Your personal Aesthetic tastes?

[Atom Smasher]

Over the years, personal aesthetics for what a desirable gun looks like have changed as the newer generation of gun owners has taken over. We know that the media has huge influences over what we purchase, it's just a fact of life; the gun our favorite hero uses is cool. For example, today we see a huge increase in the popularity of weapons like the AR-15, purely because of video games like Call of Duty. Kids (and adults ) are enthusiastic about the platform because it lets them live out their game in real life.

Now I know that this isn't the sole reason we purchase guns, we buy them for their history, or how reliable or accurate they are, but we can all agree that looks do come into play at some point or another. So what are your personal aesthetics? Do you like the look of traditional wood and steel? Or do the new black polymer pistols suit your fancy? There a ton of weapons out there, so generalizations are probably easier, but I figure this can be a thread where we post our favorite weapons purely based on our looks.

For your pleasure, I present the Browning Hi-Power:


I just love how classic this gun is, with a combination of blue steel and wood grips. It's slim, fits in my hand nicely, and looks amazing overall.

On the other side of the spectrum, I present the Hi Point C9 with a black powder coat.



This gun is ugly as sin, imho. Firstly, even for a compact, it feels like the dimensions of the gun are completely out of proportion. When I hold this gun it feels like the grip is just jutting out of the center of the slide. Additionally, the finish on this gun makes it look like it got dipped in tar. So with no clean edges, a ugly coat, and mis-proportioned components, this gun absolutely ranks low for me in terms of aesthetics.

So how about you, THR? What do you like? This is by no means confined to pistols only, feel free to post pictures of your most eye-candy firearms.

 

[gibson_es]

Im 22. So maybe im not normal for my age group. But i dont play video games very often. So maybe thats why. Lol


I will say that i love the look of the s&w 44 mag revolver.

Even more so, i love the desert eagle in chrome.

But my over all favorite, is a 1911. With that nice stainless steel look. Not chrome, not blue'd. Though those look pretty good as well. But i drool over a good 1911. Dark wood grips. One day i will own one.

I do like the looks of the xd and the glock. Quite a bit actually. But there nothing compared to a 1911 or even a desert eagle.

But i own aj xd, and not my top three favorites. Because i wouldnt wanna try and conceal a s&w 44 mag, or a desert eagle 50ae. And i actually dont wanna conceal a 1911, though many do. So the xd (poly gun) is more practical for me..

As for rifles and shot guns. I like a good ol side by side shotgun. Was fixing to get one the ther day but didnt. Howver the berreta silver pigeon IV. Is the most beautiful shot gun i have ever seen. And a blast to shoot too. Its on my wishlist.




On a side note. I actually used to own a c9. Wish i still had it. I know how people are about hi points. But it was fun to shoot at the range, and i dont think they look half bad. The larger ones. Like the 45 acp, trully are ugly as sin though.

 

[JohnM]

Pretty tough poll to vote in.
Tackycool and conventional old style military rifles only and no revolvers.

 

[pazz]

I used to prefer autos now I'm more old school and revolvers.

Ps..Becareful with that Hi Point photo lol

 

[TenMillimaster]

I feel sad for being the first to vote for polymer pistols. anyways, there should have been an option for "I don't care, I'm just happy to have something to shoot that works"
As far as old school milsurp goes... G3's are now oldschool milsurp, and there's not much wood there.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Yeah, didn't really think that one through- I guess it'd be more of an overall generalization of "Do you like the newer style of black and polymer or the more classic look of wood and steel?" Revolvers definitely fall into the more "classic" look, in my opinion, but there are a wide array of different styles of revolver that you could argue about. For example, I really don't like snub revolvers; aesthetically they are not pleasing to my eye. Besides, the poll was just an afterthought, I was more interested in the discussion.

Edit: The images are courtesy of Impact Guns, just so my bases are covered. Mods, let me know if I need to take those down.

 

[pazz]

I was more interested in the discussion.

I never really got into the tacticool craze. I like my shotguns stock
without all the bells and whistles. I do however like Ar's but, don't
care to deck them all out..just keep it standard as possible.

Now I like steel and wood revolvers but, I like the Ruger LCR too.
Hmm no simple answer here.

 

[Carne Frio]

I'm all for diversity. Why limit yourself ?
Examples in handguns that I own and shoot:

Browning HP's
Glocks
Colts
Kel-Tecs
Smith's
Rossi's

 

[mj246]

I put down the option that included "The Classics" because I'm mostly a revolver guy, and whether it's a revolver or a semi-auto I definitely prefer steel over polymer both aesthetically and in feel. Old school metal and wood rifles are nice looking too, but I'm not really into shooting them.

 

[Atom Smasher]

See, I think that the old Mosins and Garands look boring. I know that there is a history there, and that a lot of people like them, but I just find their outline and hardware uninteresting. At the same time, I'm not into the super-tactical look either- an AR15 packed out with lights and a scope and all kinds of different attachments looks silly.

I think my favorite rifle is probably the G3, but that could be an influence from video games.

 

[CoRoMo]

I voted for each/all options because they all apply here.

