Do you like "Pretty Guns"?

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A mechanical device that works perfectly. That’s beautiful.

A 20 year old Toyota that takes you on a 300 mile weekend trip is beautiful.

The ugliest thing I’ve ever seen was a break down prone luxury car.

I don’t mean to be a downer to the OP but I get nothing out of fancy guns. I like old Glocks that will easily run 600 rounds in a range trip or a Ruger revolver that is built like a tank.
 
I am a sucker for nicely engraved guns. I rarely can bring myself to pay for it, though. This is the only hand engraved one I have at the moment, and while the engraving is quite good, the checkering is so laughably bad that it's the only thing people notice!

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I do have a number of guns with laser and other mechanical kinds of engraving, but they all are poor attempts at scratching the itch. The only one that is halfway decent is this Vaquero, which is hand chased.

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It's not bad, but doesn't really fool anyone either.

I have two or three "best quality" guns. I really ought to send one of them out for 75% coverage, by someone who knows what he is about. Of course, I really ought to pay off that Discover card, too...
 
Armored farmer said:
I have a few extra party ones.
Funny thing is....I never bought any of them!
My boys bought this for my Christmas one year:View attachment 1010795ruger American Farmer edition.

My brother-in-law gave me this after View attachment 1010841 he won it in a raffle.

View attachment 1010839My lovely mrs bought this '51 Marshall for Christmas.....

View attachment 1010840My aunt gave me this python(it was in horrible condition)

I am blessed to have such a wonderful family
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Where did you come up with that nice rig for the percussion revolver?
 
I do like pretty guns, but most engraved guns I find gawdy. Pretty to me is generally more subdued with high quality fit & finish and high grade wood that perfectly complements the well executed metal finish. The Uberti 1886 Sporting would be an example, as would most anything Turnbull.
 
I appreciate them and like guns that strike a balance.

Nice bluing, proper walnut, but not so nice as to not want to be able to be used as a tool and worked hard.

I don't believe a gun has to have the charm of an industrial barbecue grill to be a workhorse, but don't want to thrash on a super high grade either.
 
.38 Special said:
Where did you come up with that nice rig for the percussion revolver?
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There used to be an old timer from Tennessee that hung out here on THR. He hacked out some holsters in his spare time. He made the slimjim rig for me. I think he just sits on his back porch and smokes good cigars and whittles nowadays....?


@CraigC has a couple of nice guns that would be suited for this thread....come to think of it, he might know what became of Graveyard Jack....(the guy that made my rig)
 
entropy said:
View attachment 1010901
If by pretty you mean engraved, sure, but it's not my only definition of pretty. Nice wood also make a gun pretty;
View attachment 1010903
The Ithaca has nice wood also, but not like the Ljutic-
View attachment 1010904

Or my Turkish Mauser-
View attachment 1010905
My 870 TB has some nice wood also;
View attachment 1010906
So, yes, I do like pretty guns.
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Thats some fantastic lumber on that 870! TC? TD? I dont think I've seen that one! Nice.
 
Armored farmer said:
Thats some fantastic lumber on that 870! TC? TD? I dont think I've seen that one! Nice.
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TB. It is nice wood, regardless of the designation. Yes, I've posted the gun before, this pic shows the grain better, though. Eventually I'll get a really good one of the 4E done, too. I snapped the pic of the action late last night when I saw this thread.
 
bannockburn said:
I have one gun, a Colt Combat Commander, that was part of a limited edition put out by Colt's Custom Shop. Besides having an action job done on it as well as being accurized. It has a Gold Cup trigger (and it's as good if not better than that found on a Gold Cup), an MMC rear sight, and brightest and shiniest bright nickel plating you'll ever see on a Colt Combat Commander!
View attachment 1010817

It was actually too beautiful (to me at least), to take it to the range; it was that "pretty"! In need of some travelling money one year, I sold it to a friend of mine with the condition that I had the right of first refusal if he ever decided to sell it. Well I was away for quite a few years but one day I made it back home and dropped in on my old friend. He was still around and couldn't stop thanking me enough for selling him this fine shooting (and great looking), gun!

Now I knew I had to get it back and eventually I hit upon the right trade material (a Colt Officer's Model ACP and a surplus Walther P1), to return it to it's "rightful owner" (me), and finally get to enjoy the custom features and accuracy of this "Pretty Gun" that was too nice looking for me to want to shoot it!
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I turn 3 shades of green every time you trot that thing out. :D
 
IMG_20210427_151242.jpg This is probably the prettiest thing I have as far as walnut and blued steel goes. I do have and H&R Handi Rifle that has unbelievably pretty wood grain on it. Paid $80 for it. Sorry the pic doesn't highlight the woodgrain as it's obstructed from the shell carrier. IMG_20210522_225941.jpg Probably not pretty by others standards because too much bluing is gone and it's pretty well used and aged but my 50's era Cobra and 1918 Colt 1903 are beautiful to me. I will use and shoot anything I have. If I had a $5K+ custom engraved Les Baer, I'd use that too and wouldn't care about wear. Wear adds character imo
 
I like pretty guns, but they have to be a classy gun to begin with. There's an expression about "lipstick on a pig" that applies.
While you can certainly make any gun look better, some will never be pretty while some can be overdone to the point they're no longer classy. Gaudy is the word I think. Some of the Mexico oriented Colt 1911's on GunBroker are hideous.
None of the ones posted in this thread are anywhere near gaudy though, IMO.
 
Armored farmer said:
There used to be an old timer from Tennessee that hung out here on THR. He hacked out some holsters in his spare time. He made the slimjim rig for me. I think he just sits on his back porch and smokes good cigars and whittles nowadays....?

@CraigC has a couple of nice guns that would be suited for this thread....come to think of it, he might know what became of Graveyard Jack....(the guy that made my rig)
Click to expand...
These days you can hardly get him to cut the damned grass! :p

You know that was only the sixth holster I ever made? It's still one of my favorites.

I've been known to have a 'thing' for good lookin' shootin' irons.

IMG_9429b.jpg

IMG_9888b.jpg

IMG_2980b.jpg

006b_1.jpg

I can also tell ya that those laser engraved Pietta's replicate like flies.

Pietta%20Cattle%20Brand%2001.jpg

I also like spiffy leather.

IMG_1649_1_1.jpg

And even own a Taurus!

Taurus%20TX22%2001.jpg
 
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