Thread: Rifle and Optics Snobs

I think we can all have a little bit of snob in us from time to time. One thing is clear - there is no one right firearm, no must have firearm setup for our shooting conditions. Variety is the spice of life. I think everybody should have rimfire and centrefire setups like mine - but fortunately they don't. Life would be very dull and boring if everyone did the same as me - or you. Alot of ways to spend our coin and enjoy the sport.

Its 100% valid to buy only top of line, beautifully wooded arms like Schultz and Larsen, Mannlicher etc - and yet have them rarely leave the cabinet. There is a real pleasure in owning a well crafted item - an investment too. Also valid to save the pennies and buy that nicely wooded Sako with Nightforce on it - even if you only shoot it 2-4 times a year. Especially if you only shoot it 2-4 times a year. And there is great sense when you shoot alot in demanding terrain to buy less expensive but accurate, reliable firearms like the Savage, Marlin, Howa etc. Certainly with greater frequency of shooting, the terrain often guides what rifle you need to buy. Examples - if hunting in dense northern bush with valleys full of bush lawyer, supplejack and blackberry you won't want a mint Sako - at all. And if covering high country rocks, matagouri, shooting from trucks at night across thousands of acres, again it won't be flash you choose. It'll be functional. But all of the choices valid in right conditions.

Personally have had expensive arms, but with the frequent shooting we do, my rifles are now all lean, mean hunters. All precisely tweaked for their function - Marlin, Savage, Howa etc. My own bit of snobbery lies not with expensive equipment but in enjoying the reverse. I chuckle when I go to the range at times with maybe tuned JWs, extremely accurate little Marlins, or Howa etc, and some guy opens his case next to me to display some flash heavy barrel expensive piece. We do the shooting, come out, I ask him how it went, he smiles, then looks at the little JW's 0.3 and 0.4 targets, and puts the heavy barrel beauty back in the case with nary a word. Bit naughty really. I may grow up - but its unlikely

I suppose the one golden rule is if you want to take that expensive setup to the range, put the nose in the air and show off a bit - you better bloody know how to use it..

Originally Posted by mudgripz

My own bit of snobbery lies not with expensive equipment but in enjoying the reverse. I chuckle when I go to the range at times with maybe tuned JWs, extremely accurate little Marlins, or Howa etc, and some guy opens his case next to me to display some flash heavy barrel expensive piece. We do the shooting, come out, I ask him how it went, he smiles, then looks at the little JW's 0.3 and 0.4 targets, and puts the heavy barrel beauty back in the case with nary a word. Bit naughty really. I may grow up - but its unlikely

I've had a similar experience. I was at the range one day, just me and another guy zeroing our rifles in. After a few rounds we agree to halt shooting, and meander down to the targets. 100m, 3cm grouping. I was happy, he looked pretty foul though so I asked how he was doing - his was all over the place. We got back to the firing line, and he said in a very admiring way "what's the worth?", to which I responded "ummm $400". He looked a bit stunned, I was shooting my Baikal .243, I think he thought it was a Blaser or something. Then he told me he was shooting a brand new Sako and couldn't get it to group - he said something about the price and taking it back to the shop.

Despite making me feel very smug I did fess up and point out to him he was shooting a bipod of concrete and should try putting a jacket under his bipod. Sure enough that seemed to sort him out.

Originally Posted by mudgripz

I think we can all have a little bit of snob in us from time to time. One thing is clear - there is no one right firearm, no must have firearm setup for our shooting conditions. Variety is the spice of life.

Its 100% valid to buy only top of line, beautifully wooded arms like Schultz and Larsen, Mannlicher etc - and yet have them rarely leave the cabinet. There is a real pleasure in owning a well crafted item - an investment too. Also valid to save the pennies and buy that nicely wooded Sako with Nightforce on it - even if you only shoot it 2-4 times a year. Especially if you only shoot it 2-4 times a year. And there is great sense when you shoot alot in demanding terrain to buy less expensive but accurate, reliable firearms like the Savage, Marlin, Howa etc. Certainly with greater frequency of shooting, the terrain often guides what rifle you need to buy. Examples - if hunting in dense northern bush with valleys full of bush lawyer, supplejack and blackberry you won't want a mint Sako - at all. And if covering high country rocks, matagouri, shooting from trucks at night across thousands of acres, again it won't be flash you choose. It'll be functional. But all of the choices valid in right conditions.

I suppose the one golden rule is if you want to take that expensive setup to the range, put the nose in the air and show off a bit - you better bloody know how to use it..

I like those wood, blued firearms since I got no wish to turn hunting trip into sniper mission. I am kind of "tight-fisted" for myself... but come to age with life became stabilized, I think I should spend little more. Sako and K98 is on my shopping list, for scope...do `t have much ideas, too many choices, do `t know which one fits me except for Nikon since I like photography I knew some people, they bought H&K, but never took them out, those rifles are only for show to other people. For me, sako for example, I will never care about it will get wet, have mud on it, or drop it on hard rock or something like that.