Define 'ugly'

[Mossberg535]

After someone somewhere said the shotgun Im buying was 'ugly' :neener: I got to wondering....what is 'ugly' in your opinion ?

Is it just a brand you dont like ?
Is it something less than you paid for your gun ?
what exactly makes a gun 'ugly' ?

For me, I would only think a gun was 'ugly' if the stock was scratched up and the finished looked like my single shot (used a whole Sharpie marker on that one ;) )

The reason I ask is because I really dont find any gun to be unnattractive. Different for sure. There is that Stainless Steel 410/22 O/U combo that someone sells that reminds me of the duck billed platypus...freaky. But I dont think that its 'ugly'...just different.


Just wondering what others thought about it :)

[Geno]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No, my MIL, she's one to behold. :cool: Don't tell my wife I said that. :D

Cool firearm.

Doc2005

[Bartkowski]

Well, to some an AK might be beautiful, others think they are hideous. I think a lot of it comes from the guns ability and your needs. For instance, it you want a reliable gun in an intermediate caliber, and you see an AK, it might become good looking. However, if you own weatherby's or something like them you would probably never find an AK to be good looking.

I don't like the looks of that gun, but it is not mine so what does it matter?

[Mossberg535]

Actually, I should say that the pic I attached was the duck billed platypus, NOT the gun Im buying :D
Im buying this one
http://www.shotgunhunting.web77.org/wpimages/wp448d3a95_0f.jpg

[Geno]

Awesome Mossy! I'd like that for turkey. My Rem 870 Tactical has a grip. It helps tremendously with "felt" recoil.

[FXWG]

It's good to see Mossberg doing some interesting things with their shotguns.

[Bartkowski]

But like someone in another thread mentioned, how do you work the mossberg safety with that grip. The safety loses it's ease of use.

[Mossberg535]

But like someone in another thread mentioned, how do you work the mossberg safety with that grip. The safety loses it's ease of use.
I never use a safety at all, personally. So for me it doesnt really matter much.
But even the 535 I have with a regular wood stock is not so fun because the cheap safety doesnt really want to move very easily.
I never have liked the safety's on any of the Mossberg 500's Ive owned.

[oneounceload]

Ugly, IMO, is a gun that looks and handles like you're holding a 2x4, has a finish that looks like it was applied with a crayon by a first grader,and the checkering was done with bowsaw..........and of course, it needs to break after the first box of shells......... :D

[chas08]

The"Duck Billed Platypus", Now that's "UGLY". Your "Mossy" on the other hand, looks just fine...:D

[jpatterson]

I think they're both kinda ugly. In a cool sort of way :confused:

[Catalina25]

My third wife

[Rupestris]

Our own Dave McCracken knows UGLY. Its the Mossberg 395. You can read about it here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=143969

I only remember this because I owned one. Downright homely. Sad part was, it handled well, pointed like you wouldn't believe and was reliable.

[glocksrfugly]

"Ugly" a synonym for "Glock" !:barf:

[younganddumb]

what makes a gun ugly is the way it shoots unless your into collecting "fine firearms" {IMO all firearms are fine} just like in basketball "that was an ugly shot" if the gun shoots bad it is considerd ugly to me

[win71]

My third wife
My God, you must have married my exwife Bulldog.
Ugly = Barely pretty

[JShirley]

Okay, easy with the jokes. Let's stay on-topic if we can.

To me, a firearm is only really ugly if it's not useful. My (perhaps unfair) labeling of your shotgun was based on my belief that it might not do most of the things I might want a shotgun to do- IOW, be fast in the hands.

J

[Mossberg535]

To me, a firearm is only really ugly if it's not useful. My (perhaps unfair) labeling of your shotgun was based on my belief that it might not do most of the things I might want a shotgun to do- IOW, be fast in the hands.
I see :)
So 'ugly' doesnt always mean physical appearance to everyone, but also include functionality too.

Ive read a lot of hunting/gun boards and is astounding the differences of opinion and how varied they are.
Arguments break out over remington versus mossberg on some forums where one guy swears by one and another guy loves the other. It almost has to just come down to personal preference.

