Confessions of a (former) Gun Snob

[Old Dog]

Anyone else out there who’ll ‘fess up to be a current, or reformed, Gun Snob?
There was a time in my life when I not only wouldn’t handle or shoot any firearms that didn’t have Winchester, Colt’s Mfg or Smith & Wesson engraved on ‘em… If a manufacturer hadn’t been making its guns for at least 100 years, I wasn’t gonna touch ‘em…If it had a post-’64 action, I didn’t want it. If it had any sort of locking device built into it, I wouldn’t dream of it. If it wasn’t blued (or parkerized) with hand-carved and checkered walnut, rosewood or cocobolo stocks or grips, it wasn’t coming home with me from the gunshop.
Then, one day, a shooting buddy talked me into trying out his Springfield Armory 1911A1 … and it shot better (and was more reliable) than my Gold Cup… Around the same time, a hunting buddy’s Savage 110 displayed accuracy beyond my Browning A-Bolt… and then, shortly after that, in a moment of weakness, I tried out a Taurus PT-92, finding it compared favorably with my issue Beretta 92FS (but had a better safety system)… A guy I worked with demonstrated that his Rossi .357 was as accurate and reliable as my S&W Model 19… Having been in the 1911 game quite a while, I’ve been privileged to try out any number of high-end custom, semi-custom and premium-grade 1911s. I’ve even bought a few. But my park’ed 1993-vintage SA 1911A1 (before Springfield coined the “Mil-Spec” model name and started using MIM parts) is the best 1911 I’ve owned in terms of reliability and accuracy. My $250 Mossberg 12-gauge is my most-used shotgun now, while some pretty Berettas and Turkish shotguns gather dust in the safe. I’m even developing a fondness for $150 mil-surp rifles. I'm reforming ...

Recently, I’ve started to note even more categories of gun snobs:

- The “I hate MIM parts in handguns” snob (even though the evidence of MIM parts breakage is mostly anecdotal);
- The “If it’s got a lock, it sucks” snob (screw those lawyers, anyway);
- The “I don’t need no stinkin’ firing-pin safety” snob (No Series 80/Schwartz pistols pour moi, screw those lawyers, anyway);
- The “I don’t buy a gun from a maker whose politics I abhor” snob (see Ruger, Smith & Wesson);
- The "Ultra-premium Optics" snob (his scope costs twice as much as your BEST rifle);
- The “I can’t shoot a cheap $1,500 shotgun” snob (visions of European nobility);
- The “All my 1911s have prancing ponies on ‘em” snob (your Kimber sucks);
- The “None of my 1911s have external extractors on ‘em” snob (your Kimber AND your S&W 1911 suck)
- The “What? Me carry or shoot a plastic pistol?” snob (Anti-Glockers, ex-Glockers, Anti-XD/HK/anything polymer);
- The “Real men shoot only custom 1911s” snob (those who can wait 12 months or longer and pay $3500-$4000 for their pistols);
- The “This is a real pre-’64 Model 70” snob (those who are miffed Winchester came out with the new “Classic”);
- The “Premium Pocket Pistol Snob” snob (those who would rather wait forever and pay $900 for a Rohrbaugh than carry a Kel-Tec – formerly, the Seecamp crowd);
- The “Patriotic or Made-in-the USA” snob (I’m sorry, that Springfield has parts made in Brazil, I won’t buy one, never mind that my Chevy or Ford truck is full of parts made in Japan, Mexico or Canada)
- The “I object just on general principle” snob (The snob who has never handled, owned or fired a Rossi, Savage, Mossberg, Taurus, Hi-Point, but bashes ‘em all anyway).

Obviously, I could go on and on … anyone else notice any other kinds of gun snobs out there? Which category of gun snob bugs you the most?

 

[GotGlock]

- The “What? Me carry or shoot a plastic pistol?” snob (Anti-Glockers, ex-Glockers, Anti-XD/HK/anything polymer);

Seen them alot. Also the "My 1911 cost $1500 bucks so it has to be better then everything else." Snob (The ones who are making up for "shortcomings" in other places)

 

[Polishrifleman]

I think there should be a "I only shoot one caliber snob" too. I of course don't fall into this trap because I have 2.

 

[JohnBT]

"anyone else notice any other kinds of gun snobs out there?"

Yep, the reverse snob who says "You didn't need to spend that much. I got one just as good for way less than half as much."

Me? I just buy what I like, although it wasn't always that way back when I was poorer.

Hey, about that $250 Mossberg... I only paid $199 for my 870 Express.
Heck, I got a black synthetic 1100 for a mere $328.

