Back in January (which seems like a lot longer ago than it was), I wrote a piece on Gun Snobbery in which I talked about how I am a reformed gun snob, in that I didn’t like guns that cost less than a certain price point. To help cure myself of said snobbery, I purchased a Hi-Point C9 9mm, in the hopes that it would shoot and run well. I reviewed the Hi-Point here, and to say that I was rather underwhelmed would have been something of an understatement.
I would say that my experiment in curing my gun snobbery was a qualified success, in as much as I recognize the important niche that bargain pistols such as the Hi-point fill; however it’s not a complete success because if you look at my Gunbroker auctions, you’ll see a Hi-Point C9 for sale. Guns like the C9 allow people on a budget to reasonably provide for their defense and the defense of their families; my concern is the same though as I voiced in my review of the Hi-Point. A defensive pistol should come out of the box from the factory ready to go bang, and do so every time you press the trigger. That’s why if someone was looking for a defensive pistol on a budget, I would strongly recommend having at least $300 to spend on a used revolver or a Bersa.
On to today’s topic however, there’s another kind of gun snobbery, which I feel is even more insidious and actually more common. It’s the “Cult of (Insert Gun)”. I’m sure you’ve met the guy or gal that insists that their CQB Tactical Destroyer is the Be-all-and-end-all of defensive handguns and anyone who would dare purchase a pistol other than a CQB Tactical Destroyer is a fool and is going to get themselves killed with their inferior pistol. I differentiate the Cultists from People With an Opinion for a couple of reasons. For instance, I prefer revolvers. However, if someone is looking for a pistol and asks my opinion on Glocks, I’m not going say “Glocks are crap, wheelguns is realguns”.* I’m going to do my best to offer objective facts on the Glock, and then if I do offer my subjective opinion, I’m going to make sure to couch it as such.
I guess I just don’t like absolutism with something as subjective as firearms. Just because the 1911 is the perfect platform for you doesn’t mean that it’s going to be perfect for me. I love my GP100, I carry it whenever I can, but I’m not going to ask my tiny wife to carry a 4 inch stainless steel revolver around.
The final concern I have about the Cultists is that they actually drive people away from the sport. I’ve had more than a couple prospective purchases disparaged by gunshop commandos for a multitude of reasons. “That revolver has a ported barrel, you don’t want that.” Yes, I do. “That’s just a .22, you don’t want that.” Yes, I do.
I don’t have a problem if you have something constructive to add to my purchase; if a certain model is prone to a malfunction that I don’t know about I’m happy to learn from someone else’s experience. What I’m not happy about is when someone tells me what I do and don’t want.
Alright, this part is for the Cultists themselves. I know that you believe in your deepest heart-of-hearts that the CQB Tactical Destroyer is the Be-All-and-End-All of pistol design. I am begging you however to try to not come on so strong with your ardent faith; especially when it comes to new shooters. If someone has a gun that isn’t a CQB TD, wait until they like the sport (a lot) before you try and convert them. Because if we don’t get new shooters, the market for your gun (and my guns) will eventually dry up.
*I might actually say that, however only to someone who knew I was joking.
