# The Most Important Feature of a Firearm **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 19, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704 "2010-08-19T03:17:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/21 "2010-08-24T00:46:49Z")
> [@FallenAngel](#): > > In any firearm, my number one priority is reliability. I pull the trigger, it goes bang. > > An extremely close second is accuracy. I pull the trigger, it goes bang and puts the round where I intended. > > After that is ergonomics. When I was buying my first handgun, I’d decided I wanted either a Glock or a Beretta in 9mm. They have comparable reliability, accuracy and ammo capacity. I went to the gun store, picked them both up, put the Glock back down and told the owner to start the paperwork on the Beretta. The Beretta fit my hand beautifully and aligned naturally. The Glock, while a fine firearm, felt like a brick. This but make it a Smith&Wesson, Exception, original Colt .45 single six Army ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/22 "2010-08-24T01:24:34Z")
When I took the armored security job, I owned 3 pistols. An 18 year old Taurus PT-99 in 9mm, a Smith & Wesson DA 40, and a .357 revolver. Now, the guys in the shop mostly carried 40’s and 45s because they were extreme caliber snobs. They sneered at 9mms. But I ended up carrying mine because in the entire time I had owned it, it had never malfunctioned. I couldn’t say the same about the S&W (since sold) because the damned thing was extremely picky about ammo and had a distressing tendency to stovepipe. No way I was trusting my life to that. The .357 was the most accurate and as a revolver, extremely reliable, but was also the heaviest by far due to the 6" barrel. My partner carried a .357 with a 3" barrel. If your life depends on the firearm, there is nothing more important than reliability. It has to work every single time you pull the trigger, and be ready for the next time you need to pull the trigger. Accuracy is a close second, but is more situational. Most badguys are going to be less than 20 feet away from you, and Center of Mass shots are pretty much going to hit at that range. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/23 "2010-08-24T01:52:32Z")
Reliability, reliability, reliability. If your gun doesn’t go bang, you’ve just lost whatever fight you’re in. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/24 "2010-08-24T02:32:02Z")
Reliability for all three. A firearm that doesn’t fire is just an expensive club. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/25 "2010-08-24T03:22:00Z")
For a rifle I picked reliability. I chose ammo capacity for shotguns, since to me shotguns are primarily burglar blasters I want as much shot as possible if I need to use it. For pistols I chose other. Someone upthread mentioned comfort which I totally agree with. Comfort is not however a matter of aesthetics. It could be ugly as sin, but if I fits my hand, and isn’t too heavy I’ll have much better control of the gun and better accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/26 "2010-08-24T05:50:41Z")
For my last shotgun, weight was the primary concern. I needed (well, wanted) a shotgun specifically for quail hunting, where I will be walking all day long. So I went with a 20 gauge Benelli M90 Field model. Huge improvement over my 12 gauge Browning BPS. Gun is lighter, shotgun shells are lighter, and I feel better at the end of the day. ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/27 "2010-08-24T09:52:08Z")
My favorite weapon among those I own is the Mini-14GB. Good accuracy, light-weight rounds, flash suppressor, option to add a bayonet (if you need a bayonet, though, you scare me). The iron sights on that sucker are great. Love that gun. Love that gun. (this message was written by that gun) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704/28 "2010-08-24T14:52:03Z")
I want it all, baby! There are weapons in each category that meet all the criteria. Or if you can’t find one that satisfies you, you can customize. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-feature-of-a-firearm/550704.md?page=1)