It's probably no secret that I think that the commercial pistol version of the KRISS Vector is about as practical, necessary, and useful as a kickstand on a tank, so why would anyone buy one?
"Duh," retorts Caleb, "because they're cool and fun and in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare!"
I tend to forget sometimes that there are reasons to own guns beyond practicality, historical significance, and collectability (read: Blue Book Value...), such as "just for the heck of it." Maybe I'll take my .22 Jet revolver to the range today...
Speaking as the guy who put a pistol bayonet on a Smith & Wesson model 34 kit gun, I appreciate the "because it's cool and/or fun" aspect.
ReplyDeleteIt's the reason I have a NAA mini-22 revolver. It's probably the least practical handgun I possess - maybe tied with the FIE deringer in .38 Special - but it's a hoot at the range to watch folks cock their heads and wonder if it's real...
Speaking thereof, I got to handle a S&W Governor yesterday... ;)
the existence of the .22 Jet tickles the hell out of the gunnie section of my brain. It's just so... so.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting. It'd be fun on gro
undhogs
ReplyDeleteJay G - Speaking as the guy who put a pistol bayonet on a Smith & Wesson model 34 kit gun, I appreciate the "because it's cool and/or fun" aspect.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I understand collecting firearms for their historical value; had I the cash, I'd LOVE to have every US military longarm from the Brown Bess and Charleville to the M-4 in my collection.
I also understand wanting to have good defense gun(s), ranging from "in the pocket of my shorts when I run to the grocery store" to "ZOMG! The zombie apocalypse is here!"
But there's also the "gosh, that just looks KEWL!" factor. I suppose that the spirit of the mall ninja lurks in my breast...
This is why there's a Hornet in my collection. Not practical but it's cool.
ReplyDeleteGyrojet!
ReplyDeleteLoad development to extract maximum accuracy out of my .457WWM lever-action Co-Pilot pushing 425gr beetle grubs. Heh. Screw practical. Some stuff ya do just because it's awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe fun part of shooting is what I try to stress when I'm talking to non-shooters or people who want to learn. Otherwise, firearms and shooting is on the same level as going to the gym and eating your broccoli.
ReplyDeleteI love my .22 Jet revolver, even if I only shoot .22LR in it because it was my Dad's.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of how Dad and I felt when we went to a Beretta cop gun demo at Dallas Pistol Club last month. They had some CX4 Storms there in .40 which were easy to shoot well with, were quite accurate, and were well-thought-out and executed. They were trying to sell them as patrol carbines, and I've got a perfectly fine M4 riding in the car.
ReplyDeleteWe tried playing the game of "well, in this instance, it'd be better..." and finally just gave up and admitted that it was simply fun to shoot, with either the Eotech or the Burris tactical scope on it. Fun, relatively low-cost to practice with, and easy to shoot; it might make a good home defense gun when you've got slight people who aren't really gunnies in the house...
...but really, sometimes, the reason to get one is because it's fun and puts a smile on your face to shoot it.
"I tend to forget sometimes..."
ReplyDeleteWell me too, but I'm old, and even I remember you covered this very recently:
http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2011/10/less-people-know-about-guns.html
But we can deal with a little short-term memory loss as long as you keep knocking them out of the park like yesterday...you might still be feeling "ooky" but you wuz on fire! Keep it up!
My Friends wondered why I bought my Spanish "Libia" Baby Browning Copy. "Just because" I said then and I still say now.
ReplyDeleteYou get to do that when you have the Second Amendment.
But that just messes up the whole "this is my rifle, this is my gun" mantra.
ReplyDeletejf
Tam, if they made a 51 cal BMG... I'd probably have to own one of those too...
ReplyDeleteDann in Ohio
Crap...I never envied one thing you have written about, never, but now...?
ReplyDeleteYou, see I remember the .22 Jet introduction, and i still think it was one of coolest six gun concepts EVUH!!!
Congrats on owning the iconic ear'n blaster, and long may the impractical and totally cool reign in the kingdom of firearm-y
Bless you,Tam, foir you have dun gude.
.22 Jets, Matebas, Vetterlis, &c: some things are just cool to have, and even cooler to shoot. Even more so when it's an elaborate process to be ABLE to shoot them (but I loves my Vetterlis nonetheless).
ReplyDeletewv: corli. 1880s-era Neapolitan carbine chambered for the 15.67mm Schiavona cartridge.
Scratch someone who asks "Why do you need that . . . . ?" and you will find a gun grabber.
ReplyDeleteI'll grant that they may be fun to shoot, but cool? I'm sorry, but the Kriss just looks fuugly to me.
ReplyDeleteWV: hounh, the sound one makes when kicked in the nads or when one first beholds the aesthetics of the Kriss...