I was on an other site recently and responded to a thread about gun quality. It got me to thinking maybe I'm all wet. Have any of you ever felt the guns you had were not up to the task because they weren't pretty enough? Or more to the point you were embarrassed to use them because of what someone might say?

I just can't bring myself to understand this "logic"

longwalker

Howdy longwalker. I look at a gun as a tool don't get me wrong i take care of my guns and keep them in the best shape i can but there still a tool and (imo) it doesen't matter what brand or what they look like, if they take care of the job at hand.
Joe

Well dont get me wrong here , I love a purty piece of wood or the outward appearence of fine workmanship , Am lucky enuff to have two guns that fit those criteria , but to me they are tools , to be used , like Joe I try to keep them up and dont intentionally abuse them ..
One of my favorites is a Sportsman 48 16 gauge auto loader .. We rented part of our barn to an old black gentleman in the late '70's and early 80's for use as a produce stand , we were replacing the panel ceiling in that part of the barn in the late 80's , and I pulled a piece of the paneling down and got hit by something that scared s*** outta me , yep there she was ..
The side it had been laying on was rusted beyond imagination , stock was all dried out .. I cleaned it and hung it on the wall for maybe 10 years , then one day I gotta hair , refinished the stock , put steel wool to the reciever , got most of the worst rust off , and let me tell ya , is the sweetest shooter I have ever had .. No she aint purty ..
I think part of your statement may reveal something about people , they don't want to be seen with something that may give the impression , they have no money ..
Jack

I used to be that way about Taurus, mostly because of their past reputation, and because of one that failed me MANY years ago. Until recently, with an argument that put in perspective on how Ruger was always what it was, S&W (their sellout and trying to bring back pride) isn't what it used to be, and how Taurus in the recent years has became one hell of a company, really compelled me to research what everybody (most everybody) thinks is....crap!

I may just get flack for saying this but i'd never take a S&W "NOW" over a Taurus. To me, the cost isn't worth it over a Ruger or Taurus that are even stronger (in 44 Mag models particularly). Fit to finish has been great also with every Taurus and Ruger revolver ive ever shot and triggers were also top notch, although hot being of S&W's smoothness, but just shy, with a very crisp and clean feel!

I've been fortunate enough to shoot quite a few handguns, and by shooting a Taurus and a Ruger with Garrett (and the likes) ammo, that is stated "only safe" in Taurus and Ruger firearms, made me think. My (at the time) new S&W 500, within the first hand full of cylinders, locked up (cylinder wouldn't open....AT ALL) and i had to disassemble the revolver and send it to S&W for a "NEW" one. Then with my "NEW" S&W 500, the cylinder would reverse rotate after shooting, so back with that one and they fixed it. Now it performs well, along with a PC 500 i got for very cheap. Plus my recently sold S&W 460, with flame cutting at the end being prevalent.
I do like older S&W, but would i buy another new one, never!

10Ring

I confess to a character flaw...actually two, but my sensitivity to recoil is for another time.

I like good looking guns, with rich blue, figured stocks, engraving, and all the goodies. Through my life, sometimes I have bought cheap, because that is all I could afford, but If it was ugly, too, it didn't last long, regardless of how well it could do. It just doesn't satisfy. But, then again, it didn't have to look good to anybody but me.

That said, I don't like Weatherby stocks, or matte finishes on guns but it's O.K. on scopes, don't like military guns much, except for the Garand, the 1911, the "Tommy gun" and the German MP44. Don't like the O3A3, but do like the Enfield 1917... I like the '56 Chevy, but not the '57, the '51 Mercury, but not the "49 and '50... I don't like most synthetic stocks, but do like laminated ones...Don't like Colt, do like S & W, and on, and on.... You get the idea.

That is what is great about the site, and where most of us live. We can state our opinions, exercise our choices, save our $ and find just about anything we "need". We respect each others' opinions and equipment, even though one sure sign of high intelligence is how closely anyone grees with me!

