In choosing a rifle, which is more important to you, form or function?

geologist

geologist

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I have seen a lot of threads where rifles are compared and I see a lot of posts where a major point in the evaluation of a rifle is "How it looks".

I am a function over looks shooter in that I care more for how well a firearm works for me than how it appears.

I admit that I love the beauty of older S&W revolvers but they function as well/good as they look. I also love the look of a Manlicher-Schoenauer full stock carbine in 6.5 MS and would love to find one with a good bore (hint, hint).

Which is more important to you when evaluating a rifle: its appearance or its function?
 
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Personally when it comes to rifles it's all about function, I really don't care what they look like. Handguns however, looks definitely play into my purchases.
 
It really depends on what the owner wants from the gun. Some people are willing to put up with a faulty gun if it looks cool or unique. I personally want the gun to be reliable and accurate. It's a bonus if it looks cool too. Luckily ARs fill both those needs IMHO, so there is no need to compromise.
 
It's function. A rifle must fit a person correctly for that person to shoot it proficiently. There select which rifle is the pursue at from rifles that fit.
That said...yes it's cool to have firearms from your favourite movies. :)
 
If everyone says form over function then we have lots of liars on cgn LOL. All you have to do is check any "Post your sks BUILD pictures" thread. Those abortions sometimes defeat all functionality the rifle ever had LOL ;)


NOTE multiple LOL's and smiley added to avoid flaming from heavily modified tactical sks owners

1. remove bayonet and add tactical bipod to enhance accuracy for those long range shots out to 150 yards
2. add tactical muzzle device to increase length, create more muzzle blast and tame massive 7.62x39 recoil and muzzle flip
3. add scope to raise cheek weld by 8 inches, ensure "zero" is lost every time the rifle is cleaned and increase accuracy out to 150 yards on this precision sks
4. add ar style butt stock to increase ergonomics and ensure good "neck" weld on every shot, will also allow you shorten her right up for CQB style gun fights
5. add tactical fore grip, again to enhance CQB gunfights.



817606_01_tactical_sks_m59_66a1__640.jpg
 
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I am in the "it has to feel comfortable and natural when I hold it camp"

No since having a gun that just plain awkward to hold and operate.

Function is second place.

I only bought one gun on looks and that was my win94.....thank you Guns Smoke.
 
If the world's greatest firearm looked like a dog humping a whale I wouldn't buy it. My shooting needs generally aren't demanding (outside of competition). Other than frustration, my recreational shooting of an unreliable gun won't cause me to miss that once in a lifetime buck, or end up on the losing end of a high noon duel.

I will readily admit looks have a large influence on my purchases. When I see the need for a new purchase, I find the items that fill that need, and then decide which one turns my crank the most. If that leaves me with something other than best in class so be it..half the enjoyment of firearms for me is aesthetics and clean lines.

I don't feel this way about duty or working guns..then function comes first of course.
 
Function first as a beautiful gun that don't work properly only worth his weight in pot metal.

But look is also very important, for the most part of us we are spending thousands of $$$ in guns and it's important to like the look of our guns. I would never buy a gun that I think is ugly.
 
I feel like form and function often dovetail together when it comes to firearms. At least for me.

Part of what makes Knights Rifles so aesthetically appealing are the distinct functional upgrades.

Same thing with a Sako TRG. That stock looks ###y, partially because it's built to be a great stock.

I'd argue that great functioning guns feed great form.
 
Both are important to me, and I think you can have both. Any object of good design should "look" good too; the form will follow from the function.
 
Form is more important because it includes ergonomics. The most accurate or reliable rifle isn't worth a damn if I can't deploy it effectively when needed.

Function covers whether the rifle fires reliably and puts the rounds where they are supposed to go. There are trade-offs between reliability and accuracy. Depending on the situation I might opt for less accuracy in a rifle that always worked or choose more accuracy if reliability wasn't critical. But wildly inaccurate or hopelessly unreliable are deal breakers.

Aesthetics are much lower on the list but not unimportant. Life is too short to shoot an ugly gun.
 
I bought some ugly guns, and it did take me longer to make the decision.

I recently bought a sig 516, it took me so long because it did look a bit ugly, even though there are some pretty smart design features. I dropped the money faster on some KAC stuff because they do look sleeker.
 
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Form and function aren't necessarily opposites. As Claybuster said, ergonomics are an important part of shooting. Different people will find different guns comfortable depending on height and stature, just as different people will find certain things more or less attractive.

When I'm out shooting with my friends, I'll bring the 110 round drum, or the tacticool SKS. Why? Because they are cheap to shoot, and people have fun shooting them.

While when I am out on my own, doing some precision shooting or even hunting, I'll carry lighter firearms with better quality ammo.

I spend 2 to 3 months hunting a year, and 9 to 10 months having fun with my toys. So yes, most of my guns are form over function - but how many precision rifles does a guy need? $2000 rifles eat up the .22lr and 7.62x39 funds ;)
 
It must have both. Bear in mind that there are so many functional and attractive choices, that you CAN have both, in most cases. Call me vain, or whatever, but I cannot abide a gun, that to me is ugly.
T
PS as my daughter would say "It is a 1st world problem" Thank God I am there.
T
 
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