From the old Sixgunner.Com site .. Doc O'Meara!

I ran across a couple of Doc's articles that we had used on the Sixgunner site years ago. Brought back some good memories and am sharing this one here. I still miss Doc.

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THE TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL SEMI-AUTO PISTOLS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

by "Doc" O'Meara

When on New Year's day, 2001, the 21st century begins, we who have lived through a significant portion of the one past will have been witness to more and greater advancement in every field of endeavor than in all the millennia that have gone before. This is as true in the field of firearms development as it is in nuclear physics, computer science and every other technical field.

The 17th century was the age of the matchlock. By the 18th the flintlock dominated. For much of the 19th the caplock held sway. But, in the last decades of that century, tremendous changes took place. The self contained cartridge, which had been conceived in the decades just prior to the Civil War evolved from pinfire and teatfire to rimfire to centerfire modes of ignition. In that century's middle years the principle of the revolving cylinder, coupled with a fixed barrel, revolutionized the arms industry and changed the course of history.

The revolver evolved quickly from caplock to bored through cylinder, in single action mode. Throughout, there were attempts to incorporate a double action mechanism into revolvers, but the early efforts were crude, mechanically delicate and allowed for generally poor accuracy. By the end of the 19th century, that mode of fire had become reliable and relatively efficient.

The first revolvers made to use self contained cartridges required a push rod, of one form or another, to remove spent cases. Simultaneous extraction came first with top-break revolvers, then with side-swing cylinders that pivoted out of the revolver's frame on a crane.

At about the same time as the double action revolver came to perfection, the concept of the self-loading pistol was in its infancy. But, by the dawn of the 20th century, the means were in place to make the radical conversion from cycling fresh cartridges manually to the firing mechanism, as with the revolver, to the self-cycling of the semi-automatic.

Although some manufacturers have modified the internal mechanism to make it more efficient, in most respects the revolver has changed little during the past 100 years. Smith & Wesson's Military & Police Model is much the same today as it was when D.B. and Joseph Wesson first made it. Likewise, the much vaunted Colt Python; a direct descendant of the Model 1889 New Army/New Navy revolver which, with relatively minor engineering changes, became the Army Special and, with a change in nomenclature, the Official Police revolver. The autoloader, however, has been subjected to constant radical modification in many quarters in order to make it more efficient, more powerful and more accurate.

An assessment of which of the many hundreds of semi-automatic pistols is most influential is a completely subjective evaluation. By the same token the term, "influence," may be applied in many ways. In this instance it refers, not only to engineering developments, but to social, economic and geo-political factors.

I make no pretense that this list is all-inclusive. There are those who will disagree with some of my selections, but I will not be drawn into an argument on the subject. These are my opinions. I'm as entitled to them as you are to yours. We might discuss the matter, but please recognize that, if we disagree, we're engaged in a difference of opinion, not a matter of right or wrong. With that made clear, let's begin.

THE LUGER

Also known as the P-08, for the year of its adoption as standard issue to the German army, and as the Parabellum (translated from Latin, the word means "for war"), the pistol that bears Georg Luger's name was based largely upon the toggle action design of Hugo Borchardt's pistol. Most arms authorities consider it to be the most finely machined, fitted and finished military handgun ever issued to a nation's armed forces. This, more than any other factor led to both its widespread acceptance and its relatively poor combat record.

No fewer than 16 different nations have adopted it for their armed forces as either a primary or secondary standard issue pistol. But the handgun is as much a badge of office in most military organizations as it is a personal weapon. In some instances its adoption appears to have been more a matter of national prestige than for actual use. The pistol is, after all, in any military confrontation and most civilian law enforcement circumstances, a last ditch personal protection arm, not a primary fighting tool. For that, the individual needs a rifle, or maybe a shotgun.

By whichever name you choose to call it, the Luger, P-08 or Parabellum, it is a graceful, precision instrument. Its association with the horrors of the Nazi era also lend it a somewhat sinister aspect. Its appearance aside, it is more at home in the forgiving setting of a target range than in the smoke, stench and filth of combat. The pistol simply must be kept clean and its component parts must relate perfectly in order for it to function reliably. The close tolerances typical of this pistol make it an unreliable fighting tool.

