If you were going to start a firearms manufacturing concern ...

[CountryGent]

A thoroughly impractical, admittedly quite wacky, idea I can't get out of my head is more of art collective than a firearms manufacturer. We'd make firearms for what they evoke, be it visually, historically, etc. No, I don't mean pretty engravings or the like (not that there is anything wrong with that), but rather go with a theme, a style, a time period, or even an "artifact" from an alternative history and then build it. (Naturally, acquire all necessary licensures to ensure no impediments, though, admittedly some pieces would have very limited resale.)

Yes, I know extremely unlikely to ever happen. But there is nothing wrong with a daydream.

 

[CamoDeafie]

A thoroughly impractical, admittedly quite wacky, idea I can't get out of my head is more of art collective than a firearms manufacturer. We'd make firearms for what they evoke, be it visually, historically, etc. No, I don't mean pretty engravings or the like (not that there is anything wrong with that), but rather go with a theme, a style, a time period, or even an "artifact" from an alternative history and then build it. (Naturally, acquire all necessary licensures to ensure no impediments, though, admittedly some pieces would have very limited resale.)

Yes, I know extremely unlikely to ever happen. But there is nothing wrong with a daydream.

So.... bring back the Artisan Guild of gunsmiths concept like the Belgian guilds?

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have said it before, some of histories greatest designs that have gone out of production should be brought back in limited production, and in various grades with a price that reflects their scarcity, but still be available to the working man in a more practical grade! I see great success in this, after all, it's worked exceptionally well for Ruger, why not!

 

[bradsteen]

I have said it before, some of histories greatest designs that have gone out of production should be brought back in limited production, and in various grades with a price that reflects their scarcity, but still be available to the working man in a more practical grade! I see great success in this, after all, it's worked exceptionally well for Ruger, why not!

If someone would license and build the HK P7 line as new pistols, I would be all over that. The design is a marvel of mechanical ingenuity.

 

[nyarlotep]

A polymer-frame BHP
Identical copies of the Walther P99
Han Solo-ized Mauser broomhandle in 9 or 10 mm

 

[genin88]

More modern day pistols in 7.62X25 and bring back the K98K Mauser, Yugo M48 lines and make them available in different calibers. Yeah I know Mauser has new options but they are way overpriced (plus they are not in the original K98K configuration, not my cup of tea). For icing on the cake, make a semi-auto version of each as well.

Just dreaming, love the history of the C&R weapons that I collect but would love to purchase a new K98K made with today's technology and materials.

 

[bradsteen]

Just for the 80s movie nostalgia, I would love to see someone try to revive some of those older defensive shotgun concepts that went out the door before and during the AWB - the Pancor Jackhammer, Street Sweeper, Ladies Home Companion, USAS12, etc. Preferably with design improvements to make them legal, of course. Between those and the multibarrel shotguns from the 60s that never really went into production like the Winchester Liberator or Colt Defender, people would probably buy them based on the cool factor alone, even if they aren't the most practical... lord knows they'd be fun to shoot, and nothing says "I'm a badass" like an 8-barreled shotgun.

Winchester’s Liberator Shotguns (Video)

www.forgottenweapons.com

 

[Legion489]

What I want is a LIGHT, say four or five pound, rolling block or even break open .45 ACP woods loafing gun. Saw one of the (H&R?) rolling blocks in 44 Mag(?) and it was nearly 9 lbs! If I can shoot a 2 lb pistol in it, I can handle a five pound rifle in it! Maybe interchangable barrels for other pistol cartridges, .32 H&R/Ruger, .357 Mag, .44 Special, .30-30 Win., something like that.

 

[American123]

Bullpup .223 semi auto, magazine fed with an integral master-key.

 

[Lennie]

I have often thought of different configurations in a model 92, in a real nice series of 1886s, in revolvers that handle like a Colt SAA but handle potent loads, in quality pump shotguns like older 870s........however reality steps in. If I produce a model 92 for retail distribution with a suggested retail of 995.00, the cost of production including manufacturing profit cannot exceed 300.00. And at 300.00 manufacturing costs my labor content cannot exceed 3 hours and hopefully, I can get down to two hours. Marketing, warranty, advertising and general overhead would cost another 250.00. Then I pay the gov't 10% of 550.00. Suggested distributor margins are normally 20% (giving suggested wholesale price of 756.00) and suggested retail margins on firearms are 24% (giving a suggested retail of 995.00). Thus I have laid out the general model of American gun making that Ruger and other manufacturers deal with. This model has been difficult for many now deceased manufacturers. In the past years a 995.00 suggested retail firearm, (except high demand Guns), would of had a street price between 750 and 825.

