Which handgun "changed everything"?

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Elliottsdad

New member
If you thought about today's quintessential handgun design (whether it be Glock, Sig, or whatever suits your fancy), what was the most important handgun that got us to that point? The flintlock pistol, the 1873 SAA, the 1911, or other?

What was the sidearm that changed everything and got us to where we are today? What was the biggest jump in the evolution of handgun design? Do you think it can even be pinpointed?
 
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I would imagine the pin-fire, as it introduced a quicker way to reload and gave rise to the metallic cartridge being common place.
 
Pistol that changed everything

I would say that Glock has had as big of an impact as any in the past 50 years.
 
Smith & Wesson M&P 38 special. Once introduced, this model served so many police departments in so many countries and so many armies, it must be included IMHO.
 
I would have to say the Mauser C96 (1896) broomhandle semi auto. While not the first semi auto made it was the first that had widespread usage.
 
pATTERSON_tEXAS_cOLT.jpg
 
I'm going to say the inexpensive breaktop double action revolver, made by about a gazillion companies in even greater numbers, that first popped up in the 1870s.

The first truly mass produced handguns, affordable to just about every person no matter what their means, and firing moderately useful for self defense (.32 S&W and .38 S&W, primarily) metallic centerfire cartridges.

They were truly the first guns really suitable for convenient concealed carry.

Some estimates I've see say that there were 10 of these guns make and sold for every large-frame "cowboy" style revolver.
 
Not one repeated answer. It seems we all view handguns from very different perspectives.

I'm not as well informed as some of you (shameless flattery), but I was leaning toward the first "self-contained" cartridges as well. Weren't they wadded up in a paper wrapping?
 
Here is a vote for the Browning Hi-Power, or P-35.

First successful high capacity 9mm, the grandfather of the majority of pistols today.
 
The DESERT EAGLE

1) Consistently surpasses all other handguns on youtube rankings, (even better than five seven!!)
2) Virtually 1 hit kill
3) Aspires more teens than any other pistol platforms; unfortunately, no "juvenile eagle" model
4) Available in GOLD: First major gender neutral handgun


<3 Deagle;)
 
My vote goes to the Colt 1851 Navy.
My reason why is this.
The grip of the 1851 Navy was so "perfect", Colt reused it for the SAA.
The SAA "feel" was/is the reason Ruger redesigned the Vacquero.

160 years later, the 1851 lives on in that repect.
 
hmmm.

I'm going to say the inexpensive breaktop double action revolver, made by about a gazillion companies in even greater numbers, that first popped up in the 1870s.

The first truly mass produced handguns, affordable to just about every person no matter what their means, and firing moderately useful for self defense (.32 S&W and .38 S&W, primarily) metallic centerfire cartridges.

They were truly the first guns really suitable for convenient concealed carry.

Some estimates I've see say that there were 10 of these guns make and sold for every large-frame "cowboy" style revolver.
Click to expand...

Ya gotta like that. Those little pocket guns, solid frames and break tops - British Bulldogs, Forehand and Wadsworth, etc. have been called "the guns that really won the West". Did they "change everything"? "Everything" is awfully large. When, however, we discuss CCW, then you are going back to the introduction and development of these little guns.
oldrevolvers.jpg
 
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