Who’s drinking the koolaid?

[ditto1958]

I thinks it’s fascinating to look at how buyers and users of competing brands of products look at “their” brand.

The firearms market is particularly interesting to me, as the level at which fans of various firearms brands are “drinking the koolaid” seems to be all over the map, and doesn’t always seem all that rational to me.

Two extremely successful firearms companies are Ruger and Smith & Wesson. Both sell a lot of guns, and both for the most part make excellent products. Strangely though, Smith has a lot of fans who are REALLY into the koolaid. Anything Smith makes- well, it’s a Smith, so it’s gotta be good, and it’s gotta be better than the next guy’s gun. Why? Well, it’s a Smith, right?

On the other hand, Ruger is the largest gun maker in America. They seem to have a knack for figuring out what the market wants and delivering it at prices that give the customer a lot of bang for the buck. Also, next to Henry, they probably have the best customer service in the business. Yet, go on a Ruger forums and you’d never know that. Ask for a recommendation on a gun,and you’d think the answer would be 100% Ruger, right? Nope.

Same with Glock. You can love em, or hate em, but the fact is, since the 1980’s they have dominated the handgun market in America. They make a huge line of semi-auto handguns that are durable, reliable, and go bang every time. Yet no one seems to like them much- not even Glock owners. If any gun owners could be expected to drink the koolaid, it should be Glock fans. But it’s not the case.

The very worst koolaid drinkers in my opinion are Kimber and Sig owners. Both companies make good guns, don’t get me wrong, but both also seem to make guns that are over priced and over rated. But don’t ever try to tell their fans that. To hear Kimber and Sig fans talk about their gun, you’d think America had fought WWII armed exclusively with Kimber 1911’s and Sig P226’s.

Me? I’m just happy that we have lots of choices.

[Abnermal]

When it comes to firearms I do have my favorites. But I usually base the firearm I'm using at the time to the job on hand. As a Master in GSSF I'll let you guess what my favorite auto pistol brand is!

[Sir Henry]

I drank the Henry rimfire Kool-Aid. The count is somewhere around 18 rimfires. But I try to think of myself as making the Kool-Aid. Almost every Henry I own has been heavily modified so I'm making flavors Henry didn't even come out with.

Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid, tastes great
get some, get some, can't wait

[daytime dave]

I agree with your post ditto. I looooooooooove Smith and Wesson revolvers and early automatics. After the company put a lock on revolvers and made the 5906, I've been a lot harder to please when it comes to them. I have a 638 that is modern. It has done everything I ask and has earned my respect. I don't own too many with the lock. 2 if memory serves. None of the modern auto loaders.

I never have warmed up to the Glocks looks. I have two and they are my carry pieces now. They are dependable and consistent. Those are two things I want in a self defense arm. I'll never like them as much as my Smith and Wesson revolvers. But what do I carry........?

I drink the Henry Kool-Aid only. I like them all. Good quality backed up by award winning customer service. I don't collect them exclusively, but I do love them.

This is a good, thought provoking thread. Thanks for making it.

[dave77]

I'm pretty active over on the Beretta Forum and most of us Beretta fans don't seem opposed to other brands, some of the members even like Glocks for their dependability (definitely not for their looks ).

I bought a S&W M&P and really don't understand how the S&W fans can be happy with the stupid hinged trigger, I hated it.

[North Country Gal]

I've been around too long to drink any brand of kool-aid. Have owned and shot almost every brand of gun in my time and have had lemons out of the box on all of them. That said, the percentage of faulty guns - not talking cosmetic issues, here, rather talking about functional issues or lack of reasonable accuracy relative to the class of gun - has varied widely with the various brands. I now base my buying decisions on my experience with a brand. A few brands have been consistently so good, I will order them with confidence, sight unseen. Most brands, though, I prefer to inspect, first, or will only order if I have the right of refusal. And, sorry to say, a few brands I now refuse to buy because I've had too many failures and/or lack of performance out of the box.

The customer service issue is secondary to me. Nice to have good CS, of course, in the rare event a gun needs work with a decent brand, but having to use a brand's CS over and over, again, no matter how good, because of that band's disregard for quality control, annoys the heck out of me because it cuts into my shooting time. I didn't pay money to call that brand's customer service all the time; I paid money in a reasonable exception that I would have a good chance that the gun would perform out of the box. That's a brand that no longer gets my business.

Sorry, folks, not going to name, names, here, on my no buy list brands. In the first place, I'm not the rant kind and, in the second place, I have no right to criticize or diminish someone else's preference as to brand. Their experience with said brand my not reflect mine.

[BrokenolMarine]

Even as a kid, I found it Sickly Sweet.

But I will spout the party line when it comes to this brand or that. Not....

Glocks... I was a department armorer for Glocks for years. They are fine guns, and in all the time I taught Glock and inspected them, performed the preventive maintenance; we never had a failure. They were easy to teach, most shot them well enough to qualify with average effort and with a little extra work could shoot in the Sharpshooter and Expert Range. However, the Glock is not a Target gun out of the box. You wouldn't choose it for a Bullseye Gun... nor will it win any beauty contests. I own a .. couple... Glocks.

