Okay I am going to put my 2 cents in and try to get this thread back on the right track:
First off, we gunnies have a hobby, lifestyles and possibly careers based on a certain functional physical object. It is a tool. It gets the job done. It may save your life or the life of a loved one some day. I have seen PLENTY of examples of snobbery when it comes to guns, the denizens of 4Chan being the worst suspects.
But gun snobs are getting ONE thing wrong...Letting closed mindedness take over and all rationality flying out the window. I am a 1911 and wheelgun fan by default. I exhort their designs and workmanship as well as historical significance and sometimes I can get a little carried away when talking about them. However, I am not going to close my senses out to the multitude of other gun designs out there, most of which have made their own impacts on history and society. I have congratulated Sig owners when they posted pictures of their new acquisitions. I have shared the same enthusiasm with AR guys after they finish a successful build. Same with Glock folks, Smith & Wesson folks and Beretta folks. Never would I say "Oh the design of the whatever is better than yours ahaha". Doing so would be counteracting the whole base purpose of being a gun enthusiast. The bottom line is, THE PRODUCTS WORK. That is the most important. The weapons that we see displayed on racks at our favorite gun stores have been engineered, proof-tested, and patented over many steps and cycles to ensure that when the trigger is pulled, it is going to do it's job and send the bullet downrange where it is supposed to go.
Of course, one part of me thinks to put my favorite design on a pedestal and advertise it too. It is a matter of personal opinion and pride. That is why I do builds. I got my Pietta 1858 revolver and the Kirst .45 LC conversion cylinder as two separate items. I machined out a loading channel in the recoil shield and fitted the cylinder all by hand and hand tools. I got .22 LR conversion kits for both the wheelgun and the 1911. In the future I might even build an AR from a receiver blank. Now THAT will be something any handyman would be proud to build.
And this is where we come to the topic of whether some guns "have a soul" or not. If an armed prison escapee is breaking into your house now with the intent of killing you and raping your beloved partner, and all you have is a Glock 17 sitting on the table, you are SURE AS HELL going to pick up that Glock and blast the scumbag twice through the chest and once through the head. That Glock just saved your life, and the lives of your loved ones too. Tell me you aren't going to see this pistol from then on as a most treasured item. No matter what beautiful, traditional blends of wood and steel you are going to see at a gun store in the future, nothing will be as important to you as that Glock that saved your life. Now that is SOUL right there.
We live in a relatively stable country in terms of crime and politics. That is why we have the privilege to pick and choose, and for the worst among us, shit all over other peoples' choices. If we are living in Eastern Europe during the Nazi occupation, I am 100% CERTAIN that no partisan fighter among us would be saying: "Damn that Nagant revolver looks faggy"..."A Martini Henry??? Hell no, I ain't getting caught dead with that clunker...or "Those who shoot straight-pulls are old farts who know nothing about innovation"...................You are going to take whatever FUNCTIONAL weapons you have on hand and use them to KILL Nazi fuckers so you can get your hands on shiny new Mausers and MP-40's.
GLOCK is one of those firearm designer/manufacturers who changed the face of small arms design by offering a budget priced, reliable and EFFECTIVE defensive weapon that the working class citizens of many countries can afford. They are also relatively simple in design, allowing ease of cleaning, repairs and parts replacement. If it didn't work, this product will not have been still selling. It would have gone the way of the GYROJET and the DARDICK. Now I, myself is a TRAD fan who totally believes that guns should be made of nothing but wood and steel. BUT, I am also not blind to innovation. The reason why polymers and plastics have been implemented into so many firearm designs is because these materials are readily available, economical and still GET THE JOB DONE. Lets go back to the murderous predator breaking into your home in my earlier scenario.......Would it matter one bit whether you shoot him with a polymer/steel GLOCK or a wood/steel 1911? The result you want to achieve is the criminal being DEAD so he could not hurt you or your family any longer. Glocks or 1911's. They all have the same capability to get the job done, PROVIDING that the gun had always been kept in functioning condition and looked after.
PS.......
@Skookum : Damn buddy, now THAT is a real post. Nice work you put into that list