Handgun of Our Time

I

IanS

New member
I think I can safely say handguns like the Colt SAA, S&W M&P Model 10, Luger, and even the 1911 can represent the handgun of a particular era or time. What do you think will come to represent the handgun of today and more importantly why? I'd like to hear your reasons. I won't say what I think it will be since I'm the OP and I don't want to prejudice or skew the discussion a certain way. I won't comment on your choices either.


***edit***
I wasn't gonna comment on some of your choices but I'm gonna have to.

When I say "handgun" it doesn't mean a general type, like "revolvers" or "small pockets autos". I'm asking about a specific model that will be iconic or will come to represent our time period. For example, if you believe this is the era of the "small pocket auto" what small pocket auto do you think will come to represent this trend?

I'm asking for a specific handgun model that you believe will come to represent our time.
 
Last edited:
Now that's a very interesting question! I'm tickled silly that you posted it- awesome line of thought!

At first, I thought it had to be the Glock- but even with it's newer generations- to me, the Glock is still soooo 80's and 90's. Sig, CZ, FN, and Beretta really hasn't really done anything dramatic in the past 10yrs in my mind. I really gotta say that if I were any sort of voice of expertise or authority in the writing world- I think the 1911 has come full circle and may have actually become the Handgun of Our Time Yet Again. I mean think about it... When other time has so many different manufacturers produced a variant of that model out of so many materials with so many features with so many styles- with so much of a following?
 
the Glock is still soooo 80's and 90's. Sig, CZ, FN, and Beretta really hasn't really done anything dramatic in the past 10yrs in my mind. I really gotta say that if I were any sort of voice of expertise or authority in the writing world- I think the 1911 has come full circle and may have actually become the Handgun of Our Time Yet Again.
Click to expand...

+1 the Glock is a close second. The 1911 though is featured and sought more than all others IMO. It has a more beloved following, more history, heck for a design 100yrs and counting folks are pouring in more tech into it than any other handgun. I think in another 100yrs it will be up for re-election.
 
10-96 makes a good case, but I have to go back to his first thought and mine - Glock. The Beretta 92 is certainly a more elegant pistol, and a case could be made for it because of its use by the military. But to the general public (as opposed to handgun enthusiasts) in these first few years of the 21st century, pistol equals Glock. Glock is the brand known by people who know just one brand. Although other brands have made inroads into the LE market, there are still a lot of Glocks in LEO holsters; Glocks are in movies and on TV. I am not arguing on the basis of quality, because we are fortunate that there are quite a few manufacturers making good handguns these days, but for shear ubiquity, my vote has to stay with Glock.
 
Add a vote for the Glock series of pistols. For the main reason that they made the use of plastics that much more common. It was a change in how firearms were made that found commercial success. Can argue about the template it introduced as being an impact. Externally hammerless and no thumb safety. Even if it's not a handgun to your liking you can't deny how popular or influencial it is.

0.02
 
Unfortunately its a Glock pistol. Not because it deserves it, like everything else, we live in the age of no taste.

Most glock owners bought them due to lack of knowledge about firearms but, such is the time we live in.
 
Most glock owners bought them due to lack of knowledge about firearms but,...
Click to expand...
Say WHAT? :p

That's a pretty well thought out line I reckon. Lack of knowledge... OK, sure. ;)

My vote would be the... Glock series. See above caveat. Great marketing. LEOs to gangbangers, in 9mm or .40 for the most part. Simple to use, cheap to build, reliable, easy to work on, easy to carry due to weight, found just about everywhere. I feel they lack "soul" or "pride of ownership" or something I can't quite put my finger on as it were (my lack of knowledge showing up again :D). OK finger on it... the polymer and dull sheen, no nonsense look place it in the tool only category in my mind.

All of the above opinion brought to you "due to lack of knowledge about firearms" so do take it with a grain or three of salt. Maybe the whole shaker. :)
 
I'd say the major gun advancements in the last 10-15 years has been two things:

1. Ultra reliable polymer guns that besides Glocks.
2. Compact carry guns.

So for the first category, XDs, M&Ps, the expanded SIG line, FNP/Xs, CZs, and even Beretta get a mention here. I'm sure I missed some, but those are some of the guns that meet that criteria.

The second category has experienced a huge sales increase in the past 5 years. LCP, Kahr CM/PM series, LC9, Taurus 709, Glock 26, lightweight .38 revolvers, S&W bodyguards, ect...

That's what I see this period being remembered for.
 
It's the Glock. It may not be the sexiest firearm of the last 30 years but it's reliable, inexpensive, well made and reliable.

It's biggest slight is that it's a utilitarian tool.
 
I think Glocks are more the 80's-90's era as someone said before. Showing how the attitude towards polymer pistols and safeties came into being. For this time I'd like to suggest the FN Five-seveN (oh boy some people will hate me for this). The move away from classic round nosed "big" bullets to necked spitzers is quite an innovation in gun-land.

Most glock owners bought them due to lack of knowledge about firearms but,...
Click to expand...

Some Glock owners may, if you consider LEO and gangbangers as gun owners. I used to feel the same about Glocks, just because the trigger was "weird" in my opinion, I didn't want to know about them. Then for one or another reason (don't know what it was) I started doing some research for Glocks. After discovering I did like the trigger, I transformed into some Glock guy :p
 
I agree Glock comes from the 80's & 90's I think now it would be th HI-CAP 45's like FN, & HK I vote for the FN in .45acp light big cal. and 15+ rounds.

Of course I am partial to the .45acp from last century.


Mace

Happiness is a belt fed weapon and lots of ammo
 
yeah, it's the Glock if you are going over a long period of time. More recently I'd go along the lines of either the mini pocket pistol ala the LCP/PF9. And I'll make a prediction that the XD series may be the pistol of the next 10-20 years.
 
Although I'm not a Glock fan personally (can't shoot them worth a crap), they do get my vote.

Glocks are the Toyota Camry of handguns; just about everybody has one. :p
 
Is Glock actally the best selling polymer pistol (I don't know)? But I would say the explosion of the polymer double action pistol onto the scene is definately the gun story of our era.

The 1911 does deserve credit for longevity, popularity, and variety.
 
I'd say the Beretta 92 for the last part of the 20th Century (1970's--1990's, the rise of the Wondernines) and Glock for the first part of the 21st Century (1990's--present supremacy of the polymer guns)......
 
I do not think pure number of sales is a way to judge this one. I think the voice of the enthusiasts are the ones we should be considering.

Just like anything else, volume does not mean best. The average guy will want to buy a cigar for example, walks into a tobacconist and gets himself a cheap Danish Cherry flavoured, mass produced crap because its what everyone he knows has tried. He does not know any better and thinks thats what cigars are about. The clerk will just let him be and egg him on to get his money and him out of the store.

I would say we live in the age of the 1911. This is because of all the makers, options, sizes, flavours, colours and and and.

As far as guns go, this period will go down in history as a time when we were spoilt for choice if we owned a 1911. The options are way way too many to list.

We must make the most of it because like all good things, it comes to an end.
 
The small and light pocket hand guns get my vote. To day you can get a 9mm in a size and weight that is less that what 32s were in the 1930s. The Glock is in second place as getting people to except polymer as a gun material.
 
I'll vote for the 1911 and its variants. I carry a 1991 which is basically a 1911. The fact the basic design endures the time and is still popular and new models are still produced make it the gun of the era.

Having said that, I must point out that this is one of the most subjective questions I have seen on the forum, :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top