If the Luger is at once so good and so bad, why is it one of our choices as most influential? The 9mm cartridge for which it is most often made is part of the reason. It was the first commercially successful pistol chambered for that round. At the close of the 20th century the 9mm, for good or ill, is the primary choice for both military and law enforcement use throughout the world. Moreover, the Luger has undeniable emotional appeal. It is seen by some firearms enthusiasts as a work of art comparable to those of the great masters. Others see it as a symbol of unspeakable evil. There seems to be little, if any, middle ground.

THE GOVERNMENT MODEL .45

Other selections may be called to question, but I doubt there will be any disagreement with this one. The Government Model .45 was adopted by the United States armed forces, in essentially its present form, in 1911. In spite of the adoption of the M-9 Beretta pistol during the 1980's, "Old Ugly" continues to be issued to many units within the United States military structure.

Nearly 90 years of continuous service is a record no other military handgun can claim. It has enjoyed much the same international acceptance as the Luger, having been sold or licensed for production in England, Norway, Russia, Germany, Argentina and elsewhere.

Millions of Government Model pistols are in circulation, mostly chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge, but such rounds as the 9mm Parabellum, and the 9x23, 9mm Bergman-Bayard, 9mm Steyr, .38 Super, .38 Special, 9.8mm, 10mm and even the lowly .22 LR have been offered commercially, with greater or lesser success. Makers of GM clones are regularly chambering it for the .40 S&W cartridge and it was briefly offered in that caliber by Colt, as well.

The Government Model has been accused of numerous failings; many of them justified, but as a military combat pistol it has a reputation second to none. Military and unaltered civilian versions of it seem to keep on shooting in any situation, as long as military specification ball ammunition is used. Of course, accuracy is usually not the best, but as long as it can stay someplace on the target from a distance of 25 yards, it can be said to be capable of fulfilling its military purpose.

This is not to say that it isn't an accurate pistol. Variants like the older National Match pistols and the more recent Gold Cups do very well on target. Custom tuned target pistols based upon the GM, fired from a machine rest, commonly shoot X-ring-size groups from the 50 yard line with compatible ammunition.

Many shooters find the Government Model difficult to master, but once they do, most swear by it far more often than they swear at it.

THE WALTHER PP SERIES

Carl Walther's Polizei Pistole (Police Pistol), better known as the PP, is regarded by most arms historians as one of the world's most significant handgun developments. Introduced in 1929, the quality of its design, materials and workmanship have stood the test of time, such that this is one of the few handguns that has continued in production virtually unchanged over the course of the nearly 70 years of its existence. Walther has, in recent decades, offered some updated designs in calibers for which the PP is made, but none has met with the level of approval the original continues to enjoy.

The PP is not the first semi-automatic pistol to have a double action first shot mechanism that converts to conventional single action mode for subsequent shots. It is, however, the most successful such pistol of that size and kind. But that is only part of what made the pistol so quickly and permanently successful.

The PP is most often marked as chambered for the 7.65mm (.32 ACP) and 9mm Kurtz (.380 ACP) cartridges; both of which have been popular police rounds in Europe. Less well known is that it is sometimes made for the .22 LR. Prior to WWII a few hundred were made in 6.35mm (.25 ACP). These are so rare that serious collectors will pay a very handsome premium for a good specimen.

One of the most appealing of the PP's features is its size. Its length is 6.68 inches; weight is a mere 23.5 ounces. Only about an inch wide, it carries exceptionally flat against the body, so that a police officer in plain clothes may be both comfortable and discrete. Yet, there are literally, hundreds of handgun models from dozens of makers that may be carried as conveniently.

There are other features that made the PP desirable. The PP's double action first shot feature permits the pistol to be brought into action with the same speed with which one would a service revolver. Yet, it is designed to be safely carried with a cartridge chambered, the hammer down and the safety engaged. A signal pin, located at the rear of the slide, allows the user to know at a glance or by touch that a round is chambered. A manual safety locks the trigger and firing pin when it's engaged. Even with the hammer at rest, a safety block prevents it from striking the firing pin unless the trigger is deliberately pulled to the rear. Thus, if the pistol is dropped or the hammer otherwise dealt a blow, it should not be accidentally discharged.

