Tool or ornament

Asus1

Well is your firearms A or B.Reason i ask is i was out the other evening with the shotgun looking for a sneaky fox who was doing a number on my hens.Anyway as can happen i was going through a bit of a ditch and slipped and fell forward dropping gun into the bottom of the ditch,which was thankfully dry and the gun was also unloaded.As i got up my first thought was did i scratch the f.......ing gun you absolute dope,luckily i didn't.
Never seen the fox that evening but that was maybe because i was constantly looking up and down the shotgun looking for the tiniest mark on it.Was retelling the story to my father last night and he looked at me like I'd two heads,saying that a gun is a tool made to be shot and used not an ornament bought to look at.He said like a car dings and scratches are an inevitable part and parcel of a rough shooters gun.Anyway as asked above how do you view your guns

Sparks

I've taken a saw and chisel to mine* often enough if it didn't do the job right. Not ornamental.



* to the stock, not the pressure-bearing components. Don't take a chisel to your chamber...

Czhornet

Mine are all tools, albeit well minded and clean ones, but they are there to do a job.

cookimonster

They are not safe queens and I have a use for each one, but I don't abuse them either.
The o/u won't be taken to a salt water marsh, thats the semis' AO, but I'll think nought of beating my way through heavy under growth carrying it.
I'm more protective of my rifles with optics, but am well aware of how much they can stand up to.
Crawling on your belly into a good shot postion doesn't mean your rifle has to suffer either. Dings and scratches are inevitable and some add character, but are easily repaired which in my mind gives you a better sense of ownership.

clivej

I do try my best to mind all my firearms as best I can. I have 2 stocks for my Sako 75 .308. The Laminated stock gets put on after the hunting season has ended, with the synthetic stock going on for the hunting. That stock has plenty of dings in it now.

That's as good a reason to buy synthetic stocks in the first place.

Also I carry my firearms in protective cases when traveling to keep them in prime condition.

I've cried over every dent and ding they get.

J.R.

Czhornet wrote: »

Mine are all tools, albeit well minded and clean ones, but they are there to do a job.

same here

Grizzly 45

Both A & B.

hedzball

Just like the ones in my jeep.. tools but expensive ones..

Rows Grower

clivej wrote: »

I do try my best to mind all my firearms as best I can. I have 2 stocks for my Sako 75 .308. The Laminated stock gets put on after the hunting season has ended, with the synthetic stock going on for the hunting. That stock has plenty of dings in it now.

That's as good a reason to buy synthetic stocks in the first place.

Also I carry my firearms in protective cases when traveling to keep them in prime condition.

I've cried over every dent and ding they get.

I can absolutely believe this after purchasing a 30 year old rifle from you a couple of years ago that even came with the original box and everything else original included.

It was the same with the sights, perfect condition and all the packaging like it was new from the shop.

Hope you have a great season Clive.

Mr.Flibble

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Both A & B.

Same; some are tools and some are ornaments.




Bit like politicians, come to think of it.

J.R.

Mr.Flibble wrote: »

Same; some are tools and some are ornaments.

Bit like politicians, come to think of it.

German pointer

Definitely tools to do a given job.
A few years back I met a guy walking the road with a rifle hoping to see a deer �� In a gap. Cant remember the brand of rifle but he said he paid five grand for it. The reason he was walking the road he was afraid to bring the rifle into the field in case he scratched it. Meanwhile I ploughed through the ditch and flattened the pricket. ����

Tools definitely tools ��

Bogwoppit

German pointer wrote: »

Definitely tools to do a given job.
A few years back I met a guy walking the road with a rifle hoping to see a deer �� In a gap. Cant remember the brand of rifle but he said he paid five grand for it. The reason he was walking the road he was afraid to bring the rifle into the field in case he scratched it. Meanwhile I ploughed through the ditch and flattened the pricket. ����

Tools definitely tools ��

He was definitely a tool.

SakoHunter75

clivej wrote: »

I have 2 stocks for my Sako 75 .308. The Laminated stock gets put on after the hunting season has ended, with the synthetic stock going on for the hunting.

Does the scope always retain zero when you change the stock? I'm guessing it does, but am curious all the same.

Cass

SakoHunter75 wrote: »

Does the scope always retain zero when you change the stock? I'm guessing it does, but am curious all the same.

It should it mounted properly. The scope is attached to the barreled action, not the stock so technically you could take the stock off, clamp the barreled action with scope still attached and still shoot just fine.

Cass

My guns fall into Category A and B. They are tools, but i'm fairly pissed if i damage or scratch them.

No harm to with being proud about your firearms, regardless of cost. Doesn't mean i shy away from any work that needs done or taking tools to them, but from my little CZ to the most expensive one i have, they are cleaned, minded and stored carefully and treated the same when i'm out.

To me it's like a car. It's a toll to get me from point A to point B, but if it gets scratched i get pissed.

dc99

Me - “B” if B means mind them and not let them get damaged...but then i only have 1 and a half guns :-) (second one is just about on an import licence-) both are pistols and are used for competition and target practice only....

Number one has got wear in the blued part...which after 3 or 4 years is to be expected. But it annoys me.

I did have a .22 rifle once...couldn’t give a toss about it - held no interest for me...i did mind it though.....i dropped my DeWalt drill last week and nearly had a con-nip-sion!!

SakoHunter75

Cass wrote: »

It should it mounted properly. The scope is attached to the barreled action, not the stock so technically you could take the stock off, clamp the barreled action with scope still attached and still shoot just fine.

That's what I would have thought, but at the same time at the back of mind there was the thought that if the screws clamping the stock to the action were torqued differently it could (theoretically?) somehow alter the zero very slightly.

Cass wrote: »

My guns fall into Category A and B. They are tools, but i'm fairly pissed if i damage or scratch them.

No harm to with being proud about your firearms, regardless of cost. Doesn't mean i shy away from any work that needs done or taking tools to them, but from my little CZ to the most expensive one i have, they are cleaned, minded and stored carefully and treated the same when i'm out.

To me it's like a car. It's a toll to get me from point A to point B, but if it gets scratched i get pissed.

This describes totally my approach to my rifles. Don't care so much about the car though!

Cass

SakoHunter75 wrote: »

....... at the back of mind there was the thought that if the screws clamping the stock to the action were torqued differently it could (theoretically?) somehow alter the zero very slightly.

It is always best practice when removing and replacing a stock to torque to the same setting each time. Removes any further doubt.

Its also helpful if you have it bedded be that via glass bedding, pillar, bedding block, etc.

SakoHunter75

Cass wrote: »

It is always best practice when removing and replacing a stock to torque to the same setting each time. Removes any further doubt.

Its also helpful if you have it bedded be that via glass bedding, pillar, bedding block, etc.

Do you use a tool with actual torque settings? I've never gotten around to investing in one of those yet.

Cass

Apologies, i missed this reply.

Yes a Torgue wrench is the best bet. Its the only way to tighten the action screws to a known setting for repeatable results.

If your out and need to remove the stock for any reason a simple, yet somewhat inaccurate, way would be to mark the action screw and stock in a single line (using a pencil or similar). Undo the action screw counting the full revolutions. Do this for all the action screws. When replacing the stock simply turn to the recorded number of turns and make sure the line of the screw and the line on the stock you drew earlier line up.

Won't be too far off if at all, but not as precise as a torque wrench.

Also be on the look out for the right wrench. They come in two variables (for firearms). ft/lb and Inch/lb. Ft/lb for the heavier screws and in/lb for the finer/more sensitive jobs (ring screws, etc).

SakoHunter75

Cheers for the reply Cass