Gun snobs?

[sbaker10]

Anyone noticed a general snobbery on some forums as far as guns and optics?

I'm still amazed when people spend the price of a new car on an ar 15 and act like anything else won't even fire. Same with optics. I can see spending a few hundred on a good scope. I could even see spending a grand if they were a high level 1000 yard shooter, but some people put 4000, scopes on their ARs and I just have to ask where the heck do some of these people work to have hundreds of thousands into their guns.

Just a little bit of a rant and I am curious if anyone else has noticed this

[5whiskey]

I have noticed it, but not to an extreme degree. If you tried to sell me a hi-point, then I would be a little gun-snobbish. Yeah, I know they go bang and can more or less hit a torso at 15 yards... but I want something a little better.

I would call a gun snob someone who tries to say that anything less than a H&K, Sig, or Kimber isn't worth having. I don't see many of those. Are there some people trashing on Taurus? Yeah, but I have to be honest I've had a couple of bad experiences with a Taurus myself. I don't mind spending money on a good gun, but I'm a lot closer to your terms when it comes to optics. I think there are a lot of optics snobs that believes a Nikon prostaff is beneath them. The longest shot I have on a deer is at 300+ yards with a bushnell banner. Hit exactly where I aimed (spine shot in the base of the neck) and the deer fell right there. A Leupold Mk IV wouldn't have killed the thing any deader. Yes, a 1K yard camp perry competitor will likely want a decent scope. Me? I can hit a pie plate at 600 yards with my $200 fixed power Bushnell Elite 3200 10 of 10 times. That's more than I need, so I'm happy.

[LockedBreech]

As someone who owns a range of firearms ranging from the cheap ($139 for my excellent-grade Nagant) to fairly expensive ($1,400 for my Daniel Defense AR-15), I honestly believe the snobbery goes both ways. The folks who act like their $5,000 1911 or $2,000 AR-15 are the only options are full of it, but so are the folks who think their $400 Rugers or $150 Hi-Points are the exact same as a $1,000 Sig Mk. 25, and that owners of higher-priced arms got "suckered".

For any firearm, the question is whether it does what you need it to. The rest is largely ego-driven posturing, just the same as any car forum or guitar forum. It's not price that drives the snobbery, but rather a need to exclude.

Such exclusion, against those who spend a lot or a little, does zero good in a decent firearms community.

[MoGas1341]

Alot of it could have to do with social status and income...

For example, I have a Springfield TRP and absolutely love it! Could you hand me a Springfield Range Officer and I still hit the target? Absolutely! If you handed me a $3000 Ed Brown, would I suddenly shoot better? Probably not. The day I can out shoot my TRP is the day I need to upgrade (wont happen in this lifetime) I dont see a $1600 difference in the TRP or the Ed Brown...

I did however buy a Select Field Winchester 101 O/U, and I couldnt own a Stoeger Condor at all. Mainly its because of the weight and feel. Do I think the price difference was worth it? Yes. I feel I could use my 101 and shoot as good as any other average Joe with a Citori. Once again, the price difference.

I think alot of 'gun snobbery' comes from people with alot of money. To put it in real life terms, can a 2001 Dodge with a Cummins pull 10,000 lbs? Yes. Can a 2014 Denali HD with a Duramax pull 10,000 lbs? Yes. Is there that much of a value between the prices? Thats up to the owner.

Do I frown on someone buying a Taurus .44 mag over a Smith 629? No, but I think Smith is the better finished gun and has better resale value. (They're probably just as accurate) Some would be inclined to call the Taurus junk, I don't, but I tell folks if they have the extra money, get the Smith.

[Quentin2]

As someone who owns a range of firearms ranging from the cheap ($139 for my excellent-grade Nagant) to fairly expensive ($1,400 for my Daniel Defense AR-15), I honestly believe the snobbery goes both ways. The folks who act like their $5,000 1911 or $2,000 AR-15 are the only options are full of it, but so are the folks who think their $400 Rugers or $150 Hi-Points are the exact same as a $1,000 Sig Mk. 25, and that owners of higher-priced arms got "suckered".

For any firearm, the question is whether it does what you need it to. The rest is largely ego-driven posturing, just the same as any car forum or guitar forum. It's not price that drives the snobbery, but rather a need to exclude.

Such exclusion, against those who spend a lot or a little, does zero good in a decent firearms community.

I agree with LockedBreech. From my observations this is more the way it goes than what the OP opined. I believe you should avoid products that are too cheap but there is a point where you reach diminishing returns. We all have to find the sweet spot for us. And be open minded to allow others the same courtesy.

[ClydeFrog]

I must admit, I'm a tad of a smuggy buggy when it comes to some gun issues(calibers, quality, brands, etc).
It just irks me me when someone says they own a $1200.00 1911a1 model .45acp then brag about using used, mil-spec .45acp magazines they found in a gun shop barrel for $5.00 .
Or those who buy a $200.00 PoS junkster deluxe then gripe about it breaking at the range. Really?

Now budgets, skill level, tastes, etc may be factors but I'm not above being a bit snobby about some points.

