.25 AUTOMAG
See .32 Automag (below). The same rationale applies.

.32 AUTOMAG
This would simply be an elongated, extra-powerful .32 ACP cartridge. Why .32? Because it is small in diameter, yet almost as powerful as 9mm, which is the minimum I would consider for self-defense. Test after test proves regular .32 ACP just doesn't do the job, but almost does. A magnum .32 would probably do just fine, and would still be small in diameter. High-capacity self defense guns could then be made even smaller than they are now, with their 9mm loads. Can you see the Seecamp firing magnum loads? I'd love it! HCI would hate it! Reason enough to build it!

.22 SCAMP
.22 SCAMP was a cartridge (and a pistol built around it) developed for the Air Force by Colt around 1980. The gun was for aircrews and other people needing a small, rapid-fire personal defense weapon useable in tight, confined spaces. Colt designed this and the Arm Gun (see below) for that purpose; neither was adopted.

The word SCAMP stood for (I think) Small Colt Automatic Machine Pistol. The gun looked a lot like the Steyr TMP with a grip magazine, high ejection port and low-mounted, compensated barrel. Indeed, I'll bet someone at Steyr saw the SCAMP before starting work on the TMP; the similarities are too coincidental. The SCAMP fired 18 rounds from an inclined, pistol type magazine; the TMP uses a straight, Uzi-type magazine. That and the gun's profile the only major differences.

The .22 SCAMP round was a bottlenecked, center-fire cartridge with a .22 bullet in it. This allowed magazine capacity and ammo storage requirements identical to that of center-fire automatics, but with a higher-velocity projectile. The bottlenecked round was also easier to load and fire in full-auto, a vital feature in combat.

Colt supposedly made at least one full-auto and one 3-round burst version of the SCAMP. I wonder where they are today? Gee, it sure would be nice to have a domestic competitor to the TMP, not to mention regular autopistols in that nifty caliber. Well, I can dream ...

5.7 AUTO
Yeah, I know, this one is technically "available" - to the Govarmints, that is. This cartridge was developed by FN for their P90 sub-machine gun and Five-seveN (the wierd capitalization is correct!) pistol. What I want to know is, why hasn't anyone else done anything with it?

The 5.7 round is similar in concept to the .32 SCAMP but even smaller; the shell is about .30 cal. and the slug is, of course, 5.7mm or about .224 cal. Perfect for a tiny handgun, don't you think? Imagine it in a Seecamp with a 10-rd. clip!

Friends, this is really a wonder-round, a superround. It is miniscule yet devastating. Of course penetration suffers when shorter barrels are used, but it's still pretty darned good. I'm amazed progressive companies like Glock haven't jumped on it. Just imagine: 10 rounds in a Seecamp, and powerful rounds too. How about 14 in a PPK? The mind drools ...

ARM GUN
I read about this one in a book on modern arms, but I can't remember the title. The Arm Gun was a prototype made by Colt for the Air Force as a personal defense weapon for aircrews. It was never adopted, but it's still a good idea.

The Arm Gun looked like an M-16 sawed off down to the trigger. It had a short stock and an even shorter barrel which ended just in front of the trigger guard. This was a bullpup design, with a full-sized rifle clip (and full-sized rifle ammo!) in the stock. Overall it looked very much like the Heckler & Koch VP70 with the stock attached.

The Arm Gun was approximately a foot long, maybe a few inches more, and designed for one-handed operation. A steadying hand could be held to the stock, but wasn't essential. I don't know if this is true or I imagined it (damn I wish I had that book!) but I seem to recall a strap at the butt which let the shooter strap it to his arm just below the elbow - truly an "Arm Gun."

Why hasn't anyone come out with such a weapon? It sounds like the perfect carbine to me. You know HCI would be screaming that it's a "genocide gun" due to its ease of use.

OVERSIZED TRIGGER GUARDS
One feature I love which the FN Five-seveN and HK Mk.23 share is their ovesized trigger guard. This simple design alteration makes it possible for someone wearing gloves to easily fire them. Why don't ALL pistols have this? What are we supposed to do if we get attacked in the winter, say "wait 'til I take my gloves off, Mr. Criminal, so I can shoot you."?? This ought to be mandated by the BATF as a safety feature! Of course I'm an anarchist, so I'm against any kind of legislation, but it wouldn't hurt for gunmakers to adopt this excellent and long-overdue idea. Then again, it's probably yet another "genocidal feqature" the gun-grabbers would soon scream bloody murder about - literally.