I am amazed at the efficiencies American based gun manufacturers must operate at to survive.

The only way I could make the things I dream is to develop a highly customized operation. Unfortunately, most operations of this type do not survive. However, we have Freedom Arms, Turnbull, Wilson and others. And their pricing reflects what it takes to make high end products.

 

[drstrangelove]

How about an integrally suppressed hunting shotgun under 7lbs. I've seen one in 20ga that was a sxs. Very very nice. Would need to dissassemble for cleanout. Shotgun powder is filthy.

Maybe a well made SA 22lr bull-pup (threaded of course) that takes down easily for cleaning. Would need a removable lugged barrel and integral scope mount.
http://hushpower.co.uk/images/Beretta-20g-HushpowerL2.jpg

 

[raftman]

I'd just go with replicas of famous but extremely expensive/difficult to get guns from history such as the Stg-44 or Fedorov Avtomat. They might have to be made around cartridges which are the closest approximations still made today (especially the latter), but otherwise should be as true to the original as possible... other than also maybe improving durability with modern materials and manufacturing techniques.

Also I've always wanted there to be a pocket-sized .32 acp revolver, as something of a midpoint between the smallest .38 snubbies and those pretty much impractical NAA mini revolvers.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

A rolling block small action in .45 ACP, .32 H&R/Ruger, .357 Mag that weighs about 4 or 5 pounds, NOT 8 1/2 lbs!! Or yeah, a T/C Contender with decent weight 16" barrels in those cartridges, that doesn't weigh a ton, or cost as much as a new T/C Compass. Stocked to carry all day (see above) for woods loafing and plinking.

Here ya go...357 Mag...

 

[Legion489]

Got a Contender, I was thinking more along the lines of the Savage/H&R/Rossi single barrels that had interchangable barrels for .222, .30-30, .22 LR, only for a slightly larger cartridges than the .22 LR, but not over about .30-30 in power, but wouldn't turn down a .35 Rem. Yeah, the Contender barrels cost more than quite a few "value-priced" rifles from Savage, Remington, Winchester, etc.!

The rifle that I looked at, now that I think about it, was probably a .45 Colt. Still nearly nine pounds! Not sure what sort of .45 Colt load I would need a 9 lbs rifle to soak up the recoil on, but I'm pretty sure I would got for a larger cartridge to do it if I did!

 

[FourTeeFive]

If someone would license and build the HK P7 line as new pistols, I would be all over that. The design is a marvel of mechanical ingenuity.

Especially with an alloy frame. The single stack is extremely thin but fairly heavy.

 

[CountryGent]

I'd just go with replicas of famous but extremely expensive/difficult to get guns from history such as the Stg-44

There is/was a company supposedly doing just that with the StG-44. Alas, so far appears to be largely vaporware.

 

[wired]

There is/was a company supposedly doing just that with the StG-44. Alas, so far appears to be largely vaporware.

View attachment 829747

I dont know why no one has gone over and kneecapped Hill and Mac.

 

[raftman]

There is/was a company supposedly doing just that with the StG-44. Alas, so far appears to be largely vaporware.

View attachment 829747

Yep, I was aware of this project and even followed closely it for a while. Aside from being like 6 years (and counting) behind their original delivery date, I don't really see why they tried to make it convertible between 4 calibers, able to accept optics, and all that. Seems like a "neither fish nor fowl" solution... still clunky, outdated, still weighs like 11 pounds so it can't compare to more modern designs... and too far from the original for more purist collector-type people. Should've just made a relatively exact clone other than ironing out some of the durability and reliability issues.

 

[StacattoP]

Ak 45 in 45-70
Ar in 500 magnum
Desert eagle in 500 magnum
Glock in 45lc

 

[CamoDeafie]

A lightweight lever action carbine chambered for a 6.5 Grendel in either the Savage 300 style (rotary magazine) or BLR style (conventional box magazine)
I see Henry has the Long Ranger in 6.5 Creedmore.

Might be interesting to see a 6.5 modern cartridged (either the Grendel or Creedmore?) Remington Model 8/81

Actually, the Remington 7615P pump action rifle rebarreled in 6.5 Grendel might be fun, as it takes AR mags...