From the outset, the PP was highly regarded and rated excellent reviews from the gun press. Its streamlined appearance appealed to aesthetic sensibilities in the age of Art Deco. In addition, its accuracy, safety features and functional reliability were qualities that met the highest standards. Export sales were high, but in the ten years from 1935 until the end of the war, the German government purchased around 200,000 PP's for the military, police and for Nazi Party officials. In military use its size made it the arm of choice for Luftwaffe pilots and for tank crews. It and the PPK (Polizei Pistole Kriminal), a slightly smaller version of the PP made to be used by plain-clothes police detectives, became a virtual badge of office among senior Staff Officers.

The Walther PP shows no sign of decline. It remains as popular among police agencies as ever and civilian sales world-wide continue to be strong. It is also one of the most frequently chosen presentation pistols and has probably been used as an engraver's canvas more than any other handgun of its kind. It is one of those perennial favorites among shooters that simply seems to continue in production forever.

THE WALTHER P-38

Another Walther pistol, the P-38 was the world's first commercially successful service-size double action autoloader accepted as a primary martial arm. German ordnance authorities sanctioned it in 1938 and distribution to military forces began in 1939. It was the standard issue pistol to that nation's armed forces throughout WWII. As with the Luger pistol that preceded it, the P-38 was chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge.

Unlike the P-08, the P-38 could be assembled from component parts with only rare need for hand fitting. One of its most significant features is the safety/decocker mechanism, which permits a cocked and loaded pistol to be made safe while, with a quick movement of the thumb, it can be returned to full readiness.

It is interesting to note the attitudes of adversarial military forces. During WWII, British and Commonwealth forces were well aware of the limitations of their Webley and Enfield revolvers. They prized captured Walthers in spite of relatively limited ammunition resources. American forces were of like mind, often regarding their .45's as hopelessly inaccurate and covetous of the enemy's milder recoiling DA autoloaders.

German soldiers, on the other hand, often considered the American GM .45 the ultimate military handgun. The effect of the .45 ACP round in combat made the Walther look anemic by comparison.

After six decades the P-38 remains one of the most mechanically and ergonomically efficient pistols of its kind. But, most significant is that its mechanical features became the basis for further development of DA semi-automatic handguns for the remainder of the century.

BROWNING'S HIGH-POWER

The last semi-automatic pistol John Moses Browning designed is said by many to have been his best. In reality, he died nearly a decade before it was perfected and actually placed into production. Known variously as the P-35, High-Power and by that term's French translation, the Grand Puissance, its development began in the early 1920's and continued following Browning's death in 1926; finally coming to market in its now familiar form in 1935.

When Browning died, there remained a number of components that had yet to be refined before it would be ready for production. Work on it was continued by his protege', Dieudonne' J. Saive, whose most significant contribution to the project was the design of a double-stack magazine that permitted the pistol to be loaded with as many as five more rounds of ammunition than the pistol might have accommodated with an ordinary single-row

magazine design. By virtue of this extraordinary capacity it became the first of the pistols now known as the "Wonder-Nines."

Production of the High-Power was originally planned to begin in 1929, but the collapse of the American stock market triggered an international monetary crisis and the resulting depression affected the entire civilized world. The original manufacturer, Fabrique National d'Armes de Guerre, of Liege, Belgium, employed more than 9,000 people in the summer of '29. Over the course of the next five years the work force was radically reduced by the loss of more than 6,500 jobs. It took until 1934, when the prospect of military contracts for the pistol began to show promise, for it to finally be made. The Belgian Army was the first military force to adopt it. They dubbed it the Modele 1935 pistolet automatique, Grand Puisance. With variations and adaptations to accommodate a variety of languages, the name has stuck.

