View Full Version : Anyone else as anal about their AR's as I am?
Djstorm100
08-26-12, 23:17
I'm sure we all work hard for our toys and guns. So with that said I'm about to buy a DD rifle (had one before, sold it when times got hard). I'm also going to do some carbine classes but I can't help but think of all the scratches and etc. I'll put on her. Granted some say those are beauty marks and I my self haven't had guns with those beauty markets yet (new to the sport/hobby). So to "solve" this I was going to get...two AR. MP-15 for classes and DD for range duty. I didn't know if they also make some type of touch up pen.
Seriously? Buy the DD, run it hard, spend the money you would have spent on the M&P on ammo and training. I don't have any idea how to test a weapon I'd trust my life on without scratching it.
Never thought I would say this, but its kind of a nice feeling when you show up for a class and everyone has their nice spotless AR's and when you pull your dinged up weapon out of the bag everyone looks at u a lil different, and starts asking you all sorts of questions.
Even better when you make it through without one hiccup and the new rifles start sh*#@ing the bed.:D
I've never worried much about how my guns look. They are tools. They are practical. They do what they need to do. Their beauty is in their function. My AR has scratches on it. Some were on it when I got it, some I've put there, more will follow. Same for my other guns. I don't have them to win beauty contests...although in my eyes they could, even the Glocks. They look like they will do exactly what I want them to do, and that's the point.
That said...hi point pistols are butt ugly. I gotta draw the line there.
Some things get banged up, why would you take the lesser rifle to a class? Wouldnt you want to run your go-to through its paces?
Think of a car, if you do rally races, are scratches gonna bother you? Things get worn out - the best books are the ones falling apart.
Point is, spend $ on training, ammo, or retirement. Dont worry about a scratch that has NO effect on anything other than your feelings about it. My $.02, YMMV.
trackmagic
08-27-12, 00:37
I've never worried much about how my guns look. They are tools. They are practical. They do what they need to do. Their beauty is in their function. My AR has scratches on it. Some were on it when I got it, some I've put there, more will follow. Same for my other guns. I don't have them to win beauty contests...although in my eyes they could, even the Glocks. They look like they will do exactly what I want them to do, and that's the point.
That said...hi point pistols are butt ugly. I gotta draw the line there.
I had to look up hi point pistols when I read this. I concur. Those are butt ugly guns.
Have you considered posting this thread/concern at TOS? They might be able to put your mind at ease about your concerns about the external condition of a fighting rifle. Just a thought. To answer your question, no, I'm not as anal as you are are about my ARs.
dennisuello
08-27-12, 01:45
I'm sure we all work hard for our toys and guns. So with that said I'm about to buy a DD rifle (had one before, sold it when times got hard). I'm also going to do some carbine classes but I can't help but think of all the scratches and etc. I'll put on her. Granted some say those are beauty marks and I my self haven't had guns with those beauty markets yet (new to the sport/hobby). So to "solve" this I was going to get...two AR. MP-15 for classes and DD for range duty. I didn't know if they also make some type of touch up pen.
That's a nice Jeep in your avatar, do you own two of them? One for wheeling and another pretty one for the mall?
IYAAYASwarrior
08-27-12, 01:53
I love a beat up AR...
trackmagic
08-27-12, 02:04
I love a beat up AR...
The ones that have been in country and have all the anodize worn off the edges look the best IMO.
Op if you want to keep yours nice then more power to you. I think there are a lot of professional/military-types on this board so you'll probably find most of them like rugged guns that take a beating and still do not let them down.
Evil Colt 6920
08-27-12, 02:21
I understand where the OP is coming from. When I got my first AR I treated it like a safe queen for a few months. The amount of money I spent on it was far more than any previous gun purchases, so I didn't want to fudge it all up right off the bat. I've learned a lot since then thanks to M4C and my "toys" became "tools". I'm a master electrician and in my trade, we view the guys with the cleanest tools as the guys that don't use them enough. Those guys are usually the apprentices and they are afraid to let their shiny new tools get beat up. Once they have been in the trade a while, their tools end up looking like hell, but still function 100%. So don't worry so much about scuffs and scratches, they add character and may be a sign that you know how to use them.
