NRA's top ten handguns

[coyotejoe]

NRA TV did an episode in which their "experts" selected the top ten handguns of all time. It was no surprise they voted the old 1911 as the number one but some others were quite surprising. The slightly ridiculous broom handle Mauser was on the list as was the totally ridiculous "Volcanic" lever action repeating pistol toy gizmo. The Colt SAA made the list but there was no mention of the cap & ball revolvers which probably saw more actual combat than any other handgun ever! In fact the C&B revolver was the first really practical combat handgun. Cavalry made some use of the singleshot ML pistol but the saber was their primary weapon. Officers carried the singleshot ML pistol as a badge of rank but they also relied on the sword as the real weapon. During the civil war and the early plains Indian wars every foot soldier needed a revolver for the close combat where he had no time to reload his muzzleloading musket and the revolver made the saber more ornamental than practical. By the time the 1911 came along the repeating rifle had relegated the pistol to a backup role, carried only by those "authorized" and actually fired at the enemy very little.
 Of course there were lots of cap&ball revolvers and I guess it would be difficult to narrow it down to just one model but my vote would got to the 1851 Navy Colt as the first practical belt gun with adequate power for serious military use. Earlier revolvers were either too heavy to carry or too underpowered to rely upon. The 1860 Army was an improvement but not so much as to make the Navy obsolete.  What say you all?

[Axehandle]

I don't think the NRA's top ten was a most popular gun thing...   Ever held a Broomhandle?....  To look at those things and realize that they are pre 1900 is amazing to me...  Of course I do agree with you that a good solid cap and ball revolver should have made the list... Can there be any doubt where the Colt SAA came from?

[gypsyman]

Didn't see it. Did they leave out Browning Hi-Power, any of the S&W's,(10-27-29),Glocks?? Just wondering.  gypsyman

[Skunk]

Gypsyman, I think it went like this:

10. S&W Registered magnum
9. Browning Hi-Power
8. Mauser Broomhandle
7. Walther PP series
6. Colt Single action Army
5. Volcanic pistol
4. S&W Model 1
3. Glock 17
2. S&W Hand Ejector (Model 10, M&P Revolver, Victory model etc...)
1. Colt 1911 & 1911A1

[Wishoot]

WHAT??

Jimenez didn't make it to the list?

 

[Lloyd Smale]

probably more of mater of inovations then it is to popularity. If so a single six would have to be included as it kick started the single action craze and if it werent for the single action rugers the colt single action would have been dead and buried many years ago. Personaly i think the volcanic and the broom handle could have been eliminated and that the luger and p38 would have been better choises too and although im not a big fan of them the tc contendor should have had an honarable mention as should the 29 smith and the model 15 smith.

[His lordship.]

One of the problems of rating the "greatest" of all time is what is familiar to them.  For instance, the cap and ball revolvers and the Mauser broom handle are not really known to most gun owners in having shot them, used them, etc.  I have owned both and know the history.  Some said that Michael Jackson is the king of pop, years ago it was Elvis, and Bing Crosby before him, and Caruso before.  I think it is a generational issue and what we personally know.   

Some designs like the 1911, PPK, and the single action cartridge revolver remain popular, still in production, in terms of timeless design I would make sure they are on the list.

[sixgun_symphony]

Agreed that the 1851 Navy Colt should have made the top then list.

[highwayman]

what about s@w model 10/15?

[mcwoodduck]

I saw that as well and they have two of the same on the list.
the Registered Mag is now called a S&W M27 and is a hand ejector model  like all the other S&W models on the list like the J frame, K , L and N frames.  Why single one out and not the others.  But I digress why not lump it into the others and give another choice.  Like a Luger that had most of the features we like, push button mag release, mag well in the grip, delayed blow back, single action, and multiple mechanical safeties, as an example.
My top ten would be.
10)The Broom handle- Delayed blow back and first sucessful automatic.
9) the 1911- Good design and one of the first of the leggo guns (lots of stuff to bolt on and customize)
the S&W M60-  1st stainless steel gun.  Started the whole Stainless idea. Plus the whole hand ejector series.
7) the glock- use of molded plastics.
6) the Sig P220- Fist 45 auto that would shoot a staggard mag with out having to tune the gun to the load like the 1911
5) Colt 1903- pocket pistol  Started the medium frame pocket pistols
4) walther PP- Double action Medium frame pocket pistols- basis for most now being used
3) Hi Standard Victory model- High end target 22's that lead to the Ruger Auto as well as the Browning 22 Autos being affordable.
2) S&W No.1  First bored through cartridge revolver.
1) And the colt Patterson- fist sucessfull single barreled revolver (Pepper box was earlier)
Other mentions:  would have been.  Remington 41 derrenger.
Colt Peacemaker (SAA)
S&W ejector guns -No. 1 to the No3 russian and Schofield as well as the original lemmon squeezer.  And being a sucessfull double action.
The Adams revolver- Double action percussion out of England that was compitition for Colt, Remington, and S&W was the basis for the Colt lightning design.
The Colt lightning- Medium frame double action, similar to what most carried for almost 50 years.