Things that "seemed" like a good idea at the time...

[Blueduck]

History of handgunning it seems we have run through a lot of ideas that seemed good at the time but are mostly snickered at these days. Just thought I'd start a thread to see how many we could come up with (and maybe even agree on :) )

My start:

Cut away trigger guards-For that faster first shot..

[surfinUSA]

Double Action Punp Shotguns

[Skunkabilly]

I dunno...porting? :confused:

Never shot one myself so can't judge fairly....

[444]

Shooting handguns with one hand.
Grasping your strong side wrist with your weak hand.

[firestar]

What about the new .45 Glock round?:neener:

[El Tejon]

Double action self-loaders.

The silly dingus on some double action self-loaders.

Porting.

Grip condoms.

Double stack magazines.

Overtravel screws.

Und so weiter, et al, etc.:eek:

[Mastrogiacomo]

Things that seemed like a good idea at the time -- going to college. Should have saved my money and studied a trade instead....

Gun wise? Getting the S&W 442 -- I now have the S&W 686 4" and soooo glad I bought it. No regrets with my pistol choices though...:D

[Blueduck]

OT but could not let that one pass Mastrogiacomo, nephew spent two years in trade school, started at more than I make 10+ years after getting my bachelors. Not angry about it, just young people, and "You've got to get a degree" parents please note...

Back OT: Trigger Shoes on Police revolvers!

[Jason Demond]

MIM parts
Built in locking devices

[Standing Wolf]

Gun locks "included" with guns.

[MessedUpMike]

any attempt to make my gun "smart"
Thinking give the police a shell casing will make my gun traceable in the event of a crime.

I've never seen porting on a pistol but it's pretty good on shotguns.

and another vote for wasting time in college vs learning a trade.

[Skunkabilly]

Double action self-loaders.

El Tejon, don't you carry a Kahr P9? :confused:

[10-Ring]

Porting on self defense guns, ultra light weigh snubby revos

[El Tejon]

Skunk, yes, I do. However, the Kahr P9 is single action (use old skul terminology though--YMMV).

[4Truck]

Ballistic fingerprinting

Porting

Handgun leashes

[Quartus]

Bianchi's "break front" clamshell holster!



No, wait - that doesn't qualify. I NEVER thought it was a good idea! :D

[SnWnMe]

The 41 Mag. What's the point?

[FedDC]

Circumventing Local LE and going straight into federal LE. Being the youngest agent in my entire agency. But that is what happens when you make good grades in college...damn those pledges that actually went and took notes for me, it's all their fault...and those girls that wrote my papers...;)

[clubsoda22]

that giant moon laser i built, in retrospect, was a mistake.

:cuss: I'll get you yet, mister bond! :cuss:

[Dr.Rob]

ODI Viking Seecamp 1991A1 FrankenColt.

What was I smoking?

[coldshot03/04]

This should be a great thread. My pick would be Bersa/Llama handguns. tehehe.........:evil:

[Ala Dan]

Retiring too early; having to get another job to be able
to afford firearms!:rolleyes: :D :uhoh:

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[jsalcedo]

Plastic triggers on new Colt autos

[Ky Larry]

Carrying a hand gun (or any gun) while hiking for snake protection. If you see the snake, just go around it. If you don't see the snake, what use is a gun?:scrutiny:

[Wildalaska]

The Democratic party


WildhahaAlaska

[TallPine]

If you see the snake, just go around it. If you don't see the snake, what use is a gun?

Prevention.

Cowboy code is "kill every rattlesnake you see"

[foghornl]

Ultra-light 'Derringers" in .44Mag

"Egging" a passing city Police Car.....uh, you meant bad GUN IDEAS, right?

Making .22LR 'wadcutters' by filing the round nose flat

[ambidextrous1]

Beavertail grip safeties for the GM.

When is that idea going to wear out?

:uhoh:

[Delmar]

When is that idea going to wear out?

Right after they take the cheese graters off the front of the slide, and quit making frames out of tupperware. What a poor club when you're empty!

[clubsoda22]

This should be a great thread. My pick would be Bersa/Llama handguns. tehehe.........

