dpetreikis
New member
On several recent visits to my local gun shop, I have overheard the sales staff there warning people away, in no uncertain terms, from buying lower-priced handguns - most notably the Taurus ones, as well as some Charter Arms as well. My first regular carry gun was a Charter Arms Undercover .38 which stayed by my side for several years, never failed to go "bang" when i squeezed the trigger and helped me prevent a couple potential robberies while I was working at a gas station. Later, I bought a Taurus 605 .357 snub in stainless. It was a very nice looking gun which never gave me a problem (although admittedly I did not keep it very long, trading it for a Glock 23) while I had it. I have also fired the Taurus PT-92 several times, always without a problem.
At the same time, I have owned a Smith & Wesson revolver on which the hammer pivot pin broke, another one that would fire if you cocked the hammer back and then pushed it forward with your thumb (without even touching the trigger - scary) and a Walther P-990 which jammed several times and whose magazines frequently broke if dropped on the ground. Other people I worked with (we all carried the same weapon) noticed failures-to-feed, misfires, jams and even once, a catastrophic misfire, resulting in the slide blowing up and the person getting injured as a result.
So -
I have seen expensive brands fail repeatedly, and cheaper ones work fine. Why, then do the gun shops warm people away? Is it (as I suspect) a mixture of gun snobbery and profit margins? I understand that they are in business to turn a profit, but if they are also advising people who have limited knowledge on the subject, should they not also follow a moral imperative to advise them fairly and without bias?
Just a thought....
At the same time, I have owned a Smith & Wesson revolver on which the hammer pivot pin broke, another one that would fire if you cocked the hammer back and then pushed it forward with your thumb (without even touching the trigger - scary) and a Walther P-990 which jammed several times and whose magazines frequently broke if dropped on the ground. Other people I worked with (we all carried the same weapon) noticed failures-to-feed, misfires, jams and even once, a catastrophic misfire, resulting in the slide blowing up and the person getting injured as a result.
So -
I have seen expensive brands fail repeatedly, and cheaper ones work fine. Why, then do the gun shops warm people away? Is it (as I suspect) a mixture of gun snobbery and profit margins? I understand that they are in business to turn a profit, but if they are also advising people who have limited knowledge on the subject, should they not also follow a moral imperative to advise them fairly and without bias?
Just a thought....