I'm older I admit it. I Own and have owned many guns. I think that guns have a beauty of their own, or at least they used to. What happened to the beautiful guns you used to see at gun shows? I'm talking about the Montecarlo stocks with beautiful grained woods and hand checkered by a real artist and the gun built in such a way to fit you like a glove. When I go to a show now I find That I need to pay $10 to get in and then I only find plastic stock military looking weapons and find myself surrounded by camo wearing dudes who have never seen the the inside of the deer woods. Now I know I am being somewhat sarcastic but really I think that the majority of gun buyers are not sportsman. Hope I didn't piss anyone off to much. What are your observations? For the record I carry a Glock 19 and it falls into this less than pretty catagory, but when I carry I want it to work not look at. Sorry I don't find ARs pretty
I just don't get it....
- Thread starter Billy_B
- Start date
clemsondude
New member
You make some great points. I'm really into the ARs for the modularity not their beauty off the shelf. I've heard it described as an adult "legos". But I'm right there with you in many ways.
el maestro
New member
You said it yourself, You carry a Glock because you want it to work. Hence the reason for those "plastic" stocks you are talking about. They are more forgiving than the pretty checkered wood stock when you are out hunting game and the temperature is cold enough to freeze your cojones in a matter of seconds. Don't get me wrong, I love my hand engraved wood stock 700 Remington BDL, but as you, for reliabilities sake I carry a "plastic" stock rifle when out in the boonies and my Glock 26 and 27 for CCW.
maine04619
New member
All firearms have something nice about them as a gunsmith I find in all the parts and there workings. I to LOVE nice wood. Those firearms you speak of are not gone you can still get them not cheap but they are out there. Also you notion that to own or enjoy firearms one has to hunt. This is not true. My daughter is a great example of this she loves to shoot and has won many matches around here. She has a nice collector of her own but she WILL NOT HUNT. She will eat meat I bring home but she will not kill critters. Lucky for me she just turned 26 and has provided me with 2 male grandchildren one 4 and one 2 and the 4yo already loves to shoot. HE also already likes to sit with my wile yote hunting and can not wait to shoot one himself. The 2nd is not for "sportsmen" but for all Americans if you want a rifle to hang on your wall and never fire or a 10 grand pistol to shoot steel with or even a 20 grand hand made shotgun for birds or even a 100 buck .22 for squirrels.
I understand the way you love a fine stock and beautifully finshed action and barrel, I do too. But there is a mechanical beauty to the AR and AK rifles, and even God help me, the Glock! I have always been fascinated by the variety of different actions, from flintlocks , to single shot breechloaders, to the early repeaters, like the Spencer. Unfortunately there's only so much money available for the hobby, or I'd have to add a room on the house, and that would take gun money!
fstroupe
New member
"Well-regulated militia" means a civilian militia using "regulation" equipment....what the military uses. At the time, civilians' personal weapons were better than what the military was using....rifled muskets vs smoothbore.
I prefer the feel of walnut and maple to that of polycarbonate, and would more likely purchase an M1A or Mini-14 than a "black gun". But then again, that might change tomorrow.
wolf_fire
New member
I really enjoyed your post Billy_B. I too long for the days when the artisan came through on the manufacturer of his firearm. I have a Winchester 94 from 1988 hanging on my wall that was a commemorative edition to Chief Crazy Horse. It has gold inlay scroll work, the stock is walnut with brass rivets and a commemorative gold/brass/ design in the butt end. The receiver has etched markings of a buffalo hunt and the image of Chief Crazy Horse. The sites are fancy and have brass on them to make them easier to see. It is a beautiful rifle. Also, without a scope it is dead on at 100 yds. However, that rifle stays on the wall in a display case and I take my Weatherby .30-06 out hunting with a synthetic stock, because it is easy to wash the muck of winter off of plastic.
I really think practicality has dominated artisan-ship in the firearms industry.
I really think practicality has dominated artisan-ship in the firearms industry.
