Next Big Advance in Handguns

[JAL]

Optics, probably.

+1 ^^^^^ This ^^^^^

Also:
Incremental materials development
Projectile development for LE and SD

John

 

[88E30M50]

Maybe a lead compensating red dot sight with radar ranging? Essentially a P 51 gun sight from late WWII miniaturized to fit on a pistol. Other technology that could be revolutionized might be the primer/powder system in use today. I'm not too sure what the advantage would be though. The problem with handguns is that the design already exceeds the capabilities of the shooter in most cases. It's been that way for a hundred years now. There's no end to the capabilities of electronics, but when you need to approach a near zero failure rate for a carry weapon, the can come up short. Lasers have been around for a long time, but there is still a sizable percentage of shooters that won't use them because they are more likely to fail than iron sights will.

Maybe the next big thing in handguns will be a focus on skills rather than technology. Bring back point shooting and just get rid of sights altogether for a SD snubnose pistol like the Sig P938. Maybe it will be technique that will change. Maybe it will be a huge shift in the paradigm of carry methods or it could be a huge change in how the public sees open carry.

 

[4651feeder]

As Worddoer has suggested, I believe the advances to be acknowledged by the future will be innovation in materials used to construct firearms or components and evolution from subtractive manufacturing to large scale addative manufacturing. In turn many of us who witness this process firsthand will likely question whether this results in a better end product or a means to greater profit. I for one will not hesitate to purchase today, hoping for tomorrow's product improvement.

 

[oldpink]

Just another thought (no idea how far off on the horizon it could be) would be that maybe there will be major advances in barrel materials and metallurgy that will allow many times longer barrel life, even when fiired until very hot over a fairly prolonged time, something that would be even more useful when carried over to rifles, especially military arms.

 

[Daggy]

As 3D printing becomes better and cheaper at the same time, I think it won't be long before somebody begins selling anatomically personalized guns. You'll have a handgun that literally fits you like a glove. Take a step further and you'll have custom-length magazines tailored to your hand size. You can have a concealed carry pistol with a grip and mag that extend exactly to the bottom of your pinky, and not a milimeter more.

 

[markholst]

As 3D printing becomes better and cheaper at the same time, I think it won't be long before somebody begins selling anatomically personalized guns. You'll have a handgun that literally fits you like a glove. Take a step further and you'll have custom-length magazines tailored to your hand size. You can have a concealed carry pistol with a grip and mag that extend exactly to the bottom of your pinky, and not a milimeter more.

Gotta say...this intrigues me. Think they could change the shape of a pistol completely? Something that isn't the traditional handle attached to a barrel at 90ish degrees?

 

[Daggy]

Gotta say...this intrigues me. Think they could change the shape of a pistol completely? Something that isn't the traditional handle attached to a barrel at 90ish degrees?

The somewhat perpendicular grip angle is necessary for reliable feeding from a box magazine. The mag geometry is the limit rather than the grip.

 

[88E30M50]

The idea of a custom 3D printed pistol is interesting. Take something like the Sig P320 system and then allow a huge number of changes that can be done by a user online, such as grip length, texture, trigger guard style, and inclusion of a rail could all be done. The user builds the pistol frame that they want, chose a color, submit payment and a week later the finished grip module arrives at their house. That would be pretty cool.

 

[Good on paper]

The idea of a custom 3D printed pistol is interesting. Take something like the Sig P320 system and then allow a huge number of changes that can be done by a user online, such as grip length, texture, trigger guard style, and inclusion of a rail could all be done. The user builds the pistol frame that they want, chose a color, submit payment and a week later the finished grip module arrives at their house. That would be pretty cool.

I think we have a winner here!

 

[JAL]

As 3D printing becomes better and cheaper at the same time, I think it won't be long before somebody begins selling anatomically personalized guns. You'll have a handgun that literally fits you like a glove. Take a step further and you'll have custom-length magazines tailored to your hand size. You can have a concealed carry pistol with a grip and mag that extend exactly to the bottom of your pinky, and not a milimeter more.

This has already been done . . .

Four years ago with the "Liberator" - a copy of the cheap pistol dropped into France during WWII for the French Resistance.

[video=youtube;IylGx-48TUI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IylGx-48TUI[/video]

Three years ago with a 1911 clone using a sintering printer:

[video=youtube;zJyf1IrHtcE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJyf1IrHtcE[/video]

A year ago with a plastic 22 LR (this is the test firing):

[video=youtube;gg-bGyCjwsw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg-bGyCjwsw[/video]

The latter guy now has one with a .357 magnum barrel liner:

[video=youtube;1jFjtE7bzeU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jFjtE7bzeU[/video]

The problem with these is they're "ghost" guns. Not illegal to make, but illegal to transfer to anyone else at the federal level unless they have a firearm manufacturer's license, serial number them, and meet all the other legal requirements as a manufacturer. Some states may have their own prohibitions. I believe California requires all firearms now to have serial numbers, even ancient antiques. They require sufficient metal as the undetectable firearm act was renewed in 2013 as-is without additional provisions. Don't blame that on Obama; it sailed through the House and Senate without opposition . . . the Senate vote was unanimous.

