But, What Do You DO With One??

[The Rabbi]

First off, is it me, or does this thing look like a strange sea creature?

Anyway, this is Ruger's new "Charger", a 10-22 made into a pistol. It's supposed to be a hot seller but my question (as always) is "what do you do with one?" It isn't a concealed carry handgun, with a 10" barrel. It isn't a take out in the woods and shoot squirrels gun with the bipod. I dont know of anything you can do with it that you couldnt do with a 10-22. At an MSRP of $369 I could think of a lot of guns, including the Ruger Mark series, I'd rather have.

Ideas?

[fury2neon]

Um, you shoot it...

Or like Joe you silence it and then shoot it.

[Im Neero]

It's for all those urban warfare situations where you have to hide in a cardboard box and don't have room for a full size rifle.

[The Rabbi]

It's for all those urban warfare situations where you have to hide in a cardboard box and don't have room for a full size rifle.

If they did the same treatment to their .44mag carbine I could buy it. It would make an excellent weapon for drive-by shootings in the 'hood.

[Im Neero]

I forgot to mention, urban warfare against rodents and pigeons.

[Guest Len]

A great example of "creating a need." There will be people who will buy one and then swear they don't know how they managed to get along without one.

In all seriousness, I have noticed a shift in firearms marketing over recent years that shows an attempt to market to a younger (hipper???) audience. This is wise for gun makers for two reasons: 1) Expands the demographics of potential customers; and 2) Generates interest in the shooting sports among the younger crowd. If it takes odd-ball items such as the "Charger," so be it. To me it looks like a space robot from a Sci Fi show. To each his own, I guess.

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

I was thinking the same thing...........the space robot.

[Guest Bronker]

Finally, they made one of these. I don't know how I managed all this time without one.

Bigfoot has been casing my house, ever since the chupacabras moved into my crawlspace.

Paranoia is only a psychotic thought...if it never happens.

Back to reality...I think it is pretty cool. You load bullets in it, it goes bang, and soup cans/squirrels/blackbirds kick buckets.

And it fits into the same category as many of the things I acquire...I have absolutley no need for one...I JUST WANT ONE!!!

[Guest price g]

[The Rabbi]

I've seen him someplace before.

But that's about how I feel.

[Guest kdgreen23]

Gun shop in Joelton Sells the heck out of them. Don't know why. Looks

like souped up firepower for the wifey!!!!! She won't shoot anything else.

[strickj]

Looks like something out of a video game

[SkWaShDeM]

It looks like a concept gun from a bunch of marketing majors who've been smoking funny cigarettes again.

[mousegunner]

If I had a charger, I would get rid of the bipod, then I would chop off the protruding wood thingy, and make it look decent. Then I'd...I'd...I don't know. What do you do with it????

[Guest gcrookston]

I know several people that shoot prairie dogs and rabbit hunt with Thompson Contenders. I would imagine this would be a handy little truck gun, more accurate than a pistol, easier to carry than a rifle. I would think some of my rancher friends in colorado would enjoy these.

[Guest Halfpint]

We've sold two at the shop, one was for a customer's kid who was still too small for a regular 10/22 but was already shooting pistols--just wanted a rifle, so that was deemed close enough until he got bigger.

The other was one of our regulars . . . His words were something to the effect of "Hey, what's that thing? Oh, it's a .22? I'll buy it just because it's unusual . . . Dunno what I'll do with it, but I'll find something."

I tell customers it's what the squirrels use to shoot back.

[molonlabetn]

Why, it's for the impending rise of the Zombie Squirrels, of course!

I think it's a great idea... you can take a semi-precision firearm with you in a compact case. It would even have benefits for those who use a motorcycle for primary transportation, now you can take a 10/22 to the range easily.

Plus, you can suppress it, and rid your neighborhood of pesky tree-rats and stray cats without causing a commotion...

[Magiccarpetrides]

Thats so wrong on so many levels. I would actually take a charger over the rifle and have thought about getting one. I like compactness of it, but you can still get better barrels, scopes, etc....

[BimmerFreak]

First off, is it me, or does this thing look like a strange sea creature?

