Not attacking anyone in particular, but it's pretty clear that second gun was made to replicate or evoke images from a certain sci-fi franchise. If it isn't clear now, it will be in court because no attorney for any plaintiff would just let the 'looks' of that thing go without finding out what that style means. Then the defendant is left explaining why he gun he used to end another's life was made up to look like it came out of a fantasy film.
I'm not saying that always changing the style of a gun is immature, I'm just saying that one should look very closely what it is that style is chosen and what attitude or mindset it evokes. Yes, Star Wars is enjoyed by many folks of all ages, but at its core it's a fantasy film aimed at kids. Even if you didn't mean to imply that the taking of a life was, to you, like characters in a space film getting blasted, why set yourself up for those sitting in judgment of you to be able to clearly infer it?
"Why would a style taken from a movie aimed at children be on your weapon, sir? Is this a game to you? Do you think that shooting my widowed client's husband is the same thing as storm troopers shooting some android? Do you even understand reality? Ladies and gentleman of the jury, the defendant thinks as little of the life of the person he just killed as he does for the 'lives' of the extras that are 'killed' in a science fantasy movies aimed at children. This is an adult acting like a 10 year old, taking a human life with an imaginary 'blaster' for fun..." That's a line of questioning that the carrier and user of the above weapon should be braced for in court if a person dies at his hands using that weapon, justified or not.
That's why I made my comment about immaturity. If one is going to carry a handgun for self defense, they should be looking at all aspects of that action through the prism of their ultimate responsibility if that firearm must be deployed in self-defense and a life is ended as a result. It's not a video game, it's does not make one a 'bad a**' to do so, and it's not a movie. And the courts will eat a person alive that has that attitude.
A defensive handgun carried on one's person exists for one reason and one reason only - to shoot a living being. And unless you're out walking in the woods, the being you're most likely carrying to defend yourself against is a person. One can lose, even if their shooting is a defensible, justifiable one, in a civil or criminal action if the attorney coming after you can convince a jury of (very likely) non-gun people that you were careless, reckless, had no regard for the life you ended or thought it was funny. Using something that looks like it came off of a set at Universal to end that life will not help your case, at all.
So no, I don't think putting a simple stripe on a weapon automatically makes it immature, but I do believe there is a line that, when crossed, makes the carrier of a stylized weapon look like a childish buffoon. Like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said of having to define pornography, "I know it when I see it." I can't tell you what that threshold is, but the above two guns certainly fall into that category. Along with engraving a barrel crown to say "Smile. Wait For Flash" or putting death skulls, Punisher logos or other such useless nonsense on a personal protection weapon.
All I'm saying is before one customizes the handgun they're going to carry for self defense, and that might end up being used (that's why you're carrying it, you have self defense concerns), and another human might be paralyzed or die as a result of that weapon's use, look long and hard at what that pistol will look like being passed around amongst the hands of the jury members judging your mental state and deciding on your culpability, and who'll probably mostly be non-gun people with little or no understanding of weapons...little old ladies, school teachers, doctors, folks that the district attorney/plaintiff's attorney put on that jury simply because they have no clue about guns and whose opinions and beliefs regarding firearms can be more easily led.
Not all customization falls into the category of 'immature', but I do argue that looking closely at one's carry weapon through the filter of "how would it look to a jury of firearms neophytes if this weapon was used by me to end a life?" isn't a bad idea.
