What is the biggest firearm flop you have ever seen

[Schwing]

COP 357.
The four barrelled firearm from Hades.

Oh, come on now! The thing weighed 4 pounds, had a heavy gritty trigger pull and is 3" wide... what is there not to love?

 

[AKElroy]

Was the circuit judge really a flop? I have no use for .410 myself, so I've never wanted to shell out the money for one but I always thought they were neat.

My understanding is that these things are selling pretty well. Like you, I don't get it. Just enough rifling to scatter shot wildly, not enough to make a .45 LC worth anything in the accuracy department. I know, they put some counter-spin deelybob in a choke to counter some of the problem, but it's lipstick on a pig AFAIAC. Ditto the Judge; I don't get that either. When asking anyone what to use for home defense, the answer is frankly never a .410 shotty with a 2" shallow rifled tube.

Walking around country thick with Rattler's? Now maybe we're on to something.

 

[Cee Zee]

Taurus Millennium

Say what? They sold a bunch of those guns. I bought one. It's an incredibly good pistol. Never malfunctioned even once, very accurate, great ergonomics and holds 10 .45 ACP rounds in a double stack that is no wider than many single stacks. It's as good as any firearm I own and that's saying something. How do you figure that's a flop?

I know about their spotty quality. I got a money back guarantee or I wouldn't have even bought one but I am VERY glad I took the word of the LGS owner. I know about the early versions of the gun having minor problems (mag fell out if you barely bumped the release). But they fixed the problems and sold a whole bunch of those guns and a lot of people really like them.

Compare that to my choice, the Armalite AR-7. I never met anyone that liked those things. You couldn't hit anything with them and they failed to feed a lot.

 

[CajunBass]

My vote goes to USFA's zip .22. It looks pretty much like a plastic staple gun, but from all the reviews I've read--a staple gun would be more reliable and much safer for the operator.

That one was so bad I had already forgotten about it.

The winner in my opinion.

 

[leadcounsel]

Chiappa revolver.

Sinfully ugly. Rails? Cocked indicator? Striker fired? Why not just get a semi-auto?
Two or three times pricier than a new Ruger/Smith/Taurus, and on par with collectible versions of Colt and Smith.
Quite complicated manual of arms, negating the beautiful simplicity of the revolver.
Massive frame.

Never seen one in person or held one, nor would I have any desire for one. Watched a 15 min video on the manual of arms and features. I don't see any real merit to anything that abomination has to offer. If someone is that recoil sensitive to .357, then either get better grips, better stance/grip, or switch calibers.

I want my revolvers sleek, sexy, and simple. The Chiappa has nothing for me. A solution to a non-existent problem, just making the revolver more complicated unnecessarily.

I can't think of a single reason why someone would want one. Think of this, you could either have a Colt Python for $1200, or 2 Ruger GP100s, or a Chiappa!!!! No contest.

I have to dispute the Taurus Millennium. I did have a lemon early version, but I gave the Pro a try and scored an awesome reliable 11 round .45 ACP compact pistol for under $350.

 

[NukemJim]

"I can't think of a single reason why someone would want one"

Have you fired one?

For a small .357 the recoil and muzzle flip were much better than the other .357s that I have and that I have fired.

I have too much invested in S&W centenials in both practice time and accesories to switch. If I was starting fresh I would definetly consider it as a snubbie.

YMMV

 

[WestKentucky]

I wasn't around for it but I have a .256winmag marlin "Levermatic"

 

[bergmen]

This months (May) American Rifleman has an article titled 'Seemed like a good idea -- Firarms that Failed'.

8. Winchester Model 59 shotgun.

I'd have to agree with all of them.

rc

I just read that article but I have to disagree with them on this one. The article extolled its virtues and only lamented that it didn't sell well for any number of possible reasons (not due to functional problems or design faults).

I owned one for about 50 years or so and after about 30 years (and a couple of train loads of ammo) the receiver developed a longitudinal crack along the bolt centerline on the left side. This was a design weakness.

I found a 'smith with a model 50 (all steel) receiver, had him polish it and re-blue it and got it back in action. My daughter has it now and loves it for pheasants.

One of the beauties of this gun (the original 59) is it was almost impervious to rusting. Stainless bolt, anodized receiver and fiberglass barrel, you could sit in a duck blind in the pouring rain all day and have no worries about the gun. The action could also be completely field disassembled without any tools if need be. Utterly reliable and exceptionally well fabricated I could count the jams I had with the 59 on one hand in all the time I owned it. After all this time one can disassemble the action and find no wear on any part anywhere.

My Dad always said it was ahead of it's time. I agree.

Dan

 

[barnbwt]

Never seen one in person or held one, nor would I have any desire for one.

Well, that explains half your beefs with the Rhino . I would nominate the Mateba, but you have to remember Emilio Ghisoni made a living designing flops. They grew progressively more mainstream over the decades culminating in the M2006 then the Rhino. The Boberg of revolvers (or is Boberg the Ghisoni of semi autos?)

Remington's working hard for the #1 slot with their R51, but they won't be as successful as the Rogak/Steyr GB were at stymieing sales. Truly the worst intro from a quality standpoint in recent memory, though

TCB

 

[Legionnaire]

In addition to rc's list, I'd add the Remington 710: The PC Junior of rifles.

