A courious question about camo long guns

[J Miller]

I just looked at the front page of the Dick's Sporting Goods add that came today.
There are 27 long guns pictured. Of these 27, 15 are either totally cammo'd or the stocks are.
That's over half.

I do not understand, what is the big infatuation with cammo'd guns?

If it's for hunting it's senseless because game animals are color blind and react to movement and scent more than colors.

Can some one explain this to me so it makes sense?

Joe

[madman4570]

Joe,
It started with Turkey guns mostly.(They do see colors)
Also even though say a deer might be color blind ?? they noticed objects of a solid/shiny material.(camo pattern blends in)
I believe most hunters feel that a dull camo'd gun provides a utilitarian means of (it's tough)for use.
Don't worry about that shiny finish getting marked up,the camo finish on the metal parts aids in rust prevention and it makes it just a work more/worry less work horse.

Myself, (for actual hunting use)----------I prefer a camo gun and any more also one in synthetic stock.
Also the cost of manufacturing the gun(it should be cheaper,thus being cheaper for the consumer?

[jnyork]

I think mosts guys buy them just because they are SOOO cool.

Same reason they buy camo jockey shorts, etc.

[marlinman93]

Camo sells. Most game animals are shot with non camo guns, so it can be done! Not sure how our fathers and grandfathers ever got game before camo guns existed. Somehow I've been just lucky to harvest all sorts of game for 40 years without it.

[Tycer]

I found a rusty camo shotgun leaning against a tree a few years ago. Camo worked too well I guess.

[L_Kilkenny]

I'm sure that camo has some effects even on game that is color blind. Anything to break up outlines and offer more natural shades of grey has a benefit. Even on guns.

But I've pretty much swore off buying camo anything. Still have some camo coats and clothes around and I'll wear em till they wear out but I've grown tired of the 10,000 patterns to choose from and paying a royalty to every one of them. Blue jeans or brown duck pants and any neutral colored coat is good enough for me. Heck, with deer we have to wear so much solid orange as to negate the benefits of the camo you're wearing underneath. Never kept me from getting deer.

LK

[harry]

Most people don't buy camo guns and clothes to hide from deer, its to hide from other hunters. Turkey, yotes, bobcats and duck hunting camo works but you can sure hunt with out it.
Harry

[kimwcook]

I have zip in the line of camo'd firearms.

[O.S.O.K.]

Merchandising

[win38-55]

I cannot speak as for the effectiveness of camo guns. But my Marlin 336 ss in solid stainless does a good job of killing deer.

[1894c]

I'm sure that camo has some effects even on game that is color blind. Anything to break up outlines and offer more natural shades of grey has a benefit. Even on guns.

But I've pretty much swore off buying camo anything. Still have some camo coats and clothes around and I'll wear em till they wear out but I've grown tired of the 10,000 patterns to choose from and paying a royalty to every one of them. Blue jeans or brown duck pants and any neutral colored coat is good enough for me. Heck, with deer we have to wear so much solid orange as to negate the benefits of the camo you're wearing underneath. Never kept me from getting deer.

LK

+1 me too--try to find any good hunting stuff that's not camo--don't forget the camo blaze orange stuff...

[375hh1973]

I own a BLR 308 in Mossy Oak Brush camo and stainless steel. Why? Because I like the looks of it. Does it do anything a blue and walnut BLR wont? Absolutely not! Just personal preference. All of my rifles are stainless/synthetic. I like the looks of them. My buddy has all walnut/blue. Why? He likes the looks of them.

[Mike D.]

Game animals don't react to colors but they darned sure react to reflected light. The sun glinting from steel and reflected from scope lenses send western mule and blacktail deer into ghosts. You hunters who haunt deep woods in low light in search of whitetails need not bother with such trivialities.

[Streetstar]

I bought an Encore muzzleloader last year with a camo stock --- i have to admit , i just thought it looked cooler than plain black synthetic. Weatherby Vanguard - same deal -- choice of black plastic stock or a sandy pebble finish looking stock -- yep, i got the sandy looking stock just to be a little different

[olyinaz]

I found a rusty camo shotgun leaning against a tree a few years ago. Camo worked too well I guess.

LMAO!! That is RICH!!

Well, it may be a fad that has been brought on by the recently available commercial means to "wrap" these guns in camo treatments at the factory in volume at low cost, but not all things new are bad. It makes sense to me from a utilitarian viewpoint more so than a stainless steel gun with a black plastic stock which I find even more ugly (not sure why, I just do).

But I'm not a hunter! So I buy guns that look good to my eye and I don't worry about some critter's eye.

