Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- Prior to SHOT Show2019, Franklin Armory made a bit of a splash by releasing information about a prototype, magazine fed pistol that was non-Semi-Automatic, but which looked very much like a Semi-Automatic. The pistol in the picture has a pistol arm brace, making it look like a carbine.
The firearm was said to utilize a digital action, and to fire one round with each pull of the trigger.
Jay Jacobson, President of Franklin Armory, was kind enough to take time and explain how the system works. He used the prototype to show the system operating the bolt and bolt carrier. Jay explained he would not show the internal parts.
First, the digital action has everything to do with a flesh and blood digit, not a numerical one. The digit that powers the system is the trigger finger.
We already have systems that do this. They are called double action revolvers.
There was another system that used finger power to feed from a magazine. It was the Dardick pistol and carbine, an interesting combination of revolver and magazine feed. A few were produced, it was not successful.
The Providence digital system is different. It uses a reciprocating bolt and bolt carrier system to feed cartridges from the magazine into the chamber and to extract and eject the fired cartridge cases.
The bolt head of the Providence system is similar to the AR-15 multi-lug system. It locks with a rotating bolt. The bolt rotates about 23 degrees.
The firing sequence is this.
- The firearm starts with an empty chamber or a fired case in the chamber.
- Pulling the trigger unlocks the bolt, retracts the bolt and bolt carrier, and ejects the fired case if there is one.
- The trigger continues to retract the bolt carrier and the bolt, until the trigger releases both.
- Then the bolt and bolt carrier move forward, stripping a round from the magazine and chambering it.
- The bolt carrier continues forward, rotating and locking the bolt.
- There is a fixed firing pin on the bolt carrier. The bolt carrier continues forward. The firing pin on the bolt carrier impacts the primer, firing the chambered round. The fired case stays in the chamber, locked in by the bolt.
- The sequence begins again with another pull of the trigger.
- An advantage of the system, firing from a locked bolt, would be to take full advantage of a suppressor. There is no gas leakage to the rear of the fired case. No gas or powder fouling is introduced into the action.
There is a non-reciprocating charging handle on the left side of the firearm. Jay indicated, that in production models, the charging handle might be used to put the firearm into “single action” mode.
I presume that would be to retract the bolt and bolt carrier, extracting a fired case. Then the function of the trigger would be to release the bolt and bolt carrier to fire the firearm.
Such an action would be a novel version of a straight pull bolt action.
Another advantage of this non-semi-automatic is legal acceptability. Jay told me they are working to have this action classed as a “C” type action in Europe. That would mean it would be available to most people. The magazines would be limited to 10 rounds.
The initial calibers would be 9mm, 10mm, and .45.
The price has been estimated to be about $1500. No Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price is available at this time.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
I would be very careful before purchasing anything from Franklin Arms, especially a new technology. If they make a mistake on your order…you will pay for it.
sooo…like a Splatmaster Rapide paintball gun?
It’s moot in California as they do not allow new designed pistols to be sold there. All pistols have to be on a roster and no new designs are accepted to the roster. It is a brilliant idea to get around semi auto bans in restricted states. I confidently predict that the next Democrat President will use Trumps’ bump stock precedent and order the department of justice to write regulations banning all work arounds of the National firearms act. Pistol Braces and binary triggers will be gone with the stroke of a pen. It was a very bad precedent for… Read more »
Remember when California was a free state? I can but it has been so long it’s fading from memory.
The trigger pull cant be worse than an early glock
Seems to be a closed bolt system except it’s not full auto. My question is, how do you HOLD THE WEAPON STILL through extraction, bolt coming back, picking up a new round, inserting and firing?
No mention of the weight of the trigger pull . . . or how heavy it might get if the spent cartridge case is just a LITTLE bit “sticky” in the chamber. And . . . if after releasing the bolt and bolt carrier the firing pin immediately fires the cartridge, in effect it will be like an “open bolt” action as on many machine guns. There is apparently ZERO potential for full auto fire, but the vibration and impact of the feed cycle and bolt travel an instant before the gun fires will not lend itself to fine accuracy.… Read more »
Hummmmmm, A new pistol with a stock–is that ATF legal?
It’s a brace, stupid
Hey dummy, not sure why I waste my time on a troll, but if it walks like, looks like and quacks like a duck (or you) it is a duck! ATF will determine “function” right or wrong and will find it a stock.
There are tons of these ‘braced’ pistols already in production. Just FYI.
It is NOT a stock my friend, that is a pistol brace.
100% legal
I just wonder how long it would take the ATF to re-write the rules to include this one too? After all, if they were allowed to re-write bumpstocks they can re-write anything – it’s all about distorting the English language to make things into something they’re clearly not. The gun is just an expensive novelty… will end up getting confiscated along with the rest of the semi-automatics, even if it’s not a semi-automatic. Welcome to America – the Democrats & RINOs own it now.
Aren’t WE in a defeatist mood today. There will always be gun control pressure. You have to learn to live with it or give up your guns & take up knitting. Where would we be if they had said “Aw, screw it, the British are going to come anyway”
A small step for man. A giant step backward for mankind.
I wanna see the finger(s) and hand of the guy who can fire thousands of rounds a day with this…
People with severe myopia and a foggy failure of imagination completely miss the grave significance of this firearm, and in general its design— the operating principle, regardless the patented parts. Forget about what your personal feelings are about Jay, Franklin, and “straight lands and grooves.” Think hard, and understand what this is: it is as significant as the SB Tactical brace, the Thordsen stock, or for that matter Slidefire’s bumpfire stock. Only potentially much more so… much more. Never mind “the European market,” and remember that several states in the “United” States of America are just as statist, fascist, and… Read more »
@ Mort Good explanation but can you imagine explaining this to a judge or even just your run of the mill anti gun. You would lose them with your first sentence. It is a novel idea if it works like it is supposed to and the ATF leaves it alone.
The potential for this to push SCOTUS into a comprehensive ruling exists, but only if it generates demand in states like California and New York. The end game of the hoplophobes (deep state, new world order, whatever your preferred label is) has always been to limit the public to single shot firearms, and then only with permission. They recognize this sort of thing for what it is; passive (so far) resistance, and only an idiot would deny that it is growing, rapidly. That’s why the Left is desperate to keep the border open, and/or get us into another major land… Read more »
Who really needs an explanation of how an AR pattern gun with no a twist land and groove barrel works? Can’t really say “rifling” I guess. While they’re at it, would they please explain how a sling shot and Trebuchet works? I understand they’re working on AR pattern shoulder weapons for both of them too.
I don’t believe there was anything said about no rifling in this firearm.
He’s an idiot
They introduced the other thing last year, has anyone actually gotten one yet? Neat idea but seems like maybe they should work on getting products out before inventing new ones.
I have one and there are 2 in my LGS
I stand corrected, I could not find them anywhere yet.