Glock 39
Glock Ges.m.b.H. · Pistol · Discontinued · 2003
Also known as: G39, Glock G39
Overview
The Glock 39 is a subcompact semi-automatic pistol chambered in .45 GAP, produced by Glock Ges.m.b.H. from 2003. It is the smallest member of Glock's .45 GAP lineup, sitting below the full-size G37 and compact G38, sharing the dimensions of the subcompact 9mm Glock 26. With a 87mm (3.43-inch) barrel and a standard six-round magazine, the G39 was designed primarily as a concealed-carry and back-up sidearm delivering .45-caliber terminal performance in a frame small enough to hide. Like all Glock pistols it uses the striker-fired Safe Action system, with trigger, firing-pin, and drop safeties, a polymer frame, and a Tenifer-finished steel slide. The short .45 GAP case lets the cartridge fit within a 9mm-class grip, giving the G39 a meaningfully smaller grip circumference than a comparable .45 ACP Glock. The G39 and the wider .45 GAP family were ultimately discontinued as the cartridge failed to gain commercial traction.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 700 g (24.7 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 870 g (30.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Barrel Length | 87 mm (3.43") |
| Height | 106 mm (4.17") |
| Width | 30 mm (1.18") |
| Sight Radius | 144 mm (5.67") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Safe Action |
| Trigger Pull | 25 N (5.6 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 265 m/s (869 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 520 J (384 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 30 m (33 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 400 mm (15.75") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Polymer |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Tenifer |
Calibers
- .45 GAP · primary — also known as .45 Glock Auto Pistol, .45 G.A.P.
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Trigger Safety, Firing Pin Safety, Drop Safety
- Features: Polymer Frame, Safe Action Trigger, Hexagonal Rifling, Accessory Rail, Textured Grip, Reversible Magazine Release, Striker Fired, Subcompact Frame
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Georgia State Patrol · adopted 2007
- New York State Police · adopted 2006
Production
Production years: 2003-present
Exact production numbers not publicly disclosed; the .45 GAP subcompact saw limited production and was discontinued along with the rest of the line.
Origin
Country of origin: Austria
Designer: Gaston Glock
Notes
The G39 accepts the longer six-, eight-, and ten-round .45 GAP magazines from the G37 and G38, allowing extended capacity at the cost of concealability. As the subcompact of the line it offers the strongest concealment of any .45 GAP Glock but suffers the sharpest felt recoil due to its light weight and short slide. With .45 GAP ammunition becoming scarce and costly relative to .45 ACP, the platform saw limited civilian adoption.
Background
The Glock 39 was the pocket-sized expression of Glock's .45 GAP experiment, an attempt to deliver .45-caliber stopping power in a frame no larger than a 9mm subcompact. The idea was sound on paper, but the shooting public never warmed to the proprietary cartridge, and ammunition for the tiny six-shot pistol remained expensive and hard to find. Today the G39 is a curiosity prized by collectors of the short-lived .45 GAP family.