The four most influential pistols of the 20th century
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Smith357
Member
S&W Handejector - the grandaddy of revolving pistols. All 20th century DA Revolvers follow it's lead.
1911 - The first and longest lived big bore semiautomatic pistol
Hi-Power - JMB called it his refinement of the 1911 and designed the worlds first wunder9 in 1935.
Glock - Proved that plastic pistols could be made reliable and inexpensive, now every major firearms manufacture has a plastic wunder9.
1911 - The first and longest lived big bore semiautomatic pistol
Hi-Power - JMB called it his refinement of the 1911 and designed the worlds first wunder9 in 1935.
Glock - Proved that plastic pistols could be made reliable and inexpensive, now every major firearms manufacture has a plastic wunder9.
I mentioned it because the failed assassination of Ronald Reagan using an RG14 caused some pretty strict gun control laws and formed the Brady Campaign against gun violence. In its own way the use of this gun directly influenced history near the end of the 20th century.you mentioned the RG your opinion doesnt count...
Interesting read:
http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id307.htm
Yeah but the gun didn't do it the lunatic did. It's like blaming the assault weapons ban on Patrick Purdy and his ak.
That is the one thing I will attribute to Glock. They almost singlehandedly got courts to toss out Lawsuits aimed at gun manufactures with regard to violence. (they were able to prove that a number of guns used in violent crimes were x police issue back on the streets through their trade in programs)
DammitBoy
Member
1) Colt 1911 - best hands down
2) Broomhandle Mauser - first doublestack
3) HKvp70z - glock was not the first polymer design
4) Ruger MarkII - doesn't everybody have one?
I have at least one of each...
2) Broomhandle Mauser - first doublestack
3) HKvp70z - glock was not the first polymer design
4) Ruger MarkII - doesn't everybody have one?
I have at least one of each...
Loosedhorse
member
Agreed. SIG 210. Influential for the Petter modification to the linkless Browning (P-35) lock-up, and also for the slide-inside-frame rail system that we now see in CZ pistols.
Glock definitely belongs. Not just for polymer, but reducing the number of parts, simplicity of complete detail stripping, magazine-cartridge-feedramp presentation geometry, and bringing striker-fired pistols to equal footing with hammer-fired.
BTW the first DA striker-fired pistol (as opposed to the numerous SA striker pistols JMB designed) was the French 1914 Le Francais pistol. It was also like the Glock in being a very simple pistol with a minimum part count.
Given the number of pistols with a decocking mechanism these days (Taurus, HK, SIG Sauer, etc.) perhaps we should give the Sauer 38H an honorable mention.
The Walther PP preceded the P-38, and so is more influential as a DA. The 1918 Tomiška Little Tom DA pistol preceded both.
Aside: a list for most interesting but least influential pistols:
1. HK P7
2. HK P9
3. Semmerling LM4; and last but not least...
4. The Gyrojet
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1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Nope. John Browning never even saw a High Power. He died in 1926.
I actually like both of these features. Front slide serrations make it easier to drop a cleared round into your hand. However, I don't think front slide serrations are revolutionary. I think the light rail is, because it has become the standard for many people who want an easy light mounting system. All you ol' duffers who hate it can beat me with your canes if you want (kidding).
TenJed brings up a good point with pocket pistols, but I'm wondering (again, I only got into actually buying guns about 3-4 years ago, before that it was only what I saw in movies) was a .380 locked breech put out in 20th or 21st century? I think that was the big revolution for pocket pistols.
I don't think Glock was revolutionary for anything he put in, but the fact that several other brands are basically copying his overall design with minor tweaks is what makes it revolutionary.
DammitBoy
Member
Have you ever field-stripped an HKvp70z? Very few parts and polymer ten years before glock.
wlewisiii
Member
I'd replace the Hi-Power with the Walther PP. The later Browning based design is, realistically, simply a product-improved version of the 1911. OTOH, the PP was the first successful double action pistol that proved the concept in the real world. The P38 still stays because of it's locking mechanism and use of double action in a service pistol.
I did some digging around, and saw posted on another forum that the HK USP was the first to use an accessory rail, and that is why the USP rail doesn't accept many of the standard accessories. I'm not sure if that's true because I didn't see it even on a semi-reliable source.
fatcat4620
Member
I think you alsop have to look at glocks metal treatment. It had also been copied by as many manufactures a it's design elements. By the combat handgun standards of it's day they did not rust, ever.
