How the Providence Non Semi-Automatic Pistol Works, Shot Show 2019

Ammoland ^ | 28 January, 2019 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

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.

[RightGeek]

Non semi-automatic too, but very comforting

[Bulwyf]

A Burris scope might of been your issue hah.

[Carriage Hill]

Another unneeded piece of hardware to a problem which doesn’t really exist.

[mylife]

Stooopid..

worse than a pump action AK

[Celerity]

Electric ammo feed is a BIG no no with the ATF.

And electric triggering mechanisms too.

[Chainmail]

Nah. The question this weapon answered was «do we need a finger-powered reapeating rifle? »

Since John Browning discovered that the energy of the cartridge was more than adequate to cycle the action, who would be goofy enough to ask for finger power?

[marktwain]

Who would be goofy enough to outlaw using energy from the cartridge to cycle the action???

The question answers itself.

[Myrddin]

My oddball .22 is a Contender 20" barrel in 5.7. Plenty of ammo available. Centerfire, reloadable. The advantage of shooting it from the Contender barrel is the brass doesn't balloon as it does in the 5.7 pistol or P90S rifle. I just added another oddball .22 with a 224 Valkyrie. I'm waiting for a Bushnell 4.5x18 40mm scope with a 224 Valkyrie BDC reticle. List price is $229. Some Warne steel rings will likely add another $30 to stand it up. The reticle is design for zero at 100 yards with holdover dots at 100 yard intervals below. The long range shooters are getting good results out to 1600 yards.

[Myrddin]

The new Wiley Clapp GP100 10mm with 3" barrel is pretty nice. Novak rear, fiber optic front sight. Can be fired without moon clips and removing spent brass is easy with a finger top. Moon clips makes load/eject faster and allows wimpy S&W 40 to play.

My range just received and S&W 986 357mag with 2 1/2" barrel. You MUST use a moonclip or the unspent rounds bury themselves deep in the cylinder...out of reach of the firing pin. Tapping them back out of the cylinder was annoying. Applying the moon clip was easy. Frankly, the frame felt big and uncomfortable with the wood grips. I've put 20,000 rounds through a 4" 686+ with Hogue Monogrips...I like that very much. The 986 won't be coming home with me. For 9mm, I much prefer the S&W M&P 2.0 9mm topped with AmeriGlo Pro sights. My shooting buddies recommend finishing the M&P with the Apex trigger upgrade (aluminum hardware).

[Charles Martel]

Aguila just dropped a batch of 5mm on the market; check Midway and the other usual sources.

[MileHi]

I can’t think of a single reason for it’s existence.

Because they came up with something different and want to see if the market will buy into it? I don't want one. I don't want a Glock either, but some folks like them.

[TXnMA]

The description of the action is not sufficiently clear.

Does this thing fire from an open bolt?

[marktwain]

It depends on how you define "open bolt".

The bolt is closed at the start.

The trigger unlocks and retracts the bolt and bolt carrier, then releases them to fire the next round.

Is that firing from an open bolt?

[Chainmail]

So we should answer the problem for the gun-grabbers by spontaneously inventing the "finger-powered "assault rifle""?

Again, who asked for it?

It's like the army's "selectable effects hand grenade" - I'd love to know which moron thought that grenades needed to be something with a dial on it to pick which lethality best suited the occasion.

[Teacher317]

to fire one round with each pull of the trigger... 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.

How is that not semi-auto?

[Clint N. Suhks]

I thought a revolver is a semi-automatic by definition? One pull one shot...

[Carriage Hill]

From the article:

“The firearm was said to utilize a digital action, and to fire one round with each pull of the trigger.”

It is semi-automatic; the inventor/FFL/writer are idiots.