A design with something for everyone.

[45auto]

Modular grip frame would be a very good thing. Thin, thick, short and long could accommodate a variety of uses, from carry to high capacity shooting games and everything in between. A lot of sales potential in that.

I'd probably keep the caliber changes to a minimum if possible, i.e. all 9mm, 38 variants, Then a seperate model for the 40 and another for 45.
Sell more guns, if it's a for profit business, and the 9mm sized guns could probably be smaller/slimmer for carry if needed.

Besides, many pistol shooters, need an excuse to buy another gun, don't take that away from them.

I doubt meeting half way for the single action shooters would work well. I'd have two seperate models or not have a single action trigger, given your preference.

Good luck

 

[Handy]

Bevr,

I'm talking about copying the barrel design of the Mauser HSc and HK P9S. The barrel is so rigidly connected to the frame that it feels welded there. This system was worked out 70 years ago.

It is a fixed barrel.

In terms of the wasted space at the top of the mag well, I think we can live with 2mm of extra when comparing the 9mm and .45 family casings. It's just not that much.


Chris,
Flutes work, and don't harm the brass, just mark it. I reload my HK91 brass, many do. However, the Steyr GB dispenses with flutes, as do some P9S varients. Remember, we are talking about handgun pressures, not extracting .308 cases, the flutes only help - they aren't necessary. Maybe 10mm would 'need' them, but low pressure .45 ACP certainly would not.

If you're really die hard about a locked breech, I posted a really simple gas actuated system in a gas pistol thread last week. But I'm fairly confident Mechanical DB is the most reliable fixed barrel system you'll find for heavy calibers.

The cocking lever you describe has been done before. The 38 Sauer and HK P9S both have them. They work, but require a fair amount of force. My goal was to provide a decrease in trigger pressure with a lever that would take relatively little force. This is a compromise, but I think a useful one. It is also the reason for the dual springs.

45auto-
I would make only a single frame because the design makes that easy, and it would be cheaper overall to manufacture. As far as promoting handgun sales, you could always price the complete more competitively than the top end conversions. But given the popularity of the Glock 20 with .40 and .357 Sig barrels, I'd hate to give up this selling point. There have been so few useful multicaliber designs, and there is no reason for that.

 

[Handy]

45auto,

Thinking more about the DB design I came up with, I realized that you don't have to come up with as many variations to offer the maximum number of calibers.

The barrel is, of course, always going to be caliber specific. So will the bolt head, which is the leverage tool providing the mechanical delay (though .40 and .357 could share, as could 9mm and .30 Luger). But the slide, which provides the mass portion of the system could be made in just two weights, depending on the caliber and it's total recoil after delay. This is essentially the approach Glock uses, but they don't vary the lock times (hence, kaBoom).

Thank you for making me think.


So:
One frame (with a "match" SA Only option)
Two slides
Six bolt heads. (9mm/.30Luger, .38 Super/.30Tok, .40/.357, 10mm/9X25, .45ACP/.40Corbon, .45Super/.40 Super)
8 to 12 barrels.
10 or so grip frames.
20 or so mags.

About 30 or so possible variations on caliber and capacity. Twice that if different barrel lengths are offered.

 

[BevrFevr]

Enough already where can I buy one!

-bevr

 

[Handy]

Well, you can't.

And if you could, you probably wouldn't.

And if you asked about one, you'd be told "get a Glock".

 

[Island Beretta]

Handy,

or better yet get a XD, IMHO it leads the pack as a 'something for everyone' kinda of pistol...

 

[Handy]

A yes, the XD, also known as the 'HS 2000 +$200' model. A single action pistol pretending to be a double action.

Er, no thanks.

 

[45auto]

Handy,

Rereading your original post I see the modular options I mentioned would not be realistic. I was envisioning the entire lower frame and grip being removed and replaced with the specific caliber(s), consequently the comment amount thin, thick, etc.
Probably, because I was thinking about the STI.

If the mag ban is extended you wouldn't have to worry about producing thin and thick frames anyway.

I'm glad you included the "match SA option" because, we 1911 shooters would whine and cry like babies, even though I see a lot of hardcore 1911ers carry something much smaller with a much longer trigger throw!

No grip safety I hope!

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

we 1911 shooters would whine and cry like babies, even though I see a lot of hardcore 1911ers carry something much smaller with a much longer trigger throw!

If you don't carry a 1911, then you're not a hardcore 1911er.

 

[E357]

9x19,

Although Dan designed his revolvers wiht drop-in parts, even on the DW, the cylinder hand is the one part that must be hand-fit to the extractor star. That's why there are no inter-changeable cylinders.

I don't understand why the hand has to be a different size on the same size frame. This is a "marketing thing" or something left over from the days of hand fitting. Since you can adjust the barrel-cylinder gap fitting a new cylinder should be simple if the extractor star is made well. I'm not saying this is easy, but think it could be done. Just don't make me prove it. I tried it out just now on 6 N frame Smiths and could get two to work fine, two not so good and the others bound up on the forcing cone and I lost a yoke screw in the rug.

Elliot

 

[Handy]

45auto,

The intention of the frame is to go from small and thin to fat and full a bullets. I don't think you had it wrong. The idea is similar to the STI, except there are no parts in the grip, hence the metal front strap and mousetrap mainsprings in surrounding the hammer pivot.

Since the grip frame just contains the mag, the grip is never going to be more than a couple MMs bigger than the mag.