The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: MikeBjerum on January 17, 2014, 06:15:03 PM
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Be forewarned that this is a thinly veiled rant.
In another thread we were asked what we would like to see at SHOT. I put in my two cents, and I will expand on it here. This is brought on by Ed Head asking what we think of the new Taurus .38 with the see through side plate.
For decades we have dealt with planned obsolesence. The electronics industry is planned around not releasing a product until its new and improved model is already in production. General Motors will openly state their largest marketing failure was the 1973 - 1987 pickup line. They made no major changes during this time, and most body panels are universal. The hood is a prime example. You can put any year hood on any of these 15 model years with no modifications and only a purist will notice the slight differences. Grills, fenders, boxes, tailgates, doors ...
GM learned that people will trade for a new vehicle every three years. Some people will trade more often if you change model styles, and many will wait many years if there are no noticeable changes. The marketing force said they will never make that mistake again!
In the shooting world we are used to durable goods that come out of the box ready to shoot and that will last a lifetime. We brag about our Remington 700's or Savages that are tack drivers from the factory. We love the 1911 that has worked since day one, and is basically unchanged, because there is no reason to change.
Today I see two trends in the gun world:
1. Research and development has been reduced to what can we build, and fine tuning is done by the end user - you and me. Rather than turn out a classic they run it up the flag pole to see if it will fly.
2. Gimmicks. The best way to phrase this is marketers are trying to wow the tactards, mall ninjas, and geeks. The more gadgets the better, and now it is clear plastic side plates. How many glitzy new items can we turn out to get more sales is replacing durable timeless quality.
John Moses Browning and Bill Ruger! What have we done to your industry? Where are those you mentored? Will we return to proven quality, or is this just the start down the slope to throw away products in our world?
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That was thinly veiled? ;)
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That was thinly veiled? ;)
He is subtle, you know......... ;)
Kinda like a hand grenade in a bowl of grits. ;D
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Subtlety is a gift...
I own a Ruger revolver and shopping for another 1911... No sense buying another gimmick!
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You are right my brother. Gun culture is going the way of the cell phone. The only plus is that it makes it more mainstream.
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Perhaps that is why the R51 is getting a lot of attention. Even though it is a 100 year old design, it's something radically different from the current offerings.
I'd hope they figure a way to do a whole spectrum of offerings from pocket up to full size and in all the basic calibers.
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Reality most gun designs have been around for 100+ years. Mechanicly, there is not much they can do other then refinments. Even the idea of of caseless ammo is very old(150+ years) yeah there will be new ideas, but they will just be rehashes or new applications of older ideas.
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He is subtle, you know......... ;)
Kinda like a hand grenade in a bowl of grits. ;D
Like being hit in the face by a slice of lemon...wrapped around a large gold brick.
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So, let me get this straight...
Are you trying to tell me my USB compatible, solar charged, 8.4 MM, see-through slide mechanism, self-aiming, tactical, auto-holstering, light-weight foam polymer, flexible, 9.4-pound micro-semi-automatic is somehow a gimmick?
You shame yourself, sir. And all on this board.
It is the finest piece of weaponry turned out within the last week.
Crusader Rabbit
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... and I'm 93rd on the list for its upgrade on Sunday.
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What, no coffee maker?
Richard
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I was going to do a long rant here, but decided to turn it into a blog post instead. :D
The fact is, though, that we've reached the end of what mechanical forces can do with a gun, much like cars and cameras have. All the innovations in those fields today have more to do with electronics than they do with mechanical movement.
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I agree with the people saying that there are only just so many mechanical possibilities .
I think another reason for the sameness in gun designs is an evolutionary situation.
For example, you can, as Luger proved, operate a pistol with a "Toggle action", however expense of manufacture and reports of jams leave manufacturers and shooters both avoiding the design.
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Clear plastic sideplates for S&Ws have been around for decades. They allow gunsmithing students to see the interaction of the parts. You were never supposed to fire the gun with the plastic sideplate installed because it would break. Taurus must be using using different plastic. It's just another gimmick.
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I remember that when S&W introduced the "ASP" (compact model 39) in the early 80's they used clear grip panels.
They claimed it was to keep track of ammo remaining, but I've always suspected it was due to the materials that were available at the time.