Clyde

[SHE3PDOG]

Price is just one part of the gun snob equation. You also have extremist brand or caliber loyalty which gets out of hand pretty quickly. Somehow a lot of threads break out into caliber wars or 1911 vs Glock fights even when the original topic had almost nothing to do with either.

[JERRYS.]

it takes all kinds bro, let it go.

some guys buy high end stuff because it is the only thing that fits what they want. some other guys by high end stuff to compensate for things they lack. its the same in any group.... why do you think Alabama fans act like you slapped their mother when you say they didn't play good? its an extension of themselves making up for the things they lack in their lives.

believe me, if I could have found a .380 as small and as well made as the Seecamp for less than $800 I would have bought it. but as it stands LWS is the smallest quality .380 semi-auto made.

[rebs]

It is common sense to some that the gun they own is the absolute best there is. The same as the guy who owns a Chevy believes he bought the best car there is on the market. No matter what it is guns, cars, trucks, tools etc. what they have is the very best there is and everything else is just so so.
Is it snobbery or is it that they truly feel they bought what they believe really is the best ?

[dakiwi13]

I'm very much a snob, won't touch a hi point

[Ozzieman]

Have you ever tried shooting with a Trijicon ACOG?
Have you ever tried shooting a high end rifle? I have a Rem 700 that with all the mods and scope I have over 3500$ in it?
I’m not a gun snob but when I read threads that ask why do people spend so much on guns when a 500$ gun will do just as well, then their called gun snobs.
I’m proud of the collection I have, it’s taken a long time and a lot of money that I worked hard for.
I like what LockedBreech said. It can go both ways.
The “My gun is better than your gun because it costs less/more!” just shows how naïve the person is.
I buy the best gun that I can afford, I buy expensive guns that I collect and dam the cost.
But at the same time that doesn’t stop me from buying cheep guns. The firearm that I enjoy the most that I purchased in the last year was a Nagant. 125$ for the gun and not much more for 800 rounds.
I spent 4 weekends cleaning and working on the stock and right now that gun gives me more satisfaction and enjoyment than any other in the safe.
For me the only gun snobs are the ones using the term “gun snobs” describing other members.
Quit looking in the mirror.

[sbaker10]

I can understand wanting nice things, I like nice stuff and there are some guns I wouldnt buy, eg hipoints. What I'm talking about is the people who call leopolds and aimpoints junk saying there is no excuse to get anything less than an SB or trijicon and that nothing else will work. I've bought 400$ knives. I understand wanting the very best. What I was talking about is those who would say a 50 dollar knife wouldnt work as a every day pocket knife.

[Brian Pfleuger]

I also agree with LockedBreech but what really gets me is not so much the opinions, it's the idiotic justifications.

How many times do we see a question about a first rifle scope with a $150 budget and we get comments like "that junk won't feel like such a great deal when you find the reticle rattling around in there on your African safari!" or the slightly more realistic but equally obnoxious "when it costs you the buck of a lifetime!"

I know two guys who own the most expensive guns and optics out of all the people I know. Everyone else owns budget stuff, $150 scopes are high end. Guns are whatever was/is common at WalMart, Bass Pro, etc. Those are the guns and optics that rule the day in America. The percentages of people who own even $250 scopes and $800 guns are by far the exception, not the rule.

That high-end stuff is really sweet sometimes but it's hardly necessary for the great majority of shooters.

[sbaker10]

Originally Posted by Brian Pfleuger

I also agree with LockedBreech but what really gets me is not so much the opinions, it's the idiotic justifications.

How many times do we see a question about a first rifle scope with a $150 budget and we get comments like "that junk won't feel like such a great deal when you find the reticle rattling around in there on your African safari!" or the slightly more realistic but equally obnoxious "when it costs you the buck of a lifetime!"

I know two guys who own the most expensive guns and optics out of all the people I know. Everyone else owns budget stuff, $150 scopes are high end. Guns are whatever was/is common at WalMart, Bass Pro, etc. Those are the guns and optics that rule the day in America. The percentages of people who own even $250 scopes and $800 guns are by far the exception, not the rule.

That high-end stuff is really sweet sometimes but it's hardly necessary for the great majority of shooters.

That Sums up what I wanted to say. You see someone who wants a deerscope and you get guys saying you have to buy a Leopold anything else and the deer will deflect bullets, then the next guy comes along ans says leopolds are junk you HAVE to buy a nightforce nothing else will work

I have no problem with people spending thousands on guns. When I graduate I am sure I will at least have something In the 2000$ range. But people acting like 1000$ is way too little to spend on a gun is kind of funny

[Ozzieman]

What I'm talking about is the people who call leopolds and aimpoints junk saying there is no excuse to get anything less than an SB or trijicon and that nothing else will work.
I agree with your statement totally.
I don’t actually own a Trijicon ACOG but once you shoot with one you can understand why people spend so much on one.
Most of my scopes are Leopold and Redfield, I actually have a Starline scope on an AR but I also have an Aimpoint on a Beretta storm carbine. I just wish I could own an ACOG.
But for certain guns I have high end scopes but instead of paying over 1000$ I bought them off another shooter in our club used.
To me the only real gun snob is the one that owns a number of guns, high priced guns and never shoots them. I’m not talking about the collector that's a totally different story.
I’m talking about the person that has guns and the only time they are out of the safe is to impress others and really doesn’t care what he owns other than to impress others. That is the true definition of a gun snob in my opinion

[GeneS]

I think there are gun snobs. I may be guilty sometimes. I am not sure sometimes where to draw the line between snobbery and well informed opinions. I have my opinions and I truly do believe in them.

