Thread: Rifle and Optics Snobs

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

I like functional stuff that does a job well. Ive been guilty of spending stupid amounts of money on stuff also just because I thought it was cool or others would think it was cool but I think I'm past that now and see things for what they are, couldn't live without my swaro binos but that's because they actually do their job better than anything else I've ever picked up, I appreciate them and the hard work I've done to be able to buy the odd nice thing here and there. I like good glass, currently have swaro and Zeiss scopes but again, they do their job very well. There are levels to it though, had a Z8 for a while, very nice, didn't shoot any more deer because of it though, in fact I think I've shot more deer in the past 6 months with my little Forbes 243 and swaro Z3 (now has Zeiss Diavari 3-9 on it) than I shot with all the super flash rigs I've had put together. Is the Forbes a refined "snobs" rifle? Not by a long stretch, in fact the action is rough as hell, but its light, and I like light rifles, and it's accurate, and I certainly like accurate rifles. Is the little Zeiss scope "snob material" other than the name on it? Nope, again it's simple as, I bought it second hand off here for $600, but it has nice glass and does it's job perfect, and it's something I feel I can trust.
I think if something makes you feel good then go for it. I have been guilty of sniggering behind my breath at the cliche guys lined up waiting for the chopper before a tahr ballot decked out head to toe in Kuiu and flexing their Hardy hybrid with a nightforce on it that looks like those old photos of the space shuttle humping a 747 but at the end of the day that shit probably makes them feel good so go them.
The definition of snob really lays in the attitude of the person brandishing the so called fancy gear. I cant stand the types that have an attitude towards others who may not have the latest and greatest. The "best" hunter I know is not a rich man by any stretch of the imagination but he is time rich and spends a lot of time with his Savage axis 223 and his Leupold vx1 and Leupold cascades, all of which he's had since I've known him and doesn't seem to want for anything else but he knows his gear well and has developed his hunting around it and would out-hunt (is that even a term?) most of the kuiu clad Hardy hybrid crew.
Do what you want I say, the important thing is to just get amongst it.

@Ryan_Songhurst

Point taken but do you ever miss that awesome magnification range of the z8i 1.7-13.3 you had? There is nothing else quite like it that I've seen, good for up real close and at long distance. VX6HD 2-12 is somewhat close in magnification range but doesn't have the side focus.