[JShirley]

Completely. Hey, I love Glocks. :)

[Dave McCracken]

That Mossberg didn't look ugly to me after taking that buck.

Frankenstein, my parts 870 with mismatched finishes may not appeal esthetically to some, but it's like a mongrel dog that finds its way into your heart.

OTOH, a Bubba'd firearm may be ugly. Like that LC SMith SxS someone "Coached". I'd still like to kick his whatever...

[Deer Hunter]

"ugly" = "Malfunction"

The most beautiful things on this earth are the ones that work when you need them to.

[jakemccoy]

An ugly gun is one that's unreliable or nonfunctional. A gun that malfunctions too often is ugly. A gun that's too pimped out is ugly.

So 'ugly' doesnt always mean physical appearance to everyone, but also include functionality too.

In my mind, functionality shapes and colors the physical appearance. I honestly cannot view a gun as being beautiful until I know that it's proven to be reliable and functional. Think about the average girl with an awesome personality. She physically starts to look like a knockout after awhile. On the other hand, the pretty girl with a crappy attitude physical starts to look ugly after awhile. I'm too old to mess with those types of pretty girls. It's the same concept with guns.

[Auburn1992]

This isn't a shotgun, but my sister once told me my Remington XR-100 was ugly :(, Infact I thought it was one of the best looking rifles I've seen.

[Geno]

Like I said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. IMHO, my Glocks are as-attractive-as my Colts. My Remington 870 Tactical is as-attractive-as my 870 Wingmaster. Each firearm has its purpose, and the form(at) fits the respective function. Now, that Mossberg is down-right an attractive shotgun. I like that muzzle break, and the sights with a VR. Great combination.

Someone commented on the tang safety being more difficult to manipulate due to the pistol grip. I still would prefer the tang safety to my Remington's safety, which lies right beside the boom-maker. The location respective to the trigger simply makes more sense.

[publiuss]

To me there are very few really ugly guns, but some are used in inappropriate forums, and some have had things done to them that are just not right. A mossberg 500 on a quail hunt would be an example, just out of place. Sporterizing something like an '03 Springfield, get the rope out for that.

[45crittergitter]

Janet Reno

[coltm]

Define 'ugly'

Any shotgun with a synthetic stock, cheap ugly wood stock and forarm.:eek:

[jhco]

hi points!!!

thats an m6 isnt it? i think there cool always wanted one but i never have found one locally

[Scoutsout2645]

That "platypus" is so ugly it went all the way back around to good-looking! If my wife sees that I know what her next gun will be!

[The Silver Bullet 1719]

The Mossberg 500 Rolling Thunder. It is the epitome of form over function.

[Fast Frank]

Ugly?

That's what it's going to be if somebody endangers my family to the point that I have to use buckshot on them.

Yessir, that's what ugly is. Very ugly indeed.

[Sam]

Any firearm with obvious plastic or aluminum construction

[cota]

Two guns draw level best as the ugliest shotguns in the world.

Brno 301
Plum ugly.:eek::eek::scrutiny:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w91/tikka25/i361331-1.jpg

But this is the star player and boy will this be controversial., it is the worlds worst styled shotgun. Germans cant make a beautifull gun / car its just not in the genes ugly language ugly machines. thats it end of story.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w91/tikka25/104671m_500.jpg

You wont convince me otherwise, it is a triumph of engineering ruling totaly over any kind of style. and for the price they charge for those mellons they could at least give a italian desighner a few euros to tidy the heap up a bit, hell i could have run a old shaping machine up and down the corners and helped it a little, and i work very cheap, they only have to ask me.
Come on just look at the chokes functional yes beautifull no. they make a terror 675 look like blo++y rembrandt made them.
Kreighoff Mr.!!! School report/ points out of ten for effort 0-0 Result. Must try harder Next year.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w91/tikka25/Krg_titanium_12-20_sm.jpg

BEERRR!!! makes me shiver just lookingf at it.

