Have you ever found a particular example of a type of product that, in concept, anyway, seems great? Something that you figured everyone would be destined to love? Only, for one reason or another, hardly anyone buys it and the product languishes in relative obscurity. Guns are no different.
Sometimes it’s due to a manufacturing fault or otherwise not executing the design as well as it could have been. Sometimes it’s due to a product hitting the market at the wrong time.
One of the guns that, on paper anyway, should be much more popular than it is: the Remington R51. It had so much promise. A slim, lightweight polymer frame with a grip safety for added security. Its dimensions make it easily concealable. A bore axis lower than a CZ, cool sci-fi looks that are actually interesting in a sea of boxy plastic fantastics and the novel Pederson hesitation lock mechanism.
But we all know what happened. The pistol hit store shelves before the bugs had been ironed out and it got pulled from the market within months of release. It wasn’t re-released for two years. As a result, it just hasn’t take off as it should.
A gun from some time ago that should have been a lot more popular was the Colt Double Eagle.
The Double Eagle, produced between 1989 and 1997, was basically a DA/SA 1911. It had pretty much the same grip and ergonomics, but it had a SIG-like decocking lever on the grip. Full-size and commander versions were available, and you had your choice of .45 ACP, 10mm, 9mm, .40 or .38 Super.
Pretty much all the benefits of a 1911 (great ergonomics, svelte dimensions that make it easy to carry) without the drawbacks of the single-action operating system and grip safety.
Unfortunately, it came out in the midst of the Polymer Spring. GLOCK was taking over and they really haven’t relinquished their hold since. A few outfits have tried to replicate the same idea – the goodness of the 1911 without the single-action holdups – such as Para USA’s LDA pistols and now the Hudson H9, of course.
So what seems like a great idea, a sure-fire hit on the drawing board, doesn’t always work out in meatspace.
Are there other guns that you thought were perfect — or that should have been — but just didn’t work out? Guns that didn’t get the love they should have? Sound off in the comments!
Sam Hoober is a contributing editor at Alien Gear Holsters, as well as for Bigfoot Gun Belts. He also writes weekly columns for Daily Caller and USA Carry.