I have something in each of these categories, and each has a roll/purpose to me. For example, I have a nice blue/walnut bolt action rifle that I use for antelope hunting because the thing is more accurate than me. Current handloads have produced 0.73" groups which makes it the most accurate rifle that I think I have. Of course, when the weather is wet, I leave that one at home and take a lever rifle that has stainless metals and polymer stocks. I have yet to see how accurate it really is, so if the sun is shining, the blued bolt action goes hunting. Same goes for other rolls; if it needs to be polymer, it is. If the wood/blued one shoots better, it will be used.

...the Hi Point C9 with a black powder coat.

Please do not bash products without reason.

 

[Atom Smasher]

I'm not bashing it without reason? I personally find the gun unpleasant to look at. I'm well within my rights to say that I don't like how a particular gun looks- I've fired the C9 and I didn't really think it was that mechanically reliable. Is there a hard rule against negative reviews of products? I don't have a particular bias against Hi Point, but this particular pistol I believe is poorly designed.

 

[CoRoMo]

That's perfectly fine.

I'd just hate for the thread to go in the wrong direction.

 

[Furncliff]

Steel and wood is timeless.

If I carried or had to pack because of my job I certainly would look hard at the composite weapons out there.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Very true- I would definitely like it to slant more towards the positive spectrum of things

For example, another firearm I feel has real character is the side-by-side double barrel shotgun. I really like the Parker shotgun (check it out!)- between the scroll work and just overall sleekness of the gun's profile, there's really not a prettier shotgun out there, imho.

 

[wlewisiii]

You forgot double guns/single shots rifles & blued steel revolvers.

 

[DAP90]

For long guns I like the look of wood and steel, but I wouldn’t, and haven’t, let other materials stop me from buying a gun.

My main complaint about my Super Nova is the way it looks though. I bought the standard, 26” non-camo version and have had several people comment on my tacticool shotgun while shooting trap. A couple rounds, some friendly conversation and that all goes away.

With handguns it doesn’t matter to me as much. I currently only own semi’s but I think the best looking handguns are single action revolvers.

 

[FlyinBryan]

i voted both types of rifles and old school type pistols (although i would be open to the idea of getting glock.

i shot a friends g22 and i think once i got used to the trigger i could actually be pretty good with it. it was more accurate than i thought it would be.

 

[kayak-man]

Personally, I don't think of the M9/Berreta as a classic, but it was in the same category as the 1911, so I guess I didn't have much of a choice.

I like the classic guns - wood, blued steel, actions types that spin around.....


Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[FROGO207]

Stainless and a mirror shine is where I will go for most any firearm that is available in that flavor. Between that and my dive for brass when I am done shooting some of my friends say in a past life I was a crow.

 

[mgmorden]

You can't pick one of the best examples of "old" designs and the worst of "new" designs to illustrate a point.

By comparison, old school:



And new:



In my eyes that Storm looks a heck of a lot better than the Astra .

As to my personal tastes, for my pistols, I tend to lean more towards newer polymer guns, but I have quite a few of each and don't discriminate.

For rifles, I tend to be more old school. I do have an AR15, but aside from that I don't even own another sythetic stocked rifle. Its all wood and blued steel. I've fallen away from milsurps, but I do tend to like the older 1950's/60's era civilian sporters.

 

[Hanzo581]

All of the above.

 

[monet61]

I like them all, but a good old fashioned pre- hillary hole revolver is the best.
IMHO.

 

[CraigC]

My tastes run 99% traditional. I love blued, browned or case colored steel and walnut, rosewood, stag or ivory. I have a soft spot for old world craftsmanship, old fashioned handwork. I'm primarily a revolver shooter and most of those are single actions, factory and custom. They make up the majority of my collection, along with a handful of older S&W's.



I also love old British doubles, sporting rifles and tasteful engraving. I took the plunge a few years ago and treated myself to a little Merkel 280. A wonderful little 28ga double, a fine 5.5lb bird gun. Sitting on the porch with an issue of the Double Gun Journal, a cup of coffee and a fine cigar is a favorite way to pass the evening.


I also like blackpowder guns and my tastes are strictly traditional. I may hunt with my .54cal Great Plains Rifle all season long.



I love traditional leverguns with octagon barrels. I'm a sucker for Colt cartridge conversions and replicas.



Big fan of the Colt SAA and its replicas.



I also like a little modern thrown in so plated finishes and adjustable sights are not left out, nor are modern grip materials like micarta.



I don't neglect autos either. Shot Glocks for a while, then finally found what I like best, 1911's.



I also love .22's and have a bunch of them. Most are more traditional but I'm also a sucker for green stuff and a little functional "tacticool". Though such guns are in the minority in my collection, I enjoy them immensely. I think the current plethora of "tactical" .22's and conversions are some of the most fun and would love one of each, please. Got my eye on the Marauder 10/22 stock and the GSG522, as well as the SIG offerings.



Everybody should have a good AR and know how to use it.

 

[valnar]

This is a tough poll to vote for since you can vote for all of them. Also, not many will argue the aesthetic beauty of the old classics, but people don't buy the new polymer guns for aesthetics anyway. They buy it for function, or rust resistance, or higher round capacity, or weight, etc.

If someone wasn't going to shoot a gun at all, like hang it on a wall as art, you'd find many more people voting for the classics, even more than I predict this poll will go anyway.