The High-Power attracted international attention very quickly. By the end of 1938 it had been sold to such diverse nations as China, Estonia, Lithuania and Peru. But the clouds of war were once more looming on the European horizon. The Belgian government and the management at FN began making plans to evacuate machinery and personnel, but when the Germans finally invaded on May 10th, 1940, they moved so swiftly that Liege fell to them just two days later. There hadn't been sufficient time to get out.

The Germans took the FN arms complex over immediately and began bringing in employees of their own munitions industry to oversee production. Along with the manufacture of Model 1898 Mauser rifles, the invaders continued production of the High-Power under their control. The pistol was produced for the Heerwaffenampt and designated the Pistole 640(b). More than 319,000 units were to be made while the plant was in German hands.

Here begins one of the more interesting stories of World War Two. In deepest secrecy, a number of FN's senior personnel left Belgium for England. In order to get there they had to travel through France, which was by that time also occupied by Nazi forces. They were smuggled over the Pyrenees mountains to Spain, which remained neutral through the war, but was sympathetic to Germany. From there they made their way through Portugal, also neutral, but a hotbed of international intrigue that was virtually crawling with Nazi spies. Upon arriving in England they went immediately to work for the British Armaments Ministry.

The German invasion of Belgium didn't prevent the High-Power from contributing to the Allied war effort. Early on, half a dozen pistols were smuggled out of Belgium and taken to Canada. There, the John Inglis Company, headquartered in Toronto, used those pistols to construct the necessary blueprints for manufacture. By war's end nearly 152,000 had been made and issued for service in the armed forces of Britain, Canada, China and Greece.

The pistol acquitted itself so well, on both sides, during the course of that conflict that its subsequent adoption by, literally, dozens of nations and hundreds of police agencies throughout the world should come as no surprise. It proved itself one of the finest handguns of this century.

Fabrique National continues to make the P-35, although assembly is now done in Portugal. Yet, copies of it have been made, under license, by pirating or by virtue of expired patents in so many places throughout the world that it has been standard military issue in the armed forces of at least 64 different nations.

More than sixty years have passed since its introduction to the public and its popularity continues apace. It remains the choice of many military units, lawmen and individuals for sport and personal protection. Close copies of it are currently made in Argentina and Hungary. Even the Israel Defense Force, one of the most modern and best equipped armed forces in the world, has chosen it for use in the form of the Kareen II.

SMITH & WESSON'S MODEL 39

The prototype for the Model 39 was completed in 1948, but serious testing of this double action 9mm didn't begin until 1954. By 1957 it had been placed into production. As that decade came to a close it was beginning to show its true potential as a commercial and military prospect.

During the 1960's, US actions in Viet Nam progressed from an advisory role to all-out (albeit undeclared) warfare. In those days civilian advisors, administrators and military personnel in- country often brought personal arms with them. Attacks by Viet Cong infiltrators against individuals and small groups in areas far from the front lines were frequent. Prudent people go armed under such circumstances. The S&W M-39 became so popular there that factory production lagged seriously behind demand until the early '70s. Its suggested retail price during that time was $110, but it usually sold for more than twice that price.

Scalpers were sometimes known to demand and get as much as $600. Flat, light-weight and, like the P-38, possessed of a safety/decocker and double action trigger mechanism, the M-39 is infinitely more easily concealed. Its rear sight is adjustable for windage (not elevation). The design of its gripframe makes it feel very comfortable in the hand and its butter-smooth double action trigger is among the best of its kind. While it doesn't quite have what it takes to be a true target pistol, the latter two factors make it very easy to score well on paper. For that reason its frame was used as the basis for S&W's excellent M-52 .38 Spl. wadcutter target pistol. There were those who averred that the Model 39 was the ultimate combat pistol of its day. Maybe so, maybe not, but by the time the Southeast Asian fracas had ended the future of pistols of its type was assured.

It was during the same period that American law enforcement agencies began looking seriously at the semi-automatic pistol as a replacement for the revolvers that had been their traditional arms. The Illinois State Police was the first major police organization to make the transition and their choice was the

M-39. Once it had been adopted it became the only authorized sidearm permitted for the official use of members of that agency, either on duty or off.

