21st Centurys Handgun

[mortdooley]

 The 19th century star of handguns was the Colt 1873 single action revolver, the star of the 20th was the 1911. Rather then pick a list of handguns for a poll what do you think the star of this century will be?

[billt]

Glock. No question about it.   Bill T.

[CDR]

I think Glock and Heckler & Koch will lead the way.  Personally I think the HK45c is the gun that sets a new standard.

[Hazcat]

Glock is a 20th century gun.

[billt]

Glock is a 20th century gun.

While that in itself is a true statement, there has been nothing to come down the pike since that will dethrone it.  Bill T.

[Sponsor]

[Hazcat]

While that in itself is a true statement, there has been nothing to come down the pike since that will dethrone it.  Bill T.

YET 

[kmitch200]

I think Glock and Heckler & Koch will lead the way. 

H&K will lead the way in pricing. (with SIG trying to dethrone them)   
The last H&K I handled shot very well. It was large, heavy and thick. (Not a 45c.) My SIG 220 was ligihter and shot every bit as well.

For the current century I think a thin, light polymer with very good ergonomics that is priced right will take the cake.
Maybe it will be the 4th or 5th Gen Glock.
Now if they would get rid of the finger grooves so my fingers won't ride on top of them and I don't have to grind them off.

[billt]

YET

Again, very true. But when you get right down to it, there really isn't a whole lot of places left for handgun design to go. We have maximum durability, reliability, safety, accuracy, lightweight and ease of carry, ergonomics, and affordable cost. There may be a few doodads here and there that will pop up. But overall I don't see anything Earth shaking left to be developed.

Ammunition is much the same way. They've got bullet construction down pat as far as reliable expansion, penetration, and energy transfer. Nothing left to invent. There may be some type of "miracle bullet" like the DRT round or something similar to it that may come along. But overall as far as conventional weapons, bullets, and actions, where we are at is pretty much where we'll stay. To me the Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P, and the H&K are pretty much all one in the same.   Bill T.

[tombogan03884]

Again, very true. But when you get right down to it, there really isn't a whole lot of places left for handgun design to go. We have maximum durability, reliability, safety, accuracy, lightweight and ease of carry, ergonomics, and affordable cost. There may be a few doodads here and there that will pop up. But overall I don't see anything Earth shaking left to be developed.

Ammunition is much the same way. They've got bullet construction down pat as far as reliable expansion, penetration, and energy transfer. Nothing left to invent. There may be some type of "miracle bullet" like the DRT round or something similar to it that may come along. But overall as far as conventional weapons, bullets, and actions, where we are at is pretty much where we'll stay. To me the Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P, and the H&K are pretty much all one in the same.   Bill T.

Probably caseless ammo or electronic ignition. I have to agree with Bill that there really doesn't seem to be any more room for improvement in handguns themselves. Even the Glock uses a mechanism that has been around since about 1900, They only really changed the material.

[MikeBjerum]

I agree with Tom on what we will be seeing:

The gun of the 21st Century will be one that is engineered by "geeks."  We will see circuit boards; electronic firing mechanisms, there will be light sensors adjusting sights, there will be laser range and density finders, and I even see some sort of electromagnetic propulsion doing away with primers and powder and allowing for speed of bullet changes.

I hope it doesn't come in my lifetime, because I keep forgetting that the first rule of computer problems is to reboot.  The last thing I need to worry about in a gun fight is to reboot the gun.  I has got to be slower than tap and rack 

Oh, and micro engraving of the gun id and id of the shooter will be laser etched on every bullet, and there will be some type of RFI embedded in every bullet for location after the shot is taken