FS2K
March 25, 2007, 11:06 AM
Just another topic I thought I'd bring up to benefit the Newbies of our Lifestyle. One of the more common types of Newbie posts have to do with how long a gun is supposed to last. Of course all of us, myself included want to get the absolute most we can out of every dollar we spend, and one of the more common concerns for allot of new buyers is whether or not the gun they are about to by will break down or wear out prematurely. It's an honest concern.
One of the most popular demonstrations for longevity seen today are the so-called "Torture Tests" where a certain firearm is subjected to horrific treatment over long periods of time all while firing an absurd amount of ammunition through it. Do these tests prove "longevity"? Of course they do. It's whether or not these "tests" are nessesary that comes up to question. I can totally understand such rigid testing if the firearm in question is being considered for a military or goverment contract, but for the everyday shooter the chances that your gun would ever be subjected to such harsh treatment is, for the most part, very slim at best. Still, it is nice to know that the gun you just purchased could undergo such a brutal trial and still perform as it was intended to.
However, just because a certain model has NOT been torture tested or in all seriousness could not endure such a test without failure should NOT be a reason to disregard of not consider it as a personal choice. There are a lot of fine firearms out there that would make excellent choices for home or self defense as well as recreational shooting. Obviously ones own judgement should come into play when making such decisions. While not as common as they once were, "Saturday Night Specials" or cheaply made firearms built using cheap & inferior materials are still readily available to the public. These should not however be confused with some of the moderately priced firearms that have arisen in the last few years. One company, Hi-Point has proven themselves to be able to produce functional firearms at affordable prices and while far from being quality items themselves, they are not the disposeable cast iron framed pistols that were so common in the late 80's early 90's. Davis, Pheonix, Jarvis, and Jennings were but a few of dozens of manefacturers of cheaply produced firearms that were once so common on the market.
When purchasing a firearm for the first time, it would be a great idea to use some common sense in your purchase. Research the gun you are considering BEFORE you buy it, not after. As ridiculous as that may sound allot of people are guilty of doing just that. Stay away from products that offer little or no warrantee's. If a deal sounds too good to be true? Wacth out for similar items being offered under several different 'brand names'. In other words, excercise your common sense.
And one last thing: be honest with yourself. These are firearms we are talking about here, not toys, not gardening supplies or kitchen accessories. Set your Budget accordingly. You can't honestly expect to get much out of a firearm that retails for $99.00. In my opinion the very minimal budget for a Handgun that will be used as an ALL-Around firearm should be around $200.00 (Used firearms included) There's a good selection of sub $200.00 .22LR rifles available so naturally the Budget should be adjusted accordingly, but the bottom line is: if it is quality you're looking for in a firearm, be prepared to PAY for it.
Quality goes a long way. Get the best you can afford whenever firearms are concerned, better yet, save up enough to get the next best model of what your original budget would have allowed. Trust me, you won't regret it in the long run.:D
One of the most popular demonstrations for longevity seen today are the so-called "Torture Tests" where a certain firearm is subjected to horrific treatment over long periods of time all while firing an absurd amount of ammunition through it. Do these tests prove "longevity"? Of course they do. It's whether or not these "tests" are nessesary that comes up to question. I can totally understand such rigid testing if the firearm in question is being considered for a military or goverment contract, but for the everyday shooter the chances that your gun would ever be subjected to such harsh treatment is, for the most part, very slim at best. Still, it is nice to know that the gun you just purchased could undergo such a brutal trial and still perform as it was intended to.
However, just because a certain model has NOT been torture tested or in all seriousness could not endure such a test without failure should NOT be a reason to disregard of not consider it as a personal choice. There are a lot of fine firearms out there that would make excellent choices for home or self defense as well as recreational shooting. Obviously ones own judgement should come into play when making such decisions. While not as common as they once were, "Saturday Night Specials" or cheaply made firearms built using cheap & inferior materials are still readily available to the public. These should not however be confused with some of the moderately priced firearms that have arisen in the last few years. One company, Hi-Point has proven themselves to be able to produce functional firearms at affordable prices and while far from being quality items themselves, they are not the disposeable cast iron framed pistols that were so common in the late 80's early 90's. Davis, Pheonix, Jarvis, and Jennings were but a few of dozens of manefacturers of cheaply produced firearms that were once so common on the market.
When purchasing a firearm for the first time, it would be a great idea to use some common sense in your purchase. Research the gun you are considering BEFORE you buy it, not after. As ridiculous as that may sound allot of people are guilty of doing just that. Stay away from products that offer little or no warrantee's. If a deal sounds too good to be true? Wacth out for similar items being offered under several different 'brand names'. In other words, excercise your common sense.
And one last thing: be honest with yourself. These are firearms we are talking about here, not toys, not gardening supplies or kitchen accessories. Set your Budget accordingly. You can't honestly expect to get much out of a firearm that retails for $99.00. In my opinion the very minimal budget for a Handgun that will be used as an ALL-Around firearm should be around $200.00 (Used firearms included) There's a good selection of sub $200.00 .22LR rifles available so naturally the Budget should be adjusted accordingly, but the bottom line is: if it is quality you're looking for in a firearm, be prepared to PAY for it.
Quality goes a long way. Get the best you can afford whenever firearms are concerned, better yet, save up enough to get the next best model of what your original budget would have allowed. Trust me, you won't regret it in the long run.:D