 

[Nom de Forum]

This months (May) American Rifleman has an article titled 'Seemed like a good idea -- Firarms that Failed'.

1. Standard Arms Model G rifle.

2. MBA Gyrojet rifle & pistol.

3.Daisy/Heddon V/L rifle.

4. S&W Model 53 .22 Centerfire Magnum.

6. Dardick Series 1500 rifle & pistol.

7. Remington EtronX rifle.

8. Winchester Model 59 shotgun.

I'd have to agree with all of them.

rc

I once owned #3. I still have some of the ammunition. It was fun for a while having something almost nobody had but it sure was inferior to any .22LR rifle.

 

[Ed Ames]

I can't think of a single reason why someone would want one. Think of this, you could either have a Colt Python for $1200, or 2 Ruger GP100s, or a Chiappa!!!! No contest.

Those prices don't add up around here.

There is only one store around me that carries the Chiappa. At that store, $800 +/- will get you a Chiappa .357, a S&W Governor .410/.45c/.45acp, a Taurus Raging Bull .454 casull, or a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 magnum. Honestly that would be a bit of a contest because none of those is on my must-have list.

Only one store around me routinely has colt pythons and they are so expensive I don't even laugh any more. I think the last one I saw was over $3000. I don't know what was so special about it, but they sold it so good for them.

Taurus Millennium
They sold a bunch of those guns. I bought one. It's an incredibly good pistol. Never malfunctioned even once, very accurate, great ergonomics and holds 10 .45 ACP rounds in a double stack that is no wider than many single stacks. It's as good as any firearm I own and that's saying something. How do you figure that's a flop?

My PT-145 was pretty snazzy until the two original magazines both developed nose-dive issues that caused about one failure per magazine. Fixable (different springs or I think Taurus updated the magazines), but the gun is off the market now.

S&W Sigma -- certainly a commercial success, but the few I tried were horribly unreliable

The SW9VE I played with had a lousy trigger but was totally reliable. It never had a failure in thousands of rounds and being handed around to noob shooters.

I think my candidate would be those double tap derringers.

 

[herrwalther]

.45GAP. Sorry I couldn't resist.

I was trying to think of basically the Ford Pinto of firearms. Something dangerous to even use. And, if military arms are eligible, I would recommend the French Chauchat produced for WWI and WWII.

 

[AKElroy]

Quote:
Taurus Millennium
Say what? They sold a bunch of those guns. I bought one. It's an incredibly good pistol. Never malfunctioned even once, very accurate, great ergonomics and holds 10 .45 ACP rounds in a double stack that is no wider than many single stacks. It's as good as any firearm I own and that's saying something. How do you figure that's a flop?

I hear ya, but as a proud PT99 owner, the quality issues surrounding the millennium when they first came out was a let down, particularly in contrast to the bullet-proof 92/99 series.

 

[MedWheeler]

Heizer Double Tap? Or is it too soon?

The Grendel P10 was pretty innovative for its time, trying to appeal to those who would normally carry a five-shot .38 snub revolver, especially those who would carry it in an ankle holster. No safety levers or magazine releases to be inadvertently actuated; just a pistol that could be drawn and fired like a revolver, but easier to conceal, and with more than twice the capacity.

But, it wasn't well received, and I guess that makes it a flop, too. I have one, by the way.

 

[AKElroy]

If we are going to toss in cartridges, I'll second the .45 GAP, and raise you a .41AE.

 

[heycods]

Daisys VL22 gets the first nod, followed by Remingtons 5mm rimfire. The 5 was a great gun, I think it was just before its time.

 

[AKElroy]

I saw the Rhino listed, and while I agree it is butt ugly, it does what it advertises. Don't take my word for it........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbDUWACwRqk

 

[LT.Diver]

I would say any Taurus but I promised not to bash those hunks of scrap metal anymore. So I won't say Taurus.

 

[1911 guy]

I had a Daisy VL a long time ago. Bought it and sold it all within six months. Was talking to another shooter at the range and mentioned I had one. He mentioned he was a collector of weird gun stuff and had a checkbook.

 

[TRX]

Unfortunately, since it's my favorite pistol: the Auto Mag.

Its manufacturer badly fumbled the step from "get investment capital" to "corporate manufacturing entity", then went through a chain of bankruptcies and reorganizations, shooting themselves repeatedly in the foot while potential customers waved money at them. By the time they got their act together, all those customers were gunshy and stayed far away.

 

[barnbwt]

Several folks have mentioned the Chauchat, but they forget the even-more trouble prone Lahti Saloranta. A light machine gun that only holds 20rnds (if you're lucky enough to get magazines that worked)

Nicknamed "assorted mistakes" --ouch

TCB

 

[Giterboosted]

I'll completely agree with the zip22, you can even buy them without the magazine.....what the heck

And I can't say from personal experience but I've heard those double tap pistols are hell to shoot, and now they're coming out with a 5.56 one!!!!! I kid you not

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I want my revolvers sleek, sexy, and simple. The Chiappa has nothing for me. A solution to a non-existent problem, just making the revolver more complicated unnecessarily.

I don't think this one makes it. Sure, it's a goofy gun, but it works and it sells, so I don't think you can call it a flop just because you don't like it.

 

[CLP]

Tactical lever action- terrible idea imo.

http://www.mossberg.com/rifle-calibers/30-30-win