Actually you couldn't be more wrong.
Heavily customizing firearms has lead to what I am sure is a noticeable increase in not only firearms ownership but also the ancillary industry that supports it. Things that inspire these crazy custom guns (videogames, movies, etc) are increasing the amount of firearms owners - and it is usually a "younger" generation. How is any of that "no good?"
Why do you think companies that make different colored accessories/parts and coatings have been booming? Not everyone who buys Cerakote is buying boring ol' FDE tan. There is a reason they offer so many colors. Look at all the shops that have popped up offering the service. In the last few years look at the number of accessories and parts being offered in "non tactical" colors....Go to any gunshop that actual cares what customers buy and you will see things like red/blue/green/white handguards, grips, rails, etc. How many decades have crazy custom grips been a thing?
Even manufacturers realize the importance of firearms customization. Example - Kriss and Ruger both offered white firearms. You could get a Ruger AR with white furniture, and a Kriss Vector that was white/black. Why do you think? Within .000045 seconds of them coming out they were immediately labeled "Stormtrooper" models and people snatched them up to make Star Wars themed firearms out of them. Pretty cool if you ask me. There have been tons of companies as of late offering firearms like 1911s with "warbird" style paint jobs, I seen a custom glock company was offering kits to make your glock look like the ones "deadshot" uses in the crappy movie Suicide Squad.
Hate to break it to you, but it is only going to get cooler - 3D printing is only going to make firearms customization even more interesting. I have been printing my own custom parts for nearly a decade.
Some of you guys need to realize that the purpose of every single firearm on the face of the earth isn't necessarily home defense or to be taken to WW3. Seems some of you forget they can actually be *gasp* fun.
As far as it being an accident waiting to happen? Well if people *gasp* followed the simple safety rules then it wouldn't be an issue. Something tells me the people who might have an safety issue with a themed firearm probably would with a "normal" firearm. I hate to break the news but I am willing to bet even in ten years time the number of firearm incidents raised by themed firearms is still going to be a fraction of incidents compared to normal ones. Just like cars - modified / customized cars account for a tiny percentage of vehicle "accidents." How many of us ran around our neighborhoods with toy guns that looked real? People making real guns that look like toy guns is LESS of an issue - especially if they handle and store them properly in their situation. The though that they will be an issue cause they look different is just an excuse to try to justify your opinion.
This forum is great, and every member I have met I liked - but some of you guys are really, really dating yourself. Sounds like :
"Damn those whippersnappers and their brightly colored firearms and 'letric cars and their oh-so-organic foodstuffs - when we were growing up you could only have black metal and wood furniture! Thats why they called it furniture gerdrammit! Now you gots these ikea guns and this interwebz things and I don't know how any one is gonna survive ww3 anymore.
Thats how some of you sound. Which is fine - no disrespect - but just so you are aware......