Anyway, this is Ruger's new "Charger", a 10-22 made into a pistol. It's supposed to be a hot seller but my question (as always) is "what do you do with one?" It isn't a concealed carry handgun, with a 10" barrel. It isn't a take out in the woods and shoot squirrels gun with the bipod. I dont know of anything you can do with it that you couldnt do with a 10-22. At an MSRP of $369 I could think of a lot of guns, including the Ruger Mark series, I'd rather have.

Ideas?

Um, you shoot it...

Or like Joe you silence it and then shoot it.

Roger that!

I dont know why everyone has to "justify" the creation, marketing, and sale of a given product.

Sometimes, its best to realize that people buy things simply because:

1. It looks cool

2. They want it

3 They can

Here is a Charger that we cut back, threaded, and added a YHM Mite suppressor to:

[Guest Bruce]

It would look better in some type of polymer with a detachable stock.

[The Rabbi]

I dont know why everyone has to "justify" the creation, marketing, and sale of a given product.

Sometimes, its best to realize that people buy things simply because:

1. It looks cool

2. They want it

3 They can

Everyone doesnt have to. No one has to.

But I do personally and so do others.

To me, guns are tools for doing stuff. There is a little niche for each one. So there are guns for personal protection/carry and guns for home defense. Guns for different types of shooting sports and guns for hunting. Within each category there are some that do it better or worse or different for any given person. That's what makes it interesting.

But to buy a gun solely on "kewl factor" is, imvho, wasteful and a poor use of resources.

I won't do it myself and I actively encourage people not to. I have told any number of people "you already have X gun, what are you going to get out of buying Y gun as well?" I have definitely lost sales that way, but hopefully gained customers. OTOH "I just want it" is also a valid reason.

[Guest jackdog]

Conversation piece i guess, But then again sitting on the front porch plinking pesky squirrels might be fun

[BimmerFreak]

To me, guns are tools for doing stuff...

But to buy a gun solely on "kewl factor" is, imvho, wasteful and a poor use of resources.

.

The same can be said for cars.

Automobiles were created to serve as reliable modes of transportation.

While they still serve as transportation, cars have become a part of our culture.

With speed limits set at 70mph or less, it really doesnt make sense to purchase sports cars or hotrods capable of speeds up to (and past) 165mph.

I dont think people buying these cars (which are a terrible "investment" and very poor use of resources) are buying them with anticipation of using the cars 400+ hp and 165mph top end during a bank robbery get-away.

Instead, people buy these cars for the pure joy of it.

Sure, they can be used as transportation, which is how they partly justify it in their minds, but in the end; they are buying happiness.

The same can be said for expensive, weird, or niche firearms.

If you took the joy of ownership out of the equation, the only thing we would need would be a good revolver, a bolt action rifle, and maybe a shotgun.

Thank God we live in a country that we aren't required to explain or justify our firearms purchases. (yet)

Anyway, I agree that the Charger in stock form is useless, and in Hero-Gear "super-cool" form, is even more useless.

But who cares? I average 45 gun sales a week, and I would say half of the guns that leave our store are purchased out of pleasure, not need.

Edited March 4, 2008 by BimmerFreak

[Guest db99wj]

The same can be said for cars.

Automobiles were created to serve as reliable modes of transportation.

While they still serve as transportation, cars have become a part of our culture.

With speed limits set at 70mph or less, it really doesnt make sense to purchase sports cars or hotrods capable of speeds up to (and past) 165mph.

I dont think people buying these cars (which are a terrible "investment" and very poor use of resources) are buying them with anticipation of using the cars 400+ hp and 165mph top end during a bank robbery get-away.

Instead, people buy these cars for the pure joy of it.

Sure, they can be used as transportation, which is how they partly justify it in their minds, but in the end; they are buying happiness.

The same can be said for expensive, weird, or niche firearms.

If you took the joy of ownership out of the equation, the only thing we would need would be a good revolver, a bolt action rifle, and maybe a shotgun.

Thank God we live in a country that we aren't required to explain or justify our firearms purchases. (yet)

Anyway, I agree that the Charger in stock form is useless, and in Hero-Gear "super-cool" form, is even more useless.

But who cares? I average 45 gun sales a week, and I would say half of the guns that leave our store are purchased out of pleasure, not need.

Excellent post.

[K191145]

How about a competition target pistol?

Or how about just a novelty?

I would like to have one but if I had the $$ to spend on that, I would choose a more practical firearm.