[oneounceload]

wish I could afford one of those ugly german K-guns!

[Regolith]

Personally, I can't stand thumbhole stocks. They just completely screw up the lines, I think.

[coltm]

OOO, nice K-80, I have shot one like that, a sweet swingin' gun:what:

[ChrisVV]

I used to think of my buddies, Beretta Storm was ugly, Then I shot it and saw how accurate it was.

Not so ugly anymore.

That is kind of how I look at guns.

A firearm can look cool but shoot like crap and it suddenly becomes ugly.

[atblis]

http://products.berettausa.com/images%2Fimmagini%5Fmaxi%2FJUX5T10%5Fugb%5FS%5Fmaxi%2Ejpg

[rantingredneck]

The Mossberg 500 Rolling Thunder. It is the epitome of form over function.

Yeah, that one is comic relief at best.

[BullpupBen]

In my opinion ugliness is proportionate to plastic. So my Mossberg 500 with synthetic furniture is "ugly" but an FN2000 is "uglier."

[foghornl]

ANY firearm that goes "click." when your REALLY need it to go "BOOM!"

Now, at first look, some arms fit in the category of "Pig-Butt-Stuck-In-A-Mud-Fence" unattractive; however, if it works when your need it to feed your family/ward off miscreants, that is a Beautiful Thing to Behold.

Dang it, 45crittergetter, you speak the truth, but I'm STILL sending you the bill for replacing my diet-coke filled keyboard & monitor cleaning...

[pbearperry]

Ugly to me is hunting deep in the woods and having a loose bowel movement and realizing you have no toilet paper on ya.

[4thPointOfContact]

My personal definition of 'ugly'.......

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f159/unnamed-source/DSC00259.jpg
Just in case P'bucket has difficulties...
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f159/unnamed-source/DSC00259.jpg
BUT
1) it Works
2) it recoils less than my Mossberg 930SPX
3) it holds 7-rounds of Federal LE132-00 in the tube where my SPX will only hold 6.



(( Federal LE132's are about >.< that much longer than other shot shells it seems, multiplying that 6 times means the total length of the stack is about 1/8-inch too long to fit the 7th shell in the SPX's tube ))

[Shawnee]

Anything with "30/06" on it.

:D:D:D

[jrfoxx]

Is it just a brand you dont like ? No, I am no "fanboy" by any means, and tenfd to just buy whay I need and like, and can afford.

Is it something less than you paid for your gun ? Certainly not. IMHO, price often has little to do with quality and looks. I have seen plenty of cheap guns that shoot great and are dead nutz reliable, and have seem expensive guns that arent any better, and somethimes worse, in the looks, accuracy, and reliability department.I dont subscribe to the my/this gun/brand costs more, so it's better than that gun/brand.

what exactly makes a gun 'ugly' ? no real specific criteria for me really, It's just what tickles my fancy, or what doesnt.That said, for an example, I find the gun in the OP to be pretty fugly :p, but if the owner likes it, and it does what he needs, and does it well, then thats the most important thing. Also, not my gun or my money, so what I think about it's appearance means diddly
to anybody, and I'm fine with that.:D

This is the nicest looking shotgun I own, and love everything about it, not just the looks. Also like the fact that it was my dad's, and was one of his favorites out of the 12 or so guns he gave me a few years before he died. We did a lot of rabbit and bird hunting with it, and its 20ga counterpart when I was younger, and shot plenty of skeet with them too.

Ruger Red Label 12ga O/U w/ screw-in chokes
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b289/jrfoxx/RugerRedLabel12gaful.jpg

And it's little brother I mentioned in 20ga, also w/ screw-in chokes
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b289/jrfoxx/RugerRedLabel20gaful.jpg

[45crittergitter]

Foghornl, I happen to have an extra keyboard iff'n you wanna send a postpaid shipping package for it, it's yours. :)

[honkeoki]

Ugly=awesome-that's-under-appreciated.

