Well, there isnt any definition as regards a handgun, it seems it's an offshoot of the scout rifle idea. Some of the comments seem like they didnt really understand what the scout rifle is, or what it's elements of design are.
As jeepnik said, and I agree to a point, that optics improve hits in various conditions, but a hangun is a different tool than a rifle. In any event, one of the main virtues of the scout idea was to be as handy as possible. I was opining that optics on a handgun take some of that away. On a rifle, not so much, and add quite a lot to rifles range and hitting ability under poor light, tho the scout idea doesn't even require a scope (a common misconception regarding the scout concept. The forward mounted scope was simply one of many parts of the whole idea).
This is a fairly good overview of the idea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_rifle
This is what I was refering to in the "dont really get it" post.
L_Kilkenny wrote:Not to bash on the scout concept some more ( but dang it is so easy) many of you are missing the point. It's not to take what is the perfect production packin pistol, or a 1911 or a SA .45colt or whatever and use it. Yes, these and many others are the perfect multitool already. But to make a "scout handgun" you have to take that perfect handgun and add bells and whistles which no one needed or asked for. It can't be a factory configeration 1911, or MKII, or Single Six, or S&W 4" .357. This isn't the prefect woods or packing gun we're talkin about, we already have plenty of those. It's to be a scout handgun. But remember you have to have gun writer support or it will fail. Cooper obviously isn't available but my understanding that St. Terry might be.
LK
This is apparently a misunderstanding of the idea in regards to the rifle. I haven't figured out what the "bells and whistles" are refered to. Somebody must have needed or wanted them, whatever they are, since they were being custom built for a while before any factories made anything resembling the idea, other than the old Remington 600-660's. Many have no desire or need for them, they certainly aren't for everyone, tho I don't understand why some would wish to denigrate something simply because they dont want one, or dont understand the concept of its use and design. They must be doing something right if all those that have used them in the Gunsite rifle classes have been able to hit straightaway flying clays by the end of class. Most users of regular scoped bolt action hutning rifles aren't able to do that, as far as I know. And no, nothing is totally new or earthshaking, it was an attempt to figure out the most efficient way to build and use the bolt action rifle as a general purpose rifle.
I think the reason we don't have any "scout handguns", is that there are plenty of very good general purpose handguns already, that need no help in any way.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Why??????????