KrampusArms
08-27-12, 02:52
You would absolutely hate Krylon. The look of a well used rifle is more appealing to my eye. I like the seasoned look. I just dont like hearing a rifle drop to the ground or bang against hard surfaces. That makes me cringe. Just take your DD. Life is to short. Use the tool as it was intended.
Yeah, get two...treat one like the prom queen and the other like a whore...
I didn't know if they also make some type of touch up pen.
Sharpie!..
Nothing more beautiful than trust when it comes to guns and gear brother.
sinlessorrow
08-27-12, 07:22
I'm sure we all work hard for our toys and guns. So with that said I'm about to buy a DD rifle (had one before, sold it when times got hard). I'm also going to do some carbine classes but I can't help but think of all the scratches and etc. I'll put on her. Granted some say those are beauty marks and I my self haven't had guns with those beauty markets yet (new to the sport/hobby). So to "solve" this I was going to get...two AR. MP-15 for classes and DD for range duty. I didn't know if they also make some type of touch up pen.
I got those beauty marks just putting my gun together. There is nothing more dangerous to a firearms finish than me with a punch and a hammer:D
There's a certain beauty to a brand new, spotless AR... They look cool.
There's a mental evolution most go through... you get a nice AR and want it to be prestine forever.... then you get into the macho, scratches are cool phase...
And finally you'll get to where you don't even pay attention to that nonsense. You get to be more focused on what you're doing with the weapon, instead of worrying how the weapon looks when you're doing it.
Yeah, get two...treat one like the prom queen and the other like a whore...
I know more than a few Prom Queens that were treated like whores and loved it!!:D
I use my weapon like the tool it is supposed to be but I also take very good care of it. If it gets scratched or dinged because of hard use that is one thing. One that makes me cringe also is hearing a weapon hit the ground when it's dropped or knocked over.
Nothing wrong with running it hard and getting some "honest" wear on it. Just don't be like some guys I have seen who purposely toss and drag their rifle around just to scratch it up.
My primary has been run hard through multiple Carbine classes and is run in monthly multi gun matches and isn't all beat up. It has some honest wear on it but I don't make it a point to purposely beat it up to impress people.....don't be THAT guy.
Blame any misspellings on Tapatalk
I might actually do the opposite. Use the DD for class and defensive purposes since it is the more robust of the two and the rifle I'd bet my life on (and shouldn't puke in a class), and get the M&P for lighter duty range use where it will always look perfect.
Alternatively, just get a DD and use the extra cash for ammo, classes and replacement of the few parts that wear out on an AR (BCG type items - extractor, springs, etc.). By the time you put 30K-40K rounds downrange and possibly wear out your DD (see BCM's Filthy 14 article), you'll have spent a bunch more on ammo than you would have spent on a few additional AR's. Buy the DD and put the rest of the money in the bank. Cheers!
My Colts came preseasoned right from the factory, ready for business :D
There's a certain beauty to a brand new, spotless AR... They look cool.
There's a mental evolution most go through... you get a nice AR and want it to be prestine forever.... then you get into the macho, scratches are cool phase...
And finally you'll get to where you don't even pay attention to that nonsense. You get to be more focused on what you're doing with the weapon, instead of worrying how the weapon looks when you're doing it.
There you go, Mark is spot on with this one.
Cameron
Sharpie!..
I don't like the Sharpies because they're indigo, not black. I use an Avery Marks-A-Lot marker because it's a true black and less reflective. I just use it to hit the shiny spots, to reduce glare. From a distance my carbine looks pristine. Up close you can see that it's been used, but not abused. I figure if you want your gear to take care of you, you might want to take care of it.
Here's a pic where I used one to darken the large white print on an H-1. Why they don't use subdued markings on it like the T-1, I have no idea.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s157/Glocktogo/DSC_1163.jpg
viperashes
08-27-12, 10:12
Nothing more beautiful than trust when it comes to guns and gear brother.
This. That's actually quite quotable. I may steal this.
I understand where the OP is coming from. When I got my first AR I treated it like a safe queen for a few months. The amount of money I spent on it was far more than any previous gun purchases, so I didn't want to fudge it all up right off the bat. I've learned a lot since then thanks to M4C and my "toys" became "tools". I'm a master electrician and in my trade, we view the guys with the cleanest tools as the guys that don't use them enough. Those guys are usually the apprentices and they are afraid to let their shiny new tools get beat up. Once they have been in the trade a while, their tools end up looking like hell, but still function 100%. So don't worry so much about scuffs and scratches, they add character and may be a sign that you know how to use them.