I guess thats the bottom line that practicality is dominating but why must all plastic stock guns look like military knock offs. Whats strange to me is all the talk about assault weapons. Because so many plastic stock guns look like the M 16 some people think that they more deadly than the wood stock semi auto hunting rifle. Its my opinion if we could get away a little from the M16 look alikes and the flash supresser bayonet fixed semi maybe we would have less talk about banning assault rifles. And yes I realize that all gun owners are not hunters I no longer hunt, and never did much. My son is not a hunter and most of my friends are not hunters but most own guns of some type. Its amazing how many people want to ban assault weapons but have no idea what an off the shelf assault weapon is capable of and how they are not much different than other rifles used for deer hunding or varmit shooting. When the libs get the assalul rifle ban in place it probably will outlaw all semi autos no mater what they look like. But hey the lever action is pretty fast and with a little practice my bolt actions might get there and I can really crank out some shots with my pump, right.
tuts40
New member
I feel the same way about our society! We once had a feeling for solid families, strong economy, strong military and treating our neighbors like, well, neighbors. Now, generally speaking, all we care about from day to day is getting to work, shopping and what we can do for "me and me only"... Kinda like we, as a society, are missing the solidness and beauty that once existed just as you miss the fine detail in some of the guns available.
I think most of what I'm about to say has been said before.. but anyway.
I'm someone who likes both wood and "plastic." Right now everything I own sits in plastic, mainly because it's easier to take care of. I had a Mini-14 (only weapon I've sold) that used to scratch it seemed when I looked at it, and while I'm not someone who cries when I get a scratch on my pretty new piece, I am someone who buys to keep with no intention of selling and I expect them to look good for a while. My Remington 700 wears a Bell and Carlson fiberglass stock for a few reasons, one of them being that I shoot rain, shine, hot or cold, and I want to know I'm not going to have to worry about the stock cracking or rotting in a few years. My AR15, XDM, and .22LR all wear "plastic" too, and I'm fine with that.
Now on the opposite side of the coin, give me a nice M1A in a walnut stock and I'll be a very happy man. I also want an M1 Garand, a Kar98K, a K31.. oh so many wants so little money. I can appreciate both though, and both to me have their places and uses. You wouldn't expect to see a $15,000 Holland and Holland shotgun or.. well even an M1 Garand wearing "plastic," but then again have you ever seen an AR-15 with wood furniture? Not my cup of tea.
I'm someone who likes both wood and "plastic." Right now everything I own sits in plastic, mainly because it's easier to take care of. I had a Mini-14 (only weapon I've sold) that used to scratch it seemed when I looked at it, and while I'm not someone who cries when I get a scratch on my pretty new piece, I am someone who buys to keep with no intention of selling and I expect them to look good for a while. My Remington 700 wears a Bell and Carlson fiberglass stock for a few reasons, one of them being that I shoot rain, shine, hot or cold, and I want to know I'm not going to have to worry about the stock cracking or rotting in a few years. My AR15, XDM, and .22LR all wear "plastic" too, and I'm fine with that.
Now on the opposite side of the coin, give me a nice M1A in a walnut stock and I'll be a very happy man. I also want an M1 Garand, a Kar98K, a K31.. oh so many wants so little money. I can appreciate both though, and both to me have their places and uses. You wouldn't expect to see a $15,000 Holland and Holland shotgun or.. well even an M1 Garand wearing "plastic," but then again have you ever seen an AR-15 with wood furniture? Not my cup of tea.
tcox4freedom
New member
Quite gorgeous, actually!
Shoobee
Banned
The ARs were designed for military applications. Not for a bunch of hunters sitting around a lodge comparing their beautiful hunting guns.
I am part of a particular hunting community of about 500 or so hunters who gather at a local managed semi-public facility that harvests about 125 bucks and 100 pigs and 50 turkeys annually for these 500. The success rate at 55% is pretty good when you count all species hunted.
None of us really cares what our guns look like. All are wood and steel of some sort, whether muzzleloading or bolt action. Our bows are mostly compound and camo colored.
The olden days are gone.
Shoobee
Banned
I completely agree about the Ruger Mini's. They are wooden and quite beautiful.
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