I personally prefer my G38 over a G23.:wavey:

 

38 because of the size GAP baby!

 

The frame size of the 23 and 38 are the same. The G38 has a wider slide but you said you have shot both. I like the G38 alot better then the G23 not a big 40 fan. I would take the GAP anyday. Softer shooting and accurate.

 

IMO the 38, and for concealability the 39. Recoil is much more manageable with the GAPs...softer with a push rather than a sharp snap.

 

If all things are equal the G38. Way better shooting recoil in the hand.

The general rule of thumb for wounds is bigger is better.

 

I will reveal my bias for the 38. Did I mention that I really like the 38. :supergrin:

 

I really like my G38 and dislike the .40S&W in general.

 

Wow, this one is always a tough one for me. What everyone posted above me is true. The G38 is ridiculously accurate and easy to shoot... and I absolutely love mine! I also love my G23 and shoot it very well.

For me personally, when it comes to personal protection/CCW, I give a SLIGHT edge to my G23 and it's ONLY for the extra capacity. For this reason alone, if I could only have one, it'd be my G23.

Now I must apologize to my fellow Bull Dawgers for being the odd man out. :crying:

 

Ammo not a factor...the G38.

 

The G23 hands down. Thinner slide, more capacity, conversion barrels available, more holsters available and with time I could think of more. Not taking anything away from the G38, but for me I would prefer the 23.

 

23. 2nd gen preferably. Probably my favorite glock of all time.

 

Funny you should post this.. as I was somewhat thinking about this recently. I love (like others) the .45, but I just cant seem to get my head around the lack of capacity in a particular gun size.

I could never justify why I would carry 8+1 when I could carry 13+1 (.40) or 15+1 (9mm) in the same size gun... I mean those numbers arent even close.. 5-7 rounds different is significant, and I dont waste my time on any concepts of "I carry a spare mag". I have yet to have anyone ever (and I have asked for it) cite a situation when any single event occurred newsbound where a civilian CC self defense happened where the individual had time to swap mags (Again, throwing it out there, I would LOVE to have someone direct me to an article where this is verified ever happening).

So to me capacity is an issue when carrying a gun the size of a g19,23,32,38..

I have also shot all of the aformentioned calibers and the only significantly different one to me is the 9mm (being lighter) whereas the .40, .357sig and 45gap all feel basically the same IMO.

So I'll reiterate my personal feelings on it.. I love a .45 and for home use or something I would stick to a g21 with a 13+1 mag... too big for cc though.. If Im gonna carry a defensive weapon of that size, it sure as hell better hold more than 8+1....

 

RYT 2BER, I can see your point, but I think you would also be hard pressed to cite cases where 15 or 17 rounds saved the day, but 9 was not enough. Either one could, and probably has happened, but I don't remember it.

 

well from everything I've read from police reports, talked to policemen etc. approximately 50% of the shots fired in SD situations are misses due to the adrelanine/panic rush diminishing your fine motor skills and also I think people routinely underestimate how difficult it is to hit a 3 dimensional moving target. Now consider if there are 2 or more assailants, that 8 round mag starts looking undersized pretty darn quick considering most people are taught to try to get at least 2 hits COM. 10 rounds is the absolute minimum for any weapon I will consider to carry concealed. the 23 has a significant edge with 5 more rounds in this category, In my humble opinion......

 

I have never shot a 38, so my opinion may not be worth as much as other's, but I have had a 23 for about 5 years and LOVE it. The three years prior to me owning my own 23, I shot my buddy's. I've shot many other handguns and calibers and I still find myself going back to the G23. I am 5' 8" and do not have huge hands, nor do I have little hands, and I personally feel like the 23 sits perfectly in my grasp. Just my thoughts, for what they may be worth... hope they help!

 

If I lived in a ten round mag state I would go GAP. I don't live in one of those states so I have a G23...that's kinda political of me but I like the option of getting a 22 round mag for the range. If I ever see a used Glock Gap I am gonna buy it! I hear they are sweet shooters. My cousin is a cop in TN and he carries the G37. I cain't remember what his dept used to carry but he likes the G37 just fine.

 

So I'll reiterate my personal feelings on it.. I love a .45 and for home use or something I would stick to a g21 with a 13+1 mag... too big for cc though.. If Im gonna carry a defensive weapon of that size, it sure as hell better hold more than 8+1....

Put a G37 mag with an A&G sleeve (or you could do it without the sleeve, I just prefer not having the gap) and your G38 is 10+1 or add a Glock +1 extension on it and its an 11+1

 

I don't care for either round, but I think I'd try the GAP if I needed to make a choice between them.

 

If I just had to have one of those two I'd go with the 23. I'm not a fan of either round, but at least I can go to Wal-Mart and buy .40S&W. .45GAP is practically nonexistent around here.

 

23. 2nd gen preferably. Probably my favorite glock of all time.

A BIG plus one on that!!!!! IF I get rid of my Gen2 G23 it's 'cause I'm already dead!

 

I really like my G38 and dislike the .40S&W in general.

Why do you not like the 40 s&w? Just about every 40 s&w round seems to do quite well for self defense purposes. Its hard to find one that not good in that caliber. 45 gap is fairly new, and doesn't have much of a history. Plus its less rounds.

 

I would pick the 23. If i had the forsight to know that i was gonna need a gun for self defense, i think 13 rounds of 40 s&w beats 8 rounds of 45 anyday. Heck, i think i'd take 15 rounds of 9mm over the 8 rounds of 45 too. In gunfights, the vast majority of people do not have a good hit/miss ratio.

 

Funny you should post this.. as I was somewhat thinking about this recently. I love (like others) the .45, but I just cant seem to get my head around the lack of capacity in a particular gun size.

I could never justify why I would carry 8+1 when I could carry 13+1 (.40) or 15+1 (9mm) in the same size gun... I mean those numbers arent even close.. 5-7 rounds different is significant, and I dont waste my time on any concepts of "I carry a spare mag". I have yet to have anyone ever (and I have asked for it) cite a situation when any single event occurred newsbound where a civilian CC self defense happened where the individual had time to swap mags (Again, throwing it out there, I would LOVE to have someone direct me to an article where this is verified ever happening).

So to me capacity is an issue when carrying a gun the size of a g19,23,32,38..

I have also shot all of the aformentioned calibers and the only significantly different one to me is the 9mm (being lighter) whereas the .40, .357sig and 45gap all feel basically the same IMO.

So I'll reiterate my personal feelings on it.. I love a .45 and for home use or something I would stick to a g21 with a 13+1 mag... too big for cc though.. If Im gonna carry a defensive weapon of that size, it sure as hell better hold more than 8+1....

2nd that

 

So even if I were to carry an extra magazine, 17 bullets isn't enough? I like that the 23 has more rounds that's for sure. I just don't see the capacity argument standing too much when I carry an extra magazine. I might be way off though

 

I am a fan of the GAP. I own a 37, reload for it, shoot it fairly often.

For the OP's stated purpose, I'd buy/carry a 23. (I own several 23's)