I did the same thing for my Jeep and Harley that I do for all of my guns: Before I even get home, I put the first ding in it myself, intentionally. It hurts less that way when the time comes that the first asshole slings a rock at the windshield, you smack something in the garage putting it up, or practically throw it against a tree. I get to put the first ding in it MYSELF, not some other prick.
The reason I don't go chasing virgins around is the same reason my AR looks beat to hell. A pussy and a rifle are both tools. It doesn't matter what they look like, they're not for looking at. It's a bonus if they look pretty, but I want to make sure both work properly before I even START to give a shit if my AR has beef curtains or my pussy is starting to get dinged up. :lol:
Just be glad that your AR didn't bleed the first time you shot it. :cool:
Larry Vickers
08-27-12, 10:57
I'll give a tip that I had to use when some of my co hosts in the past scratched my weapons I used on my shows ( even after repeated warnings some dings occurred- needless to say they will never be back on TV with me ever again) - for black anodized aluminum Birchwood Casey Aluma Black works like a champ; totally makes little nicks and dings disappear
Just slightly heat the area with a hair dryer or something similar ( enough to remove any moisture) and touch up the area with a Q tip soaked in the Aluma Black fluid- works fantastic
My good buddy Arnold Dew turned me on to it and now I wouldn't do without it
You can find it at Brownells
Be safe
LAV
I didn't know if they also make some type of touch up pen.
One, of many brands out there: http://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey-PRESTO-BLUE-TOUCH/dp/B002E6R786
I used to use it for what you're talking about. Now it's only used to re-black iron sights, but yeah, there's all sorts out there.
The rifles...I don't even give a second thought to putting them down on the ground by simply letting it drop from my hand from waist-level....grass, sand, gravel; no different than throwing a pillow onto my bed. Don't even think of it. Only time I have occasion to think of it at all is those rare instances when somebody gasps in surprise/shock/horror, but the only time I take issue is when they to attempt to "correct" me; it's happened.
"You really should treat your weapons with more care!"
Yup, Grandpa died because of stuff like that.
"Mis-handling firearms...?"
Nuh-uh. Got shot while not minding his own damn business....
markm's encapsulated it pretty well. The folks that fret over cosmetics but manage to NOT be evangelical about it to others are fine. It's the baseless preaching that makes one a symbolism-over-substance douche.
Guns-up.50
08-27-12, 11:00
I believe you can get touch up paint in most stores, comes in a can with a ball bearing in it, aim and depress the nozzle and presto a new gun, never gets old new pattern every time..
and and it functional..
The rifles...I don't even give a second thought to putting them down on the ground by simply letting it drop from my hand from waist-level....grass, sand, gravel; no different than throwing a pillow onto my bed. Don't even think of it.
We were loading heavy steel targets in the back of my truck at the end of a hot day of shooting.
My carbine slid into the way in the bed of the truck... I just kicked it to the side... kind of aggresively.. because I was hot and tired... the guy I was loading with was like... WOW... :eek: "you take good care of your gun don't you?"
I will second what LAV said in regards to the Birchwood Casey Aluma Black. I use it quite a bit for simple touch up and I use it quite a bit in my videos.
Seriously? Buy the DD, run it hard, spend the money you would have spent on the M&P on ammo and training. I don't have any idea how to test a weapon I'd trust my life on without scratching it.
THIS!
Uh oh. This thread won't go well.
http://www.greenbookblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DangerWillRobinson.jpg
C4
Uh oh. This thread won't go well.
http://www.greenbookblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DangerWillRobinson.jpg
C4
Why not? So long as those who don't care what their equipment looks like, don't act superior to those that do, why should it matter? It's no skin off their nose and vice versa.
I could care less what someone does with their own gear, right up to the point they ask to borrow some of mine. :D
I use to try and kep mine and factory looking as possible until my sling disconnected and it ate gravel.
I use to try and kep mine and factory looking as possible until my sling disconnected and it ate gravel.
Was it a QD swivel thingy?
Was it a QD swivel thingy?
yupp.
