Practical, or Emotional?

[Fast Frank]

I read a lot.

I usually spend an hour or two most every day going over this forum and a couple of other ones, just soaking up all kinds of stuff.

And I've noticed something.

It seems to me like us "Gun Nuts" are divided into two groups.

Some of us seem to pick our guns for emotional reasons, and others pick guns for practical reasons.

The practical guys are easy to spot.

When they talk about their rifles, it's all about WHAT IT DOES.

They talk about caliber, rates of twist, velocity, type of action, magazine type, accuracy, and stuff like that. It's about the gun. These guys can quote ballistics tables and group sizes for all their guns and know what bullets each one prefers.


The emotional guys have a different view.

When they talk about their guns, it's about HOW IT MAKES THEM FEEL.

These guys seem focused on things like how the shape of the rifle looks to them, the finish on the wood, who might have owned or used the gun before, or maybe a story about a time in their lives that the gun reminds them of. These guys don't tell stories about the gun, they tell stories about the hunt. They might even buy guns that they don't intend to shoot at all. These guys are also the ones you see wearing "Period Correct" clothing that matches their guns.



For me, I have a Marlin 39A that I bought because of the way it makes me feel, and pretty much all my other guns were picked because of what they do. ( My dad taught me to shoot his 39A when I was a little kid, and I remember those days every time I see or touch my 39AS)

I'm going to vote practical.

What about you? Are you a "Practical" gun guy, or an "Emotional" gun guy?

 

[Evil Monkey]

I'm definitely a practical guy. I would like to build a collection of firearms that make sense to me.

I would never buy these two weapons, the SMG or the shotgun. The two most useless weapons, especially the shotgun, ughhh.

I also despise any manual operated weapon, like bolt actions.
We're in 2007, not 1907.

There are somethings I would like to get because of emotion but practicality overrides. A PKM is nice, isn't it? Nevermind, it has no handguard. A PSL sure looks bad ass, sure would like one of those....no forget it, it only has a 10rd magazine and is way too long of a weapon.........and the magazines are way too expensive.

For me, practicality is what matters.

 

[TimboKhan]

I'm 80% practical, but I agree with Jeff Cooper when he says that picking up a rifle should be a sensual experience. As hokey as it sounds, I do feel a certain connection with certain guns.

 

[Fast Frank]

As hokey as it sounds, I do feel a certain connection with certain guns.

Nothing hokey about it, I understand exactly what you mean.

 

[MCgunner]

I only get emotional about my Grandpa's old .257 Roberts, and not for mechanical reasons.

 

[Walkalong]

I have some of both.

 

[hank327]

I am both!

 

[possum]

i think that i am a practical guy!

 

[Chipperman]

Definitely both. Depends on the gun and its purpose.

My Broomhandle Mauser is an emotional gun. It's certainly not the most practical piece around, but makes me feel warm and squishy when I pick it up.

My AR is a practical gun. It's cold and lifeless, but does what I want it to do.

 

[ashgee]

I voted Practical, but have to be honest and say it's more like 50/50. Meaning that although I should probably concentrate on Berettas or Glocks in this day and age, I still prefer the 1911 or GP. Still, I've never bought anything only because it looked or felt good. Guns, like musical instruments, are tools. Some will make you look better, but I'd rather play/shoot better or more comfortably. And yet, if it really looks awful despite its super specs, I'd hesitate again...

 

[mp510]

I'm both- I'm as much a collector as a pragmatist, however I when possible, I try to buy guns that fill both niches.

 

[TCB in TN]

I fall partially into both categories. I have guns, like my old 1903 that was passed to me from my Grandpa, and my old pump Rem .22 that I got from an elderly friend of my dads that I wanted them because of their history and their "feel" but I also have plenty of black and steel guns that I wanted because they are accurate, and easy to care for. I also have developed a desire to own more old milsurps because I can pass those rifles with stories on to my sons.

