Would/Do You Carry A "Pretty" Gun?

Well, I decided to carry the "pretty" P938 and sold the plain one today. I would like to have kept both, but times are tough and I feel fortunate to be able to keep one of them.
 
I have one gun, and one gun only, that I consider a "admire on the sofa for its prettiness" gun, that I love to stroke and clean and ditz with. It's my Smith and Wesson Model 41. I've wanted one all my life, and at nearly 60 years old, could finally get one.

All my other guns are weapons. Regardless of what I've paid for them, I'm confident in their utility and function because I've beaten the living crap out of them and they always work. They are not weapons until they've had about 5,000 rounds through them, and they aren't weapons if they look like Detroit pimp guns with 'features' and crap accessories.

To each owner, his own preferences. If it gets carried, it shoots and I know it shoots.

But, I bought a Sig P220 Elite Stainless and the first thing to go was the pimp rosewood grips, replaced with rubber Hogues. Did it change the utility of the gun? Not at all. The rosewood grips were perfectly functional. Did I want to be seen with a gun with rosewood grips? Nope. This was a style choice, and we all make 'em. Had NOTHING to do with being functional--everything to do with looks and personal preference.

You carry what you trust your life with. 'Pretty' is perfectly fine...but 'not fired much' is not. Better know how she comes out of the holster 500 times in a row...it's kinda important.
 
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Yes. I carry this. Her name is Ashley. It's a SIG P229 Elite Dark in 9mm and I just ran 1,000 rounds through her.

I can't post the videos but if you have IG just send me a PM and I'll link you to it.

I've come a long / weird way. From 40 some handguns down to 6. And I'm still selling 2 more.

Anyways. The Glock 41 stays, the P226, P229, and 1911. They're all beautiful to me. The 1911 is as well but it's not one I carry very much. Just a safety/training issue with the safety that I don't have sufficient training with as I do with glock and SIG.


Anyways yes. Ashley is gorgeous and I carry it. Shoot it. And train with it. 1,000 rounds in and out of a holster in 1 day, it already has a little bit of slide wear. ;) carry on gents.
 
From 40 some handguns down to 6. And I'm still selling 2 more.
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Wow!!

Choice or necessity? Although, I like the guns I have, I also like the idea of simplicity and consolidation, so it is interesting to hear from people who have thinned the herd.
 
I also like the idea of simplicity and consolidation, so it is interesting to hear from people who have thinned the herd.
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I also like the simplicity and consolidation, but that has nothing to do with thinning the herd. :D

Except for maybe one or two, that I keep to stay familiar with, I just dump the platform Im moving away from, and replace it with the one I currently prefer.

You "have" to have multiples/duplicates of "everything". It is a sickness, I know, but you do. :p
 
I worked as a mechanic. None of my ball peen hammers were pretty.
I knew a guy who bought gold plated tools, (Snap-On). He couldn't use them, they would get scratched.

Years back the FBI looked into why reloading was taking so long with their wheel guns. They traced it back to an instructor at their training center that would not allow his range to be dirty with spent brass. The shooters would have to pocket their spent rounds before reloading. When the actual shooting in real life came down, they would take the time to pocket their spent rounds before reloading. The way you practice will be the way you react. If you are shy about tossing your gun into gravel to grab another one in training, guess what?
 
Years back the FBI looked into why reloading was taking so long with their wheel guns. They traced it back to an instructor at their training center that would not allow his range to be dirty with spent brass. The shooters would have to pocket their spent rounds before reloading. When the actual shooting in real life came down, they would take the time to pocket their spent rounds before reloading.
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Not that the lesson it represents is a bad one, but the story itself strikes me as a wee bit apocryphal.
 
I paid extra for the nickel plated Chiappa Rhino because I want that gleam to advertise what's pointing at someone if I ever have to draw it in a tense situation. I figure pretty has function in this case.
 
I don't really go for "pretty" handguns, generally speaking. Most of mine are military style and are made to FIGHT. Hence, they don't have gold accents, expensive checkered cocobolo grips, etc., not that there is anything wrong with having a beautiful piece. But I don't have time to worry about scratching such things. I also wouldn't carry an extremely rare/valuable handgun. For example, I've always wanted a pristine S&W Model 27 with nice wood grips, but I would never carry something like that (especially since I would want a long barrel).

Now bolt rifles and skeet shotguns? I've got a few of those that are works of art with acres of beautiful wood. :cool: But even they get field time.
 
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Haven't read through the whole thread, so maybe someone already mentioned this.

If you are involved in a self defense shooting, your gun is going to be confiscated. They will probably etch the case number on it. You might not even get it back.

My point being that I would hate to have that happen to any of my firearms. I don't own anything real expensive, but it is something to consider about a carry weapon.
 
Would you marry a pretty woman ? she might develop a wrinkle or get stretch marks, maybe best to get a homely one. Of coarse carry a pretty gun jeeez.
 
If you are involved in a self defense shooting, your gun is going to be confiscated. They will probably etch the case number on it. You might not even get it back.

My point being that I would hate to have that happen to any of my firearms. I don't own anything real expensive, but it is something to consider about a carry weapon.
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Already mentioned -- and still totally unconvincing reasoning, as far as I'm concerned.

If what gives you the best chance of survival in a SD situation happens to be your expensive "pretty" gun (as best you can determine from training/practice), then leaving it at home out of concern that it could be confiscated is asinine. I'd rather have the gun that gives me the best chance of having the luxury of sulking over its confiscation.

Would you marry a pretty woman ? she might develop a wrinkle or get stretch marks, maybe best to get a homely one. Of coarse carry a pretty gun jeeez.
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Hardly a compelling analogy. Whether the gun is "pretty" or not should have no weight in a decision about whether to use it as a CCW -- unless all else is equal between it and something else, which probably won't be the case.
 
personally no i would not. When i ding or chip or whatever else i can do wrong to one of my nice guns i cringe and it bothers me every time i see it. All my carry guns are plain and ugly but function. Probably the only way id carry a pretty gun is if i got an absolute steal on it (still probably not lol).
 
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