate everyone.  The .45 GAP is certainly not as popular with police departments as their .40 S&W and 9mm calibers but it is in use by the State Police in Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina as well as a small number of municipalities and State Park Police Officers.

One of the obvious questions at this point might be why not go with a Model 27 in .40 S&W or the Model 36 (which any regular reader knows I love).  I'll answer that question after we compare the specifications between the 39, 27, and 36.

Mode 39, 27, and 36 Specification Comparison

Model	Caliber	Height	Length	Barrel Length	Width	Weight	Capacity	Sights
39	.45 GAP	4.17”	6.3”	3.46”	1.18”	19.33 oz	6 + 1	Fixed
27	.40 S&W	4.17”	6.29”	3.46”	1.18”	19.75 oz	9 + 1	Fixed
36	.45 ACP	4.76"	6.77”	3.78”	1.13”	20.11	6 + 1	Fixed

So, why would I choose the model 39 over the model 36 in .45 ACP?  Well, the 39 is a little shorter in length and height making it easier to conceal.  It's girth is a little wider than the model 36 making it fit my hand and spreading the recoil just a little bit better.  Now, as for the model 27; it does give you three extra rounds of .40 S&W but....it's a .40, not a .45.  That may mean little in terms of ballistic numbers but it means a lot to me!  Also, for all of the baby Glock models I buy one "must have" accessory which is a Pearce grip extender to make the pistol easier to hold.  With the addition of the Pearce + 1 grip extender.  I now have 7 + 1 rounds of ammo at my disposal which does not make me feel under-gunned (especially when I carry a spare magazine).  The Pearce + 1 grip extender adds very little to the overall height of the pistol so it is still superbly easy to carry.

The Pearce + 1 grip extender in place on a Glock 39 resting in it's Remora IWB holster with a spare magazine in a Remora magazine IWB pouch.

Model 39 Performance At-A-Glance

Handling	Terrible	Poor	Acceptable	Good	Excellent
Fit & Finish	Terrible	Rough	Acceptable	Good	Excellent
Sights	None	Too Small	Useable	Good	Excellent
Trigger	Terrible	Poor	Acceptable	Good	Excellent
Power Scale	.22LR	.380 ACP	9mm	.40 S&W	.45 GAP
Carry/Concealment	Too Large	Compact	Ultra Compact	Micro Compact	Pocket Pistol
Reliability	Unreliable	Somewhat Reliable	Fair	OK	Completely Reliable
Accuracy	Poor	Fair	Acceptable	Combat +	Bullseye

Let’s examine the individual characteristics of the G39:

Handling	Terrible	Poor	Acceptable	Good	Excellent

This is a Glock so there is little surprise in the handling of the pistol, it handles like....a Glock.  There are no safeties or decockers to have to manipulate.  Another after market accessory that I find preferable on my Glocks is an extended slide release.  Fortunately the Model 39 came with one standard so I did not need to add one.

Fit & Finish	Terrible	Rough	Acceptable	Good	Excellent

Again, it's a Glock so it is finished like a Glock.  The Glock bluing is no worse than anyone else's and it is far superior to more than a few but the real Glock genius is the Tenifer treatment.  I have seen Glocks with the bluing worn off but I have never seen one with rust or pitting on it.

Sights	None	Too Small	Useable	Good	Excellent

The sights on Glocks are actually pretty darn good but my other "must have" accessory for a Glock pistol are night sights and this one is certainly no exception.

Trigger	Terrible	Poor	Acceptable	Good	Excellent

The trigger pull on Glock pistols is one of the most complained about features.  When I first started shooting them I felt the same way.  I had primarily been a single action 1911 type of guy and the Glock just felt weird.  But as my horizons widened and I began shooting more double action pistols my view changed.  The 5.5 pound trigger pull is just about perfect for a carry pistol and once I figured out how to work the fast reset of the Glock trigger I can produce bursts of two and three rounds that aren't full auto fast but fast enough to be controllable at conversation distances.

Power Scale	.22LR	.380 ACP	9mm	.40 S&W	.45 ACP/GAP

It's a .45, need I say more?  Yes there are some ballistic differences between the .45 GAP and the .45 ACP but they are hardly worth the discussion.

Carry/Concealment	Too Large	Compact	Ultra Compact	Micro Compact	Pocket Pistol

The G39 is built on what is commonly called the "Baby Glock" frame.  I find it a little too large and heavy for pocket carry but I know there are those who have found the right pair of trousers to accommodate pocket carry.  With my Remora holster she sits very easily in my waist band and I hardly know she is there.

Reliability	Unreliable	Somewhat Reliable	Fair	OK	Completely Reliable

Again, there is very little to discuss here.  She has eaten 230 Grain hardball, 185 grain hollowpoints, and 200 grain hollowpoints.  The basic drawback to the .45 GAP is ammo accessibility as not every gun shop or hunting department is going to carry it.  I am fortunate in that the gun shop/range that I frequent has a fairly large stock of Speer 185 and 200 grain hollowpoint ammo.

Accuracy	Poor	Fair	Acceptable	Combat +	Bullseye

I have it listed here as "Combat +" simply because, while not a bullseye competition pistol, she does shoot far better than what most would consider average combat accuracy.  For further discussion let's look at the targets:

Here's the first shot out of the box at 21 feet:

Here's three targets at 21 feet

50 Feet

Defensive Ammo:

185 grain Speer Gold Dot Hollowpoint ammo fired at 21 feet

Speer Gold Dot Hollowpoint 200 grain Ammo fired at 21 feet

Speer 200 grain Gold Dot Hollowpoint ammo fired at 45 feet

So, in summation while the biggest drawback to the Model 39 is ammo accessibility and cost (and it is available via internet sales) she is easy to carry, powerful, more accurate than she needs to be, and completely reliable.  Having one of these blasters at the ready makes me very comfortable in just about any surroundings.