[yesit'sloaded]

http://www.rirwin.com/bullpup.JPG

[nwilliams]

Sorry for the random thread resurrection but I just saw one of these for the first time the other day:eek::barf:

I was half tempted to buy it just because it was so unbelievably ugly, but it wouldn't be worth what they were asking for it.

Mag 7m1
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb264/nwilliams27/Mag7-m1.jpg

[RDCL]

The old WW2 era Japanese Nambu.....ugliest handgun ever IMHO.

Russ

[Andrewski]

Any gun with a generic factory engraved scene. My god, they are trite. I'm not even sure what the purpose of non-personalized, generic engraving is.

And adding gold to it just makes things worse.

[Youngster]

Any tastelessly modified questionably functional tacticool shotgun is five kinds of ugly to me.

[Mp7]

The Nambu is definitely ugly

http://world.guns.ru/handguns/nambu14_r.jpg

[Sav .250]

Rosie O`Donald.......... ;)

[Virginian]

Chelsea Clinton. Any female Democratic Senator or Congresswoman.

[tkopp]

That Nambu looks a little like a Ruger MKII, and is therefore less ugly than had it not resembled the greatest weapon ever made ;)

[Delmar]

Ugliness is defined by bad groups or patterns

[Andrewski]

"That Nambu looks a little like a Ruger MKII"

The Ruger .22 is pretty much a straight copy of the Nambu.

[KenWP]

A Lujtic space gun is my idea of a ugly shot gun.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

NOT Maria Sharapova.

Oh, on a shotgun? Black synthetic is butt ugly. That's your answer. :p :)

[scchokedaddy]

Ugly Gun? No such thing, just less apealing than others. I have noticed that the certain class of people who can afford the higher end weapons seem to use this term to describe the weapons that belong to other less fortunate people ( which is the group that incldes me). As I told one of these fine gentlemen one day when he was talking some serious trash about my savage 7mm compared to his high dollar custum double set trigger hunting rifles ability to shoot 1/2 inch 5 shot groups, I never had to shoot a deer but 1 time to kill it. Told him they would not stand still to shoot more than that, and didnt shooting them that many times would ruin too much meat. Needless to say he was sputtering when he left, but everyone else was laughing. If it works for you and you are confident with it, HOW CAN IT BE UGLY???? Think about it

[BCRider]

Most folks find anything out of the norm to be ugly and will expound on that for hours if need be. But they are short sighted by their narrow focus of their own applications.

For somthing this far out there other terms come into play. "Utilitarian" being one of them. Without knowing the factors that played a part in the design and gestation of this firearm it's impossible to call it ugly or beautiful until it is put into use in the arena it was designed for. The results will justify the description that is then applied.

Heck, even its mother would not call an AR15 and other black rifles "beautiful". But they achieve when applied to the use intended. And for many that makes them beautiful. From there the masses accept this and twist their basis of "beautiful" to match the exposure to the form. In effect time and use by the owner or folks they respect, such as the military, breeds acceptance at first and then admiration in the form. So the AR15 becomes beautiful despite the fact that it reeks of ungainliness by almost any standard of artistic form you want to apply. Insteas we dream up supportive styles to justify our feelings. For example look into Steampunk. Only a machinist/artist combo could find true beauty of form in the convoluted stuff that comes from Steampunk.

[SwampWolf]

Ugly to me has nothing to do with function and everything to do with appearance. My Benelli Nova functions and handles well but, to my eyes, will always be an ugly gun. Guns that don't function right or don't handle well, no matter how pretty they might be on the outside, are butt-ugly.

[ArmedBear]

Ugly is 3 missed birds in a row.

Butt-ugly is 6.

Doesn't matter what the gun looks like at that point.

6 powdered clays or bagged birds in a row, and any gun can start looking pretty good.:)

[shotgunjoel]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=468855

[ArmedBear]

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/images/013289m.jpg

[SwampWolf]

Now that's ugly! :barf:

[One-Time]

I believe that form should follow function, that said IMO the best looking shotgun is a Benelli M1s90 and the ugliest are the older ones w/ the square receiver ends above the stock, like the old Ithica trench guns