New Firearms Manufacturer

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A few industry folks have started a a new Gun company. Our first offering is still in engineering with an expected roll out by December of this year. Our first model is an all metal full frame 9mm semi auto.

I am looking for design ideas, what are your opinions, likes, and dislikes about the current offerings from such companies as Beretta, Sig, Taurus, Ruger, and others.

What type of Finishes do you guys and gals like?

Sights?

Picatinny rail?

Lever Placement?

Any insight would be wonderful.

Thankyou
 
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2am said:
What type of Finishes do you guys and gals like ? - Blued carbon steel and/or black-anodized aluminum.

Sights ? - Drift-adj, rounded/dehorned, fixed rear, whie dot front.

Picatinny rail ? - Not for me, but many prefer a light/laser rail on the underside of the dustcover.

Lever Placement ? - As on a 1911
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WELCOME to TFL ! ! . :)


IMO, the 9mm autoloading pistols category is a very hard market to crack successfully - you surely have your work cut out for you.

Best wishes, on successfully launching your venture !


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What type of Finishes do you guys and gals like? colt blue or stainless

Sights? standard

Picatinny rail? pass

Lever Placement? i'm used to 1911 locations

Any insight would be wonderful.



lots of luck.

many manufacturers have found that if they can make a sale to some gov't agency, it greatly helps their bottom line (thousands of guns sold at once) as well as the perception of the company by retail customers. think Colt, SW, Glock....

if it's not fancy, it better be affordable and reliable.
 
Welcome!

Make it as simple as possibly using the fewest amount of parts to cover the function. Whatever safety devices you use, no unnecessary magazine gizmos or internal locks. The gun should be capable of firing without a magazine installed.

Takedown of a Sig, control lever of a PT92 and ergonomics of a Smith SD. Good sights, no rail and not overly big or heavy. Both wood and rubber grips should be offered.

Also, when you develop a website, make it user friendly and spot on accurate. Many gun manufacturers have a sorry website.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
Takedown of a Sig, control lever of a PT92 and ergonomics of a Smith SD. Good sights, no rail and not overly big or heavy. Both wood and rubber grips should be offered.
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I came to make my suggestions but Leejack covered my points pretty well. And X2 on the no rail part.
 
I want a gun that recognizes my fingerprint/s. A gun that will become inoperable if someone else other than me tries to shoot it.
 
Wow.
The only way I can see that you have any chance to succeed is to match the Glocks, SIGs, Springfield XDs Ruger, S&W and CZs in performance and do it at a lower price. Few shooters will take a chance on a new product that has nothing to offer over an old trusted product at the same price.
You cannot have less than 99.99% reliability because the competition would be too stiff if you cannot deliver a gun that is trouble free.

I would also recommend you offer things they don't.
3 mags with every gun.
Choice of sights at good prices.
Holsters and mag pouches in various types and styles so the shooters can carry your gun without having to spend $100-$150 more on a holster.
Contract with a company to make them and give a voucher with each gun for the holster of choice

Make the gun ambidextrous or changeable from RH to LH operation.

I am all for new gun makers. But I have to say you have probably chosen the hardest single section of the market to try to break into.

If there is any gun company that makes handguns and DOESN”T make a 9mm auto (or several) I am not aware of who they are.
 
2am said:
I have started a a new Gun company. Our first offering is still in engineering with an expected roll out by December of this year. Our first model is an all metal full frame 9mm semi auto.

I am looking for design ideas, what are your opinions, likes, and dislikes about the current offerings from such companies as Beretta, Sig, Taurus, Ruger, and others.

What type of Finishes do you guys and gals like?

Sights?

Picatinny rail?

Lever Placement?

Any insight would be wonderful.
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Are you planning to introduce a pocket pistol, or a duty-size weapon?

For a pocket pistol, weight is paramount. Polymer is the "in" thing, but I prefer an alloy receiver. Something like the Colt Mustang Lightweight.

For a duty weapon, I don't trust polymer. "Polymer" is another word for "plastic," and plastic cannot last as long as steel or aluminum. I prefer manual safeties and hammers. Look at the M1911 and the Hi-Power for ergonomics and control placement.
 
On my semi auto I like simple uncluttered. I like my KHAR. I have a few Blocks that I had extended slide releases put on. I am not a fan of 9mm but have been thinking of getting one. Ammo is cheap for me to load.

I will not buy one that does not have night sights and/or a laser sight. I really like the laser on the wife's LCR (revolver).

I either have to be able to put one on it easy and small so I can carry it or better yet if it came built in, bonus!

