would you buy a gun to fit in?

[greyson97]

would you buy a gun to fit in?
Say for example, a person only had black plastic tacticool shotguns and rifles, and they had friends or co-workers who hunted or did traditional clay trap and skeet, and they were the kind that used wood furniture guns that were meant for hunting, and not, people killing.

would you buy a wood furniture gun to fit in, or would you bring your tacticool gun that could probabbly serve the same purpose as well?

If you are the type that has tons of wood furniture guns, how would you feel if someone brought their tacticool gun to the hunt/shoot

[Doyle]

Most of us would immediately think "Mall Ninja" unless the guy was already a good friend. Sounds like a good excuse to buy another gun.

[precision_shooter]

I don't change who I am or what I like for anyone. If I want to bring an all black semi-auto Saiga 12 ga. with a 10 round detachable magazine to a trap shoot, then I will. Why do something just cuz other people do it? This goes back to the old saying "if so-and-so jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" There are so many choices available in firearms that pretty much everyone can have exactly what they want instead of following suit to what others have. Be yourself and to hell with anyone who has a problem with it.

[Waterengineer]

OK, I have a different take on this. First, let me say, I understand if you need to purchase another gun to "fit in" - the potential financial stress that may cause.

But. If you are comfortable with who you are - feel good about yourself - then what is the "problem" with trying to appear serious about the game of shotgun sports by having a wood furniture gun?

It is not so much "trying to fit in" but showing you are serious about your pursuit, respectig the game and others around you.

I would take someone showing at the range with an inexpensive wood/blue pump gun that someone pulling a black/stainless steel gun out of thier bag.

I have had my times of being broke and wanting to be a rebel, believe me. But, I have learned I can still be who I am, with my belief system, without throwing it in the face of those around me.

If it is a cost issue, I suggest borrowing a gun or renting from the range.

[Skans]

Depends. Yes, probably. I like having both tactical guns and hunting rifles/shotguns. I did purchase a decent O/U Shotgun to shoot sporting clays and skeet. I suppose I could have showed up with a more "tactical" shotgun, but, for a number of reasons, I chose not to do that.

I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said that I wasn't concerned about my friends and acquantences that I am shooting with thinking me a "Yahoo" for using a combat shotgun. Likewise, when I go hunting, I use a traditional hunting rifle, not an AR15, FAL or other tactical rifle. Really, my Remington .30-06 is just better suited for hunting.

It is not so much "trying to fit in" but showing you are serious about your pursuit, respectig the game and others around you.....I have had my times of being broke and wanting to be a rebel, believe me. But, I have learned I can still be who I am, with my belief system, without throwing it in the face of those around me.

Very nicely said!

[taylorce1]

First thing is your tacticool shotgun the proper tool for the job on hand? Most tactical shotguns are short barreled guns with cylinder bores, not the best thing for hunting or trap/skeet shooting. If it has a proper barrel on it and plug in the magazine for hunting or trap/skeet shooting then I could care less if you show up to hunt with me and had hot pink furniture on it. I might tease you a bit about it but it would be all in good fun.

As far as a tactical rifle goes, as long as you are a competentshot, know your limitations, respect the game being hunted, and are meeting legal requirements for things like magazine capacity (semi auto), and barrel lenght then you would be welcome in my hunting camp as well. However if it is a 10+ pound rifle don't ask me to carry it because you are tired, then you might get an I told you so! I hunt with traditional wood and blue guns as well as synthetic ones, I don't get too hung up on what your rifle looks like.

[Uncle Buck]

No.

[Willie Lowman]

meant for hunting, and not, people killing.

...Is that what the black plastic is for? So we can tell if a gun is for killing people? I have shot trap with my Benelli M2 Tac. That ghost ring sight made it quite easy to lead birds once I got used to it. (I prefer my Superposed.)

That said, I could kill you all the way to dead with my Superposed.

If you can shoot your evil black guns well, shoot em' or if you think wood and a gold trigger will make you a better shot get one of those. If the snickering of your friends is causing you to miss shots, wear earplugs and ear muffs.

[Mike Irwin]

Buying a gun JUST to fit into the crowd?

That's just being a Lemming.

Watch out for cliffs.


I can't say much, though...

A couple of years ago a friend of mine got all hot and bothered by the thought that John Kerry might win the election, and he decided to build himself an AR.

And, even though I'm not all that interested in the black rifles (or I wasn't at that time), I decided that I had better build myself one, too. So, I bought all the parts, built myself a nice AR, and have had a LOT of fun with it.

And my friend sold his earlier this year.

So yeah, lemmingism can overtake the best of us.

[greyson97]

OP here:

say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?

[DMK]

If someone looks at my AR15 and judges me because of it or thinks that I'm some kind of "Mall Ninja" then they are just ignorant, and prejudiced. I'm not going to buy something just to be accepted by anyone, much less someone like that.

Even if you don't like something of a certain style. You should at least be able to have an open mind to accept that someone else might appreciate its virtues.

I'm not a big fan of "Remchester" style hunting rifles or over/under shotguns (should we call these "animal killing" guns?). But I can accept that someone else might appreciate them and I'm polite enough to give them a compliment on their "nice gun" when they bring it to the range.

[DMK]

say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?

Certainly not! That's a job for the FAL.

[GhostDog_usa]

"say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?"

Only if the SCAR was in the shop

G-Dog

[Mike Irwin]

"say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?"

No.

Because I don't consider the .223 cartridge to be suitable for deer.

If, however, I had one of the AR uppers chambered in .243 up to .50 Beowulf, then yes, I WOULD show up to hunt deer with an AR if that was the rifle that I decided to take at that time.

