Do you feel more sentimental towards metal guns?

.308 Norma said:

I knew what you meant anyway.

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I did too...and autocorrect never helps!

Do you feel more sentimental towards metal guns?

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Yes. They remind me of better times in this country.

Yes

Most of my steel or alloy guns don't even have a holster. They are range queens, pure and simple.
The poly ones are indeed tools, to be abused as necessary. No guilt whatsoever. Really like some of them, but it is just different than with the steel alternatives.
Moon

No.

I appreciate quality and function regardless of material.

I own ONE plastic handgun. Don't think I want anymore. I forget about the synthetic stocked Mini 14, it's basically blued steel, so that counts as such.

I stand by the saying that polymer handguns have no soul (before anyone blows a gasket, it's a figure of speech not to be taken literally). It's like comparing classic cars of yesteryear to the mostly lightweight fiber glass production cars of today. Yes, the cars of today are lighter, better on gas, etc, but the substantial feel and experience of driving an old school production car is far and above that of product cars of today. If both type of cars were still being manufactured today and pricing was generally in the same realm, yes, modern cars will make more since on paper for everyday use and abuse, but my pride and joy and what I would enjoy driving the most would be the old school classic.

The premise in the OP is correct even if some try and down play it. Metal frame guns have more of an heirloom status, they hold and/or go up in value over polymer guns, they arguably look better, they usually are built with more robust internals, they have a more substantial feeling vs feeling like a lightweight toy, they feel like they are higher quality, and there's a pride of ownership aura about them.

Metal frame Kahrs, Berettas, CZs, Walthers, HKs, Sigs, S&Ws, 1911s, revolvers, Brownings, etc are valued, collected, and mean more to most gun owners than their polymer counterparts - period! "Sentimental" might not be the correct word, but metal frame gun elicit more feelings vs plastic. If all things were equal price and availability wise, most would feel more of a sense of loss if their 1911, Beretta 92, Sig 226/229, CZ 75, and the like were stolen or loss vs a Beretta APX, Glock, P320, M&P, CZ P10c, etc. Guns are tools for self defense and recreational shooting just like cars are just machines to get you from point A to B, but that does not take away from the fact that some tools and machines are valued and elicit more emotions, feelings, and/or pride of ownership than others.

Not really, but I do appreciate a good steel gun with wood grips, they do seem to be of more value in certain ways.

Simple answer is "yes";

It's not a very simple statement, though. I don't have any polymer guns... my family didn't have any polymer guns that were handed down. I haven't collected any old surplus firearms that had polymer frames.
Having seen some various antiques (non-firearm) in our family, I've noted that the plastics tended to become brittle and break (things like old radios etc). Meanwhile, steel such as tools, we've had stuff over a century old, that have held up and work as well as something bought at the store yesterday.
I own a pair of Argentine Mausers, bought under the "Antique" tag (prior to 1898 so shipped to the house). Both shoot well with modern PPU ammo.

I respect and admire a well-designed gun, as I would a well-designed timepiece. I do have plastic watches, but still prefer metal cases and a leather or metal band. I suspect my son will prefer one of those, over a Casio G-shock as an inheritance piece. Same thing with a 1911 vs a Glock.

To each his own. My youngest son and I had a great time hunting pigs last Friday with our ARs. We didn't have less fun because we weren't carrying walnut and blued steel.

TheotherMikeG said:

Beautiful, isn't she?

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She's a real beauty...and so is Maxine Watters.

I have said it before: Plastic is for toys; Aluminum is for beer cans and airplanes; and steel and wood are for guns.

And I love my Glock.......

tark said:

She's a real beauty...and so is Maxine Watters.

I have said it before: Plastic is for toys; Aluminum is for beer cans and airplanes; and steel and wood are for guns.

And I love my Glock.......

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LOL! Are you always this easy to troll or did you not get a nap?

TheotherMikeG said:

LOL! Are you always this easy to troll or did you not get a nap?

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Don't know who tark is, do you? No respect.

Old Dog said:

Don't know who tark is, do you? No respect.

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No, I don't. I guess I didn't realize how lucky I was to catch the bromides he was hurling.

yep

I'm a crazy old fool who loves his beer and all three of my wives. And, damn it, I get all cranky when I miss my nappy nappy. And, TheotherMikeG, sometimes I just get jealous of people that live in the United States. I live in
Illinois. Roll Tide!!

Not sentimental-I prefer the "feel of steel". Don't care aluminum frames either.

I am far more infatuated with metal of all sorts and wood. My 2 gun safes attest to my lack of ability to relinquish my friends.

I like 1911s and S&W revolvers.

If guns were still made from forgings and old growth hardwoods instead of polymers and investment castings, they'd cost thousands, not hundreds. The soul is the craftsmen which don't work for nickles anymore. That's why pre64 Winchesters are more desirable, they switched to castings...

SchmidtRubin said:

If guns were still made from forgings and old growth hardwoods instead of polymers and investment castings, they'd cost thousands, not hundreds. The soul is the craftsmen which don't work for nickles anymore. That's why pre64 Winchesters are more desirable, they switched to castings...

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Your going to have to be way more specific, There are still lots of maker using forgings for firearms.

Ultimately forging or casting are both just cheap ways to get the steel or aluminum to a near net shape. With proper casting techniques and heat treating these castings can be as strong or stronger than a forging. Forging only has an advantage if your not going to heat treat after the forging process as you get some work hardening for free but in this modern age with the alloys we use and how relatively easy a variety of heat treating process are the forging really does not bring much advantage to many processes other than quick cheap near net shape. Hence the reason nearly all AR-15 uppers and lowers made in any volume are made from forgings. Cheap!

JR24 said:

I appreciate quality and function regardless of material.

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I think this makes a point that doesn’t get noticed.

I remember when my dad bought his first NEW tractor. We had run old Fords and John Deere’s made from the 60’s to the 80’sFor years. He eventually sold some land and bought a new John Deere in the early 2000’s, I’ll never forget it…. Plastic fenders, plastic hood, plastic interior. I had never operated a tractor with a piece of plastic on it, I had seen them but the little plastic that came on ours was lone gone.
I just remember thinking, brand new and full of plastic junk. True that’s the nicest tractor we ever had, but it still doesn’t go in the woods to clean up a spot for a green field.

Simply put plastic = cheap in many of our minds, and I don’t mean in a monetary sense.

Quality plastic is similar to dry water to many people. Not that it’s necessary true, that’s debatable to say the least. But the perception by many is, if it’s plastic it isn’t quality, if it was quality they wouldn’t have used plastic and people don’t generally get fond of low quality items.

Fair or not, I believe it’s true.
Then again I could be totally wrong.