Howdy.This makes me think of when i go to the gun club to shoot trap. Some of these guys have $2,000 shotguns the most expenseve names out there and i go with my ol rem 1100 and ya get those looks from some of these guys. The first time i shot there i averaged 22 out of 25 and a guy told me if i had a better shotgun i would shoot better, damn i thought i did great, my point is some people out there are always gonna think they got something better than what you have. Let people think what they want. It all boils down to you being happy with it and thats all that matters.
Joe

Rest easy Longwalker...I have some pretty guns and some well used guns. Have never been embarrassed to be seen in public with the old beatup ones. You would have to really work hard to out shoot me with your fancy guns before I might show a little twing of pink in my face and it wouldn't be because of my old guns...It would just mean that I needed to practice a little more...That's all.

shrpshtrjoe wrote:

Howdy.This makes me think of when i go to the gun club to shoot trap. Some of these guys have $2,000 shotguns the most expenseve names out there and i go with my ol rem 1100 and ya get those looks from some of these guys.

You prolly got that look cuz ya shot that well with the ol remmy

But seriously, if you shot that well, you could probably consistantly shoot 24's and 25's all day long with a specific shotgun, and even compete (Perazzi and Krieghoff are normally used around here). The difference is the way the barrel is made and patterns, and if it's choked, the tubes hold better, tighter tollerences than say.....a production tube.

But then again, an aftermarket barrel for your 1100 could do the same

The problem with guns that look to good (pretty) you hate to abuse them
aka hunt with them, one good fall and it don't look so good. I have a few figured wood stock guns, that are very functional, I hunt with them, but I am more carefull about throwing them around. I like figured wood stocks but there high $$$$. . I wish all wood stock guns had fancy wood. It would be like all women or men were 9's and 10's on 1 to 10 scale.
The old saying "your bed mate can be a 10 or a 6, but if they both perform the same, the out come will be the same.....................however the 10 will be a little quicker in most cases.......it's all in the eye of the beholder. A 6 lb tack driver is going to turn on a sheep hunter, more then any fancy 9 lb gun.

How a gun looks hasn't ever bothered me and it really doensn't matter what other people think about them. Besides there's alot of cool memories in old beat up or bad looking guns especially when they are yours. Just my thoughts.--tr

We sell lots of Remingtons, Winchesters, Rugers, Tikkas, Vanguards, etc. It is a rather academic argument to suggest one is functionally better than another as they all are as successful as the hunter that is using them. That said, I too look at firearms in one regard as tools, just that some are more desireable than others on a subjective basis. But, they are not just tools.

I value craftsmanship and am drawn to those rifles that had lots of handwork. They need not be fancy nor have engraving. Pre64s, Savage 99s, Winchester 71s and Ruger No1s are all affordable, catch my eye and a few adorn my safe, but, they all get used. Two years ago I won a rifle I couldn't afford to buy, a Dakota Model 10 with many upgrades. It has been hunting numerous times and while it has a few dings from a few mishaps along the way, I catch myself smiling whenever it goes to the field or the range.

Rifles are more than just tools to me. Yes, they are a means to getting a specific job accomplished but a well crafted rifle exudes a character of its own, something a sterile piece of mass computer machined, matte finished, synthetic stocked "tool" could never have. While it may be trite to say "life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun", for me hunting with the ones I own brings an extra measure of enjoyment to any hunt. For many, myself included, well made and crafted rifles have a value beyond mere function that borders on artistic form.

Fortunately, we can have it either way or both ways.

And here I thought we were talkin' 'bout old beatup rifles that still hunt but look a sight... If we are talkin' 'bout pretty rifles and shot guns...My dress to impress guns are Browning A-Bolt and Browning 12 ga BSS...
I just hate it when I miss the whole idea and subject matter of a string...

Actually Bushmaster I believe you are on subject and I may have had one of my "rant" spells.

Oh...O K...Just checkin' handloader...Please. don't let me stop you...I'm just as guilty as you when it comes to high jackin' a string...

longwalker wrote:

I was on an other site recently and responded to a thread about gun quality. It got me to thinking maybe I'm all wet. Have any of you ever felt the guns you had were not up to the task because they weren't pretty enough? Or more to the point you were embarrassed to use them because of what someone might say? I just can't bring myself to understand this "logic" longwalker

That is how my buddies feel about my Savages. They take everything back once they see the groups they produce.!