Thread: Rifle and Optics Snobs

Originally Posted by scotty

ok ya got me i call remingtons "lady shavers" and i give my mate shit about his heavy rusty stainless steel howa that kicks worse than my dirty old brno.....

jeeez I bet the wee bush hobbit/master chef just loves you saying his model 7 is a lady shaver!!!!!!!
if fact I would just love to be fly on wall when you do LMFAO.
Just as well there is a dirty old BLR or two that resides in your camp to keep the tone real.

There is snobbery in every hobby. Probably more so now because people have more disposable income compared to when I was a young fella growing up in the 70's. I often see people on here telling people to buy very expensive gear when it's not really warranted. I think again it comes down to some with plenty of disposable income forgetting that there are people that don't have that luxury. If there are gear snobs in hunting/shooting etc then they'd be a gear snob in any other hobbies too.

I've had people question my spending on gear when it is all pretty basic. A couple of Howa's with Bushnell Elites, a couple of 303s and two 22s. One of those people had an expensive motorbike, expensive boat and fishing gear, and prior to Covid went overseas every year. So I just chuckled....

Interestingly; the biggest gear snobs I found are those who have been stretched for cash for ages, get a job that pays big bickies, and then buys flash stuff and look down their noses at others with more basic gear.

We are in a golden age when it comes to the bang for buck for what you can get in rifles now. Firearms pricewise; we live in very fortunate times!

Had the Nightforce and S&B scopes and figured they make better boat anchors. Use euro glass for clarity, and reliable dial function but at practical size (500grms)

Rifles are simple rem actions, but carbon stocks for weight.

Practical is what I want, been down the rabbit hole of long range rigs that weigh a ton.

When I see these big rigs with thumping scopes it reminds me they still have a bit to learn. Certainly not envious….walked that road before.

Also use swaro binos and Leica rangefinder, why? Because I spend 99% of my day behind them and frankly a $500 pair of binos do not compare.

PS I don’t own a piece of camo or hunter branded clothing��

Originally Posted by Hermitage

I think even Tikka owners can look down on Remington 700 or Howa 1500 rifles....I don't think you need 'high-grade' rifles for snobbery to come out.

Stock T3's have no snob value or class.

I'll admit to having some ammo/ballistics snobbery, even though I know I shouldn't.

I just can't help but think it's a bit silly to buy a reasonably expensive long-range set up in something like a 7mag then shoot 150gr Federal Blue-box through it. Especially when they often have a 7-08/270 or similar that with a good load and scope upgrade would actually have better ballistics.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Just as well there is a dirty old BLR or two that resides in your camp to keep the tone real.

sammy been at me to get back down for a roar hunt maybe next year if i dont cut anymore fingers off.......
last time i got a weekend hunt in it was all levers in camp ( blr 308, marlin 3030, and rossi 454 )

Can't say I've ever encountered snobbery in the shooting circles i frequent. Some good mannered ribbing about calibre choice is about it.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who is getting out and knocking over animals can use what they want. Personally, I like quality lightweight gear for the limited times I can get out each year. Buy once cry once i reckon. I'd never judge anyone by their rifles/calibres though. Life's short, just get out and shoot!

Perhaps snobbery / superiority is valid when it comes to shotguns. When I was a youth I used to shoot with some men, one of whom had a high grade cased 'Greener' that we shared turn about between four of us, the Greener would outshoot any other gun, it was in all ways just better.

Yes and no. I like things that work and are nice to use, although I put function over form. Synthetic stocks over wood. Short barrels over longer barrels etc. guess to some degree function is dependent on your hunting environment. My favourite rifle is a single shot Bergara.

Tikkas are an interesting one. My recent thread stirred up a lot of shit. I don't get it. They do what they do very well. Lots of recommendations for cheaper rifles, then you read all the complaints about them. File a bit off the magazine and it'll feed fine, polish the bolt and it'll be smooth; say the Lord's Prayer backwards and it'll never jam again etc. Never thought I was a rifle snob until I picked up a Ruger Ranch, just horrible.

Scopes are also interesting. Those top end scopes look great on paper until you read the weight. Low end Leupolds do me just fine.

Secondhand gear. I generally just don't do it. Hunting gear gets a bashing and I think it's fair to say that most people don't look after their gear very well. I have regretted most secondhand purchases.

Originally Posted by Cigar

If you have a flash rifle and big expensive scope I'll probably assume you are a city dweller who only gets out hunting once a year.

I sadly fit the description at present . I have the flash rifle and expensive scope suited to my requirements based on years of hunting near every weekend in Canterbury threw my 20s . I didn’t take into consideration how time sucking starting a business and breeding would be . Rifles ready and waiting though il still be a part time hunter for another few years yet I’d say come 35 I hope to have done full circle back to my early 20s hunting time table

I buy quality every time. I do that for myself, because I earned the money to spend as I please and screw anyone that calls that snobbery.
I couldn’t care what someone else chooses to shoot although I know that if I’m doing a load for someone that shoots a Tikka I’m going to enjoy the exercise.

I am so far up my own arse I don't even hear them call me a snob.
But in all honesty the last new rifle I bought was 1981. It cost about a grand. I thought it was a magical laser and it was perhaps 1/7th of my annual income.
I didn't feel like a snob, but throwing all that money down maybe I am.

Swarovski binos
Z6i and VX6 scopes
Some customised T3s
A full custom built on a Borden action
Leica rangefinder

So, I have some nice things, but I worked long and hard for them all. I hunt with a very small number of mates and go to the range on my own, so I don’t think it’s about snobbery for me. I just like high quality, functional things that work as I want them to. T3s certainly aren’t flash but they work brilliantly, which is what’s important to me. That said, mine have significant modifications and custom chambers to make them better yet, not for appearances.

Beware the man with one rifle, as the saying goes, but why should we really care if blokes want to buy the best things they can afford, whatever the motivation?

There seems to be a trend these days with many new hunters who think they,re going to shoot deer at say 600 meters with their .308 or similar powered cartridge and subsequently mount some huge Hubble type scope on it. Of course, the rifle is completely unbalanced and a liability to carry around. This big zoom scope idea is pushed by many retail sales personnel because big zoom scopes cost a lot more than a simple lightweight smaller fixed or lower magnification zoom scope. Long distance shooting is a skill that has to be mastered. Most newbies from.what I've seen, have no idea how far 600 meters actually is but they have convinced themselves that they are real hunters now and want other hunters to think they are hot shots. I suppose that could be a form of snobbery.

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

There seems to be a trend these days with many new hunters who think they,re going to shoot deer at say 600 meters with their .308 or similar powered cartridge and subsequently mount some huge Hubble type scope on it. Of course, the rifle is completely unbalanced and a liability to carry around. This big zoom scope idea is pushed by many retail sales personnel because big zoom scopes cost a lot more than a simple lightweight smaller fixed or lower magnification zoom scope. Long distance shooting is a skill that has to be mastered. Most newbies from.what I've seen, have no idea how far 600 meters actually is but they have convinced themselves that they are real hunters now and want other hunters to think they are hot shots. I suppose that could be a form of snobbery.

Outside of the roar, I wonder how much public land hunting is actually done in the bush versus long range shooting on clearings. Social media would indicate more of the latter. Whether that's reality or not, I don't know, maybe the long distance stuff is just easier to film!?