The Quintessential European Handgun

[Ian11]

Which handgun by the folks from across the pond do you consider the quintessential European Handgun? The one that first comes to your mind and embodies their philosophy.

*BHP is a J.M. Browning design but I think it belongs here than the other poll I posted.


*SIG P226 9mm for me. Because its the best European pistol I've ever owned or shot.

 

[Croyance]

No Mauser Broomhandles or Webley's?

 

[Ian11]

Yes, it is heavily geared towards modern handguns becuase these are the ones that I thought had the best chances of getting popular votes. Same goes for the other poll I put up. But if I could go back and add them to make the list more complete, I would. But these polls aren't set up that way. Unless one of the mods would like to step in.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

While not really the quintessential handgun, I think the Luger is the most widely recognized European handgun. People with no handgun knowledge can generally identify it due to its shape. While the broomhandle is also easy to identify, it's not that fimiliar to the younger crowd.

 

[amprecon]

I agreed with the Luger. It is most certainly a recognized European handgun and highly prized.

 

[MarineTech]

First reaction was to say the Luger, then I realized that nobody is making them anymore. The Hi-Power has pretty much passed the test of time in Europe.

 

[444]

The Browing High Power has definitely been used by more military organizations in more countries for far longer than anything else listed. I don't know what Europeons think about it. In this country I would guess that very few non-gun people would recognize the P35 or have any idea what it is other than a handgun. They would probably recoginze a Luger and probably be able to specifically name it. The James Bond movies probably also made the PPK highly visible. I doubt that many non-gun people could call it by name but they might say that it was the gun James Bond used.

 

[cool45auto]

Beretta. The gun is world famous. Military use, movies, video games and just about every other form of media you can think of.

(And, yes, I'm biased! )

 

[Majic]

Most Europeans couldn't/didn't use military calibers and large belt pistols were seldom seen. The Walthers were designed just for this purpose. The PPs for belt carry and the PPKs for concealment.

 

[seeker_two]

PPK...

Bond had one, and most Euros go for the smaller calibers...

 

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

BHP.

More Euro militaries used 'em than anything else, methinks, until supplanted by more modern designs just lately.

 

[10-Ring]

When I think Euro handgun, my first thoughts aren't surprisingly HK! 1st thoughts go to Walther & the PPK line up.

 

[Tamara]

The GP-35 may be the most widely-used service auto in history. We may never see a pistol used by (and copied by) so many countries.

 

[David4516]

I wanted to vote for the Makarov, as I am a big fan of this pistol. But I don't think of it as "European", I think of it as Russian, and I think of Russia as an Asian country...

So I voted for the Luger. I think that the Luger in .30 Luger is more of a "classic" European handgun than the 9mm Luger, but that is a minor detail...

 

[denfoote]

I assume you meant the Walther P38!!
This design has spawned the current US military handgun: Beretta 92FS!!
I almost chose the Luger, but you said gun, not cartridge.

 

[Rob96]

Walther PP/PPK/PPKS. The Browning GP-35, may see use by military, but the Walther is probably seen, and used more by police and citizens alike.

 

[Ala Dan]

SIG-Sauer's P226/P225/ and P228

*FootNote- I've been in the SIG camp for a
long time; and I ain't ready to leave just yet!

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

 

[Island Beretta]

The Hi-Power by far!! Nothing comes close.. In the also rans the Sigs, Luger and CZs saw some popularity; Walther was more seen as a vintage weapon.

 

[Sean Smith]

I'm going to go out on a wierd limb and say the SIG P210, maybe because it is the only truly European gun that interests me. If the BHP wasn't almost totally designed by its American namesake, it would probably rank higher in my mind as a "European" gun... the 1911 has conquered alot of European territory, too.

 

[CTgunteacher]

I see the 1911 is leading the poll on the quintessential American handgun. This is appropriate, since the 1911 was characterized by Jeff Cooper as "coarse, brutal, and deadly." This is how most Europeans view America, if you can believe the opinion polls.

For similar reasons, I chose the little Walther PP series as the quintessential European handgun. It's refined, dainty, and ineffectual -- just like most of Europe.

Mike

 

[Boats]

For similar reasons, I chose the little Walther PP series as the quintessential European handgun. It's refined, dainty, and ineffectual -- just like most of Europe.

Three Cheers! I was going to say that the quintessential European handgun was any most readily carried for capping ethnic minorities or political rivals in the back of the head during summary executions at a distance of less than a meter. They mastered that "pistolero skill" pretty well in a lot of continental Europe and exported it to much of Asia.

 

[firestar]

I voted Walther PPK but it was a toss up between that and the Luger.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Gotta be the Luger...

 

[BerettaNut92]

Sig 210. When I think of a european 'luxury' gun....

 

[Ian11]

Yep, SIG P210. Can't believe I left that out of the poll.

My bad.