Bersa .380 is great, getting one next week. Much better than the walther (there's no way to mess up a design as simple as a PPK)....Llama on the other hand, you're probably right....

[Mike Irwin]

Magsafe

Beehive

Any of the prefragmented ammo.

[Sean Smith]

Stuff I'd classify as just plain silly...

The original hammer (bite), grip safety (uncomfortable) and sights (tiny) on the 1911 and 1911A1 guns. Easily fixed? Yeah. Bad designs? Yes.

Whatever the trendy uber-ammo du jour is (Magsafe, Glaser, Aguila IQ, White Rhino/Hippo/Giraffe/Water Buffalo).

Porting in most guns. Not because it is that horrible (its bad side-effects are generally exaggerated), but because it doesn't actually seem to do that much.

Leaving that big hole in the bottom of the Glock grip. The extra "trigger safety." In fact, the entire Glock trigger system is a bit of a head scratcher... "let's come up with something new and patent it so the trigger pull is WORSE than the competition."

Speaking of which... the HK VP70Z. Everything about it. But ESPECIALLY that 20 pound trigger. Yes, I've experienced it in person, and it is... uh... "special." As in "Special Ed, take the short bus to school." What drugs were they on to think that thing was a good idea?

[firestar]

Ky Larry had a good point, what use is a gun for snakes? Those bird shot loads for pistols may only be good for one thing, snakes. Past 10' the birdshot is worthless.

[dance varmint]

Titanium revolvers!

[Mike Irwin]

Ah, forgot...

Those stupid hellfire attachments...

[Archie]

The GyroJet.

The Dardick "Tround" gun.

The Ken Madsen "fly" holster.

Chick Gaylord.

Two projectile loadings to "randomize" shot placement.

9x19 Nato. (Quickly donning flame suit....)

Using cartridges that burn half a peck of powder to kill a deer or antelope.

The concept of "training is too difficult so we'll give them larger magazines".

Switching from revolvers with "grit" to autopistols with "snit".

Replacing men who lived and worked with guns as a living with guys who don't as "gun writers". (Elmer, Skeeter, Bill; I sure miss you guys!)

[Loaded]

Things that "seemed" like a good idea at the time...

1. Most holsters

2. Fancy rifle glass display cases (with that key lock right between the glass doors!)

3. The 1968 Gun law.

4. California

5. Vietnam

6. Clinton

7. Bell Bottoms

8. .44 Magnums

9. Colt Series 80

10. Hollywood movies showing gangstas shooting sideways.

[MJRW]

"A well regulated militia...."

I bet that portion seemed like a good idea at the time. Now, I'm not quite so sure. Wish it just said "The right of the people to keep and beae arms shall not be infringed."

[lycanthrope]

1. Trying to see if a Glock really can shoot underwater...........

2. See above.

3. Pistol calibers under 9x19.

4. "Mandatory Reloads with Retention"

If you guys don't like porting then you must be using too fast a powder. Try a .38 Super Open IPSC gun sometime and think about a 4" beast for carry......wow.

[ambidextrous1]

Originally posted by Sean Smith:
The original hammer (bite), grip safety (uncomfortable) and sights (tiny) on the 1911 and 1911A1 guns. Easily fixed? Yeah. Bad designs? Yes.

Sean, you're a brave man; while I may agree with you on some of those items, I would never post such comments, for fear of being struck dead, or receiving a 'courtesy call' from the 'Followers of Browning'.:eek:

edited for crummy typing.

[Newton]

The FBI.

[Strings]

and I have to agree with the whole thing about the trigger. Only trigger I ever saw that was comparable was on a $80 .380 a friend has...

And how come nobody mentioned the BATFE yet?!?

[Wanderer]

Sean, you're a brave man; while I may agree with you on some of those items, I would never post such comments, for fear of being struck dead, or receiving a 'courtesy call' from the 'Followers of Browning'.

