I realize that over the time I have been writing this column it has focused mostly on fishing, food and the southern lifestyle. However, I am an avid shooter and hunter on occasion. Certainly, more so in the past 40 years of my life than the last 7. I have collected and shot all my life and come from a long line of hunters, shooters, and collectors. To me guns are a part of my life and my history. 

Now, with that being said, I think we should look at a couple of things that are seemingly taking over the gun world these days.

1. Composite or “plastic” guns. Sorry guys, I am just not a fan. I mean not at all. To me these guns have no soul. There’s no heart there. I get it though. You can have a 6-pound mountain rifle and every ounce counts if you are hiking in for days and days going to 10,000 feet to hunt sheep or goats in the high mountains of Canada or Alaska. But there’s no wood to pick up the character, no blued steel to glimmer in the firelight, or be caressed while teaching your grandkids how to clean it. It’s the epitome of the utilitarian, disposable culture we have built in the last number of years. At least in my opinion. In the handgun world no one wants to admire that new Glock 43, yet even non-gun people will admire a Model 19 or Colt Python with stag grips and engraving on it sitting in a beautiful leather holster.
2. Reliability. This is important but let’s get real. If you never clean a gun, it’s going to suffer at some point. Right now, some hyper fast, sleek, wannabe operator is raising his head from his mocha latte and scone in protest. But learn how to clean your gun. Learn how to field strip, remove the springs, barrels, etc. Learn how and when to properly lube your gun. Even the plastic ones will run better I promise. In WWII soldiers were expected to clean their weapons often. They also learned basic gunsmithing and how to do a number of things the wannabe crowd now pays someone big money to complete for them. Don’t be that guy.
3. Style. Used to be you could spot a Smith or a Colt a mile away by certain details. The shape of the grip, the ejection lever or the front ramp. Barrels were shaped and made around certain criteria that today may seem foreign to some. To us back then it not only made sense, but it was just like Ford and Chevy. Very few Smith guys would own a Colt and vice versa at least in my world. My grandaddy for instance carried a model 19 Smith all the time, but he owned a lot of different guns. That is what he shot best and most and felt most comfortable with. It probably had a lot more to do with personal preference and feel than any reliability issues. 
4. Revolvers not only have a place in modern gun culture, they are still the best choice for the average person. I get it. You want a 17 round 9mm with lasers, coffee maker, sleeper sofa, and auto loading zombie stopper. Whew! Man, oh man… Been watching a lot of SEAL Team and FBI have we? Chances are in a real-life situation you will need one or two rounds and it will be at arm’s length. At body contact distances a semi-auto pistol can be easily removed from service by depressing on the slide or barrel. That doesn’t happen with a revolver. Pull the trigger.  Your chances of needing 17 rounds go down if you learn to shoot also. Plus, every bullet you send down range in this situation has a lawyer attached to it. So, pay attention and shoot with accuracy and thought. 

Now with all of this being said, I realize once again that I am a member of the cranky old guy’s club and that these are just my latest of many things that irritate me to no end! Do me a favor. Go to the local gun store and search for a 4” Model 19 or a 3” Colt Python, buy it and join us for our cranky meetings. We’re cooler and have better coffee than the low drag option.

—Outdoors columnist James Pressley can be reached at pressleyoutdoors@gmail.com