John

 

[goalie]

I used to be that way. Then I shot a Glock 17. As for rifles, I finally used the C&R license to get a Yugo SKS....and I love it for what it is as much as for what it is not.

 

[Father Knows Best]

Old Dog, I agree with everything on your list except the one about "gun makers whose politics I disagree with." Frankly, I applaud those who put their money where their mouth is. If you're going to bash Ruger for its political practices, then you shouldn't support the company by buying their products. I just keep my mouth shut, because while I don't like some of the things that old Bill said and did, I grew up shooting Rugers and have five of them in my safe. I'm not about the sell them, but I also don't plan on buying any more.

And JohnBT, I fully agree with this one:

the reverse snob who says "You didn't need to spend that much. I got one just as good for way less than half as much."

I don't like people who bash the high priced stuff any more than I like the people who bash the more "economical" choices. I'm a cowboy shooter and a 1911 fan, and I get tired of the Colt fans sneering that if it ain't a Colt, it ain't sh@t. I get just as tired of the Ruger and Italian shooters (for cowboy shooting) and the Kimber/Springfield/Baer/Wilson/etc. shooters dissing Colts as being overpriced, low quality junk -- the guys who insist that their guns are "just as good (or better) and half the price." If you're next to me on the firing line, and show me your new gun, I'm gonna say, "cool" and mean it, regardless of whatever name is on the barrel. We all make our own choices regarding what is right for us, and I'm not arrogant enough to try and tell you that you made the wrong choice.

 

[SomeKid]

GG nailed the anti-Glocker snobs. Now, I admit...

The “If it’s got a lock, it sucks” snob (screw those lawyers, anyway)

Yah, I am guilty.

The “I don’t buy a gun from a maker whose politics I abhor” snob (see Ruger, Smith & Wesson)

S&W won't ever set foot in this house. I did buy some Rugers before I knew about their right arm being held out and up.

Although, in all fairness, I do not bash guns with safeties. But I do bash S&W every chance I get, dirty traitors.

 

[JohnBT]

"If you're next to me on the firing line" I will always offer to trade guns for a few shots. It's easier than buying one of everything to find out what I really like. A gun is a tool and has to fit me and feel right. Price is way down the list in importance.

Oscar Wilde's famous definition of a snob: he knows "the price of everything and the value of nothing..."

John

 

[Canuck-IL]

Actually that was his definition of a cynic.
A more apropos Wilde commentary about snobs may be, "Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.
/B

 

[patent]

- The “If it’s got a lock, it sucks” snob (screw those lawyers, anyway);​

- The “I don’t buy a gun from a maker whose politics I abhor” snob (see Ruger, Smith & Wesson);​

I think there should be a "I only shoot one caliber snob" too. I of course don't fall into this trap because I have 2.​

I'm close to all three of these. Several of my guns have the locks, but I've considered it a negative feature on all of them. I'll still buy the gun if its right, but if everything else were equal, I'd pay more for one without those silly locks.

I also would prefer not to buy from Ruger, though again I will if it fits my needs best. That whole "no honest man needs more than 10 rounds" thing just sticks in my craw.

I also have avoided buying too many calibers. Just not smart enough to keep track of all of them. Variety may be the spice of life, but my ammo shelf is already a mess.

patent

 

[Dr.Rob]

I'll admit to being a Colt snob, but I'm also a big champion of the FEG hi-power clone.

I hunt with a Savage and have for nearly 20 years. My shotgun is a 'cheap' Remington. I've never owned a Smith and Wesson.

My source of 'irritainment'? The "AR-15 is the greatest thing ever" crowd. The "tacticool" crowd. The "you must spend $1500 to get a decent 1911" crowd.

We are all guilty of being armchair commandos at one time or another.

 

[CentralTexas]

-

Why do you need a "military type" gun, hunter/sporting clays snob.
The I call them "sporting Clays" instead of "skeet" snob
The my AR-15 upgrades cost twice what you paid and are therefore superior snob
CT

 

[DarthBubba]

Amen brother,
I have taken great joy in humbling my gun snob friends by out shooting them with a Savage rifle for years, many has been the time that I have spanked the egos of my friends and their high power high dollar rifles by being able to group at one inch or under at 200 yards with a mod 10 in .308 HAHAHAHA welcome to the fold brother.


DarthBubba:Evil:

 

[rudolf]

Don't you dare shoot me with that f#(&ing cheap NEF single shot!!!
BOOM.

 

[stevekl]

There's the safety snobs. The ones that disdaine the post-1973 Ruger SA's because they have hammer blocks and whatnot. Also the ones that dislike the new Marlin lever actions because they have manual safeties and hammer blocks.