Whitebrad25
08-27-12, 14:23
I try to take care of my stuff, but I am not too anal over scratches and little things.
I try to take care of my stuff, but I am not too anal over scratches and little things.
same here.
yupp.
I hate those things.
Why not? So long as those who don't care what their equipment looks like, don't act superior to those that do, why should it matter? It's no skin off their nose and vice versa.
I could care less what someone does with their own gear, right up to the point they ask to borrow some of mine. :D
Most on this forum view an AR as a hammer.
That is why.
C4
I hate those things.
I hate them now also.
sadly, this was the first time I was out shooting my rifle. :D
Most on this forum view an AR as a hammer.
That is why.
C4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpbyUqhBUGw
I hate them now also.
sadly, this was the first time I was out shooting my rifle. :D
That sucks! I'm a paracord attaching freak for that reason.
People want those attachment points on the handguards... I'm like... what a waste of rail space. :cray:
Here's a pic where I used one to darken the large white print on an H-1. I would've used a piece of electrical tape!* Why they don't use subdued markings on it like the T-1, I have no idea.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s157/Glocktogo/DSC_1163.jpg
* Did this on all my Nikon and Leica equipment!
My edc gun has always been a colt 1911. Not the best factory finishes, in my opinion, but my favorite hundguns by far. I have been carrying my latest one for 8+ years, have taken a bunch of courses with it and put countless thousands of rounds through it. The places that still had some finish left on it were scratched to the point of looking like it was intentionally gouged with a chisel.
I figured the old girl deserved a bath and finally sent her off for a refinish job a month ago. $200 for a new finish after 8+ years of carry seems reasonable. Point is, take your classes, respect your tool, but don't baby it. When you have completed the majority of your intended classes, refinish it. By then the worst will have already happened to it.
That sucks! I'm a paracord attaching freak for that reason.
People want those attachment points on the handguards... I'm like... what a waste of rail space. :cray:
I have no rail space :D
Agree with the Aluma Black suggestion. I don't touch up anything on my guns anymore, but have helped guys with their ARs and used Aluma Black a lot. Especially when cleaning up any marks from installing a bolt catch roll pin or from staking an end plate. It functions as advertised and literally works in seconds. FYI - it can remove a finish or leave a different hue to the area in question if left applied for too long.
Agree with the Aluma Black suggestion. I don't touch up anything on my guns anymore, but have helped guys with their ARs and used Aluma Black a lot. Especially when cleaning up any marks from installing a bolt catch roll pin or from staking an end plate. It functions as advertised and literally works in seconds. FYI - it can remove a finish or leave a different hue to the area in question if left applied for too long.
It does a great job of blackening steel parts, too.
Moonlight Again
08-27-12, 15:34
I used to share the OP's concern, but about (of all things) running shoes. Ah, a new pair of running shoes! Fluffy, clean laces, unmarked tread, the white parts really white, the colors popping, that "new shoe" smell . . . . Except that the purpose of running shoes is to be run in, and using them "messes them up". I went out of my way, with each new pair of running shoes, to find a puddle I could splash through, to get the break in process started.
I'm pretty casual about scratches and dings on an AR: I don't go out of my way to collect them, but I know they're inevitable and don't mind. Anything picked up through "honest use" is fine with me.
Just drop it a couple times, OP. When you loose count of the scuffs/scratches - you no longer care :)
Like Mark said - it's what you do with it that matters, not how it looks. Now, if only we can convince my wife to follow the same line of thinking......... :sarcastic:
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t294/myersma2/SBR/15edead4.jpg
It's not some rare collectible that would be devalued by handling marks. It's a tool, and (a lesser) part of the reason you take a class is to shake down your gear and make sure everything is functioning smoothly. Finding out your M&P runs well doesn't mean your DD does or vice versa. If I had an extra grand laying around, I'd spend it on ammo and classes, not a gun to look pretty on a poncho.
A gun without beauty marks is a shameful and timid thing to be shunned, not admired. You can learn to appreciate the appeal of a tool fulfilling its intended function.
Littlelebowski
08-27-12, 16:55
This feels like a 1911 thread.....
Singlestack Wonder
08-27-12, 17:02
Can't believe we're wasting bandwidth on this topic. :rolleyes:
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