Confederate
Member
The four most influential pistols of the 20th Century are, in my view:
1) Colt 1911
2) Browning Hi-Power
3) Beretta 92
4) Glock 9mm
The word "influential" means that they had more influence on the development of other automatic pistols. No one can dispute the significance of the Ruger .22LR autos or the Walther P-38 or Sig Saurs; however, I'm only limited to four and I don't think the Ruger, Walther or Sig Saur had the influence of the others.
The Colt 1911 clearly deserves a place due to its reliability and durability. It swept away virtually every other auto of its day. And who can doubt Mr. Browning's outstanding hi-capacity and reliable design? When the Government began looking for a rugged, hi-capacity design, the Beretta cleaned the clocks of virtually all comers. It malfunctioned on an average of once every 2,000 rounds while the S&W 459 malfunctioned an average of once every 952 rounds (which is still fantastic). The Model 59s and 39s would have earned a place in my list because some were stainless steel and they would have been very influential, but many just didn't work. Anyway, it was the Beretta that led the way into the generation of the ultra-reliable autos. Finally, who can doubt the influence of the Glock on both autos and revolvers? I don't like Glocks a bit because they're ugly and because they're striker fired. But I can't deny their influence on 20th Century auto pistols.
The Ruger .22s probably deserve a place on my list because they were influential in regards to driving the competition out of business. But they didn't influence the designs of other .22 pistols. Still, they were clearly one of the significant pistols of the 20th Century.
Oh, wait a minute. I completely forgot the Type II Phaser by Gene Coon. It encompassed significantly higher power outputs than the earlier Type I Phasers, which failed to stop the Horta on Janus VI. Although it wasn't released until Stardate 3196.1, it was designed in 1967.
1) Colt 1911
2) Browning Hi-Power
3) Beretta 92
4) Glock 9mm
The word "influential" means that they had more influence on the development of other automatic pistols. No one can dispute the significance of the Ruger .22LR autos or the Walther P-38 or Sig Saurs; however, I'm only limited to four and I don't think the Ruger, Walther or Sig Saur had the influence of the others.
The Colt 1911 clearly deserves a place due to its reliability and durability. It swept away virtually every other auto of its day. And who can doubt Mr. Browning's outstanding hi-capacity and reliable design? When the Government began looking for a rugged, hi-capacity design, the Beretta cleaned the clocks of virtually all comers. It malfunctioned on an average of once every 2,000 rounds while the S&W 459 malfunctioned an average of once every 952 rounds (which is still fantastic). The Model 59s and 39s would have earned a place in my list because some were stainless steel and they would have been very influential, but many just didn't work. Anyway, it was the Beretta that led the way into the generation of the ultra-reliable autos. Finally, who can doubt the influence of the Glock on both autos and revolvers? I don't like Glocks a bit because they're ugly and because they're striker fired. But I can't deny their influence on 20th Century auto pistols.
The Ruger .22s probably deserve a place on my list because they were influential in regards to driving the competition out of business. But they didn't influence the designs of other .22 pistols. Still, they were clearly one of the significant pistols of the 20th Century.
Oh, wait a minute. I completely forgot the Type II Phaser by Gene Coon. It encompassed significantly higher power outputs than the earlier Type I Phasers, which failed to stop the Horta on Janus VI. Although it wasn't released until Stardate 3196.1, it was designed in 1967.
Loosedhorse
member
I didn't say "field-stripping"--I said detail stripping. Have you taken an VP70Z down to pins and springs (removing the extractor, the trigger levers, the driver drag lever, the drop safety, etc.)? Not as simple as the Glock, IMHO.DammitBoy said:
I've handled (not fired) one VP70Z; even took the slide off. It makes the Glock feel well balanced and svelte. Blow-back operation, so heavy pistol (29 oz unloaded; Glock 17 is 22), heavy slide, terribly heavy trigger (15+ lbs?), stiff recoil spring. No slide lock, either.
Not sure any of those features were influential. There's a reason it died (and spawned no copies--as in "not influential"), and the Glock 17 thrived, and spawned many.
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