All of the gun people I know are cut from a very similar cloth-but many posting here are not I guess.
You know Marc, I have a similar observation but a different perspective. I have been around guns and gunners extensively my whole 55 years. The usual "cloth" I have seen interestingly is a rather stubborn, opinionated and rather intolerant bunch. I have never really understood why.
I have personally found that this board is much more varied, interesting (interested) and open minded than most other "gunners." Different social, political, cultural perspectives seem more at home here than many of the gun groups with which I have been involved.
But, there is certainly a strong thread running through this group that seems to love and cherish old double guns and the intangible esthetic aspects of them. Go figure.
Many here spend countless hours researching the guns and preserving/restoring them. That many would feel it is a shame that the parts are greater than the whole from a purely economic view with one of these disappearing pieces of American history does not suprise me. Why does it cause so much anger in you? Jake
Edited PS. It also occurs to me that history is full of similar disassembly of esthetically interesting objects for reuse. Countless bronze statues melted down for cannon balls for the conquering forces comes to mind. RCC