I do not like levers sticking out all over the place. I really like simple. Easy to clean is a must.

Hope this helps.

Mel
 
Cool thread! I wish the OP best of luck.

I'm a sucker for all metal semi-auto 9mm's. Here are my likes:

1. +p capable. Anything more powerful than +p not necessary, I might as well get a .40
2. large capacity. 17-20 rounds puts it up there on my "must buy" list.
3. Unique design or an excellent copy of an good existing design. For example, the Sphinx AT2000 is an excellent copy of a good design; the Steyr GB is an example of a unique design
4. Good looking - sleek flowing lines; blued steel or lightly brushed stainless. In fact, examine an Omega Seamaster case closely - that's the kind of finish and metal work I want on my next full sized 9mm!
5. If the slide moves like it's rolling on thousands of tiny ball bearings (ref. '60's Hi-Powers), you're digging deeper into my pockets.
6. Reliability and accuracy.

Here are my dislikes:
1. mediocre or poor execution of an existing design. See Rogak.
2. Big heavy 9mm that has 9 round capacity.
3. Please, not another 1911!!! (unless it's a super-melt, in high-polish royal blue - someone on here has this and it's the most beautiful 1911 I've ever seen!!!)
4. Anything cheap or cheap looking.
5. No paint or paint-like finishes - Can't help but wonder how many tiny voids and pockmarks are covered up that way.
6. No gold, and no tacticool doo-dads. Keep it smooooooooth, with a few sharp edges in the right places.

What kind of finishes do I like? Well, I really like Colt's Royal Blue. I like lightly brushed, bright stainless finishes.

I do not like rails on my handguns. I prefer a rounded trigger guard, but I'm not too picky about whether its rounded or square as long as the look complements the gun.

I admit, I am into the aesthetics of a handgun's design. Yes, it needs to work well and be accurate. But, I don't spend lots of money on tools. I already have a tool. However, make a 9mm that I simply can't resist, and I will find a way to buy it! The last handgun I couldn't resist was a Boberg XR9-S. I cashed in my credit card cash-back to pay for that one.:)

Here is my list of guns that make me drool (in no particular order):
1960's/early 70's Hi-Power
Colt Python
Korth 357's
Tanfoglio Stock 10mm - hard chrome
Sphinx AT2000
S&W Model 41
Bren Ten
Sig X-Five
Beneli B76
Oh, and TFL member's ultra-melted high-polished blued 1911 (forgot who's it is)
 
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Don't give up. What some people consider very difficult may just be another step in the process for you.

That being said, I'd like to echo the suggestions made by Wyosmith and Skans. Especially the part about a holster and extra mags. See Canik

Hi-capacity is almost a must.
I'll second the 1911 comments as well.
 
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If you can make a sub compact semi auto single stack in 9mm that is reliable, I mean super reliable, I’ll buy two.
 
The best full frame all metal 9mm I ever had was a S+W 5906TSW Other than a few sharp edges it left nothing to wish for. Wish I had that one back!! :(
 
Have to agree with some previous posts. Not really interested in an all metal 9mm. But if I were, grip angle close to 1911, safe trigger action, ie ruger sr9, white dot on front sight, don't care about rear. No levers
 
Easy to clean
Left handed model
Must be cool, way cool
Do something different, like put the slide under the grip
 
Thanks folks, We really appreciate the replies. To give you a little background I am a manufacturing engineer that has spent the last 20 years in CNC machine tools. I have two partners, one is another engineer with 30 years CNC experience in aerospace, and the other was the lead designer for a popular gun manufacturer here in Florida (kinda a small community not too hard to figure out)

Our initial offering will be the full frame 9mm The related calibers will follow in very short succession after the original roll out.

By June of 2015 we hope to have our carry pistol on the market.

No expense is being spared in the quality or materials in the 2am product. From the precision grinding to the hard chroming of parts we strive to build a quality handgun to the standards of companies like Sig, at a price point much lower.

We are American owned and American made.

The design of the action is proprietary, but based off of a very well proven design.

I really do appreciate all the comments, I am looking forward to sharing the 3d renderings in the next few weeks.

Thank you for your fine forum.
 
You are still in engineering and expect to roll out a production model in December? And you are looking for ideas that, if adopted, would result in major changes? I know design and production miracles are possible with the new CAD/CAM systems, but that time line seems a bit short.

But, good luck with your endeavor and I look forward to seeing (and possibly buying) your product.

Jim

P.S. If following an existing design, I hope you beat the bushes at the PTO or got rights to whatever you need.

Jim
 
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