What makes a gun "beautiful" or "ugly"

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jpruitt said:
Oh, I wouldn't base any gun purchase on what someone else thought was aesthetically pleasing, I was just curious.

I guess I'm clearly in the minority, as I don't like wood on my guns at all. Black synthetic stock with a matte stainless barrel is what gets me going with long guns. With handguns, I prefer all black, and the blockier the better. A Glock is a thing of beauty to me.

(is blockier a word?)
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Too funny. I prefer black guns too. But I like wood on certain ones. Given a choice I prefer all blac over black and another color.

I personally hate the lack oks of Glocks, while I think the new S&W M&Ps are beautiful

And blockier is a word if we make it one!
 
Craftsmanship, effort in design, production, and construction. Harmony of line, form following function. Quality materials and finishing.
The new Ruger PCC has no harmony of line certainly- the various angles almost appear to break and diverge at random, like a bunch of parts thrown together until they functioned, but then they callled it a day. Doesn't mean its a bad gun- if you like it good for you.

edwardware said:
are there any non-Mauser action bolt guns still in production
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Actually, the Mauser action, once widely copied, is almost extinct in new production. The controlled feed, non-rotating extractor is simply too expensive for a $300 rifle.....
The only current examples I know of are the Ruger M77 (Hawkeye), CZ, and, after a long hiatus, the Winchester M70.
 
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jeepnik said:
The eye of the beholder, as with all things.
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Another vote for "The eye of the beholder".

For me there are beautiful looking guns and beautiful technology guns and guns that display both or neither.

For instance, I like M1911s in John Browning's original design (looks and tech). Some of Sig's squared off examples of the M1911 look ugly to me yet are technologically interesting.

There are a number of older handguns that fit in the "Saturday Night Special" category that have no redeeming qualities for me, either visual or mechanical.
 
Beauty that is only skin deep is a waste in a firearm. If your unwilling to use it for its purpose because its beautiful I think you are missing the point.

I'm not a fan of scroll work on anything that doesn't have two barrels.

The problem with blueing is that as a form of rust prevention it sucked. Sort of surprised black chrome never took off.

I don't think a Glock is ugly, its not good looking either but the Gen 1s and 2s had clean lines. An elegance of function that frankly has been completely lost in a quest for grip by just about every gun manufacturer. I don't disagree with their reasons though. A hand gun is nothing more than a tool to me. When I first heard about barbecue guns I thought that was the stupidest thing I had ever heard of.
 
JohnBiltz said:
Beauty that is only skin deep is a waste in a firearm. If your unwilling to use it for its purpose because its beautiful I think you are missing the point.

I'm not a fan of scroll work on anything that doesn't have two barrels.

The problem with blueing is that as a form of rust prevention it sucked. Sort of surprised black chrome never took off.

I don't think a Glock is ugly, its not good looking either but the Gen 1s and 2s had clean lines. An elegance of function that frankly has been completely lost in a quest for grip by just about every gun manufacturer. I don't disagree with their reasons though. A hand gun is nothing more than a tool to me. When I first heard about barbecue guns I thought that was the stupidest thing I had ever heard of.
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IME, (and Ive got 3 chromed parade rifles) chrome of any sort doesn't stick to guns all that well, but ya, black chrome would be neat.
For me, a gun in my collection has to be pleasing to the eye AND functional. The prettiest gun I ever owned, a Colt 1908 with immaculate factory nickel, was a jam-o-matic. I won't keep an unreliable gun and sold it at a small loss just to move on.:( I also won't keep a gun in an unsupportable caliber- all of them could be used to defend limb, life, home, or freedom if necessary.
Now if it was Department issued, on their dime, I would have no problem with a Glock. Your'e right- its a tool, and a good one. Kinda like a hammer.
'Course, I also have my Grandad's beautiful antique roofing hammer......;)
 
Beauty in a firearm. I had a Stevens 200, and Savages with that nut that are not beautiful. But their accuracy was.

Beauty in a design that also has the perfect look for my eyes brings 1911's, Browning A-5's, Wingmasters, M1 Garands, Winchester 70's, Old 700's, Mauser 98's, Classic Weatherbys, Winchester levers, Classic doubles, wheel guns old and rarely new come to mind. I could go on and on. And on.

I think it was John Woo who said the most esthetically pleasing pistol ever made was the Beretta 92 fs. To each their own.
 
JohnBiltz said:
A hand gun is nothing more than a tool to me. When I first heard about barbecue guns I thought that was the stupidest thing I had ever heard of.
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The men that started the Barbecue gun custom were hard men that used guns as tools of their trade. They were Texas Rangers. A Barbecue was a big event back in the day and people would dress their best. Some Rangers went all out and would wear a fancy tooled leather rig with a fancy sidearm. These side arms were a thing of beauty and would catch the eyes of many. But they were also a working tool if needed.
 
I realize it takes a lot of talent to engrave, and I think engraving on wood is a thing of beauty but, scrolling on metal is butt ugly. Sorry, that's just my opinion. Don't know why I like one and not the other.

I'll take a deep blue finish and a pair of beautiful handgrips on a pistol!
 
GunnyUSMC said:
The men that started the Barbecue gun custom were hard men that used guns as tools of their trade. They were Texas Rangers. A Barbecue was a big event back in the day and people would dress their best. Some Rangers went all out and would wear a fancy tooled leather rig with a fancy sidearm. These side arms were a thing of beauty and would catch the eyes of many. But they were also a working tool if needed.
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You can say the same thing about camouflage. Then it got adopted by yahoos and wannabes.
 
I am an old-school rifle fanatic, although I don't have any guns that fit my idea of pretty. I like deep, dark shiny blueing set in a well figured piece of Claro Walnut. The wood to metal fit should be exceptional as is the elaborate checkering. The stock should be a Classic sporter with a shadowline cheek-piece, no white spacers between the rosewood pistol grip or forearm tip and a thin black rubber recoil pad. A nicely blued and engraved hinged floorplate and deluxe inlayed sling swivels would be a bonus. A Super America Kimber or a Super Grade Model 70 comes close.

AR's just suck stump water in the beauty department, although I do have a couple.;)
 
If it makes your mouth water. Palms sweaty. Makes you tingle in places you usually keep clothes on. Then it’s pretty. I can’t help it. I always shied away from the 92 beretta. I had a 1911. Which eventually got sold and I bought a Glock. The Glock was solid and dependable. But it never did give me feels like my 1911. Then I got my 92s. It’s just more pleasing to me. Points easier too.
 
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Rshooter said:
I would not know. I find the M60 beautiful but it is otherwise known as the "pig".
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Its better looking than what replaced it but I don't really think it was good looking. Design wise it had serious faults. Never ever give a soldier a gun that you can put a part in backwards, because he will.
 
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