Hypothetically speaking...

[Randy Lee]

So IF some company (starts with the letter A) were to be designing a totally new striker fired polymer service pistol to compete with the M&P and Glock... what are things that you would consider "must have" and "things I'd like to have" in a service pistol?

Hypothetically speaking...

Randy

[UM-Iceman]

Hypothetically, my head just exploded!!! I'm curious to see how this thread develops.

I'll throw out a few suggestions...

1. 3" accuracy at 25yds
2. P30-like grip ergos with factory stippling
3. 2 trigger options. One glock-like trigger for duty/carry, and another FSS-style trigger for competition/range use.
4. Glock mag capability (not sure if this is possible)
5. Old school Gen 3 Glock reliability

[SeriousStudent]

Sights that are not a POS.

The ability to mount a Surefire X300.

The ability to mount a Crimson Trace laser grip, that does not look like two dogs humping.

I'd really, really like something along the lines/size/feel of a single stack 9mm, about the size of a Smith 3903.

And for the love of God and all that is holy, do not give it some motarded name like the Judge or Villian or Pimp or any other thing.

And sell it for under $600.

Deal?

[Randy Lee]

Originally Posted by SeriousStudent

Sights that are not a POS.

The ability to mount a Surefire X300.

The ability to mount a Crimson Trace laser grip, that does not look like two dogs humping.

I'd really, really like something along the lines/size/feel of a single stack 9mm, about the size of a Smith 3903.

And for the love of God and all that is holy, do not give it some motarded name like the Judge or Villian or Pimp or any other thing.

And sell it for under $600.

Deal?

- X-300, no problem.
- Dimensions of grip will be determined by the minimum allowable wall thickness for the given polymer used.
- No name like the Verminator or Court Reporter- got it.

Price- As reasonable as we can make it using high quality materials that are not prone to breakage, rust or failure...

[ssracer]

Things NOT to have:

The word ZOMBIE (zombie slayer, zombie killer, zombie smasher, NOTHING ZOMBIE!!!!!) or any radioactive green color fills....

[ssracer]

as for sights....factory installed TFOs?

[Onikudaki]

Some good suggestions have been made, I will just add a few things that haven't already been said.

1) Ergonomics similar to the P30 is a good start. But no matter what, you will not please everyone with a grip that is not customizable. So I would definitely have to suggest changeable back straps at the least.

2) NO finger grooves.

3) Undercut trigger guard.

4) Black sights. Why? If we are trying to keep the price down, I don't expect tritium night sights from the factory. And any other white dot set ups that have no use at night are just a distraction during the day. Although if you are going to have the option of factory installed tritium night sights, please offer a straight eight configuration.

5) Serrated front sight.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head..

[VLODPG]

Originally Posted by UM-Iceman

1. 3" accuracy at 25yds
2. P30-like grip ergos with factory stippling
3. 2 trigger options. One glock-like trigger for duty/carry, and another FSS-style trigger for competition/range use.
4. Glock mag capability (not sure if this is possible)
5. Old school Gen 3 Glock reliability

I never shot a P30 so I will have to check one out!


6. Factory Optional Night Sights (Warren's or Ameriglo CAP)come to mind
7. Light mount rail.
8. Optional factory threaded barrel.
9. Not manufactured outside the United States.

[Reagans Rascals]

The Ultimate polymer gun in my opinion would have:

factory threaded barrel
CCW treatment (all rounded edges)
interchangeable grips if even just the back strap
flared magwell
slightly over-sized trigger area for use with gloves
finger groove in trigger guard
factory stippling
textured slide for better grip
a few different colors to choose from (black, od, fde, etc..)
a true under barrel 1913 rail
factory adjustable night sights
factory adjustable trigger reset, pre-travel, and over-travel
extended, ambi-capable controls (mag release, slide release)
double stack high-cap, readily available mags
easy take-down
easy caliber swap between 9mm,40 S&W, and .45 ACP (slide or barrel swap, double stack to single stack for .45 ACP conversion to keep same grip size)
all made in the USA

[R3V3LATIONS]

Preferred options:

3x mags to a set (double stack)

interchangeable backstraps
front and rear slide serrations
external extractor
no finger groves on frame
steel all black pistol sights
magazine well flare
no external safety
adjustable pre/over travel adjust/stop for trigger
captured guide rod system

[C4IGrant]

I am a big fan of the HK/Walther style controls. So the long slide release and the mag release on the trigger guard is a good thing in my book. If this is not doable, then copy the M&P (as they have good controls).

