And nobody came?
I think that's what just happened over at Brigid's with her latest post, Hooked on Plastic. I mean, she brought up the whole Glock vs. 1911 thing and so far, the hating in the comments is nowhere to be found. I mean, seriously, that's perfect flame war material right there.
I'm a Glock guy because I am all about function over form. I entrust my life to that thing practically every time I step out of the house. The Kel-Tec gets tucked away here and there, but my primary piece is the G29. KaBoom and "Glock Leg" stories aside, I have never had a failure to go boom with any Glock I have ever fired that didn't directly involve one of my reloads (squib). The loose fit of the barrel means the Glock eats practically any ammo I feed it at a cost of accuracy. But in the situations I hopefully never have to use it in, .008MOA accuracy isn't going to be anything I'll be worried about.
I admit I can be wowed by a pretty gun. Rosewood grips on the beautiful frame of a 1911 just tickles the drool centers of my brain. But for me, I'm a shooter first. Any pistol I own is going to be tossed into a range bag, bounced around, nicked, scratched, and generally treated roughly, and I damn well expect it to shoot each and every time.
My Para USA Gun Blog .45 isn't pretty, and I love it for that reason. I'm not concerned about it getting smacked around during an IPSC match. If the custom paint job gets worn over time, I'm totally cool with that. What matters is the firearm is accurate, feels wonderful in my hands, and puts the rounds where I tell it to (which, unfortunately tends to be in the C and D zones, but that's my fault, not the pistol's).
However, after using a 1911, the Glock isn't as comfortable in my hands any more. Lack of comfort does not equate to lack of ability to shoot well, and in a self defense situation, I really doubt I'm going to be concerned about it.
Initial problems aside, I'd trust the Para as a carry piece, but only if I could open carry it. The bladed sights would totally shred my lower ribcage if given the chance in concealment. Plus, it's heavy, so it's not exactly what I'm looking for in a concealment piece.
Back to the point though – none of my guns are 'pretty'. My shotgun has places where there's been rust. The Glock is as sexy as Helen Thomas in a thong bikini. The Para is battered and bruised. The Kel-Tec took the best features of all the guns in the world and did the exact opposite. But they all function, and that's what's important to me.
In the normal flame wars, it's sad to see people think that their particular firearm is all anyone else could ever need as if everyone's needs and abilities were the same. Some people like the feel of X while others need the angle of Y. However, if you buy a gun because of what everyone else says you should buy it for and you're unable or unwilling to practice with it regularly, then you've just wasted your money regardless of what you purchased.
I love my Glock. I love my Para. I'd love to have a Dan Wesson Bobtail Commander in 10mm to have as something to mount in a frame on the wall. For me, fiscal reality and function are paramount, so I see me picking up more plastic or battle hardened 1911's than showpieces. But that's me and shouldn't be used as a gauge as to what works for you.
Flame on!