As with all such things, it was superseded by newer and higher capacity pistols. Still, it remains the prototypical American autoloader of its kind. It led the way to the future that is now.

THE CZ-75

Clouded in mystery and speculation for many years this product of Ceska Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod, first made in Czechoslovakia, now The Czech Republic, was almost unknown outside the Soviet Communist sphere of political influence until the fall of that corrupt governmental system and its lackey states.

Trade restrictions between the US and the Eastern Bloc nations were such that, for more than a decade, most of those few pistols that managed to find their way into this country were allowed to be imported only for study of their unique characteristics, not for any personal or sporting purposes.

However, by the mid-1980s, clones were being produced by Tanfoglio, in Italy (now imported by European American Armory as The Witness). Very quickly, the Swiss-made Sphinx and British- made Spitfire followed. With the fall of the Soviet Empire and autonomy for the Czech Republic, trade barriers were lifted so that the CZ-75 and its variants are now freely sold throughout the world.

While it was almost certainly intended in the minds of its designers to be a military and law enforcement sidearm, remarkably, it was never adopted as such by any nation or police agency of significant size on either side of the Iron Curtain until after the fall of communism. Today, the military forces, police and other government agencies of more than 40 countries issue it.

Brothers, Josef and Frantisek Kouck_, developed the CZ-75 in 1974 and began making it the following year. With the lack of foresight typical of communist bureaucrats, the pistol's potential for commercial sales was unanticipated. For that reason the brothers state employers neglected to go through the most basic and ordinary procedure any western business would follow. They didn't bother to patent it.

As with most modern semi-automatic pistols of the past few decades, The CZ-75 features a double action first-shot, with subsequent rounds fired in single action mode. Its grip-frame is very comfortable, although the double action trigger reach is a bit long for some hands.

There is really nothing especially unique about the pistol's fundamental design. What makes it so good is the melding of a number of proven features from other sources into a pistol of remarkably fine balance, reliability and accuracy. The camming mechanism originally designed by John Browning, which unlocks and drops the rear portion of the barrel as the slide retracts in recoil is a key component of its reliability.

Much of the CZ-75's excellent reputation for accuracy is derived from the slide rails being placed on the inside of the frame. This lends greater support along the slide's entire length to reduce to a minimum any lateral shift during the earliest stages of the firing sequence.

Perhaps chief among the CZ-75's features is the care with which it is made. Constructed with CNC machinery, the tolerances of its components are kept close. The final assembly procedure includes the technician hand tuning the parts, particularly the springs and the magazines. However, there is one aspect to the manufacturing process that is all but unknown elsewhere in the industry and that is the factory break-in procedure.

It is axiomatic that all firearms require a break-in period before their component parts begin to work together at optimum level. The completed CZ-75 is placed in a machine which subjects it to an oil bath, while cycling the slide and pulling the trigger, repeatedly, at the rate of 100 times a minute, for about seven minutes. This operation serves to remove any remaining burrs, polish key parts along bearing surfaces and to save the new owner's time and the expense of shooting the hundreds of rounds required to break the pistol in.

The CZ's influence is subtle, not dramatic. The early sense of mystery regarding this forbidden fruit coming from outside the normal channels of trade caused other makers to investigate and copy it. The obvious advantages of its design appealed to consumers in a part of the world notorious for restrictions upon private personal ownership of firearms in general, and handguns in particular. Shooters were willing to endure the bureaucratic blocks in the path of ownership in order to have what many considered the best commercially available handgun of its kind. Sales of both originals and clones were outstanding throughout much of Europe, while in the US, the world's strongest handgun market, the pistol was virtually unknown. Now that the Czech Republic is independent, the CZ-75 and its related derivations, such as the CZ-85, CZ-97 and CZ-100 are readily available here, and throughout the world.

THE BERETTA MODEL 92F(S)

An evolutionary development of Beretta's single action semi-automatic Model 951, known also as the Brigadier, the Model 92 is essentially the same pistol with a double action lockwork. First introduced in 1976, it came to public attention during the US Army Ordnance trials that began in 1982, in that organization's search for a replacement for the tried and true M 1911-A1.