The G19 is on of the best all around sizes out there so I would look at producing a gun in that size.

Texturing, something like the RTF2, but honestly this isn't all that important as people can texture the gun to their liking. No finger grooves and adjustable back strap (S&W does it best I think).

Include standard black sights (like what Ameriglo makes) for the Glock and M&P. Something simple, economical and easily changed out. I would just make the gun compatible for Glock or M&P sights (as there are already so many options out there).

Trigger. Your FSS is great! So anything like that would be a win. A clean 5lbs pull with a distinct reset works well for most folks.

Of course, striker fired is a must. If you can offer the gun with a thumb safety and without, you will capture a larger portion of the market.

Offer two barrel options. Standard/drop in and fitted (for a price increase). Drop in should be able to shoot 4" groups or better and the fitted barrel should be able to shoot around 2" groups.

Cost. Somewhere between $600 -$800.





C4

[kmrtnsn]

Real ambi controls, mag and slide release. I'd like the levers large and easy to use, like those on HK pistols. Not like the right side slide release on my M&P that I have yet to make actually release the slide.

Positive, tactile reset of the trigger. I want to hear it reset and feel it with my trigger finger.

Price point under $600 with three-dot night sights and three magazines.

Any chance for a hammer fired variant, similar to the HK LEM trigger group?

[Pi3]

With a thumb safety and without.
Partner with crimson trace to make the laser, button & battery compartment integral with the gun.
Glock type trigger reset.
M&P ergos.

[Frailer]

I'm pretty much in agreement with Grant, although I think the multiple barrel option is unnecessary, and I don't need replaceable backstraps (even though I have long fingers I keep the smallest size and toss the rest of them in a box):

Glock 19 size, M&P-style grip and controls, crisp trigger with distinct reset.

Good, plain black sights with serrated front.

[RogerinTPA]

Originally Posted by Frailer

I'm pretty much in agreement with Grant, although I think the multiple barrel option is unnecessary, and I don't need replaceable backstraps (even though I have long fingers I keep the smallest size and toss the rest of them in a box):

Glock 19 size, M&P-style grip and controls, crisp trigger with distinct reset.

Good, plain black sights with serrated front.

Agreed. Use a John Browning style grip angle and NOT the grip angle for the Glock, nor it's finger grooves.

[Randy Lee]

Great input guys! Keep it coming!

[eternal24k]

Spare parts availability, and any cross-compatibility with another common platform would be great, even it it were just mags and sights.
Ambi slide release and reversible mag release.

Maybe you can have adjustable grips, not just back strap but magwell. Start with a Glock 19 size frame and allow user to either make it wider and/or longer.

[turbo38gn]

This may be crazy.... but is it possible to have some kind of a choice to convert from a single to a double stack magazine and back? In other words, I believe it would require 2 completely different grips since you would need a wider grip for the double stack and without a narrow grip, a single stack wouldn't make sense.

Interchangeable uppers for FS and compact. Pretty much a modular pistol.

[cj5_dude]

- Swappable back straps
- Crisp trigger
- Steel magazines that are easily taken apart
- 15 round capacity in .40 or 12+ round capacity in .45
- Base plate of the magazine as small as possible (unlike the full size M&P) It makes it difficult to carry on duty as the base plate catches on all sorts of things.
- Light rail
- Ambi mag release like FNP-45
- Optional thumb safety or not
- Grip angle of M&P
- Accept either Glock sights or M&P sights since there's already so many out there
- Grip texture on the front and the rear of the sides of the slide

That's all for now.

[jstyer]

Grant utterly nailed the description for me... Though I think a stock barrel should do better than 4" at 25 yards.