Quote:
Originally Posted by Panther Al
I am trying very hard to forget Glock...  Oh, and add Steyr to the list of great pistols as well.
Mag releases on the bottom of the grip is a very european thing: Goes along with what we consider a pistol is supposed to be used for and what they think:
For the Americans, Pistols are a combat tool: meant to be used in combat with the goal of killing as many people as fast as possible using a minimum of ammo. Hence, the magnums, the .45's, etc...
For the Europeans, Pistols are secondly a back up weapon for when the shit has well and truly hit the fan, and primarily as an Officers weapon; a status symbol more than a combat tool. A holdover from when officers came from an official Officer (or Noble- sometimes the same thing) class. Hence, Mag capacities are typically lower, as well as the use of lighter ammo compared to the US. Hence, the .32's, .380's, the 9mm's, etc... They don't want a heavy rugged massive pistol: something nice and light is much easier to tote around if they never plan on using it in the first place.
Of course, thats just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions... and to be fair, Europe is coming around to the US point of view on pistols. |
Depends on point of view I guess.
Up until recently the British army has used the FN Browning, a 9mm weapon that has a 13 round mag. Compare that to theold American 1911 which was a .45 and only carried 7 rounds.
Today the british use the SIG 226 which is another 9mm with a 15 round mag. American went with the M9 to replace the 1911 which is a 9mm Berretta 92 with a 15 round mag.
Seems to me that America is actualy coming around the the European point of view on handguns, not the other way around.