Boring vs sexy hardware, a rant

[breakingtime91]

I have put over 30k through glock pistols through the years. I have always shot them OK, able to keep up with most people, for the most part. I now shoot Wilson Combat 9mm 4inch pistols. I have a trainer and a carry gun, I shoot them much better and more consistently than I do any other pistol I have ever shot. Above all other factors, at-least for me, is I have a serious passion for the 1911 platform. Well most modern guns are capable of reliable and accurate function, it does not mean the trigger puller will interface with the gun. I think the biggest bs people say right now is gun choice doesn't matter. I think people should pick the gun that feels good for them and that they have a passion for and then invest in training in ammo. Not "get a glock 19 and train" Just my 2 cents.

[spinmove_]

Would everyone be fine if they only had the bare essentials? Sure. But there’s more to life and hobbies in general than that. So yes, in some capacity, you’re full of shit.

If what you proposed was the case I’d only carry and compete with G19s, my Tikka bolt rifle, and my Mossberg 500. I’d also probably wear a $10 Casio watch, drive a 2008 Beige Corolla, live in a 1,000 sq ft house with maybe a 0.25 acre lot, make all of my food at home, drink the cheapest wine and bourbon I can find, and never go anywhere.

Life is about experiences though. So I have multiple Glocks for specific uses, a modestly modified Beretta 92, a new 1911 I’m playing around with, and several other guns I probably don’t NEED. I also drive a Silverado that’s a step or two above “work truck” trim. I order lunch out occasionally. Sometimes I stop for Starschmucks for breakfast and coffee. I live in a modestly comfortable house with a half acre lot. I take my wife out to dinner once a week on average. I’m going to start dipping my toe into automatic watches because changing batteries are for suckers and I like nice things. Sometimes we travel to get away and enjoy life.

So if you’re good with running what you’ve got, cool. But don’t hate me or anyone else because we do something different. We just have different tastes.

[Robinson]

I carry a somewhat expensive 1911 built in the Colt Custom Shop. It has fired thousands of rounds without a single failure and the finish is pretty beat up. I'm confident that it will work when needed. There are lots of 1911-themed pistols out there that probably can't do that. If one carries an unproven gun for self defense, it's not a wise decision. But then, the truth is lots of folks carry guns of all types that haven't been proven and they are ignorant of that entire concept.

Something I've always liked about this forum is that reading it leads to a higher level of clue if one pays attention. It has for me anyway. Being aware of the fact that software is a bigger piece of the puzzle than hardware, discussing how to get the best performance out of a particular gun or other equipment, cutting through BS about this or that gun or ammunition, etc... But none of that changes the fact that we are all different and are going to come to different decisions about what to carry, train with, and spend money on.

Nothing wrong with using something you have confidence in AND brings you enjoyment at the same time. That's how I view 1911s. I appreciate Glocks, Berettas, and other types of guns for different reasons and understand why other people (better shooters than me) use them. No biggie.

[Rosco Benson]

Jeff Cooper addressed this in an article entitled "Baby" (his nickname for his .460 G&A heavy rifle);

"To transcend desire may be Nirvana, but Nirvana may be Dullsville".

If we should only acquire what we "need", why don't we all have outhouses? To each his own.


Rosco

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I am ok with this provided he loads up his boat with a metric tonne of Timmies Ground Coffee. Damn but I must be the only American on the planet that loves it; heck I think I smuggled 5 lbs of it back across the border last visit we made to family near Taranna.

Oh hell, that's easy enough without even resorting to border wars... shoot me your address, I will ship you a tin for Christmas!

[Lex Luthier]

I build (primarily) bespoke acoustic guitars that start at $3k.
So I might not be the right person to ask about whether luxury goods are important, or to hear a declaration that a $500 cookie cutter Indonesian-factory-made steel string is all anyone might ever need.
Sure, it'll get the job done...

but like the late Mr Hendrix said "You have to give people something to dream on"

[Medusa]

. . . .Timmies Ground Coffee. Damn but I must be the only American on the planet that loves . . . .

You are not. I like it as well, and acquired the taste for it when I was involved with a Canadian many years ago. I was surprised to find timmies in WV of all places, and I’m also pretty sure they served it at a rest stop on the wv border.

Time was you could buy it from amazon as well.

On topic, whatever one likes to shoot, I give them joy of it. I happen to like berettas for many reasons and shoot them a lot. I mean I’m over 17,000 rounds this year so I think I can say that.

[theJanitor]

The OP should see my wife's Hermes bill this year (or maybe no one should see that). I mean, it holds her junk just as well as the LV stuff. LOL

All kidding aside. It's America. Do what you like, and be happy that everyone can decide that for themselves

[Yung]

STI, I think the root of your discontent is that in some way you interpret the general reaction toward this new product as a sign of people caring more about stuff rather than getting better, in a place where you expect the opposite, at least most of the time.

Keep in mind, some of the derision here is due to the hype and anticipation being disproportionate to the result.

[Borderland]

Hating on the most budget guns and ammo to properly train the trigger puller, because it’s not sexy, is fucking stupid. If we were purely pragmatic we’d hate on the expensive gear and those who tout its advantages while training less than they could.

It's OK to be a gun snob. I loved my Beretta 682. You either shoot a lot or you don't. The price of the gun never figured into the equation for me. In 2 year's time I'll spend more on ammo than any firearm I've ever owned anyway. In 4 years time the extra cost is so insignificant it isn't worth consideration.

The market will more or less decide what people want anyway. Has nothing to do with how much people shoot or train. I have a feeling that people who buy Glocks don't train anymore than people who buy H&K's. They probably spend the money they saved on lattes or beer.