[9RobertJ]

Okay, I just got a new glock 23 and I carry a glock 22 on duty, but kinda new to compact pistols with a 4 inch barrel I know 180 gr. are okay to shoot out of the 22 with no problems. I just bought some Remington Golden Sabre "bonded" 180 grain hollow points and was just wondering if a heavy bullet like this will do its job ballistically. I took the new gun to the range and it is a tack driver with moderate recoil, but accuracy is not helping me on the ballistics of the bullet. Any help from a ammunition expert would help. Thanks

[Ram Rod]

Give this a read. I don't know what to think myself on the barrel length issue. I use the same PD ammo in my G27 as I do in my G22. Then again...I aint no ammo expert.
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

BARREL LENGTH plays a role in this as well. While +P loadings may not be required in most cases, they can compensate for short barrels and the resulting loss in muzzle velocity. For example: In 9mm, the 124gr Gold Dot is a good choice in barrel lengths of 4" or more. In compact guns of 3.5" or less, a higher-velocity loading would be advised. This is Dr. Roberts take on the issue:

Actually, all our testing has traditionally been done in 4" barrels for 9 mm, .40 S&W, and 4.25" for .45 ACP, although recently most of the organizations we test for have been asking for 5" barrel data for .45 ACP. There is really no difference in performance between a 3.5" and 4" barrel in 9 mm and .40 S&W. In .45 ACP, we see a reasonably significant change in performance going from a 5" to 3.5" or less barrels. Since almost all viable pistols in 9 mm and .40 S&W use 3.5-4.5" barrels, there are no "short barrel" worries for serious end-users. Likewise, almost all .45 ACP platforms worthy of hard use use barrels greater than 4", so again, the short barrel question is moot...

Please be aware that if you venture into guns with a barrel length of less than 3.5", you're in uncharted territory.

(from the article)

[9RobertJ]

Thanks for the help, it sounds like the Golden Sabre 180 grain is good for the 4 inch barrel. It just seems like the 23 should be standard barrel size instead of the 22 with a 4.49 inch barrel. Appreciate the assistance.