Speer GD short barrel? How short?

[9mmguy]

This may be the most unnecessary question ever asked on this board, but I have Speer Gold Dot 124gr. +P 9mm, which I know is a popular and capable defensive round. The box and the website say "short barrel," which I assume means the bullets are optimized for short barrels. Unfortunately, neither box nor website say how short. Handloads.com says 4" or less. Can I use this round in my Glock 17 (4.5" barrel length), or should I go for something different?

Edit: Okay, I see there is a regular barrel version as well, so I will get some of that. What to do with the short barrel ammo? Can I still use it?

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[Mark W.]

SHort barrel will have either slightly less powder or slightly faster powder. It will be just fine in your .5" longer barrel

 

[deadshot2]

SHort barrel will have either slightly less powder or slightly faster powder. It will be just fine in your .5" longer barrel

There's a difference in the bullet design as well with their loaded ammo. I have some 38 spl Short Barrel ammo and the hollow point cavity is large enough to take a drink from if filled with whiskey (at least it seems to be that big). The larger cavity is to insure expansion from the slower rounds from short barreled firearms.

For 9mm's I once read somewhere in Speer's literature that the "Short Barrel" was anything in the 3.5" range. That pretty much covers all the "compacts".

 

[Zepoll]

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