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Well first off, First Impressions are everything and 99% of the time are correct. I honestly give most people the benefit of the doubt if they have a cheap commercial AR with UTG crap all over it, or if it has zombies or terse language on the dust cover. No big deal, it's not my thing, but if it's yours and you can run it, we're all good.
When I start having issues is if you get into conversation with said owner and it's the typical 'zombie apocalypse', arfcom, 'fit and finish' BS that runs rampant on other sites. In that case, I just smile and continue to be nice, but then I'm pretty sure of who I'm dealing with.
Again, regardless of what you own, you get respect from me if are safe, know correct manipulation of your weapon, and can shoot it proficiently. If you can go through a carbine course successfully and your Olympic arms zombie lower holds up without failing, then more power to you. I'm much less interested in the black rifle so much as the person holding it (although sometimes they seem to go hand in hand).
Even if a guy starts out with a shitty gun and UTG crap, at least he is involved in the shooting sports and will not be anti gun. Plus he may eventually find his way to quality equipment and a useful skill set.
Very hard not to as was mentioned, but I like the comments that the same can be said of anyone who values hardware over software.
This is all for fun and we all have pre-conceived ideas about people based on how they dress, car they drive, job they have, etc etc. I was just curious if others applied the above to firearms (apparently I am not alone).
For me, I view the AR as a tool. Not a silly roll playing toy or a piece of art. A hammer, that's what it is. So when I see zombie crap on a gun (for instance), I question this person's mindset and where they are coming from. Firearms are purpose built tool for me and to use them for anything else is, well odd I guess.
C4
Last edited by C4IGrant; 10-16-12 at 10:38.
I'm not especially interested in making an active judgement for or against anyone in these situations, so much as I am in gleaning some insight into their mindset.
There are plenty of solid citizens out there who have had limited access to the right kinds of folks and gear, and who end up following market trends largely out of ignorance. When the right kind of mentorship is offered, the results can often be quite encouraging.
The problem that we more frequently seem to run into, however, is that many folks will simply take offense and become preoccupied with defending their purchase choices. I'm not sure why saving face is such a big deal in the firearms world, but we've all seen enough loyalists to enough suspect shops to know where this particular path to fanboyism leads. Is confident, enthusiastic ignorance in any way preferable to garden-variety ignorance? No, but it can certainly be more dangerous.
Some don't know what they don't know, but would like to be exposed to solid information.
Some don't know what they don't know, and would like to only if it makes them feel good about opinions that they have already formed.
Some don't know what they don't know, and really couldn't care less.
Until you know which sort of fellow your dealing with, it is hard to generalize and come away with any useful result. Granted, some of this may be a generational thing, too, since I tend to view the whole "zombie apocalypse" thing as beyond ridiculous -- and ridiculous is NOT something that I want associated with any of my firearms.
AC
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