The formers really irritate me, to be perfectly honest. With the old SA's you couldn't carry a round under the hammer. Now, with new safeties, you can. What's so outrageous about that? I think it's an improvement. I'd rather own a Single Six which I can carry with six rounds than one which I can ony carry with five rounds.

They claim that they've been 'lawyered'. Perhaps, perhaps not. But there are differences between useeless features (key locks) and overwhelmingly useful features (hammer blocks).

 

[Dr.Rob]

No what's ANNOYING about Marlin's new safety is it's NOT a hammer block that prevents the hammer from falling, it is designed such that you can pull the tigger, dropping the hammer on a blocked firing pin.

That's just awful. You can't do that from half-cock.

 

[Rob1035]

- The “I object just on general principle” snob (The snob who has never handled, owned or fired a Rossi, Savage, Mossberg, Taurus, Hi-Point, but bashes ‘em all anyway).

that's the one that gets me the worst

 

[Aguila Blanca]

The I call them "sporting Clays" instead of "skeet" snob

Is THAT what "sporting clays" is? Skeet?

Boy do I feel stupid (er than usual). Ever since I heard the term "sporting clays" I thought here was some new kind of shooting that I had never seen/heard of before. I knew it involved shotguns, but ...

Yeah! If it was "skeet" for however many years, why do we suddenly have to call it ... something else?

 

[Technosavant]

I've got one for you. It can be found all over the last Guns & Ammo "Book of the 1911" issue.

"serious 1911 shooter"

This is normally used with a phrase as in "The serious 1911 shooter doesn't like x," where x might be: FLGR, modern sights, ambi safety, or any of a number of things. The author of that statement is usually just exposing his own prejudices.

I shoot a 1911 that has those things, and while I have fun shooting, I am also plenty serious about my guns.

 

[Rexrider]

It's a good thing that we are all free to make our choices. Even if the reasons we choose what we do, do not make any sense to other people. I don't have any concerns about snobs except for one.....

The political snob.
This is a pet peeve of mine. So many people are in such a hurry to wish an American firearms manufacturer out of business. It's not like there are hundreds of companies to choose from. How many real American manufacturers do we have? How many can we afford to lose?

Smith & Wesson: Yes they "sold out". While they were owned and under the control of a British company. Even I, during that time wrote them off and shed a tear. But then the unexpected happened. S&W was sold (for a loss) back to an American company and is still American owned. I think they deserve a 2nd chance. Show me where S&W is now ACTIVELY pursuing ways to undermine the Second Admendment and I will stop supporting them.

Ruger: BILL RUGER IS DEAD. GET OVER IT! :banghead:
For those of you who are so distraught over not being able to get Ruger factory mags for your Mini, please go here.
Mini14 factory mags
Hey, look at that, they are even cheaper then H&K AR15 factory mags.

Whew....taking a deep breath now....going to my happy place....
All better now.

 

[CajunBass]

"Trap", "Skeet", and "Sporting Clays" are different games that use the same tools.

- The “Premium Pocket Pistol Snob” snob (those who would rather wait forever and pay $900 for a Rohrbaugh than carry a Kel-Tec – formerly, the Seecamp crowd);
- The “Patriotic or Made-in-the USA” snob (I’m sorry, that Springfield has parts made in Brazil, I won’t buy one, never mind that my Chevy or Ford truck is full of parts made in Japan, Mexico or Canada)
- The “I object just on general principle” snob (The snob who has never handled, owned or fired a Rossi, Savage, Mossberg, Taurus, Hi-Point, but bashes ‘em all anyway).

My favorites. Sometimes what you can afford is what you can afford. Period. Even a single shot Jennings is better than a sharp stick or begging "please don't hurt me."

 

[Sleeping Dog]

The Beretta 92's are real confusing. They're plastic, so I hate them. The company is about 500 years old, so it's got beaucoup snob appeal. What to do, what to do. I'll pour a single-malt and think about it...

 

[MinScout]

I've always been a bit of an anti-SKS snob. Back in the 80s and 90s they were so cheap, it seemed like any yahoo who could scrape up 100 bucks had one. I kind of considered them "poor white trash guns" Now, I know there's nothing wrong with the SKS and some are collectable, but I won't own one to this day.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The Beretta 92's are real confusing. They're plastic, so I hate them. The company is about 500 years old, so it's got beaucoup snob appeal. What to do, what to do. I'll pour a single-malt and think about it...

Umm, Beretta 92s only have plastic grips. The frame is aluminum.

(And I don't even like Beretta 92s.)

 

[Atticus]

That's what I like about CZ products. They are kinda like a pair of Levi's...nothin fancy.. but work as intended. Pretty soon the yuppies will all be wanting one and the prices will go through the roof.