What do you see as the next BIG EVOLUTION in gun design?

It will be in guns designed for new ammunition,,,

Ammunition is going to be the next big evolution.

Brass is getting scarce,,,
People are campaigning against lead.

Radical new ammo and guns for it will be the next step.

Aarond
 
I also vote for caseless ammo, without a major breakthrough in miniaturization or in a new power source hand held energy weapons are still a ways off.

I think we may also see "smart" rounds, fin stabalized, laser or otherwise guided rounds that will take sniping to new extreme ranges.
 
Ammunition is going to be the next big evolution.

Brass is getting scarce,,,
People are campaigning against lead.

Radical new ammo and guns for it will be the next step.
Click to expand...
+1. I'm thinking a cartridge designed from the start to use a steel bullet and a non-traditional case material such as biodegradable plastic.
 
Like others, I see a huge change in gun parts turning to the polymer world. Would be cheaper to produce and we are pretty close to having polymers that can match up to some metals.

I also see a huge change in ammo...I think we will see smaller rounds being able to do more for us which will in turn increase capacity and decrease recoil.
Another thing is much more accurate and cleaner ammo that can compensate for lack of skill in precision

With guns that still use a larger caliber and become lighter due to polymer parts...I see some sort of spring system that reduces recoil and dissipates it through the grip.
 
Modular guns, specifically interchangeable barrels (quick release barrels, say a three inch carry barrel and a six inch hunting barrel.) Sound supressors (picture a shooting range with silencer use only,) ammunition upgrades to go with the new guns and better sights.
 
Ammo Change

Liquid propellent 'pumped' into the chamber behind the actual bullet.

Go to the range with your smart phone - Fire a few rounds while adjusting the classic sights to hit the near the center of the target.
Use the zoom capability of your phone lens to observer bullet strike, as you also use the phone to adjust the amount of liquid propellent for precise accuracy.

Store propellent values for for 100, 200, 300 meters in the weapons computer.
Of course the weapon adjusts, internally/automatically, for the effect of altitude and temperature on the propellent.

Afterwards, lie about how well you shoot.
.
 
Watch out Blade Runner

All polymer with ceramic barrel liner; no rifling in barrel; electronic ignition; hand geometry recognition, security system; electronic stabilized, anti-shake barrel; programmable propellant with digital display and blue-tooth connectivity; auto-stabilized non-lead bullet with friend-or-foe recognition system; upon impact, bullet will transmit it’s grid coordinates. Entire pistol will have a gps transponder tracking system (sort of a pistol LOJACK). Barrel will be good for say 10,000 rounds, then will need replacement; if an unauthorized user makes three attempts to fire the pistol, it will lock up and send a gps alert to local PD. Sony will begin producing pistols. Sales will prompt a cottage industry of hacks to get around all the safety and security features.
 
Assuming we're talking about the consumer market (ie, not military)....

Looking at 50 year old firearms compared to today.....

Not much change. Sure, you've got composite construction and such, but take a "state of the art" gun from 1960 and it doesn't function significantly different than one made today.

Assuming that changes in the past 50 years are an indicator regarding the number (if not type) of changes we'll see in the next 50 years...

I'll say that composite construction will continue, but you won't see ALL composite guns or anything like that. Revolvers will be curiousities... But otherwise, I don't expect to see anything that different. I don't expect to see any BIG evolution.
 
@CWOK,

Twenty or so years ago the military was looking at liquid-fueled guns. They sounded great in theory but in practice... Not so much. Biggest issue that had no apparent solution was breech heating during sustained fire. Basically, the interior surface of the gun would heat up and the moment you pumped your liquid fuel into the chamber... Bang.... Whether you wanted it to go off or not.
 
This may sound like some tinfoilhattery, but I sometimes think that anything we have thought of has either been experimented with or already exisit.
 
I think the next big things will be electronic triggers and safties that lack the ability to mechanicaly fail. IE bump fire in bolt guns and run-away guns in automatics. The big evolutions that are happening are in electronics right now look at the electronic reticle rangefinding scopes they have out now. I can see a scope that records, and "thinks" for you so all you have to do is follow the arrow and line up the blniking dots. like tracking a target like the fighter pilots do it in movies. And for those of you who think that polymer, carbon fiber, kevlar will never replace steel...Its coming baby... I better start hoarding metal now that I think about it. Its simple, as we run out of space to expand horazontaly america will have to start building verticaly and there is only so much metal so what will have to take its place polysomething or other. when this occurs due to industry demand the guns will get the same tech and they will change but most likely we will all be dead cause mongolia will invade or the satelites will fall or aliens will arrive and bring a zombie disease with them and bill gates will take away the internet he invented and steal an alien space ship and fly to mars and use the rover to power a mini fusion reactor......
 
Greater and greater personal customization of guns - through things like printing guns and other advances in manufacturing technology.

Advances in scopes and sighting technology for weapons - lower price availabilty of infrared scopes - scopes that estimate distance and possibly speed and adjust the reticle to point of impact.

Creation of the matchlock and wheellock shooting sports associations

More firearms and firearm products targeted towards women.
 
I'm inclined to go along with RELIABLE caseless ammo and electronic fire control systems......Remington Etronix revisited?
 
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