The Government Model .45 had at that time been the standard issue pistol for the US Armed Forces for more than 70 years. The trials generated much controversy among civilians and military personnel, alike. Admirers of the old .45 reasoned that the John Browning designed pistol remained as good a choice as ever, it being one of the most reliable military handguns ever made. Moreover, the .45 ACP cartridge for which it is chambered is, particularly in the FMJ ball loading required for military combat, a far superior manstopper than any 9mm round of the same sort. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," was the general feeling.

Those who argued against retaining the Government Model .45 pointed out that existing stocks of the pistol were beginning to show severe wear. There had, after all, been no new government contracts for significant numbers of those pistols entered into since 1946. Moreover, the treaties by which we are bound with our NATO allies require a commonality of standard issue ammunition. All the other nations in that organization issue 9mm pistols, so America should follow suit. One of the more telling points that was raised is that its power and reliability notwithstanding, the recoil of the .45 is difficult for the new shooter to learn to control. Most of the service people who would carry a pistol would not be recreational shooters or competitors who would learn to master it. Infrequent shooters would find the 9mm easier to use effectively.

Among the strongest objections to adoption of the Beretta pistol was that it was made in Italy. Should war come, it was felt that the US would be in an untenable logistical position if it had to rely upon an overseas manufacturer to supply its arms. This argument was vacated when Beretta agreed to establish a factory in Accokeek, MD in which to make them.

On January 15, 1985, the Beretta Model 92F was officially adopted as the standard issue pistol for US Armed Forces and given the designation, M-9. The initial contract called for an order of 320,000 pistols. As of 1996, more than 390,000 had been procured.

Once the pistols began arriving in the hands of military personnel the consensus seemed to be that they are, indeed, easier to master than the Government Model. This impression was bolstered by a dramatic improvement in qualification scores among the troops. The initial resistance to change turned to enthusiastic endorsement among the rank and file. Then, catastrophic slide failures began to occur. Several individuals were injured, some severely, when the slides of the pistols they were shooting cracked and the rear portion came back to hit them in the face. There was an immediate safety stand-down to investigate the cause of these failures.

The initial culprit was thought to be the use of high pressure ammunition. Ultimately the problem was shown to be metallurgical. Two changes were made in order to prevent any more accidents. First, a slide retaining pin was incorporated into the frame, so that if a slide failed, it could not come off the rear of the frame. This is the reason for the model designation change, making the modified pistol the Model 92F(S) in civilian parlance. Second, it was noted that none of the pistols made in Italy had experienced such failures, so the metallurgical formula of the US made pistol slides, which had been slightly different, was changed to conform to the Italian formula.

As has been the experience with many other handguns, military acceptance has had a decided influence upon civilian and law enforcement interest. The Beretta M-92F(S) has become a civilian favorite for Action Pistol shooting and, in its recently improved target versions, for ISU and National Match competition. It's the frequent choice of many owners for personal defense and one of the most frequently issued handguns to the law enforcement community in the world.

THE GLOCK

Widely admired, the Glock is just as often disliked. There seems little middle ground. Nevertheless, it stands as the first commercially successful service pistol with a polymer frame. Its original purpose was to serve as a military sidearm. To that end, every effort was made to make it impervious to extremes of climate. However hot or cold it may be, if man can survive the environment, so too can a Glock pistol, and keep on shooting.

The Glock was introduced in Austria in 1983 and by 1985 was sold throughout the world. While Austria and a few other European nations have adopted it for military service, it's been especially popular with police agencies. Aside from its simplicity of construction (only 35 parts are used to make one), the pistol has no conventional manual safety controls. Instead, it uses what the maker calls a "safe-action" system that includes a trigger safety, a firing pin safety and a drop safety.

The only one of these that is under the direct control of the user is the trigger safety. That consists of a stud that protrudes from the center of the trigger. Unless and until it is depressed the main body of the trigger cannot be made to move. As long as the user keeps his finger off the trigger until actually ready to make the shot, as should always be the case when handling any firearm, there is no possibility that the pistol will shoot. However, once that stud is depressed, the pistol is ready to fire.