I don't want a Hi-Point. I think the Taurus PT 92 is a good pistol, but I believe the Beretta 92 is better and it's what I want. I believe the Browning Hi Power is better than the clones of it. I don't believe a Colt Python is better than an L frame S&W with an action job by someone that knows what they're doing. YMMV

[44 AMP]

I think its snobbery when one someone believes that they are superior because of what they own. When that attitude is directed at the other guns owner, not the gun.

No one can argue not all guns are equal. Some are better than others. We spend a lot of our time on just this subject. What is better, and for what...

I don't think preferring one gun over another is snobbery. Its being discriminating.

Looking down on someone because their tastes are different, that is snobbery, to me.

Thinking less of someone because they are some level of idiot (proven by their actions) is not.

[osirus82]

I understand the snobbery to a certain degree- like most i wont buy a hi-point in any configuration and yes I have had time to look over one and shot it. But everyone tries to find a deal on either new or used guns, I bought most of my guns under retail value but that doesn't make them cheap guns. I dont own super expensive pistols or revolvers ( haven't found a deal)nor do i own any taticool 5.56's with eotech's or 3X magnifiers, but if I found a deal and had the funds you could be dam sure I'd jump on it.

[Strafer Gott]

You really haven't experienced tool snobbery until you see it in aircraft mechanics. I know of one or two interviews that didn't go much past "What tools do you own?" I'd be willing to bet it's probably just as rampant in the high-end auto trade.
So why would it be any different with the craftsmen in this trade? Good tools for good results. The rest is just local color.

[imp]

To throw a little gas on the fire, I find there is as much jealousy as snobbery. For every post like "Thats junk, spend 3x as much and get x,y, or z", there is a post like " why pay x when you can get y for half the price and buy more ammo".

Every one has a different budget, different priorities, and different taste. A high end weapon to me might be entry level fodder for someone else, or vice versa.

Buy a gun, shoot it, shoot it well, and forget other people and what that think about it.

[kraigwy]

brag about using used, mil-spec .45acp magazines they found in a gun shop barrel for $5.00

I found that USGI 45 are the most reliable mags I have found for my 1911s.

Same thing with those 20 Rd USGI mags for my AR and M14 mags I have left over from my Guard Days

[SmokeeatersE35]

I have heard lots of people say that if you have a 1000 dollar gun generally you should put a scope that costs about half that on there...do i believe in that no, no but i also believe you get what you pay for... i have an AR-15 that i put a new upper on and i bought a Nikon M-223 2x8 32 to put on it...is is a cheaper scope no as i paid 350 for it a few years ago...i didnt have the cash at the time to put a leupold AR scope on there as they are in my opinion a little better optics. For what i use it for coyote/varmint and range shooting it does work for me. I guess it is peoples preference and application that would help determine what they want to use...i will not knock anyone for putting high end scopes on their guns as if they have the money to spend more power to them...i would love to own a EO TECH zombie red dot with the magnifier but i dont have the 1200 bucks to spend on the set up...is it cool yes but do i have a useful application for it not really..same with the Trijicons but i cant afford these scopes so i try and find scopes with good ratings and middle of the road priced...I know What you are saying though...the only things i have seem in the forums as a new member so far is its hard to have anyone reply to any of your posts...but i dont call it snobish maybe as a newbie it takes a while to get noticed...

[buckhorn_cortez]

Anyone noticed a general snobbery on some forums as far as guns and optics?

I'm still amazed when people spend the price of a new car on an ar 15 and act like anything else won't even fire. Same with optics. I can see spending a few hundred on a good scope. I could even see spending a grand if they were a high level 1000 yard shooter, but some people put 4000, scopes on their ARs and I just have to ask where the heck do some of these people work to have hundreds of thousands into their guns.

Just a little bit of a rant and I am curious if anyone else has noticed this

What I notice are posts like this where expensive = snob because the poster can't afford, doesn't understand, or feigns amazement that everyone doesn't have the exact same motivations or gun budgets as the OP.

I have expensive guns that have been, for the most part, customized, modified, or custom built specifically to meet my requirements. It's always been like that even when I was in college and working two jobs to put myself through school.

I don't judge other people by what they buy or own - why do you?

[SmokeeatersE35]

agreed buckhorn.... its all about what fits your needs.......

[Ben Towe]

I don't consider myself a snob, but you won't catch me giving my blessing for someone to buy junk optics. You don't have to buy a Zeiss, but don't go buy China's Best either.