Wide slide for slide speed? How can that be?

[Conservative X]

The .40 has a SAAMI max pressure of 35,000, and the .357sig has a max SAAMI pressure of 40,000. Now pressure is not the end all be all determing factor of slide speed but it does play a main part. If the .40 and .357sig Glocks can maintain the slimmer G17 slide with their high slide speeds why can't the .45gap?

My only conclusion is that it can with no problem but the thicker slide was utilized for a more comfortable shooting experience?

Am I off the mark here?

[pds]

Because of the laws of physics. For every action there is an equal and opposite and equal reaction. The .357 and 40 don't shoot bullets in the 230 gr weight like the .45 cal guns. Launching a 230 gr bullets creates more reaction on the rearward movement of the slide. The slide on the 45 gap autos are thicker (more massive) to slow slide speed down during recoil which also gives it a softer felt recoil to the shooter and a less violent stop when the slide reaches the end of the recoil cycle.

[4eyes]

Originally posted by Conservative X
If the .40 and .357sig Glocks can maintain the slimmer G17 slide with their high slide speeds why can't the .45gap?

Glock advertized the prototype GAP pistols as having the G17/22/31 slide thickness/mass; then made the slide heavier for actual production. I suspect that only Glock employees will know the reason for the change.

[Glocks&Ducs]

Originally posted by 4eyes
Glock advertized the prototype GAP pistols as having the G17/22/31 slide thickness/mass; then made the slide heavier for actual production. I suspect that only Glock employees will know the reason for the change.

I read that the recoil springs were taking too much of a beating and wouldn't last anywhere near as long as the other Glock models were. So they just resorted to fattening up the slide.

[DannyR]

The G37 started out with a narrow slide and the ammo started out with large pistol primers. After 250,000 rounds fired in testing the G37 prototype pistols, factory engineers changed to wider slides and small pistol primers for production. I'm sure it was a reliability issue. No big deal to me because I like the wider slides.

[SDGlock23]

I've wondered about the fatter slide also. Whatever they did, I know my G38 shoots sweet!

[Rusty Phillips]

another thought on slide mass

as I see it, the G37 / 38 dont have heavy slides, the G22/23 have unusually light slides.

look at it this way

the G22/23 are somewhere in the 22 ounce range, (total weight)

whereas almost all of the competitive 40 cal pistols (XD, Steyr, HK, Beretta, Sig, Ruger, Walther/SW) are ~ 28 ounces

I really think the G22/23/27 would be much nicer to shoot if they had the wide slides on them

as the pontiac ads say, wider is better

[gary newport]

Originally posted by Rusty Phillips
another thought on slide mass

as I see it, the G37 / 38 dont have heavy slides, the G22/23 have unusually light slides.

look at it this way

the G22/23 are somewhere in the 22 ounce range, (total weight)

whereas almost all of the competitive 40 cal pistols (XD, Steyr, HK, Beretta, Sig, Ruger, Walther/SW) are ~ 28 ounces

I really think the G22/23/27 would be much nicer to shoot if they had the wide slides on them

as the pontiac ads say, wider is better

I couldn't agree more! A range buddy has a G20 with a .40 conversion barrel. That combination makes the .40 far more pleasant to shoot than my FORMER G22 and G23 could.

[SDGlock23]

Very good point, Rusty. I had never really thought about that but it does make sense.