Modular Handguns - Fad or the Future?

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  • crispy

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    Nov 29, 2010
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    Or both?

    Personally, I think it is the biggest over hyped nonsense going in handguns today.

    In reality I don't know anyone that actually swaps the "gun" part between frames/slides/barrels. Most "gun people", if they want a full size and a compact, are just going to buy a full size and a compact.

    This doesn't mean that handguns would have the modular component so that it can be swapped out in case of breakage or whatever, just that the constant swapability aspect won't be utilized.

    Thoughts?
     

    Alpo

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    Sep 23, 2014
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    Semi-auto handguns.....marketing hype. Revolvers...a different story. Ammunition interchangeability (38 special, .357, for example) has always been a good feature.

    AR15 lowers with a variety of uppers has always been a strong selling point, even if most buyers rarely employ the practice (INGO excepted).
     

    mstagg

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    Jan 31, 2017
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    Overhyped. I just picked up a new p320 a few weeks ago. The guy at the store was selling me on the modularity hard.

    I was gonna buy the pistol anyways, but I looked up the price of an exchange kit for .357 sig subcompact, it was $400. Thats like, 4/5 of the price of an entirely new gun. Id rather just spend the extra money and have the extra gun. If you want a jack of all trades pistol... just get the glock19 and save yourself the time and money.
     

    SEIndSAM

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    May 14, 2011
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    Maybe the Millennials will buy into it, but I agree with the OP. If I want a full size handgun, I buy a fullsize. If I want a compact, I buy a compact. The one size fits all approach rarely lives up to it's billings.
     

    x10

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    Apr 11, 2009
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    The only way it makes sense if the "kits" to change are very cheap or it comes with the complete kit when you buy it, I agree most people won't use the versatility, I might use the same frame and go from Carry gun to Match gun with a slide barrel kit but I don't think I would be making it from a compact to a full size on a regular basis
     

    Expat

    Pdub
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    Feb 27, 2010
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    Overhyped. I just picked up a new p320 a few weeks ago. The guy at the store was selling me on the modularity hard.

    I was gonna buy the pistol anyways, but I looked up the price of an exchange kit for .357 sig subcompact, it was $400. Thats like, 4/5 of the price of an entirely new gun. Id rather just spend the extra money and have the extra gun. If you want a jack of all trades pistol... just get the glock19 and save yourself the time and money.
    This is the problem with the great theory in the real world, at least so far. If you could buy the one pistol and then get the exchange kits for $150, it might make sense. But at $400, I would rather spend the extra $100 and have another complete pistol.
     

    shootersix

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    I think its the future, not for us(individual)as much as for police/military, I'm 5'9" 200#'s with medium size hands, there's a female epd officer who's maybe 5'4" and one or two males who are 6foot or taller.

    now we can buy a gun that fits our hands, but not everybodys hand will fit every gun i.e. I have a glock 19, and I had to put an extended mag and slide release on it so I could use my thumb to reach both.

    our local police department wont let officers modify their issue guns (they carry glock 21's) now out of the factory, my 320 compact (medium size) has the right reach for me(both trigger and slide release), but that 6'5" foot tall former starting linebacker for the colts, who is now a police officer, might need the large grip, and for 38.00 from midway usa (and I'm sure a hell of a lot cheaper for the military and police) the gun will now fit pretty much everybody.

    so I think its the future, and I think if gaston made a modular gun, the us army might have picked it instead of the p320

    (and I bet glock is working on a modular system as we speak!)

    so to put it this way, if I wanted a small medium and large glock, im out 500 for a 17, 500 for a 19, and 500 for a 26 (1500.00 for all 3)

    or buy a p320 full size(500.00), and a compact 320 kit (299.00), and a 320 subcompact kit(299.00) (1100.00 for all 3) and save 400.00 bucks

    OR if I want a full size 40 for competition, and a 9mm sub compact for carry im out 800 bucks for the modular sig
     

    LP1

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    Sep 8, 2010
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    I'd consider swapping from full size to compact if the cost of the kit was no more than 1/3 the price of a separate gun. Beyond that (as current pricing is), I'm with the "If I want it, I'll buy the entire gun" crowd.
     

