The P365 did many things for the carry gun world, and most of them started with R. It revolutionized carry guns. It reduced size while increasing efficiency. Without a doubt, it revitalized carry guns. It also ruined them—kind of. I know that’s a big claim, and it’s not the first firearm to ruin an entire genre of weaponry. Let me explain a bit.
The Problem With The Modern Carry Gun
HK recently unveiled a new handgun. We knew it was coming, and lots of people were excited. They’re starting production here in the United States, so what could it be? An optics-ready USP? I really want a P30 with an optics cut. What could it be?
It was the CC9. A gun most of the industry, including HK fanboys, gave a hearty meh. It’s a micro-compact, like the P365. It’s a polymer frame, striker-fired, optics-ready, has a rail, and offers 12 rounds of 9mm in a compact package. HK is roughly six years behind SIG and four to five years behind the rest of the industry.
I’m sure it’s a fine gun. It will likely perform very well and be reliable, accurate, and modern. Why the meh? The market is saturated with micro-compacts that more or less clone the P365. More options are better, but it seems like the carry gun market desires something different. When you examine the market, the only company doing anything different in this space is S&W, with the CSX.
Ever since SIG introduced the P365, the rest of the market has clamored to catch up. S&W has three micro compacts, Taurus has one, Springfield has one, Kimber has one, Ruger has one, and I know I’m forgetting some. There are just so many these days.
A Plague Upon Us?
Okay, that headline is a bit dramatic, I admit. The industry is in an interesting era. There are more options than ever for a carry gun. They’re all mostly affordable but also very boring. Boring isn’t bad. It’s just boring. As mentioned, this has happened before.
The AR-15 did the same thing to rifles. The AR-15 rules the rifle world, and every rifle released will be compared to the AR-15. I’m not the only one who quit reading gun magazines because every issue was a packet of AR-15 and 1911 reviews. Luckily, the rifle market was broken open by various AR-18 derivatives, such as the Carmel from IWI.
This also happened with Glock. We went from a fairly diverse market of guns to a ton of polymer frames and striker-fired pistols. FN, SIG, S&W, Taurus, and pretty much every other company seemed to make what’s basically a Glock clone. We haven’t fully broken out of Glock mania, but 2011s and guns like the CZ Shadow 2 are helping break the mold.
What about the humble carry gun? How long will we be stuck with generic polymer frames and optics-ready micro-compacts? I’m not saying these are bad guns; I just want to see companies try something different and new. I’ll give it up to S&W with the Bodyguard 2.0; it’s a pocket rocket with some micro-compact flair.
Taurus also seems to be willing to create optics-ready modern revolvers. S&W and the Ultimate Carry series also stand out in that same revolver world. They might help, but I don’t see us breaking the basic micro-compact mold anytime soon.
Is it That Bad?
The industry has hit a saturation point with firearms. There are more than ever, and it doesn’t seem like sales have been massive or impactful compared to previous years. Does the industry need a creative boost?
It’s easy to say they do, but what can they produce that’s all that different? We haven’t seen many radical changes to the technology, and the last big one was the efficiency change the P365 brought about.
So what’s the answer? I wish I had it, and I hate to bring up a problem without having some kind of solution. I think we’re stuck with the micro-compact carry gun for the time being. New calibers, like .30 Super Carry, haven’t taken off as predicted.
There isn’t much in the material game we can do, and technology hasn’t improved drastically. I think it’s a waiting game for the next product that will ruin a genre of guns. Maybe the industry and the media should put forward a focus on using your guns rather than just buying new guns.
SIG and Bergara have training divisions, and Walther, in coordination with Safariland, sponsors free classes for Law Enforcement. Why can’t other companies do the same? Maybe it’s time to retool and refocus from the guns to how they’re used.
