How Much Do Looks Matter?

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Mr. D

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Ok,

I'm going shopping for my carry piece in a week or so. I really like the sp101, have handled it so I know it fits my hand, but they are a little on the expensive side for me. If I can't find anything else, that's what I'll go with, but I'll also be at least taking a look at whatever else the gun shop happens to have on hand.

Here's the thing - I don't like the way a lot of compact revolvers look. For one, quite a few have the spurless hammer design, the looks of which I absolutely hate. I don't think that is a requirement anyhow, since I'll be carrying IWB, so I'll be pulling my shirt free to draw - not really anything to snag the hammer on. Besides that, I'll want something with a 3-inch barrel, since the two inch just doesn't "look right" to me (plus easier pointability, etc etc). Then on top of that, there's just something about the look of a lot of the modern S&W J-frames and other companies' J-clones that I just don't like... I haven't decided what it is yet, but they just look kind of ugly to me, especially compared to a lot of the older models.

At any rate, all that to say, why should it matter? The pretty gun is the one that goes "Bang!" when it needs to save your life, right? So I feel like I should be ignoring the looks, especially since it won't be seen by anyone unless I need to use it.

And yet...

~Dale
 
My initial reaction was that looks don't matter as far as practicality is concerned. But as I think about it, they may matter more than I realized. When I was in high school I was an avid golfer. I had a set of irons that I couldn't hit cleanly for the life of me. The thing was, they just didn't look right to me, they looked difficult to hit. All my buddies were able to hit them just fine. I eventually got a new set of irons that just looked better to me, and I was magically able to hit them beautifully. I suppose the same sort of thing would be possible with firearms. If it looks to you like it's difficult to shoot well, mentally you'll have to overcome that before you're able to become proficient with it. If you've got a firearm that looks easy to shoot accurately, you're already one step ahead.
 
the looks of which I absolutely hate.
Click to expand...

Yay!!! someone else who knows how to speak english!!! (very rare to see anymore).

2 inch bbls have never looked right to me. They don't point, feel, or balance well for me. I LOVE my SP101 with 3" bbl.

Looks do matter to a certain extent. Cosmetics, however, should not. so in other words, the gun needs to be a good design that looks right to me. But for a carry gun, I don't care if it gets scratched up or takes on some wear and tear.
 
19-3Ben,
Right on. Battle-scars make it look purdyer. :D

ochmude,
That's an interesting point. We already know that psychology and mindset have a lot to do with speed and accuracy... so why can't looks figure into that?

BTW, for those of you who like 2" barrels, spurless hammers, or any of the other things that I said I didn't like, nothin' personal. I don't mind other people liking those things - someone's got to buy them. :)

~Dale
 
Form and function

I think you could argue that perfect functioning in a handgun is more important than appearance. If the gun doesn't function, it might cost your life. And appearance might not matter much in something that is carried concealed. The Glock would be an example - it almost always works well, but it sure is ugly.

But it might be possible to find a gun that functions perfectly and is also good looking. Maybe that should be the ultimate goal. I think the 3 inch revolver below meets both requirements:

SW66-450.jpg
 
You know, when I first saw the Centennial snubs, they looked ugly as hell to me. Once I started to see the pure utility of them, they really grew on me. Now I love the way those ugly little things look! I got a 640 for my wife, and I think I love that gun as much as she does! All that being said, I agree that if you despise the way the gun looks, you probably won't practice with it, which means you probably wouldn't be able to shoot anything with it when TSHTF, and that's a bad way to be.

--Michael
 
pogo2,

You're right about form being more important than function. When I asked the question, I was assuming function to be satisfactory.

~Dale
 
I must say that if I find a gun to be ugly, then I'm not very motivated to handle it, let alone purchase. I can acknowledge that it's a fine firearm, I still won't want to touch it.

Oddly enough, I'm one of the 3.7 people on the planet that actually likes the Glock appearance.
 
Looks are somewhat important. I am a big fan of S&W revolvers. They are some of the prettiest firearms produced IMO. My eyes always stray to the used Smiths first. As I do not much care for the looks of the Ruger, I generally dismiss them. My head says they'll both go bang reliably, but the heart says Smith and Wesson. I feel the same about GLOCK. They are functional, dependable pistols. I just think they're ugly and I can't get past that.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r261/omaney/030608043.jpg
 
if you learn enough about how things work, well-designed gadgets begin to look beautiful to you simply because you mentally associate beauty with function. they become one and the same. something that works is beautiful. something that doesn't work is ugly. there are no "looks".
 
I will not own or carry guns I consider ugly.
Tried Glocks, could not get over how soul-less they are. Not to mention I could not get use to not having an external safety. I would not buy a Smith with the ILS, think they are ugly.
It's your gun. If you think it ugly don,t buy it.
We do not have to justify!
 
When I used to walk into a gun store, I'd walk right past the snub-nose revolvers, especially the S&W J-frames. I used to glance at them and think, "Ewwww":barf:...

Eventually, I decided I needed a pocket-carry gun. I was convinced I would buy a NAA Guardian, Beretta Tomcat, or even a...Kel...no I can't say it. I had never thought about a snubby. Then as I glanced up at that familiar wall of guns, the clouds parted and a beam of light shone down upon a S&W 642. I asked to hold it, and for the first time, a light bulb went off in my head.

Now it goes with me every day in my front pocket and I've learned to shoot very well with it.

Looks are important to me. I like the looks of Ruger revolvers better than Smiths. If Ruger made an aluminum-framed pocket snubby, I'd buy it. I would never ever consider a Kel...you know, ever again. But the Ruger LCP somehow looks good to me. The smallest little details can be the difference between an ugly gun and a pretty one. But, as in the case of my 642, utility, convenience, and a good feeling in the hand can quickly change your mind about a gun you used to think of as ugly.
 
In a defensive gun, looks really don't mean much. It's a tool and all that really matters is that it's reliable, accurate and powerful enough to get the job done. Besides, it'd be an awful shame for a beautiful gun to rot away in a police evidence locker.

In a sporting gun, looks mean quite a bit. It's a toy and all that really matters is that it give its owner enjoyment and pride of ownership. Guns with beautiful finishes and exquisite fitting achieve those two ends nicely.
 
LOL, I just went through this same thing. I agree...I hate how spurless hammers and snub nose barrels look. If I'm gonna plunk down several hundred dollars of hard earned money, looks are at the top of my list. Carry guns are simply man jewelry. I looked at a lot of Tarus pocket guns, never liked them either...so I ended up with a GP100.:D You'd bey really happy with an SP101.
 
Life is too short to carry an ugly gun. It not only should work but you should have some pride in it also.
 
Well, you know what they say about ugly women...get drunk and they look hot...so buy a centennial and a pint of cheap vodka.
 
When I reviewed this thread with my wife, she said, "Why should I care what my defense gun looks like? Whoever I show it to isn't going to see it for long." Yup. That's my girl! :evil:

--Michael
 
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