21st Centurys Handgun

[gunman42782]

The 1911 will still be going strong in 2111! 

[tombogan03884]

The 1911 will still be going strong in 2111! 

So will the .357 Mag revolver. You will not be able to handload caseless or electronic ammo.

[billt]

The gun of the 21st Century will be one that is engineered by "geeks."  We will see circuit boards; electronic firing mechanisms.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/gear/2007/09/electronic-rifle-revisit

Remington tried all of that with the "Etronix". It used special primers in it's ammunition that fired electronically. Lock time was reduced to all but nothing. It was a total flop. Voere, tried caseless ammunition in a bolt action rifle. It also was a flop. Gun people are traditionalists. Look at how long it took the Glock, along with synthetic stocks to really gain acceptance. Electronics and guns just don't seem to mix. A bit like putting mag wheels and a spoiler on a stagecoach.  Bill T.

[alfsauve]

Rail Guns.  Hand held, multi-shot, self-loading, rail guns.

Or maybe an electro-magnet sequencing gun.  I've toyed with the idea of building one.    Even if I could only get say 750fps moving a 100gr bullet it would be rather unique.  One in which the pols would have to change a lot of laws real quickly to cover.

[bafsu92]

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.

You may get your wish with the Gen. 5. A friend just got back from an advanced armorer's course at Glock and the rumor is, although nobody would confirm this obviously, the Gen. 5 will also have replaceable front straps to go along with along with the backstraps. The rumor is it may be done in association with Magpul and will be very similar to the MIAD design where you can have 0/1/2 finger grooves, flat, swell etc. The backstraps will have different degrees of curve and swell and even a integral magwell and beavertail designs. I think this would put Glock over the top. I wish we would've stuck with Glock at work instead of switching to XDm's.

[Sponsor]

[bafsu92]

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 

Don't forget the imbedded biometric scanner to make sure a pre-authorized user is the one holding the handgun.

[PegLeg45]

Phased plasma rifle, in 40 watt range.     

[Ichiban]

Don't forget the imbedded biometric scanner to make sure a pre-authorized user is the one holding the handgun.

And thus, "keep your powder dry" morphs into "keep your batteries charged."  

[billt]

They could also put a readout on the back of the slide giving you body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, (both diastolic and systolic) by way of sensors in the pistol grip. Might as well be able to monitor your health while you're destroying someone else's. This will be of major importance, especially if they're going to be raising the age of Social Security benefits. Bill T.

[MikeBjerum]

Don't forget the imbedded biometric scanner to make sure a pre-authorized user is the one holding the handgun.

I touched on that but didn't say it outright when I combined electronics with laser engraved id of shooter.