    88E30M50

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    If we lived in a country or even state that taxed guns individually as a means of reducing the number of guns we own, similar to how suppressors are taxed, then it makes a lot of sense. If that one penalty tax could give you a variety of weapons, then it would be a perfect way of owning one gun but getting to shoot many. Fortunately, we don't live in that environment, so the real benefit is lost on us. Maybe in US Army service, a modular handgun might make sense since it would let someone be issued a core FCG and then requisition a couple of different grip sizes for different uses. Even then, that's a bit of a stretch.

    For most US civilians, it's over hyped.
     

    bgcatty

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    Sep 9, 2011
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    Reminds me of an old saying: Jack of all trades and master of none. These modular platforms IMHO are just not the ticket. If you need a full sized pistol get it and practice to become proficient. Likewise for a compact. If you need both then get both.
     

    mstagg

    Plinker
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    Jan 31, 2017
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    This is the problem with the great theory in the real world, at least so far. If you could buy the one pistol and then get the exchange kits for $150, it might make sense. But at $400, I would rather spend the extra $100 and have another complete pistol.

    To make matters worse, you cant buy the individual components. Say I got the p320 full size and I wanted to put a compact grip on it. I still have to buy the entire conversion kit for the compact which gives me a bunch of stuff I don't want, like a barrel, slide, and a magazine. When you buy the conversion kit, you are just buying the maximum amount of pieces they can give you and legally say it isn't a gun.
     

    croy

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    Apr 22, 2012
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    For not much more I'd rather have another complete gun. Which is also why I don't have any uppers without lowers
     

    bwframe

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    Heh. Years ago, a lot of us invested in TC Encores for the one-gun-do-all hunting option. Change calibers/gage/pistol grip/rifle stock, etc. Didn't take many years to figure that the price of barrels quickly doubled and to be functional, each one required it's own dedicated glass. Not far dollar and efficiency wise from just going with separate guns. :dunno:
     

    in625shooter

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    This is the problem with the great theory in the real world, at least so far. If you could buy the one pistol and then get the exchange kits for $150, it might make sense. But at $400, I would rather spend the extra $100 and have another complete pistol.

    ^^THIS^^ While the modular design has some merits and is a great tool for say a Military unit fact of the matter I doubt many people will actually use it as intended. With the fact that you can get a complete additional whole 320 for 70.00 more and have a second dedicated platform why bother with the exchange kit.
     

    masterdekoy

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    Feb 12, 2013
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    To make matters worse, you cant buy the individual components. Say I got the p320 full size and I wanted to put a compact grip on it. I still have to buy the entire conversion kit for the compact which gives me a bunch of stuff I don't want, like a barrel, slide, and a magazine. When you buy the conversion kit, you are just buying the maximum amount of pieces they can give you and legally say it isn't a gun.

    You can put a compact grip on the full size.

    P320 9mm Compact Frame/Full Size Slide

    think the grip interchangeably is nice. Allows you to replace it if damaged. This is the one advantage I see with the modular design. As mentioned by others, I don't see caliber interchange kits as good value. Might as well just buy another gun.
     

    TangoSierraEcho

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    Jun 22, 2016
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    I say future and only because the military bought into it. If it wasn't for that I would chalk it up to an experiment that may or may not pay dividends. It will be interesting to see how Sig markets this now that the Army has drank the Kool-Aid and whether the components that make up the various modules will come down in price making it more attractive for civilian options. I personally bought a P320 Compact, 357SIG in FDE on Tuesday because I got a few of the 320s in and I liked the feel and trigger but honestly I don't see me ever getting into swapping stuff on and off the gun. I like owning different guns so I don't see me getting into it but I do believe there is a future for this.
     
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