"Custom" vs. "Tailoring?...?

[iceberg]

So, I had a philosophical gun debate with my 14 year old son. I admit, that's a bad scenario off the bat. Every high school freshman boy is Spec Ops-level stupid, or as my mom would say, "Starting to smell his own funk". But I indulged the Convo anyway because I hear the word "customized" thrown around pretty loosie-goosie these days especially in the modern, AR/Glock era where everything is plug and play. He's of the belief that any combination of drop in, after market parts on a gun makes it customized. To me, that's a tailored gun. In my book, customization is when one has to file, polish or otherwise alter parts in order to make them work. I'm fine with drop in parts, but that just takes money. Anybody with enough dough can buy fancy fixings to make their gun some kinda way. Not everybody knows how to do it, but all it takes is an instruction manual and/or YouTube. I'm of the belief that there needs to be a special category for the folks who have to rework the problem using experience, motor skills and a fine touch with tools. Again, I respect the person who knows the exact parts to drop into an AR to make it do whatever. But I can't put that person on the same level as someone who knows how to hand fit parts on, like, a 1911. I'm done now. Thanks, look forward to the responses.

 

[deo62]

Craftsmanship someday will be lost to the world.

 

[BigRed]

Craftsmanship someday will be lost to the world.

I hope not, but it will certainly be increasingly difficult to find that which was not uncommon.

 

[bobjones223]

In my mind as an outsider I believe custom and taylord are interchangeable in the respect that you are talking because both statements are correct for what each of you are talking about. I think the term that would more fit your explanation would be "Smithed". Indicating that it has been tuned, machined, or altered by a professional. On that same note with how all new guns are like Legos that line is getting ever grayer.

 

[bwframe]

And then there's the bubba that puts a woodburner to his Glock frame...

 

[bobjones223]

I will say it is an interesting time in guns though. On one hand the true craftsman are becoming more rare and harder to find.

On the other side....3 or 4 clicks of a mouse and you can have a professional trigger job in your mailbox 2 days later.

It has made it a bit harder on the "fine connoisseur" of fine pieces of firearm art and those that want something nicer and more personally tailored for their liking.

We must also keep in mind that the increasing tight tolerances that gun manufacturers are achieving with new technologies is also decreasing the need to address each firearm as a different animal. They are all so close to the same thing that mass produced "custom " features are plug and play.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I'm not sure the firearms world has set definitions, but to me (and leaning heavily on the world of suits):

Custom = not off the rack, a "special" item as designed by the manufacturer or creator.

Tailored = Custom, but to the customer's specificiations.

A custom suit may be one with a different cuff, a different cloth, different color, etc. than what's on the rack. Tailored means it's cut and sizing is for your body. To translate that into firearms, a Wiley Clapp GP100 is a custom factory gun. The same but with a grip carved to a tracing of your hand is tailored. The old cripple stock long guns were the stock was designed specifically for a given cross-dominate shooter were tailored. That sort of thing.

 

[Leadeye]

Back in the day we used to refer to higher performance engines that came from quality shops as "blueprinted". They certainly were customized to a degree.

 

[Bugzilla]

Back in the day we used to refer to higher performance engines that came from quality shops as "blueprinted". They certainly were customized to a degree.

Yet the PU truck “custom” was the bottom of the line trim and XLT was the high end stuff!

 

[iceberg]

Craftsmanship someday will be lost to the world.

It won't be lost to the world. Unfortunately, America is crippled. New, new, new isn't always better than what works, works, works.

 

[iceberg]

In my mind as an outsider I believe custom and taylord are interchangeable in the respect that you are talking because both statements are correct for what each of you are talking about. I think the term that would more fit your explanation would be "Smithed". Indicating that it has been tuned, machined, or altered by a professional. On that same note with how all new guns are like Legos that line is getting ever grayer.

"Smithed"...I love that! And I appreciate your sentiment. I hope I get older but not so grizzled that I turn my nose up at new innovations in the firearms community. There's always a need for the old and new just have to keep both concurrent. Even at the gun range/store I work for I clarify to customers that our location only does "Armorer's" work and we send gunSMITH orders out to our older, original location. Not sure if armorer and gunsmith are the perfect juxtaposition of terms. But I like that idea better than my original post.

 

[iceberg]

And then there's the bubba that puts a woodburner to his Glock frame...

Sounds crazy and don't make sense. But dang it if Bubba don't learn something new everytime he fudges something up. All that matters is, did that melted Glock still work...kinda!?! Lol

 

[iceberg]

I will say it is an interesting time in guns though. On one hand the true craftsman are becoming more rare and harder to find.

You're right! But I think it's cause the American market is TOTALLY foregoing the "what if..." factor more than we value the "cool kid" element. I can't lie, I'm ok with both guys with big bank accounts who can order the supposedly latest, greatest piece of kit cause social media says so AND good ol' cheapskates buying colorful, cheap junk on Amazon. Well, I'm fine with it so long as we also make room for the much larger middle. The Bubbas. The ones that just got what they got and don't fuss a lot. The ones that tinker, try, fail and repeat til they get results by just making their own.

 

[iceberg]

I'm not sure the firearms world has set definitions, but to me (and leaning heavily on the world of suits):

Custom = not off the rack, a "special" item as designed by the manufacturer or creator.

Tailored = Custom, but to the customer's specificiations.

You bring to mind another revelation. This whole issue is actually timeless. It's always been around, especially with guns. I guess it's only standing out to me now that I'm at an age where I can feel the disconnect. So