Smith and Wessons? When I first joined the department as a recruit I was issued a Smith and Wesson Model 64, A stainless 38 revolver with fixed sights. I never felt undergunned and this fine old revolver was accurate enough that I often won service revolver matches shooting against much more expensive guns. When we later transitioned to the Glocks, I bought that model 64 duty gun and still shoot it for fun. I have never hesitated to recommend Smith Revolvers, but don't own Smith Autos. Never cared for them. I own.. a couple.. .. Smith Revolvers as well.

SIGs? Meh... Sigs are high end and expensive. Yes they are quality guns, but not everything SIG produces came down from the mountain. I have a P220 that is my Go To winter gun. I love the .45 and this SIG was a gift from the wife more than 20 years ago. She is accurate and faithful. A little worn, aged, and showing it... but still ready to work. If someone asks about SIGS, I am honest... Great guns, but you could do as well with a less expensive gun, and spend the difference on lots of practice ammo.

There are a couple others in the safe, A Kimber that is very accurate, it's a favorite and was also a gift from Miss Tina, but a bit selective about the ammo it will shoot. Certain bullet profiles turn that gun into a Jam - o - Matic. That's why you always test the guns with any ammo you intend to carry...

I have classic Colts, Priceless, but haven't Bought Colt in years.

Yup, try to avoid drinking the Kool Aide.

[BigAl52]

I think for me TIME has changed the kool aid that I drink. There where times when I was brand favorite to a brand which now I wont buy. I have one of there guns in my safe but its from the days when they still made a gun I would buy. I like Smiths and Rugers but I also love Henrys. But 20 years ago I had different favorites than I do now. I think we all go thru those changes on interest. Ive always liked leverguns and single actions but I drifted into places with semi autos in rifles and handguns. Most of those just sit now. But like has been mentioned. Im glad I had all of those buying choices avaliable to me. Al

[RanchRoper]

I have not shot many brands of firearms, but the Henry Big Boy I owned was excellent, and the 2 Cimarron Ubertis I have are both fine weapons. I would not hesitate to purchase from either manufacturer again.

[ditchparrot]

I wouldn't call myself a Kool-Aid guzzler, but I do have favorites in every category of firearm that I use and I turn to them first when considering a purchase. That being said, I've also enjoyed stepping outside of those boxes from time to time and experiencing something new.

[JEBar]

in the firearms I bought to keep department, life used to be simple .... for rifles I bought Remingtons or Brownings .... for shotguns I bought Remingtons .... for revolvers I bought Rugers .... semi automatic handguns weren't a problem, I didn't like any of them .... come to think of it, life is still pretty simple .... add Henry in the rifle selection and I'm still pretty much that way ....

now in pickup trucks, there is only one name to consider .... that being Chevy ..

[RanchRoper]

I'll bet my F350 that's a whole other discussion.

[BrokenolMarine]

Vehicles? Loyalties changed as quality and needs changed.

[Squatch]

Don't know about Koolaide. I have a couple of Henry's mainly because they suit what I want. Pretty doesn't hurt either. I don't own a lot of guns.

[clovishound]

I thinks it’s fascinating to look at how buyers and users of competing brands of products look at “their” brand.

The firearms market is particularly interesting to me, as the level at which fans of various firearms brands are “drinking the koolaid” seems to be all over the map, and doesn’t always seem all that rational to me.

On the other hand, Ruger is the largest gun maker in America. They seem to have a knack for figuring out what the market wants and delivering it at prices that give the customer a lot of bang for the buck. Also, next to Henry, they probably have the best customer service in the business. Yet, go on a Ruger forums and you’d never know that. Ask for a recommendation on a gun,and you’d think the answer would be 100% Ruger, right? Nope.

Same with Glock. You can love em, or hate em, but the fact is, since the 1980’s they have dominated the handgun market in America. They make a huge line of semi-auto handguns that are durable, reliable, and go bang every time. Yet no one seems to like them much- not even Glock owners. If any gun owners could be expected to drink the koolaid, it should be Glock fans. But it’s not the case.

Well, I would respectfully disagree with a couple things. First, the Glock fanboys are some of the worst, in my opinion, on Koolaid drinking. The fans think anything from Glock is perfection, and aren't shy about telling you that it's true. They are right up there with the Dillon and Apple folks in my experience. You really don't want to talk to them about the lack of a manual safety on a striker fired gun.

The other thing is Glock has not dominated the handgun market. Last year they were either 4th or 5th on the list. Ruger, Smith, and Beretta sold more handguns ahead of them in that order. In fact, looking at both long guns and handguns, Henry sold more firearms last year than Glock did.

[Snake629]

Yeah, I agree about the Glock boys. Both online and some of my friends are drinking it by the gallon.