Why aren't pistols like these made?

T

TruthTellers

New member
I'm into Beretta now after buying an 81BB. I've had the Px4 on my radar for over a year now, but I don't like the size of the Compact and the Subcompact is too small it doesn't have the rotating barrel system. The perfect Px4 would be one that uses the frame of the subcompact, but has a compact slide on it that way it has the short grip of the subcompact AND the rotary barrel.

This got me to wondering: why aren't more companies making pistols like that? You know, putting the longer slides on the smaller frames, like this:

10790509_02_glock_19_26_640.jpg


I like my 5 and 6 inch barrel Glocks, but I don't see what the full size grip length is giving me that the compact size grip length doesn't.
 
Simply: Because they don't sell well enough to justify the manufacturing capacity.

Lots of companies have produced models of their pistols in such configurations, only to drop them.
 
Not really, when carrying IWB the barrel is hidden but the grip is the part that could be visible - form that standpoint, it makes sense.
 
Maybe not for everybody, but my Sig P320 Cary with it's higher capacity full size grip frame, and compact barrel and slide is a perfect fit for most of my CCW use. The grip conceals easy, but a longer slide would dig into my hip/upper leg.
 
Outlaw75 said:
It kind of blows the reason for having a compact grip, concealability.
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Wow, a whole quarter of an inch turns what would be a concealable gun into a gargantuan nightmare that would make Hi Point look minuscule.

The longer barrel I can see being an issue if you pocket carry, but for any waistband carry the longer barrel doesn't make any difference, so long as we're talking barrel lengths under 5 inches.
 
9x19 said:
Simply: Because they don't sell well enough to justify the manufacturing capacity.

Lots of companies have produced models of their pistols in such configurations, only to drop them.
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I've not heard of any companies that made such pistols and dropped them due to low sales. Do you have any examples of this?
 
Pistols with long barrels and short grips have never been popular. They sound good on paper because the longer barrel gives you higher velocity yet really doesn't impact concealment, but they balance poorly, feel awkward, and ultimately aren't are desirable as they seem.

Notice that folks often fit longer barrels and slides to shorter frames, yet nobody ever actually carries one, even if it functions just fine.
 
TruthTellers,

Kahr tried to sell the P9 Covert for awhile but dropped it before I could buy one new. I actually saw Justin Moon at the Phoenix NRA convention and expressed my regret at that. He said basically, that it didn’t sell well enough. So there’s one example.
 
The P9 Covert goes in the opposite direction that TT wants. It has a shorter barrel with a longer grip. TT is looking for a longer top end with a short, carry grip.
 
Like that? You mean with a 1896 Iver Johnson style 'SAFETY TRIGGER' , a 1900's Colt striker fire system, or a H&K plastic frame? Yes that is INNOVATIVE all right.:):):):):
 
The question, albeit the wrong question, was asked...
Why aren't pistols like these made?
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And answered...
Simply: Because they don't sell well enough to justify the manufacturing capacity.
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So the real question is why won't folks buy more of these style of guns to justify manufacturers making more of them?

They are ugly and look out of balance. People are less apt to handle a gun at a gun shop that looks 'wrong' to them and hence are less likely to buy one. That is the reality of gun sales and you will find the "I won't have an ugly gun" attitude repeated by many here on this very forum.

The short grip compromises control of the gun for many people and buying a grip extender defeats part of the concealability. From what I have seen, a lot of men don't like the short grips as much because they just don't fit their hands well and so if they are going to carry a gun that the grip is a compromise, they want the overall gun to be smaller and more concealable to offset. Here, it is important to keep in mind that men, who typically have larger hands than women, make up the lion's share of the firearms consumers.
 
Warhammer said:
The P9 Covert goes in the opposite direction that TT wants. It has a shorter barrel with a longer grip. TT is looking for a longer top end with a short, carry grip.
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That is incorrect. The "covert" Kahrs have a shorter grip than the standard model, exactly as the OP is talking about. A P9 normally holds at least 7 rounds whereas a P9 covert holds at least a 6 round mag due to the shortened grip.
 
TruthTellers: said:
This got me to wondering: why aren't more companies making pistols like that? You know, putting the longer slides on the smaller frames, like this:
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You ask why the Glock frame with a G19 length slide is not available with a G26 10 round grip. I would ask why the Glock frame with a G26 length slide is not available with the G19 15 round grip, I think this “G26X” setup would work for a CCW. For me it would make sense if Glock offered both models with replaceable grip modules
 
JDBerg said:
You ask why the Glock frame with a G19 length slide is not available with a G26 10 round grip. I would ask why the Glock frame with a G26 length slide is not available with the G19 15 round grip, I think this “G26X” setup would work for a CCW. For me it would make sense if Glock offered both models with replaceable grip modules
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I agree with that. I know Glock came out with a pistol that has the grip of the 17, but the slide of the 19. I think that's a bit silly, there's little to gain in going from a 19 grip to a 17 grip, but doing something with the slide of the 26 on a 19 grip would because you do get more grip.

I shoot the subcompact Glocks fine with the 2 finger grip and I don't think an fraction of an inch of slide is going to turn the gun into an unwieldy piece. In the goal of getting the Px4 with the rotary barrel in as small a package as possible, a 1/4 inch more of slide is essentially nothing.
 
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