A shorter package: The .45 GAP (right) launches a 230-grain bullet at speeds very close to that of the .45 ACP (left).

Whether you ham-fisted specimens out there will feel the same is conjectural, though I've seen some pretty big guys deal with .25 Colt Vest Pockets with little difficulty, so my guess is that you can probably handle it. To help this situation along, Para tells me the gun will come with two mags: one that will fit flush with the grip base and another with a plastic extension with a formative finger groove.

It's all steel--another attribute in so small a pistol--has a bobbed hammer; a small, rounded grip safety; and contoured, fixed three-white-dot sights. Controls--to include the safety, slide stop and mag release--are pure Government Model, although the safety does have a generous thumb extension for ease of operation.

The backstrap, such as it is, is straight and ribbed to provide better purchase. The frontstrap is smooth.

The pistol fieldstrips pretty much like a standard 1911. However, because of its short barrel/slide configuration, to handle the recoil it employs a double spring/ plunger setup that, while easy to dismount, makes the slide a tad on the testy side to draw back.

In fact, probably the only complaint I have with the gun is the rather shallow, dished slide serrations, which were a bit slippery when chambering a round. Other shooters noted this as well, and we generally ended up racking the slide by gripping it along the top with the left hand, which worked all right.

As our pistol was a preproduction model, it was kitted out with checkered rosewood grips, but the issue panels will be double-diamond-checkered black phenolic. The gun comes in basic matte black--to my mind, probably the most ideal finish for a hideout gun.

The top-performing load from the test gun turned out to be Federal 230-grain Hydra-Shok.

We took the Carry GAP to the Angeles Range in San Fernando, California, to see what it could do. Chosen GAP ammo included Winchester 185-grain Silvertip HP and 230-grain FMJ, Remington 230-grain JHP and Federal Premium 230-grain Hydra-Shok JHP.

Functioning was excellent with all brands and types of ammo. Recoil was extremely pleasant, and the small grip--abetted by the GAP's shorter pressure curve--provided for moderate muzzle rise and a rapid recovery time.

The gun was fired for accuracy at seven and 25 yards. The best seven-yard rested groups came in at one inch and were achieved with the Federal ammo. The same load shot best at 25 yards; groups measured about 41?2 inches. From offhand at seven yards the gun shot just about as well as it did off the rest. It was manageable, responsive and reliable. Para's PXT extractor ensured that cases were shucked well clear of the gun, and there were no failures to feed or eject. All in all, it was excellent performance.

Since it first came out, I've been something of a champion of the .45 GAP round, but it seems as though the shooting public has been somewhat lukewarm about it. Of course, because of its reduced case length, it really shows off to best advantage in a pocket pistol, and from all appearances this new Para could be just the gun to take it out of the doldrums.