Hey, what's to fear when you're telling the truth. 1911's do have a bad grip, too big a hammer that induces blood, and teeny sights. Glocks are made out of the same material as the toy gun your kid has. 9mm may be too small for self defense. :neener:

*runs under cover of smoke*

BATF, Large Government, AWB

[Quartus]

6. Clinton


And how come nobody mentioned the BATFE yet?!?


Uh, guys, the topic is "Things that SEEMED TO BE A GOOD IDEA at the time", not "Things that were obviously a horrible idea from the outset!"

:rolleyes:


:D

[Jim Keenan]

Dardick?
Gyrojet?
M16?

Jim

[Chris Pinkleton]

Another vote for the Dardick --- but what advantage was this thing supposed to have in the first place? Aside from the fact that "tround" is a funny word to say. :)

.30 Carbine Autos -- the Automag III and the Kimball(sp?)

.38 "Thunderzap" & "duplex" rounds

I think the .32 & .25 NAA cartridges will be on this list soon...did they ever really emerge into the market at all?

P.S. -- another vote for removing trigger guards (particularly on 1911s). Looks bad, and makes the gun less safe. Yay! Probably the dumbest mod ever....

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Hey! I kind of like the Gyrojet! What boy doesn't want a rocket launcher!

The tround is/was a head scratcher.

Even though I have one I'll add the COP .357 four barrel derringer with a trigger three man and an boy couldn't pull.

Oohooh I just thought of a great one!

The Colt All-American 2000; good lord what a dog.

[Kaylee]

that silly fad some time back of cutting away the front of the trigger guard for a faster first shot...

.. whether you wanted to shoot yet or not. :)


-K

[Berg01]

1) Smith & Wesson Sigma Line
2) Magazine Disconnects on S&Ws and newer BHPs
3) Kimber Series II FPB safeties
4) Stainless Steel Revolvers replacing (beautiful) Polished Blue Revolvers

[Wanderer]

Stainless steel is still pretty, but will also resist the elements better, so that is a good idea.

[Correia]

I agree with many of these, but some of these you guys are leaving me confused. Beavertails? Wonderous things. Double stack magazines? 14 rounds of .45 is a good thing.

[Sleuth]

1. Guttersnipe sight

2. the "Quell" shooting system (both by Paris Theodor)

3. Point shooting to the exclusion of using the sights (i.e. at all ranges)

4. Hip Shooting

5. Fanning

6. Shoulder Holsters (well, about 80% bad)

7. Qualifying with light (wadcutter) ammo

8. Thinking since you shoot IDPA you know tactics

9. Thinking since you shoot IPSC you are ready to defend yourself

10. NOT joining the NRA (But, I might get on some list! Forget it, if they ban guns, they will not use lists, they will just go house to house!)

[QuarterBoreGunner]

What's a guttersnipe sight?

[Sleuth]

A block about an inch & 1/2 long, with a groove tapered up from the bottom & in from both sides. The block was black, the groove yellow. Supposed to make your eye cented the U it formed on the point of impact. Worked OK under indoor lighting, but was/is useless in strong directional light like the sun.

[TearsOfRage]

Sleuth - I hope you're only refering to those who haven't joined the NRA specificly for that reason, rather than those of us who have other reasons.

I should HOPE I'm on any lists 'they' may use. :evil:

[Blueduck]

The guttersnipe sight was exactly the kinda stuff I was hoping to come up with in this post. Once read it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and have not even heard it mentioned in the last 15 years.

All great replies, thanks

[Sleuth]

Tears of Rage, I have a list of reasons that people have not joined the NRA - but since I prefer the Ballot Box to the Bullet Box, I think if you want to keep your guns, you should join.

Your choices may vary, however - OK, it's still a (mostly) free country.

[Grampa]

Blade-Tech IWB holster with J-hooks. I specifically tried these because of the advantage of having a choice of cant by changing the screw holes used. Seemed like a good idea, but the design ends up jamming the upper edge of you waistband under the J-hook. The straps work a little better, but are less concealed.

[MMcCall]

Marriage

I think we have a winner.

[444]

Obvious, and I can't believe I over looked it.

You win Vic, hands down going way.

There was the Titanic, there was the Kool Aid party at Jonestown, there was the Japanese attack at Peral Harbor but, then there is marriage.

