Any use for a gun ya can't knock around a bit?

[fireman 9731]

I often wish I had 2 of every gun I own. One to sit in the safe and be immaculate, and the other to use and use and use and not worry about it.

 

[XxWINxX94]

From a collector's mind,

Any damage/scraches/dings/etc to a gun is heartbreaking, but is sometimes accidental and unavoidable. When shooting my guns, I be sure to clean them right after, and put them back in the safe the exact way they were, or a little cleaner. Guns are made to be shot, thats why I will sometimes shoot my m1873 Winchester, and my 1853 Springfield musket.

 

[dougw47]

knocking around...

I collect old things it seems...old dogs, cars, trucks and guns. I don't have any safe queens...just shooters. The last two rifles I bought new were a Model 70 Black Shadow .270, and a Mossy 464 .30-30. I bought them to shoot, and they are good shooters...I have used the .270 several times in So. Texas and it has a few scratches already. When I check out, the kids will get them and if they don't appreciate ALL my guns, then to heck with them.

When I was young and dumb...with money in my pocket...I bought lots of guns, that I never intended to shoot. Times change, I decided not to be owned by my things and got rid of a bunch. A few I regret selling, but...Oh, well!

The closest thing I have to a safe queen is my Voere 7x57 Mauser, made in Austria after WWI. But I still take it out and shoot it every year...it took a 200 lb boar hog a couple of years ago.

I think guns are beautiful...and I love to go to the shows and see other people's collections. But, that is not for me anymore...life is too short.

 

[ForumSurfer]

Guns are supposed to be tools right?

I have some guns that make me feel exactly as you have said. Like my glock, I could care less what happens to it.

Other guns are different. Some are functioning art. Like a gorgeous blued colt revolver, browning high power or a beautifully crafted, hand-built 1911. Do I own anything like that? No, but I can see why someone would want to. I have a couple of nice 1911's that I don't like to see get damaged. Sure, some wear is ok...but not nicks and dings. It isn't the end of the world, but I'd rather not see a big ol' ding in the slide where I dropped it on concrete or something.

This probably stems from repairing new damaged furniture at a furniture store in high school, but I really, really, really , really, really, really, really hate scratching wood. If my 1911 grips or rifles stocks get scratched, I cringe. I'll eventually replace or refinish them. I have an old Marlin 22 that my dad discovered in a closet that I am currently refinishing. The gun might be worth $100, but it is accurate and deserves a scratch free stock. I guess that's just me. I also have an old stephens 12 gauge that my dad and I refinished. It's a hard kicking single-shot 12 gauge that is likely worthless, too. But I want it pristine just the way dad and I refinished the stocks. I can pass it on to my son when he gets older and he can beat on it, then we'll refinish it when he gets older and no longer needs it except for sentimental reasons.

If I need a rifle or a shotgun that will be tossed about in the truck or venture through thick brush...I'll fit a composite stock on it. For some reason, plastic makes something look very utilitarian to me and then I don't care about the scratch, nicks or dings.

Edit:: I also love old race-cars. They are built to be run hard, beaten within an inch of their life and retired when no longer useful. Still, you gotta admit that it is nice seeing "restored from what's left yet functional and %100 authentic" Trans-Am era race cars, Ferrari Le-mans cars or anything else that may tickle your fancy at museums and exhibits. Same with planes...that non-functioning, record speed setting blackbird at Wright-Patterson AFB museum in Dayton, Ohio sure felt like more than a tool as it was designed once I put my hand on it. Some things can bring history to life once you get to feel them in your hand, unlike non-functioning art, like paintings or sculptures not meant to be touched by human hands. We're guys. That's how most of us work. Even my young sons don't dig history very much. But once I take them to a coastal ghost town full of colonial era building ruins, or a battleship tour by the beach where they get to touch historical items...it suddenly becomes "cool" and they "wonder what it must have been like back then."

 

[jbkebert]

I got a visual of someone tossing their gun into the back of their pickup that's loaded with gravel and driving over a bumpy road on the way to the range lol.

Guilty but in my defense it was in a case. If my boys go to the range with me on a work day the guns ride in the back. They share the bed with a lawnmower, weed-eater, gravel, mulch, whatever I need that day.

 

[Justin Holder]

A fine gun is like a good pair of leather boots.

If you keep them clean, oil them every once in a while and don't abuse them they will last practically forever.

But if you go tromping through the mud, don't maintain them, or keep them polished they wont last a year.

 

[Hatterasguy]

Some guns I own to shoot, and don't really care. Others are collectors items as much as shooters and I do care. They don't come out in the rain, they get cleaned perfectly everytime they get shot, and I don't put a lot of rounds through them. My Swiss K31, Irwin Pederson M1 carbine, and FN49 are in this group.

I mean would you drive a Shelby GT350 every day and beat on it like it was a Camry?


My modern Sig, 1911, and 10/22 are some of my shooters. While I don't beat on them if they get knocked over at the range and get nicked up, or fall in the mud I don't really care. They are shooters.

 

[DeepSouth]

I got a visual of someone tossing their gun into the back of their pickup that's loaded with gravel and driving over a bumpy road on the way to the range lol.

You should meet some of the duck hunters I know. One guy sticks a cut off water hose down his barrel and "cleans" his gun when he gets home after a duck hunt, the rest just shoot them till they quit. Guns getting thrown into a boat several feet away isn't very uncommon. They figure it's going to get destroyed anyway, so who cares about looks. But they don't buy "quality" guns either, most just go a pawn shop and buy whatever happens to be cheapest and when it dies it's no big loss.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I expect to get holster and other wear on self defense, hunting or other "working" guns. My collectibles - when I had them - get much lighter use, only taken out of the safe to shoot occasionally.

 

[wishin]

I use all of my guns, but it pains me to scratch or bruise them; even my WWII HiPower gets babied and it's got character.

 

[hso]

Proper care of a firearm doesn't include "knocking it around a bit". There are "truck guns" that aren't finely finished and then there are fine firearms that require a bit more care.

A Corvette/Mustang/BMW/... are intended to be driven, but not treated like 4WD farm trucks nor are 4WD farm trucks intended to be treated like fancy sports cars. Same goes for firearms.

 

[oneounceload]

I got a visual of someone tossing their gun into the back of their pickup that's loaded with gravel and driving over a bumpy road on the way to the range lol.

So do I.....too bad, there's really no reason for treating something properly. If I had the money for a nice SxS like an AyA No. 1 or an Arrietta, it would still get used for its purpose - upland birds. A scratch or two are inevitable in that environment - bit that isn't the end of the world. Just because that gun might cost 7,000-10,000 doesn't mean it wouldn't get used.....just respected a little better than the image I have from that quote above

 

[bigalexe]

The only special gun I currently have a desire for is the Henry Boy Scout 100th Anniversary Rifle. It is a lever action youth .22lr that is a work of art and runs around $1000 I am guessing based on the fact I saw a visibly nicked one (wood forend was chipped) for $850

 

[Dr.Rob]

A LOT of people at THR meets comment on what good condition my guns are in.. yes I shoot them but yes I clean them too. Even the guns I've picked up used with finish wear get an honest scrubbing like my sparkly new ones.

You can protect your firearms in a variety of ways.. with a good holster or pouch or case there's no such thing as 'throwing it in the bed with gravel and farm implements.'

Bluing wears, scratches happen but you don't have to make a point to abuse your firearms.

 

[oldbear]

I’m an accumulator/shooter not a collector. That being said, I would be unhappy if my M-27 got banged up. I still shoot it but I just don’t tote the thing around much anymore.