John

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think much of the future tech in relation to firearms is going to be computerized optics (already happening some), and polymer-based technologies. Steel (and aluminum) are expensive to manufacture compared to plastics. Better polymers, better polymer guns. We already have a polymer 357 mag (Ruger LCR). The polymer based stuff will affect ammunition more too.

Personally, I'd like to see a 22 LR round with a biodegradable case.

 

[knot4reel]

A micro spud gun that shoots new potatos instead of Idahos with frangiable rounds that upon impact splinter into potato stix.

 

[oldpink]

This has already been done . . .

Four years ago with the "Liberator" - a copy of the cheap pistol dropped into France during WWII for the French Resistance.

[...]
Three years ago with a 1911 clone using a sintering printer:

[...]
A year ago with a plastic 22 LR (this is the test firing):

[...]
The latter guy now has one with a .357 magnum barrel liner:

[...]
The problem with these is they're "ghost" guns. Not illegal to make, but illegal to transfer to anyone else at the federal level unless they have a firearm manufacturer's license, serial number them, and meet all the other legal requirements as a manufacturer. Some states may have their own prohibitions. I believe California requires all firearms now to have serial numbers, even ancient antiques. They require sufficient metal as the undetectable firearm act was renewed in 2013 as-is without additional provisions. Don't blame that on Obama; it sailed through the House and Senate without opposition . . . the Senate vote was unanimous.

John

That's not quite what he was talking about here.
The Sig P320 that he specifically mentioned is a modular design that has the firing components only as the serial numbered part registered as the firearm, with the grip frame, slide, barrel, and all other components totally legal to buy off the shelf without having to go through the channels used with firearms.
Those other parts aren't classified as firearms, only pieces of steel and plastic.
Because of the unique design of the P320, you could indeed fully legally construct a frame of any type you like on a 3-D printer to do high-tech customization.
The BATFE wouldn't have a thing to say about it, much as the idiot anti-gunners might try and huff and puff over it.
Of course, you wouldn't be able to 3-D print a frame for other guns, such as the current and past incarnations of all Glocks, S&W M&P, 1911, and all other handguns that have the grip frame/receiver as the serial numbered part.
There may be other guns that have the fire control components as the serial numbered part that can have grip frames/receivers replaced at will, but I'm far from an expert on what others may be out there, but if there are others, it would also be perfectly legal to do the same with them as with the P320.

 

[88E30M50]

To expound upon my previous thought on being able to order custom grip modules, how about if someone designed an open source (freely licensed) serial numbered trigger group similar to the Sig P320 system. It would be something akin to the AR lower in that anyone could manufacture them at different levels of quality based on the need or desire. Like AR lowers, you could order them in multi-packs and then decide how to built it out later. Then, you go online later and decide what style pistol you want by choosing the grip size, shape, texture, angle, mag type, caliber, slide length and color. Since you already have the serialized part, everything else can just be 3d printed (for the grip module) or pulled from stock and shipped off. I think you'd have the AR of pistols at that point. If slides could eventually be economically 3D printed using a sintering printer, then you could even design your own slide serrations, sight cuts and other features.

 

[russc2542]

Gotta say...this intrigues me. Think they could change the shape of a pistol completely? Something that isn't the traditional handle attached to a barrel at 90ish degrees?

The somewhat perpendicular grip angle is necessary for reliable feeding from a box magazine. The mag geometry is the limit rather than the grip.

The answer is, again, HK P7.
From the article about it in TTAG

I will admit it results in a grip on the large side of normal but I have big hands and it means my wife won't try to commandeer it.

 

[oldpink]

The answer is, again, HK P7.
From the article about it in TTAG

I will admit it results in a grip on the large side of normal but I have big hands and it means my wife won't try to commandeer it.

Hans Gruber approved!

 

[Daggy]

That's not quite what he was talking about here.
The Sig P320 that he specifically mentioned is a modular design that has the firing components only as the serial numbered part registered as the firearm, with the grip frame, slide, barrel, and all other components totally legal to buy off the shelf without having to go through the channels used with firearms.
Those other parts aren't classified as firearms, only pieces of steel and plastic.
Because of the unique design of the P320, you could indeed fully legally construct a frame of any type you like on a 3-D printer to do high-tech customization.
The BATFE wouldn't have a thing to say about it, much as the idiot anti-gunners might try and huff and puff over it.
Of course, you wouldn't be able to 3-D print a frame for other guns, such as the current and past incarnations of all Glocks, S&W M&P, 1911, and all other handguns that have the grip frame/receiver as the serial numbered part.
There may be other guns that have the fire control components as the serial numbered part that can have grip frames/receivers replaced at will, but I'm far from an expert on what others may be out there, but if there are others, it would also be perfectly legal to do the same with them as with the P320.

The Beretta APX is also a modular gun where the outer frame is not serialized. Only the removable inner frame with the fire control unit is legally considered a firearm.

https://youtu.be/T5a6Hs02LiQ

 

[IndianaSoloMcfly]

Perhaps guns of the future will be more circular. Like a built in forgrip. I cant believe it hasnt happend already, i wish i could draw a picture to show what i mean. Perhaps ill be back later with pictures

well that was easy.

http://i65.tinypic.com/rif5p3.jpg