[444]

It will be waiting for you at your faviorite dealer.






There will be a small, one time handling fee. The fee will be marked on a tag attached to the gun. It looks kinda like a price tag, but it is just a handling charge. We are also not responsible for any other charges the dealer might impose, such as tax, brady etc.

[tex_n_cal]

by Mastrogiacomo:

Things that seemed like a good idea at the time -- going to college. Should have saved my money and studied a trade instead....

I make a point of trying to do as much work as possible on my own pickup. Everytime I change the rear sparkplugs, or service the transmission it reminds me why I finished college:neener:

[tex_n_cal]

My first 1911, an AMT Hardballer. A stainless target 1911 had to be a good thing, right?

It once jammed so badly I had to beat it apart with a hammer, and hastily sold it.

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

The Ruger Hawkeye.

[benewton]

tex_n_cal: you've got it right!

But I need to point out that higher ed doesn't eliminate the need to know how to do normal, stay alive things. I've met too many who thought that they'd simply "buy" what they needed. If you're playing with the truck, you're not one of those, and the comment was made to the rest, not to you.

And, marriage is the winner!

From the male point of view: my boss' view differs significantly from mine.

But then, she's upstairs, and doesn't do this board anyway, so I'm safe!

:neener:

[Mikul]

DA/SA Autos. Twice the trigger pull weights. Twice the difficulty to shoot.

Titanium Magnum Revolvers. These should come with the business card of a good orthapaedic surgeon.

[chadintex]

AMT backup

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Hand_Rifle_Guy-

Remind me; what was the Ruger Hawkeye and why was it a bad idea?

[444]

If I remember correctly, it was a handgun that looked a lot like a single action revolver except it was a single shot in .256 Winchester or something like that.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Ahhhhhh that stirs a memory. I seem to recall it now, it didn't really have a cylinder just sort of a square with a chamber that swung out.
That sounds about right.

Anyone got a picture?

[MessedUpMike]

One of the original plans for caseless ammo was to make it with a ceramic composite type material. Didn't do well when dropped however:uhoh:

[444]

If you go all the way to the bottom of this page, there is a bad picture of one.http://www.galleryofguns.com/ShootingTimes/Articles/DisplayArticles.asp?ID=405

Ruger's website doesn't even have a picture of one. But does have information about the gun including the manual. http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/SE-H-P-Hawkeye.html


While we are on this subject, how about the .357 Maximum cartridge in the Ruger Blackhawk. I think it was a great idea from the get go and would buy one right now if they were available. The story I heard is that they were designed to launch heavy bullets at much faster velocities than the .357 Mag. As the story goes, a lot of people decided that if they could drive heavy bullets fast, imagine what you could do with light bullets. They got heavy gas cutting on the frame as a result. I have also heard that if you just ignored the gas cutting that it would be self limiting and was no real big problem. Today, I have heard these guns command a premium price not just because they are discontinued, but they are highly prized as frames for BIG 5 shot revolvers by custom revolver smiths. I have only seen one in the last 10 years for sale and I thought it was way over priced. If I saw it today, I would buy it.

[Old Fuff]

Blueduck:

You must be a youngster ….

Cutting away the front of the trigger guard on a revolver was popularized by J. Henry FitzGerald of the Colt Company back in the 1930’s. “Fitz” to his friends was well respected in law enforcement circles at the time. He believed that the best place to carry a concealed handgun was in the strong-side pants pocket. Now the inside of a pocket can get cramped, so “FitzGerald Specials” were made by Colt with the front of the trigger guard cut away. This may seem dangerous to some, but I have never heard of an unintentional discharge happening when the gun was carried correctly. Others of course copied the design, and there are a lot more in circulation then Colt ever made. Some notable people carried these guns, including Col. Charles Atkins Jr., Col. Rex Applegate and ace flyer Charles Lindbergh. None of these gentlemen ever shot themselves in the foot.

