WTF Is A Hobby Gun?

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Its been a long time since I've written an article,  becoming a father changes things, but there's been something I really want to discuss.

In the tactical community there exists a strange sort of elitism that exists at all levels. In recent years, the idea of so called "hobby guns" being compared to factory guns, with different results depending on who is doing the talking.

I'm going to take a dive into this, more after the jump. We'll be talking mostly about that beloved modular rifle, the AR-15.

Before we get into this,  we need to define what each kind of gun is. The definition of a hobby gun is pretty loose, so let's start by defining what a factory gun is.

A factory gun is a gun that is exactly as it is when it leaves the factory. Ideally it should use the same magazines it came with, as they should be specced for the gun, but it is so common to be using aftermarket magazines that this is acceptable.

Mounting a sling doesn't change a factory rifle, unless it needs the addition of aftermarket attachments like sling swivels or QD sockets. Mounting optics and sights are fine, as long as they attach to the host rifle with no modification to the gun. Mounting accessories to rails or handguards must follow the same standard.

And that's it. Nothing else. If you twist on a new muzzle brake, you don't have a factory gun any more. Swapping out that garbage A2 grip? Not a factory gun. Wanna ditch that economy front end for a big boy rail? How about an ambi safety or extended charging handle? Maybe you want a new BCG to replace that worn out stock model that keeps short-stroking? Well, you no longer have a factory gun.

Now that we know what a factory gun is, we know what a hobby gun is, and it's everything else. I'll continue to use the term "hobby gun"in this article, but the term is, I believe, a misnomer.

So, why are we here and what does it matter?

There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of guns. Factory guns tend to be more consistent and are built to a standard, which works better for military and law enforcement as they want to achieve as much standardization as possible.  They often have better construction practises and equipment,  as few basement builders are going to MPI test their components and so on.

However,  this doesn't mean much if the standards are shit, companies like IO and Taurus are no BCM. Conversely, I have seen QC fails from big name brands, such as a free spinning castle nut on a high end new factory rifle from a company that should know better.

On the hobby side, there is none of that QC, beyond what the builder performs.  The gun is literally the sum of its parts times the skill of the builder.  If the builder uses quality components,  the proper tools, and assembles according to spec, the end result is a quality gun, if not, then you have the much-derided "frankengun" that always chokes on ARFCOM.

It must be said, not every gunsmith has achieved the vaunted levels of certified  (insert gun here) armorers. I have met many at gun stores that are well-intentioned individuals who simply own hammers and a lot of punches.

Look at this scenario: you're a certified Colt armorer working on a gas piston gun with a side charging receiver with an aftermarket trigger. Colt doesn't make the gun you're working on, so your creds are invalid.

Do you work on it anyway because ARs are not hard? Yeah,  probably. People recommend factory guns the same way your mechanic recommends replacing the whole system rather than one part. Its the easiest way to make sure you get it right.

Home built guns have all the QC you put into them. If you do a shitty job with your build, then it's probably going to let you down. That said, if you follow the plans, and do things right, there is no reason that you can't build a reliable, quality gun. I have 6 ARs in the safe that I built, and they only issues they have had other than ammo related was a worn firing pin on one and replacing a worn buffer spring on another. All of these guns have been test beds for review and evaluation of different components.

The next time your favorite bearded tac instructor shits on you for not having a factory rifle, just remember that his blaster isn't, either.

Stay accurate.

Ben