And on that point I will say that I find the tan camo'ed military rifles our troops favor in Iraq just as attractive as my old black M16. I'm not big on green guns, but as a desert rat myself I guess I find tan or dessert cammo guns kind of nice looking. Winter camo? Yeesh! No thanks.

Cheers,
Oly

[Idiot]

Because you can't hunt modern deer (who have ties to Al-Qaeda) without camo - you simply won't succeed, or at least not to the degree you should (camo saves hunting success opportunities that would otherwise have been lost without the use of camo). Besides, it matches my camo hat, camo underwear, camo hanky, camo travel cup, camo laser range finder, camo trial cam, camo ATV, and all the other camo gear I've got to ensure I acheive the greatest hunting success possible. Without such gear, you'll find yourself stuck shooting a lowly young fat doe.

Besides, I like to pretend I'm an Army Ranger while out hunting for MONSTER BUCKS (with ties to terrorist organizations) - I even bring along an MRE for lunch - HOOAH!!!

[jnyork]

Besides, I like to pretend I'm an Army Ranger while out hunting for MONSTER BUCKS (with ties to terrorist organizations) - I even bring along an MRE for lunch - HOOAH!!!

Hey, why pretend. These guys can fix you up with the real thing!! Hurry, call now.

http://www.armyenlist.com/forms/short/m ... nlistShort

[Rusty]

P.T. Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute.

IMNSHO camo is a tool used by poor outdoorsmen to compensate for their lack of skill.

[Idiot]

Besides, I like to pretend I'm an Army Ranger while out hunting for MONSTER BUCKS (with ties to terrorist organizations) - I even bring along an MRE for lunch - HOOAH!!!

Hey, why pretend. These guys can fix you up with the real thing!! Hurry, call now.

Nooooo way! Monster Bucks don't shoot back.

[Hobie]

It is ALL about marketing. There's camo flashlights... think about it.





If you don't need it it is in the pocket when you do you have a bright (hopefully) light.

[2571]

Camo t-shirts.

I live in MI. I defy someone to wear only a camo t-shirt while hunting in our -10 winters.

[Lastmohecken]

Well, I guess Camo guns are fine, but they look so cheap, and actually many are cheap made, have poor fitting stocks, etc. I guess I am a blue steel and Walnut man.

It's really sad anymore, to walk in a gun shop and seen nothing but plastic stocked hunting rifles. It's funny how the market works. I still remember about 30yrs ago, when the factorys did not make a camo bow, because they didn't think it would sell, and so we all purchased our brightly colored bows, and sprayed camo paint on them ourselves, then only a few short years later all of the bows were camo from the factory, except the traditional stuff and a few target bows.

Then a few custom rifles started being made with plastic stocks, or layed up fiberglass, and those were pretty good, then the factorys figured out that injection molding made it possible to produce a much cheaper stock then they could get a walnut blank for, and started paying the gun writers to talk up the new and better plastic stocked wonders, and the quality has been getting worse ever since, except for a few higher end guns.

And now all we see on the new gun racks are cheap Savage package guns, and a some others too that are a little better, and many of our younger generation has now never even hardly held a fine wood stocked gun, let alone shot or hunted with one.

[AJMD429]

And now all we see on the new gun racks are cheap Savage package guns, and a some others too that are a little better, and many of our younger generation has now never even hardly held a fine wood stocked gun, let alone shot or hunted with one.

Yeah, but those 'cheap Savage package guns' sure shoot well.

I have a 1970's Ruger M-77 'Varmint' (bull) barreled 6mm Remington that shoots 1/2" 5-shot 100-yard groups, and is one of the most beautifully made and handsome rifles I've ever seen.

I also have a plastic-stocked Savage that does the same thing. It cost about half what I paid for the Ruger 20 years earlier, and isn't very pretty. Guess which one I take out if it's misty or raining...

Don't get me wrong; I think there's a 'need' for both types of guns, but like the older cars before fuel-injection, that didn't always just start-and-drive without some TLC, there are tradeoffs.

One of the really COOL kinds of 'camo' guns are the ones with WOOD stocks that are like the ones Ruger has for their 10/22's - made of dozens of thin-layered laminate of green, yellow, tan, and brown hues. 'Natural' and yet very stable with regard to moisture/humidity, and on a matte-finish stainless gun you wind up with something near-indestructible, not all that 'visible' afield, and it still 'feels' like a real gun.


(Richards Microfit Gunstocks - http://rifle-stocks.com)

Ruger puts them on some of their 'distributor specials':


I wish Marlin had done that with their 'XLR' series...