Where have we gone?

chicharrones said:

None of those are my style at all. I know the Bersa was an art project of some sort and I can appreciate it for that.

Now that I think about it, I don’t see guns like those shown in that post at any range I go to. Makes me wonder if the owners are too embarrassed to take them out in public, or the people that paint their guns in loud “non-gun” color schemes are a tiny minority of gun owners?

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I do not believe that these guns with all the art are meant to be used as carry guns.

Electricmo said:

View attachment 1064656
Im wondering why something like this even caught my eye. It’s really kind of ugly. I’ve noticed a trend of making lethal weapons almost look harmless. Almost toylike. There’s lots of diversity out there. Most of it I don’t find to appealing. A gun should look like a gun.
Have we gone to far?

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I haven't felt compelled to write an editorial about it yet.... But yes, I totally agree with you. I don't like the vanity that's injected into the industry. It's not healthy. Weapons shouldn't be cute. It's the antithesis of some people demonizing weapons and painting horns and teeth on them in the media, but can lead to the same end by desensitizing people against the true utilitarian purpose and ultimate danger. Either way draws people's attention away from reality.

Offhand McFlan said:

I haven't felt compelled to write an editorial about it yet.... But yes, I totally agree with you. I don't like the vanity that's injected into the industry. It's not healthy. Weapons shouldn't be cute. It's the antithesis of some people demonizing weapons and painting horns and teeth on them in the media, but can lead to the same end by desensitizing people against the true utilitarian purpose and ultimate danger. Either way draws people's attention away from reality.

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Vanity has always been in the firearm community. Some of us find stainless steel or blued guns witg wood grips attractive, others like pearl grips and engraving, some like high polished stainless steel with a mirror finish, there was chrome or gold plating, others like the polymer and the tacticool look attractive, some women like feminine colors, some like concept guns with a theme they like. @anothernewb made a great point. The only difference between today and in the past is we have more options because of the advancement in technology.

If someone wants to create a concept gun, and post pics on the inet or if others want their gun to look cute, I don't see the big deal. It's their property, no one is being hurt over a paint job, and no one's freedom is being infringed on.

Personally I don't care for the toy-like paint jobs or glitzy glamour on guns and I would never own one. But it's your money and your gun. Feel free to personalize it to your heart's content.

My nickel plated Colt Combat Commander is about as much "bling" as I want with a handgun finish, thank you. Same thing with my Baby Browning. Both guns pretty much came that way from the factory.

My only other tendency in an aesthetic sense, for adding some pop to an otherwise ordinary looking gun, is to swap out the grips on them. I like the look of ivory, (faux that is), especially in contrast with a blued gun. I can also appreciate nicely figured wood grips.

Have to admit though that the Kimber Bel-Air is a real looker!

‘They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Which beauty would you rather be hold’n?

Easy choice for me.

I tend to agree with the OP. Guns should look like guns.

This trend to make guns look weird, I think, is driven by manufacturers trying to broaden their appeal to various untapped market segments (women, etc.).

Which is odd, because guns are flying off the shelves anyway. Are manufacturers basing their designs on solid market research, or are they simply making wild-assed guesses?

How about the Hi Point pistol covered in Benjamins?

Something for every taste….

Mn Fats said:

Exactly. I used to cut the little orange ends off my cap guns and would spray paint the green or orange cap guns black.

Color schemes are a matter of preference. Too far might be this...View attachment 1064712Or this...
View attachment 1064713...but who's to say so. I personally think it's funny/creative. As long as the firearm owner is responsible and respectful, then the color scheme doesn't matter much imo.

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I wear a custom "Hello Kitty" mouth guard for Muay Thai and get a lot of laughs. I think I'd really enjoy a Hello Kitty Desert Eagle in .50...

Beyond that, I'm about as traditional as it gets, when it comes to firearms, and generally have no use at all for pastel colors and such. I don't, though, think the subject goes any deeper than that, ie. pink guns aren't a hazard to law enforcement, or an indictment of modern culture, or anything really beyond manufacturers trying to sell more guns to women.

Electricmo said:

View attachment 1064663 View attachment 1064664 View attachment 1064665 View attachment 1064666 Real fast which ones are toys?

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The AR Pistol is closest to a toy... Because it doesnt have a charging handle, safety, mag release, bolt catch, trigger, or rear takedown pin. Add those things and viola!

horsemen61 said:

@Electricmo i believe that particular pistol is made by kimber and is called the Bel- air as in a
57 Chevy bel-air it is meant to be a looker yes but in no way have I ever found it to look like a child’s toy the polished slide is to represent all the CHROME!!!! I think I heard a rep say that iirc

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Such a little gun for such a big car.

