Then they should start getting used to the idea.
When weighing "realistic-ish weapon parts that have no gameplay value" (the equivalent of wooden sticks) against "weapon mods and attachments with noticeable effects and choices"... gameplay wins. It's how we roll.
I would love a more realistic approach & my point is players like making better quality weapons. I totally agree using weapon parts to do this is a weird way to do it & the molds were very redundant taking up asset space. I would like to see a more modded or combining weapons approach.
Just saying you know players get angry when drastic changes are made to key features, me I like surprises & adapt.
I would like to suggest something like this, #1 we are in Nav. Ar. so there should be a lot of small arms around, western type revolvers, single & double action.
The 22 is also a popular round used for practice in the US & I would like something like the Ruger Quick Six added to the game. It is a single action pistol I used to own & it had interchangeable barrels. It had the standard barrel that shot 22 shorts then the longer barrel that shot 22 long & a 3rd barrel that shot 22 mag. We could also craft the different rounds by adding more powder like we do the rifle rounds & make 22 S, 22 L, & 22 mag. This is a good example of a Native Weapon that could get more options for combing parts instead of building them. You can find a gun but the only parts for combing would be things like barrels, flashlights, silencers, clips, bayonets etc.
A good example of a gun already in the game that could use more ammo & combing items to it is the Blunderbuss. I like this weapon but it needs more. We get these Lead Weights in the game & I would like to throw them right down the barrel with some powder if you know what I am saying, the same for glass, buckshot etc.
Maybe we could make a ■■■■ Round to shoot that annoying Hacker that tries to ruin our game with a Blunderbuss full of ♥♥♥♥ to the Face.
I mean after all, the throwing ■■■■'s hasn't achieved that splatter effect I think you were looking for.
I really like the way the game is going though after finally playing a long term game. I have a nice seed, on day 52 & managed to avoid Hordes, got a good mine going & have 3 towns that I have made collection stations to travel to. I have not made traps yet or built a good base I have been concentrating on making Gun Powder like always. The addition of the new Feral & Radiated Z's have really been a game changer in my opinion, makes Looting more challengeable. Would like to see Car & Building Alarms added to the Lock Picking Features game to attract Z's or WAKE them up. How about the safes we break open, wired to an Alarm?