But, I'd also be inclined to choose my Savage 99, my Remington 81, my Remington 700, my Remington 722, or my sporterized 1903-A3 as other suitable contenders for the hunting trip.

[Willie Lowman]

Nope, I can't legally use an AR on deer in Ohio.

If the AR is all you have and you think it may offend your boss, mention that the only rifle you own is a mag fed .223 of the evil black persuasion. If that is not cool with him ask him if you can borrow one of his Elmer Fudd huntin' wyfles.

But I agree that .223 is a bit small for deer. I know that people do use it successfully. I would use something more in the 7,62 or 8mm range.

[hoytinak]

say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?

Sure, I feel comfortable with the .223 on the deer around here and it's legal. However I do prefer a .243 or .30-30.

[taylorce1]

OP here:

say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?

I would tell the boss what rifle I have to hunt with and ask his/her opinion. If I didn't have any experience hunting I'd tell them, and ask for help. If he/she doesn't think it is the proper rifle for the job they might offer to let me use one of theirs.

Just make sure to get some range time in with a borrowed rifle before the hunt so the rifle gets set up for the person hunting with it. I'm sure that any good employer who offered and opportunity to hunt would be willing to mentor the person he/she asked. Why buy a rifle just to impress an employer, me personally I'd be more impressed by your willingness to learn and ask questions and honesty than any rifle you would bring to hunt with.

[mavracer]

say your boss that you respect invited you out to hunt deer with him. would you still show up with an ar-15?

no both ARs are 5.56, Kansas regs require .24 minimum.so I'd have to bring the M1A.
BTW I can fit in with any crowd but don't feel any need to.

[Uncle Billy]

I spend about zero time and/or money and/or concern trying to "fit in" in ANY circumstance. I don't need or seek the acceptance of anyone, especially one who would judge me by what sort of guns I find interesting, or even that I'm interested and engaged in guns and shooting.

Anyone who would judge me by such trivia is of too shallow a perspective and too narrow a focus to matter to me. I was never much good at "sucking up" to anyone; they can take me or leave me for whatever reasons are important to them; if the reasons are shallow and pointless, like this one is, then I suffer no loss in "not fitting in".

I am totally indifferent to someone who I don't "fit in" with because I shoot flintlocks, or because like trap better than skeet, or because I don't own a 9 mm, or because I'm not into ersatz military killing machines and the associated mall Ninja aura, or because I don't CC all the time- or any of the million such assessments of me one could make.

If those are the criteria someone uses to judge me, then they don't "fit in" with ME.

[SparkE!]

Originally Posted by mavracer

Kansas regs require .24 minimum.so I'd have to bring the M1A.

Actually, Kansas regs are for .23" minimum:

Originally Posted by KDWP

Legal rifle for deer - centerfire rifles that are not fully automatic and that fire a bullet larger than .23 inches in diameter, while using only hard-cast solid lead, soft point, hollow point, or other expanding bullets.

The above quote was taken from here:

Legal Guns & Bows / Deer / Hunting Regulations / Hunting / KDWP

Last year, the lower limit was .232" which seems like a strange number to use. I've heard that there was talk at one time about dropping the minimum to .223" so that the soldiers at Fort Riley could legally hunt deer with their service rifles, but I've never been able to verify if that is true or not.

Whatever the case, you're right that the standard AR-15 in 5.56 or .223 is not legal in Kansas for hunting deer.

[GeauxTide]

If your "friends" would be concerned about that, you've got the wrong friends. If your boss invited you deer hunting, show up with a deer rifle.

[greyson97]

OP here:

yeah, i guess i should have left out friends and just focused on co-workers and boss. my friends are cool with what i have, and they like shooting my stuff cause its fun

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I understand the OP's question... & personally "would I buy a gun just to fit in" ... no... however I am highly competitive, & would want to have a "good enough" tool to do the job correctly...

understand though, that if you are going to have guns as a life long hobby, that you are going to change as time goes on...

I started out with guns, getting one very versitile rifle, one very versitile revolver & one very versitile shotgun, & planning on using one of my father in laws for anything specific that my "use for almost anything" gun couldn't handle... that was a long time ago...

Clinton era came... I bought every kind of semi auto & black rifle & hand gun I could get my hands on... even though I honestly didn't like them, or so I found out later... now I prefer single shots & revolvers, I still like the durability of stainless & composite, but most all the semi's have gone down the road in favor of bolt actions, lever actions, old single shots & revolvers...I still like my hunting & carry guns to have the durability of stainless & plastic, but the looks & feel of wood appeals more to me now, than it did when I was younger...

if you show up sporting "black guns" to an "event" that "traditionally" uses non black guns... you probably will get lots of "mall ninja" comments, or at least thoughts or looks from the "regulars"... but if your performance is good, not to worry, let them eat crow... but if the gun you brought is so not what you need to be competitive or complete the task ( as in hunting ), & your performance is much less than par, the mall ninja comments are probably somewhat warrented...

if you are forced into the tac shot gun & shooting trap situation, be humble & respectfull of the "old dudes" & explain that "this" was all I had, you'll probably get explainations as to why the regular guns they are using work better, & if you find out what you need in a gun, you can still get a "black gun" that meets as many of those points as possible, so then you look young & rebelious, but not like an ignorant mall ninja or a total newbie...

[wyobohunter]

bring your tacticool gun that could probabbly serve the same purpose as well?

Not if it doesn't have interchangeable choke tubes. Otherwise why not use what you've got? If you find that you really like Trap just get a pump gun of any color (if that's your thing) that has interchangeable choke tubes and you are set. For Skeet... good luck with the pump gun.

[TRguy]

NO, hell with 'em.