Few pistols will stand up to the punishment a Glock will tolerate without obvious outward signs of wear and abuse. Many regard that to be one of the pistol's most desirable characteristics. The Glock may be holster carried, dropped, thrown and neglected, but a badly used pistol looks little different from a new one.

Worth noting is that Glock's factory literature is absolutely adamant in admonishing the user against shooting these pistols with lead bullet ammunition, handloads and remanufactured cartridges. Unless factory loaded virgin ammunition is used there is the danger of catastrophic failure. Many who have chosen to ignore these warnings have come to regret it.

With the Glock's introduction came an outcry from stupid politicians and ignorant news reporters that this was a plastic pistol designed to defeat metal detectors and airport X-ray scanners. The slide, barrel and springs used to build a Glock pistol are all made of steel and will set off a metal detector just as surely as any other firearm. As to the matter of its supposed ability to defeat an X-ray, visibility with that technology is a matter of density, not the material of which the object is made. If these numbskulls were correct, it would not be possible for your doctor to do diagnostic X-ray studies of anyone, except perhaps an android.

Glock has led the way and now most major handgun makers offer polymer framed pistols of their own design. Even as newer and more innovative uses of that material are added to firearms technology, the Glock promises to remain popular for the foreseeable future.

RUGER'S STANDARD MODEL .22

Two young men, each very different from the other, came together to form a partnership. At the time, no one could have foreseen the consequences. The first was of an academic bent. His greatest interests in life were the visual and literary arts; especially poetry. But, heraldry was his passion. The other was a talented young engineer who specialized in designing hand tools. Their common interests were a strong mutual friendship and a serious commitment to gun collecting. From these unlikely circumstances there grew the germ of an idea that would come to flourish as one of the great firearms manufacturing enterprises of the 20th century.

The initial idea was that of a .22 caliber pistol that was so elegant in its simplicity, efficient in mechanical design and ergonomically compatible in the hand of the average shooter that its introduction created a sensation throughout the shooting community. First offered at a suggested retail price of $39.95, it was eminently affordable, yet its reliability and accuracy were on a par with the best pistols in its class that the competition had to offer.

The time was 1949. The individuals were Alexander Sturm, who provided the initial capitalization of $50,000 for the budding young enterprise and Bill Ruger, whose genius for firearms design would prove in years to come to rank with the greatest names in the history of the industry. By the end of 1950 approximately 10,000 of the new pistols had been shipped and a veritable blizzard of orders for it continued to pour in. It seemed that the more were made the more were needed to fill demand.

Sturm's sudden and untimely death from hepatitis in 1951, was a tragedy, but as personally painful as his loss was to Bill Ruger, the firm the two had started continued apace. In the years to follow, the innovative new pistol's design was further refined and the firm's product line was expanded. As early as 1951 the Target Model was in production. Then, in 1953, the smallbore pistol championship at the National Matches was won by a competitor using the target version of the pistol. Suddenly, the shooting public's perception of what had been thought of as a simple field pistol to be used for plinking and outdoor utility purposes changed. It was now a precision paper puncher for the serious competitor.

In the intervening years the pistol has undergone some minor changes to make it safer, more efficient to manufacture and to shoot. Yet, it remains so nearly the same as the original version that there is little outward indication of these changes. Still, it is not the Ruger Standard Model .22's excellence as an individual product that make it one of the most influential handguns of the 20th century. There are many other pistols of its kind in the marketplace that can do what it does afield and in competition. What really makes the Standard Model one of the most significant handguns of the century is what the pistol made possible. It provided the financial foundation for what would become one of the greatest arms making enterprises in all of history.

Unique among the giants of industry, Sturm, Ruger & Co. has expanded its product line exponentially over the years. Remarkably, it has always done so without resorting to the usual practice of obtaining financing from outside sources. The cost of all its progress has been derived from the earnings made on the products that went before. Considering how much progress that amounts to, the Ruger Standard Model .22 may just be tops on the list of significant handguns of the 20th century.