[Longbow]

Not exactly in pistol, but caseless ammo could be one that fits this subject well. The idea is great but from what I have gathered, its ruined by water/moisture quite easily. Also, in an issue of Guntest magazine some years back, someone had an idea of getting away with bullets and just using the spent shell from the previously fired cartridge (he was using a revolver prototype) as ammo??! :eek:

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Old Fluff continues to be a great source for obscure gun trivia.

[gulogulo1970]

The 10mm.

[Old Fuff]

**Old Fluff continues to be a great source for obscure gun trivia. **

And hear I thought you were desperately interested in my stuff. Oh well ...

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

QBG:

As covered, the Hawkeye was a Blackhawk-framed single shot chambered for the .256 Mag. The chamber was actually in the end of the barrel, with the "cylinder" acting as a breechblock with a full-length firing pin. The ejector rod was utilized as an extractor/ejector.

It wasn't so much a bad idea as before it's time, and subject to bad marketing. The .256 Mag was a necked-down .357 case running a 60-grain bullet at some 2000 fps. They were sold as hunting guns, but no-one would want to hunt deer with one, and the looong lock-time of a falling SA hammer made their accuracy problematic for varminting. They pre-date the wide availability of handgun scopes, also.

A lack of good appropriate-weight bullets also didn't help hunting prospects, and made reloading an iffy possibility. Cases are notoriously difficult to manufacture, and originals were subject to abusive stretching by the clearances neccessitated by the rotating breechblock. .256 Mag is reputed to work well in Marlin leverguns, but not overwell in the Hawkeye.

They were kind of heavy for their class (What there was of it, which mostly didn't exist. Handgun silhouette shooting was very new then, also.) at the time, 1963, and no-one else really was selling any sort of high-powered single-shot pistols, so there was a severe lack of an existing market. (When did the XP-100 come out?) They're LOUD, and kick out bright fireballs, which in '63 was enough to put a lot of people off who were more into .38 PPC shooting. Handgun hunting was still very new, and most places still had handguns banned for hunting. Remember, this was all of 9 years after the advent of the .44 Mag, one of the only rounds many consider good enough to handgun-hunt with. The Hawkeye was a complete sales bomb, with comparitively only a few examples sold, (2-3000, I think.) and was discontinued after only 2 years of production.

Naturally, I want one like Hell-won't-have, but now they cost a mint due to rarity.

[Quartus]

Oh! Oh! I have one, Teacher! The .22 Remington Jet!!!! (http://www.acherarms.com/XGUN_P/S%20W%20Model%2053.htm)


http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=438012

But I still want one. :D



(What can I say? I want a .41 magnum, too! Just weird, I guess.)

[standingbear]

tormenting my uncles breeder bull in the pasture then after it refused to get up and move out of my prime groundhog hunting area,smacking it with a stick on the backside. sending my ruger mk2 to have the receiver drilled and tapped by a local " i can do that for 5 bucks"-trashed the whole receiver.and theres others but wont go into those.

[JonnyB]

Selling my blued, 4" Ruger Security Six, holster, reloading dies, powder, primers and loaded ammo/empty brass 10 or 12 years ago.
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For $75.00 - dumb, dumb, dumb. I have kicked myself many, many times since.

JB

[Wanderer]

The 10mm wasn't a mistake. It's a good catridge that fits about .41 mag power into an auto-pistol.

[gulogulo1970]

Wanderer,

I didn't say it was a mistake. The topic was "good idea at the time". My impression of the 10mm as a defensive round is that it has not been a good idea for that purpose. Too much over penatration, a little too much recoil for fast follow up shots. If it had been so wonderful, the downloaded 10mm(40S&W) would not have been invented and there would be alot more guns chambered in 10mm.
Now, that being said it is a great hunting and hiking round that I would pick it over a .41 Mag for that pupose. Of course the .41 Mag is also dying a slow death too. It just th 10mm & .41 Mag don't do anything better than a .44 Mag (except recoil a little less) and thats why they haven't been as popular. I almost bought a 10mm Glock just for hiking by the way. I just wish the 45 Win Mag would have taken off so we could have a .44 Mag power level in a hunting autoloader, instead of only the Desert Eagle or LAR Grizzly.