One area the 1994 Crime Bill actually improved.

[Waxed Canvas]

As a result of that constitutional abomination, the 9mm surfaced as the most effective semi-auto concealed carry package in terms of control, power and the ability to hide a handgun on your person.

Kahr, SA XD Sub, Sig 239, Glock 26 and the Smith 39XX series are all excellent CCW options.

IMHO, the 9mm is the concealed carry caliber all things considered.

 

[wally]

Disagree. .40 S&W same size gun, bigger holes.

Kahr PM40 over PM9 for me.

--wally.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

The "Wonder Nines" were the craze of the 80s. What the '94 AW ban accomplished was the dramatic increase in the variety of small frame - big caliber handguns. There was no reason to carry a large framed handgun with half the magazine blocked off to limit it to 10 rounds when a much smaller and lighter gun would also hold the same 10 rounds.

 

[otomik]

i don't see how you came to that idea, seems like it really supported the rise of .40 and the 1911 retro-tactical craze.

it did create a lot of designs like the Taurus Millenium series and Kel-tec P-11, guns designed around being the smallest gun featuring 10 rounds of a certain caliber.

also Beretta Cougar Minis, Beretta 9000S, Bersa Minis

 

[Croyance]

I would have said that the 1994 assault weapon bill, combined with the increase in concealed carry laws pushed the design and popularity of usable concealable guns. Prior to that guns were just getting huge, without considering the practicalities - like if everybody could get their hands around the grip frame. As a result of those laws, there is something in all the major calibers that most people can use. Additionally, these designs are accurate and controlable.

 

[dsk]

I have to agree that, had the Crime Bill not taken effect we would've seen continued emphasis on big fat high-capacity handguns. It seems nobody believed in Jeff Cooper's statement that a fighting handgun is a close-range fight stopper, where the matter is settled once the first shots hit their mark. High capacity is needed in a rifle or shotgun, which is what you're supposed to be using in a protracted gun battle. But in a handgun you want something that hits fast and hard. The 18-shot 9mms didn't strike me as the best option for that sort of thing.

 

[artherd]

It's a false benefit, don't kid yourselves for a second. The 94 ban is an abonomation.


dsk; my 18 shot Glock 34 with 5" barrel spits out 127gr Winchester Rangers (RA9TA) at around 1300fps. That's .357MAG power. Don't see this as a 'solution'?

(actually, neither do I, I regard all pistol rounds as inferior. THat's why I also have a semi-auto .30-06. Most mags full of ballistic silvertip 150grs. One 4 round mag full of black tip 168GR M2 AP. 'Because you never know.')

 

[Croyance]

I do see it as a solution, just one that is not easily concealed. Gets in the way while carrying also. Concealment is important for daily social reasons.
With those two laws, you have both large and small guns. That part I will not complain about.

 

[Feanaro]

I don't see where you came up with that. The '94 Ban seemed to make .40 S&W and .45ACP handguns MORE popular. Perhaps I am missing something?

 

[caz223]

Yeah, I think it made personal size .40 caliber weapons more prominent.
It really didn't do anything for wunder-nine deveolpment.
You'd think it would have made full-size single stack .40s and 10s more common, but it didn't really help out the mighty ten at all.
There are a lot more compact .45s out on the market than there were in the early nineties.
Now that the ban is set to expire, I hope that capacity doesn't return as a big selling point, but I personally despise neutered mags, so I have no great desire to see the ban resurface.
Case in point: my G20.
A fat-gripped full size 10mm that takes double stack mags, but is limited to neutered mags, unless you want to pay $100 for pre-bans.
And they never developed a single stack variant, so if you want a glock ten, you're stuck with a fat-gripped abomination, instead of a slim and trim 9 round single stack with better handling.
My smith 1076, razorback, and the soon to arrive DW PT-C will suffice.

 

[George Hill]

Wrong direction... the crime bill put the breaks to the Wonder Nine and brought back the popularity of the .45.

 

[Longbow]

I have to disagree, the so called "crime bill" didn't accomplish anything, but limit the rights of every citizen. The 9mm or .40 cal's popularity (which ever side you're on) in small concealable handguns came about due to passing of CCW permit of several states. There's was a demand for concealable guns, so manufacturers (naturally) caters to it. I don't think the crime bill got anything to do with this development. Just my .02 cents

 

[Waxed Canvas]

Note the word abomination. I am not in favor of the Crime Bill. I also acknowledge that the advent of concealed carry was a major factor. Nonetheless, the circumstances brought about a slim package, compact in nature in a controllable in an adequate to above adequate caliber----9mm in my opinion. I agree that .40 and .45 popularity soared but for me the class of sub compact is best filled by a 9mm versus the .40 or .45 which can be brutal to shoot recoil wise.

 

[Croyance]

Well, what works best for you is not necessarily the "most effective semi-auto concealed carry package . . .".
In fact, when I carry, I usually choose between a 9 mm or a .45 ACP. The .45 ACP is in a smaller package that conceals better. I also believe they are about equal in terms of concealibility. Of course my smallest concealed carry gun is a 9 mm (different one), but I believe the smaller grip makes it harder to control.
To each their own. Certainly if it works for you, I will not argue.

 

[4v50 Gary]

The Crime Bill made some politicos and their minions feel good. As for crime, well, it's still exists.