Guys,
Can we keep the "stainless frames and the people who love them" discussions to another of the established threads? Or start a new one about how disappointed you may be that a stainless frame was not introduced at the SHOT show?
No -- there is no news on stainless frames, and I thought I said before that there wouldn't be.
In some opinions, a stainless frame R-9 would make the perfect carry gun. In its designer's opinion, an alloy frame makes the perfect carry gun. The whole point is the smallest, lightest 9mm...
Yes, there haven't been any huge innovations since the R-9 debuted. How many do we expect? These guys are selling as many R-9s as they can make right now and are trying recoup a HUGE investment. If they can sell a few more at higher price points (and they CAN) along the way with different colors or limited editions, who can criticise them?
Karl has told me he would rather design guns all day than make guns all day -- but that doesn't pay the bank notes or the salaries or the rent.
The R-380, however, which is shipping very soon -- is a big deal. The R-380 eliminates the "envelope pushing" problems of the 9mm and should be nearly a perfect gun if .380 ACP is enough gun for you.
As for someone coming out with a gun that is a vast improvement on the R-9, anything is possible. But, remembering the mission -- smallest, lighest 9mm -- I don't believe that anything more than very minor incremental downsizing is even possible given the laws of physics. Karl should know -- he tried for years.
The R-9 prototype came out at SHOT 2003. For five years, nothing else has come close. Don't tell me that Kel-Tec isn't trying...
One other thing -- I don't see any reason that a stainless steel frame would be markedly more expensive than current models. The price increases in the limited edition models relate to higher labor costs, higher material costs, and limited availability.