CoalCrackerAl said:

Nothing wrong with some variety. All cars and trucks are not the same colors. Same can apply to firearms.

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For sure and has no bearing on what comes out of the business end.

Native peoples decorated their weapons, bows spears, war clubs, captured firearms with all manners of decorations. Deadly doesn’t have to be ugly.

Electricmo said:

View attachment 1064663 View attachment 1064664 View attachment 1064665 View attachment 1064666 Real fast which ones are toys?

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None, toys by law have to have bright Orange muzzles.

If it is a range gun or bbq gun or display gun then cool, for carry guns maybe not so much except at bbqs or weddings

horsemen61 said:

@Electricmo i believe that particular pistol is made by kimber and is called the Bel- air as in a
57 Chevy bel air it is meant to be a looker yes but in no way have I ever found it to look like a child’s toy the polished slide is to represent all the CHROME!!!! I think I heard a rep say that iirc

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I had a friend who had a '57 Bel Air (he was the second owner) in that color scheme. That was first thing I thought of when I saw that picture

whughett said:

None, toys by law have to be sold with bright Orange muzzles.

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FIFY. Once you own it, you can remove it. The smartness of doing so, a little more questionable.

Back in the 20’s flashy was nickel plating and fancy grips.
In the Old West folks used decorative tacks, conchos and inlays to gussy up their guns.
People have been jazzing up their guns for centuries. Ever seen a camel rifle from the Middle East?

And in every era there are those that look down on it and those that laugh and do it anyway.

You should have heard some of the comments I got from my Cowboy Action shooting pards when I showed them my AR-15. Some of these guys acted like they’d seen a gross and hideous monster. These same guys go gaga over conchos and fancy leather work that to me looks a bit flamboyant.
To each his own, gentlemen.

Here’s the AR that raised a ruckus (sorry, I know it’s a handgun forum…)
Yeah, it’s “featureless”.

.38 Special said:

....manufacturers trying to sell more guns to women.

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BINGO! The gun store and indoor range where the missus and I took our required class for a License to Carry regularly promotes its women-only classes, couples classes, and date nights at the range. I think its great that more women are taking up the sport, but dang, these girlie guns seem weird to me.

Despite my attraction to the Whitney Wolverine, I think I'm a firearm Luddite. Hahahaha--I'm not even sure I want to be seen with my stainless 1858 Remington with the pearly grips. But I guess if I can accept tattoos on girls, I can accept pastel firearms.

Pat Riot said:

View attachment 1064971

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Hahahaha--that's awesome! It's like the Star Wars Rat Rod of guns! I love it!

Pat Riot said:

Back in the 20’s flashy was nickel plating and fancy grips.
In the Old West folks used decorative tacks, conchos and inlays to gussy up their guns.
People have been jazzing up their guns for centuries. Ever seen a camel rifle from the Middle East?

And in every era there are those that look down on it and those that laugh and do it anyway.

You should have heard some of the comments I got from my Cowboy Action shooting pards when I showed them my AR-15. Some of these guys acted like they’d seen a gross and hideous monster. These same guys go gaga over conchos and fancy leather work that to me looks a bit flamboyant.
To each his own, gentlemen.

Here’s the AR that raised a ruckus (sorry, I know it’s a handgun forum…)
Yeah, it’s “featureless”.
View attachment 1064971

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Agreed!

Oh and that AR is hideous IMHO lol, but I love that you like it, it's different, it has it's on personality so to speak, and it is triggering those who don't like and are intolerable of change, uniqueness, and personal preference. It also spits in the face of the antigunners who attempted to ban "assault weapons" by banning features.

My wife might like it, she’s bought a few guns because they were pretty to her, including a Vaquero for me because I wouldn’t stop shooting hers

But I don’t sweat the small stuff, especially what other folks do.

Electricmo said:

I would hate to be a cop and have a 14 year old kid pointing something like those pointed at me. Majority of people would blame the parents. But then again gang bangers don’t have parents. Cop might pause just long enough to be killed. Cop kills the wrong person who’s carrying a fake gun then all hell brakes loose.
Tangled web we weave.

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Doesn’t seem any worse than that same kid pointing a realistic looking replica gun at the same cop. Different tragedy but still bad.

If guns should look like guns, then arms should look like arms, not murals or graffiti. Lots of folks get tattoos though.

But people don't always want something that looks just like the one everyone else has. Adding color to a gun that doesn't have any real world collectibility doesn't bother me nearly as much as someone cutting down a stock or barrel of a classic rifle. In fact, I'd rather have one of these
Than the handful of model 52 Winchester rifles I looked at that had extra holes drilled in their receivers or barrels.

I am concerned that we have went to far when these firearms look more like toys than guns!

Mmm, Ruger MkIV Bel-Air, very nice. Gonna need two of those as well.