 

[AirplaneDoc]

Both, I have some just because I have a passion to own it. I have others for the practical application they proved.

I ditto Chipperman, When I first read the question, I hand the exact same thought broomhandle vs ar

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

I'm much more of a practical guy. I'm mostly concerned about what the gun does, not how it looks or makes me feel. As long as the gun feels good in hand, what the gun does is all that matters to me. I have an ugly tubbeware XD-40, I could care less, because it will get the job done.

There would be one exception to this for me, my SKS. It has emotional appeal to me because its a proven battle rifle that has been through very grueling wartime conditions at one point or another. I feel like I'm shooting a peice of military history.

 

[General Geoff]

The two are inexorably linked.


While I purchase my guns for practicality purposes, they become an emotional endeavor over time; just like any other tool or appliance. The more you shoot a particular firearm, the more emotionally attached you become to it. If given the choice, would you rather give up your first gun (assuming you still have it), or the one you bought last week?

 

[rcmodel]

I think you left out several important classes of gun guys.

They are the:
* INVESTORS
* HOARDERS
* TINKERERS
* DEALERS
* TRADERS

Many of these folks have little real Emotional or Practical attachment to any individual firearm, or even to shooting any of them.


rcmodel

 

[yongxingfreesty]

little of both.

 

[dispatch55126]

I'm emotionally attached to a few of my fathers rifles. Mostly for sentimental reasons.

Other than than, I'm definitely practical. My favorite rifle right now is my Hi Point 995. What other semi auto out there for $150 fires pistol cartridges with a grouping of 1.5" at 30 yds with open sights.

 

[Legionnaire]

Definitely lean toward the practical end of the continuum, but there is an emotional element, too. I have no problem flipping a gun that I don't shoot. But there are several in the collection to which I have become quite attached ... mostly because of what they can do, but also because of how they make me feel. Most of my purchases are well thought out and designed to fill a particular niche I think needs filling. But there are also the impulse buys when a particular gun "called to me." I think you might find a tendency toward practical or emotional, but doubt you'll find many who will admit to being exclusively one or the other.

 

[learningman]

I'm practically emotional about my guns. I buy them with a specific need in mind, but also have a connection with how they make me fell. Just something about a nice gun that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

[Vaarok]

Shooting isn't near as interesting to me as the lore of old stuff. I mean, shooting is fun, no doubt, but I don't always have free time or free time during "good" weather (meaning between -10F and 90F with winds under 20mph) to go out and shoot.

I thus have far more time to read, learn, and tinker. And for a shelf piece, better to have something neat than something soullessly functional that has no secondary utility beyond use.

I'll stick to giving a warhorse an affectionate pat on occasion, even if it doesn't group minute-of-dime at a thousand yards or get used more than once or twice a year.

 

[nwilliams]

Some practical reasons, especially when it comes to handguns for concealed carry purposes. However when it comes to rifles its much more emotional because I don't hunt, I'm not an avid range shooter, I'm much more of a plinker when it comes to rifles. I don't buy rifles based on accuracy I buy them more because the catch my fancy and are fun to shoot.

To sum it up, my main reason for collecting guns is either for ccw or just for fun and I will admit I'll buy a gun for its "coolness" factory if I can afford it.

 

[W.E.G.]

If somebody is crazy like a fox, does that make them practical AND emotional?

 

[LeonCarr]

IMO being emotional about firearms means that you have a a safe full of fancy guns that never get shot so you can show them off and brag to your friends and it makes you feel special inside or something like that.

Being practical means that you have a safe full of not so pretty guns that get shot on a regular basis so if you see the buck of a lifetime or find yourself in a deadly force situation, you can take the shot and hit the target. I fall into this category.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Fast Frank]

Right now, the poll says we're 85 percent practical and 15 percent emotional.

I was expecting a 50/50 mix.

I'm glad I asked this question, because I never would have guessed the poll would go this way.

I thought that if one side showed more than the other, it would be the emotional guys winning... and not by much.