why is more expensive better.

[sota]

I own many H&Ks, Berettas, S&Ws wheel guns, and still want to get a SW9VE. Those that shot it extensively (and also own some high end guns as well) say it's a damn fine firearm. Buy what you can afford. Shoot the shit out of it. Learn its strengths and its weaknesses, and do what you got to do. Anyone else, just tell 'em to fuck off.

[Pittsburgh Pete]

One of the (few) advantages of getting older is you really stop giving a flying f'ck about what other people think.

Snobbery is usually a sign of insecurity. Unless it is somebody talking about M1911's, which are by definition awesome.

Don't let some dickheads ruin your fun. I have found the majority of gun owners are friendly people that will sometimes swap guns with you at the range, like talking about guns and are generally good people. I just smile at the Cliff Clavin's and walk away.

[Phlyers13]

Next time show them your target and ask them if they'd like some pointers on how to shoot.

[Manxdriver]

It's called "poor breeding" and their parents were practitioners.

[bripro]

As phlyers13 said no need to say a word. If you outshoot them with a gun they are poking fun at they will look like real fools.

Did you notice what "high end" guns these guys had? My guess is Glocks.

[KCJones]

You just got proof that money does not equal class.

I don't own any true 'high end' guns. I do have an H&K VP9LE which isn't exactly cheapo, though. Having said that, I get more fun out of sharing it with friends, family... anyone at the range who asks... than I do from some silly douchebaggery lah-di-dah. And even if they were shooting a total POS gun (which yours IS NOT, by the way), I'd never say a word bad about it - seeing as how I got my own POS collection at home! Heck, when I joined my current club I had to 'qualify' on the indoor range. The guy doing the qual picked up my HK to demonstrate something to me, then paused and said "this feels really nice! great balance!"... I enjoyed that - NOT because "oh look at me, I have an HK," but because a guy with 50 years experience who was volunteering his time to qualify me enjoyed it. He proceeded to break out all his VERY high end target pistols and we spent a nice hour playing with them.

Same thing back when I owned luxury cars - I was the first to say "wanna drive it?" if someone mentioned/admired it. There was no element of looking down my nose. Hell, I remember at a family gathering my 16 year old nephew was being sent out to get more ice and was pouting/unhappy about it as only a teen can be. I tossed him the keys and said "so take the Z4..." and it turned from misery to the highlight of his day (week? month?). Having nice things is... nice. But when it's more about 'displaying' the fact that you have it and putting down folks who don't, versus enjoying it and sharing that enjoyment, then you're an idiot.

I should also point out that the HK is my one 'good' gun. I'm a guy who has to watch the pennies these days, and I saved long and hard to get that HK. I own two bottom-end AR's (one bought used) and am perfectly happy with them and feel no shame about not having 'high end' rifles. My daily carry is a relatively cheap Ruger. I also own and greatly enjoy a Remington 522 Viper .22 rifle that's almost literally worth nothing: Not one of Remington's high points (or maybe it's one of their 'hi points'... pun intended), but I like it and it works for me. My shotgun is an ancient 12 gauge POS I inherited from my grandfather - beat to hell and was nothing fancy to start with. So what? IF I buy another pistol, it's more likely to be a Taurus than anything else.

So I'll simply echo two things others have said here: 1) F'em, why do you care what they think? This isn't kindergarten, and 2) If you're happy with your gun, it's a good gun. Your pleasure in that pistol comes through in most of your posts. Be happy about that, enjoy it.

I'll add that I have -NEVER- had anyone say anything like that to me, regardless of what I was shooting, even my 'cheap' stuff: You may wanna avoid the place it happened if that's the 'culture' there.

[STBear]

There is no shortage of assholes at the ranges. These are the same people that show up and want to tell you that you are shooting wrong. Leave me alone and go jerk off.

[daschnoz]

Tell them to suck it.

• Run what you have.
• Practice with what you have.
• Shoot the smallest group possible out of what you have.
• God forbid you ever need it for social work, marksmanship counts more than the name etched into the side of the gun. The bad guy isn't going to be any less dead because you shot him with a S&W and not a Kimber, Sig, H&K, or other high $$ gun.

I own a couple of Sigs, a Beretta, and a couple less expensive, not was well known branded guns. I wouldn't want to be on the business end of any of them.

Talk of cheap.... My first pistol was a Bryco Model 48 - all of $100 NIB with a second magazine. It's a piece of shit that is worth more to me as an emergency go-to gun in a mantle clock than it is for sale or trade. It may not be the greatest, but it will be more effective than beating the bad guy with the lamp at the end of the couch.

[scottbird39]

I want to thank you guys, I was having a bad day, and was shooting to get things off my mind, then this happened and it is like the gloom just came in.

you guys are right, tell them to go f#$k themselves. it is not like that at that range, this was the first time I eve seen these guys. you all are right though I do like my gun, and it is the first nice gun I have owned. I traded my little stevens 200 7mm-08 for it that I had for years. I am proud of it, and am getting good with it. I would by no means go to a target shoot with it yet, but I seem to hold my own.

I will continue to shoot it, I will get better, and maybe one day I can show them my target and ask them if they would like some shooting advice.

I do want to thank each of you though I did get some good laughs on some of your posts, semmed to make my day a little better.

[KCJones]

...it is not like that at that range, this was the first time I eve seen these guys...

You may want to mention it to management/directors at that range. They may not like it any better than you. You never know if there have been 'prior complaints' and some bad apples may thereby be removed...