Too Pretty to shoot

[Greg Blackburn]

Is that like having a wife that’s too pretty to sleep with?

Depends...how rough is this "sleeping?"

I have bought firearms that I won't use for fear of scratches.

I sometimes buy weapons that are a bit dinged up so if those are scratched on a hunt, I won't feel bad.

 

[totonap]

To some It's a work of Art. Others see it as a rifle. Art is to look at and appreciate, The gun is to shoot. Now you got to decide. To me it is shooting a work of art.

 

[griffiga]

I've got a piece of art also known as a 20 ga flintlock. Splurged and purchased while undergoing chemo and couldn't even pick it up (too weak). Stronger now but still haven't had it out. SOON it will need cleaning !!!

Gosh, I hope you get feeling better, my mom went through that and it’s no fun. You made me realize I could do a lot worse than worry about the pretty stock on a gun!

 

[toot]

shoot it and never look back! if it wasn't meant to be shot, then why was it created? think about? if it was never to have been shot, then it would have been made as a non fireable replica!! PS. an expensive one!!

 

[toot]

if you have one of them, every time you bump it, you go into cardiac arrest! stop every thing and look it all over and hope that there is no scratch or ding on stock or barrel. now is that any way to live? I for one think not!

 

[Tanglefoot]

A lot of years ago, I decided that since I wasn't wealthy, I could spend what I had on the best quality I could afford - a better barrel or a better lock or some fine craftsmanship - or on "pretty" but I couldn't afford both. So my `skins ain't beaded or quilled and with one exception my tools don't have engraved blades or inlaid handles and by-and-large my shooting gear is plain as a mud fence except for the beauty that comes with graceful lines, good inletting, and reliable function. There are a couple of exceptions.
Over the last 40 years or so, I've acquired one flintlock with some stock carving and inlays and one little caplock squirrel gun that has a +P grade Maple stock because the riflesmith was out of the straight-grain Maple I asked for and didn't want to wait for another shipment. The rest of my medicine irons have been plain and sturdy, though well made and center shooters, every one, otherwise they don't stay long. That squirrel gun I mentioned almost left my employ because I had a high old time trying to work up a load for it. Couldn't get it to group. Turned out that it had the most persnickety barrel I've ever shot, but once we sorted that out it grouped just fine. With the "right" charge it started putting 5 shots into less than an inch at
25 yards. Five grains either way and the group size ballooned fast.
I don't own a rifle that won't shoot, or that I don't shoot. Sooner or later the temptation would overcome common sense and I'd have to load `er up, and then sure as sunrise I'd drop `er on a rock.
There floats my stick,
Tanglefoot

 

[Tanglefoot]

By the bye ... I once went into a roadhouse in an eastern state for lunch while I was working there. The place was recommended for it's food and that was good, but the bar section was decorated with antique firearms hanging on the walll paneling. There were flintlock Pennsylvania rifles, and smoothbores, and percussion rifles, and even some later lever guns. I was horrified to see that they had been "mounted" by driving lag bolts through the stocks and into the wood of the walls.

 

[Yewbender]

A gun that beautiful needs to be fondled and shot!!!

 

[Intosomthin]

Its me, n im not afraid of using old stuff, ancient stuff... id shoot the hell out of it... and add u to the history... wall hangers aint my style... there pretty to look at yep, but if u aint burninvg powder in em once and a while, aint a gun is a painting...

 

[nhmoose]

It was made to shoot or it is not a gun.

 

[toot]

nhmoose, ROGER THAT,!! so true. why can't people see that?