Fancy hand guns vs. plain ones

[Spade5]

Unlike many on this forum, I only own four hand guns and they are all just regular plain models.

I am not taking about engraving and such but I see guns in display cases that are really nice looking. I cannot give you the model but I have seen several Kimbers for example that are multi colored and have really nice looking wood grips.

I am not in the market for one but I have never seen one being shot at the range.

I am just wondering if people really shoot theses guns and how the finish holds up. I would be so worried about messing up the finish that I probably wouldn't shoot them.

 

[Nickb45]

I like my pistols simple, only stuff I need/nothing I don't. I have fancy wood grips on my carry gun, but I made them so I'm not out $200 for a set of grips if they get dinged up.

As far as finishes go, I have heard some of the new finishes hold up really well. Personally I think the finish wear just gives it character.

Mine is getting a little character but I have only had it since September.

 

[Teachu2]

I have a Baer that was hard-chromed at the factory, kinda fancy finish. Probably more durable than blued, and harder than stainless. I shoot it as often as I can. Why own a 1.5"-at-50yd gun (or any other modern gun) if you're just going to look at it?

 

[AABEN]

Plain ones and a lot of them! They will kill as good as a 1.500.00 gun so buy more to have to shoot.

 

[kneesus]

My 627 Peformance Center has never seen a holster. But, if I lived in a world where I could freely open carry, it'd be the one

 

[Hokkmike]

Not a handgun so please forgive me, but I almost bought a Win. Model 94 Promontory Point RR Commemorative. It was beautiful in its golden polished brass and octagonal barrel. They wanted $700 and the best I could muster was a little over six so, no sale.

But as I thought about it afterwards I realized that I really didn't want a gun JUST to look at. guns are made just to shoot. THAT gun was made just to look at.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Most of my guns get dressed up a bit with grips, and I do appreciate a finely blued gun. However, I have some OD Glocks and an OD finished 1911, and a few black pistols that are deliberately utilitarian: Walthers P99 and PPS, and a Browning Hi Power with flat black finish and black grips. Variety is spicy, right?

 

[peacemaker45]

Plain ones and a lot of them! They will kill as good as a 1.500.00 gun so buy more to have to shoot.

I'm just the opposite; I'd much rather have a few nice guns than a bunch of cheaper ones.

That said, to me, nice has more to do with function than appearance, but given a choice between an attractive and functional pistol, and a plain and functional one, I'll take the attractive one every time.

 

[cfullgraf]

Not a handgun, but my Grade III Browning Citori was my skeet competition gun for many years. Shot all four gauges with the gun with insert tubes.

No babying this beautiful workhorse.

 

[HammsBeer]

All of my handguns are plain jane models and get shot; no fancy wood grips or polished frames or custom anything. Fighting guns if you will.

But I do have one older Sig that is in mint condition; that one gets a little extra care and shot less often.

 

[Valkman]

I have a Kimber, it's my carry gun and goes to the range a lot but it's not a "fancy" gun. I paid $900 used for it and it's been very reliable.

All my guns were stock guns until I just got my first custom, a completely reworked SA Mil-Spec with a lot of millwork to the slide and frame. It is awesome, and just as much a fighting gun as anything else.

 

[9mmepiphany]

There's nothing wrong with starting out with plain guns because it does like you get more guns and you have a lot you want when you're young. When you have filled the "needs", you can start filling the "wants"

But one place not to scrimp is a carry gun. The most important factor is reliability, but cool looking is just a nice extra. I used to carry a Colt Python as a duty gun and they do get dinged up a bit over the years

 

[Eb1]

A carry gun will not stay pristine forever. This I can say with confidence. I have two main carry guns, and both have lost their luster. I clean them, and keep them oiled and lint free, but they just wear when you have them concealed. At least mine have. Even with holsters that they fit in very well.
But I do generally just pocket carry with a Mike's #3 with the J-Frame, and a leather clip holster for the Bersa. It doesn't matter to me what they look like as long as they go bang. So far so good.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

Vanilla:


Neapolitan:


Nothing wrong with plain. IMHO, a nude gun is more fun than a dressed one.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

For some reason, people who own fancy hand guns don't seem to shoot them very much, if at all.

Fine, if what you want is a piece of art that all people can do is look at. But I'm not that way. Perhaps some day I might buy something that fits that bill...but if I buy a gun, no matter how fancy or pretty, it's going to get shot as much as I can afford to shoot it, schedule permitting.

When my next gun comes in, I intend to post pics of it and see how many people get irate that I actually DARED to take it out to the range and spoil the collector's value of it!

Oh, what joy that day will be for me on THR!

 

[cstarr3]

I've noticed that a lot of "pretty" guns come from some reliable manufacturers. One that I would own if I had a larger paycheck, is the Sig 229 Two-Tone (or Equinox), or the S&W Performance Center 686 Competitor 6". Most of these manufacturers would lose big-time on their reputations if their guns did not perform well. I do have some pretty pricey guns (por ejemplo: FN Five-SeveN, Sig 226), but they weren't purchased for their looks. They are some pretty darn-good, reliable guns, and they shoot straighter than I do.

All that aside, I've known people who have some lovely rifles and handguns locked up in safes or stored in lockers in their closets, and they never shoot them. Those people are pretty much locked into the "collector" caste of gun owners. At the same time, I have known some people to routinely use, and some might even say abuse, very high-end pieces of steel. They will ask "what is the point of paying so much for a gun if you aren't going to push it a little?"

 

[bannockburn]

I use to be that way, especially with some of my nickel plated guns. Eventually I just got over it as it was much more enjoyable and satisfying shooting them than it was simply looking at them.

 

[camsdaddy]

The nicest or prettiest guns I've ever owned have been blues smiths. I've had a model 36 and 13 both were flawless. Didn't take long for me to sell them. I couldn't take the chance. If I own it I carry it.

 

[Lucky Derby]

There's nothing wrong with starting out with plain guns because it does like you get more guns and you have a lot you want when you're young. When you have filled the "needs", you can start filling the "wants"

But one place not to scrimp is a carry gun. The most important factor is reliability, but cool looking is just a nice extra. I used to carry a Colt Python as a duty gun and they do get dinged up a bit over the years

I bet that Colt could tell some tails.
Awesome Python 9mmepiphany

 

[9mmepiphany]

I bet that Colt could tell some tails.
Awesome Python 9mmepiphany

Thank you.

Yes, it could...some quite harrowing

 

[JohnBT]

I saw one of these today, a Limited Edition Pocketlite .380, and was tempted for an instant to buy it.



I wonder if they'd do a straight trade for my Rohrbaugh. :banghead:

 

[JohnBT]

The day I bought my blue Colt WWI Repro they also had a Colt Talo Dragon 1911. The Repro was $999 and the Talo was $1350. I hadn't planned on buying anything that day, and wanted both, but that wasn't going to happen. I still like the Dragon. Go ahead, laugh, I can take it. I'd bet that it shoots every bit as good as the Repro.

 

[BYJO4]

I appreciate a nice firearm but I wont buy any gun that I'm not going to shoot. Normal wear just indicates that I enjoy shooting it as much as looking at it.

 

[g_one]

Hard chrome is my favorite finish. You can leave it matte, brush it shiny, or polish it to a mirror shine. It holds up as well as you'd ever need a firearm finish to hold up. And dirt, soot, powder, burn residue, everything just wipes right off. Perfect combination of fancy and practical. www.apwcogan.com

 

[Hometeached1]

Tend to go for the plane handguns, but if I did get a fancy pistol it would be shot a good deal at least, if not carried.