[Zip06]

Why would anyone have a gun designated solely as a range gun? I mean why wouldn't you use your normal carry gun? Who cares if it gets used a lot, isn't that what its for?

[Preacherman]

There are a couple of reasons.

1. If you have two or three of the same gun, you can treat one as a "beater", firing all those thousands of rounds of practice ammo. through it, while keeping your carry guns in better condition, just firing them enough to keep them broken in.

2. If you go to intensive training courses, there's a good chance that the gun you take may suffer some abuse (being dropped, scratched on gravel, etc.). It will for sure have many more draw/holster cycles. This means that a "range" gun can take that punishment without you worrying about your carry/social gun beginning to look a bit ragged around the edges.

3. The other possibility is the reason I have range guns. I don't trust the 9mm. Parabellum fully as a defensive load, preferring to carry .40 S&W or 357 SIG. My standard carry guns are Glock 23's or 27's in .40, or a Glock 33 in 357 SIG. However, practice ammo is expensive in these calibers. I can buy 9mm. ball cheaper than I can reload it: so I have a couple of Glock 19's, and use them exclusively as practice/range guns. So far, I've got well over 20,000 rounds through them, and have had them on several courses. They can take the punishment of training, and are ergonomically identical to my carry guns, so the training and practice carries over nicely. All I have to do is shoot enough with the larger calibers to remain accustomed to their point-of-impact and recoil. Saves me a heap of money...

[Don Gwinn]

Then there's answer 7.3, which is that people like us shoot because we like to shoot and we like guns, and if you're going to have more than a few guns then naturally the majority are not going to be EDC pieces. Also a lot of people play games at the range, and in these games certain styles and modifications are desirable, but not useful for carry.

[DontShootMe]

Would you IWB carry a .50AE Desert Eagle? How about a 8" barrel .44 mag? How about a .22 MkII ???

Maybe even a chromed out pimp gun - wouldn't want to scratch it up or wear the finish by carrying would ya?

I've got a .357 7-shot wheelgun that I will never carry. But I shoot the heck out of it at the range.

Most of my range guns are optionally usable for HD, so I'm not just 'wasting' it at the range, if that's the way you see it.

[Greg L]

Or they are guns that you used to carry/carry occasionally but are still fun to shoot (Taurus PT945, various Makarov flavors, assorted revolvers (I usually carry a semi), .22 pistols (lots of different types but I don't carry them, plenty of plinking though ;) )). Other reasons may be that I've gotten a new pistol and I want to make sure that it is reliable before admiting it to the carry rotation, other "guns" include rifles and shotguns which are just too annoying to try to conceal but are lots of fun at the range :D .

Greg

[Sheslinger]

Because then some of us (coughTamaracough) would only keep 2-3 guns and would have to sell off the arsenal.

Sheslinger

[Sharpie1]

...because I like guns and this is America.

TD

(Please note: I live in the Commonwealth of Virginia - still a "free" area of the country.)

[Mike Irwin]

Why?

Because I'm not going to try toting an S&W N-frame .44 Spl. with a 6.5" barrel.

I'm also never going to carry my Springfield 1911-A1 Mil Spec. I use that pretty much exclusively for shooting bowling pin and falling steel matches.

They're TARGET guns. That's why I bought them in the first place.

Not all guns are carry guns.

Just as not all carry guns are target guns.

[fourdeuce82d]

I have a Mateba 5" in 357- beautifully blued gun, semi-automatic revolver with te barrel firing from the six o'clock chamber- great fun to shot, great conversation piece...completely impractical for carry/self-defense. It has no decock/safety- each shot recocks the hammer & rotates the cylinder, so unless you bur off all six rounds, you're left with a hot chamber & cocked hammer.

<p>
Impractical, but really fun.

[RustyHammer]

What they said. Carry what's comfortable (and dependable, etc.). Shoot what's fun and enjoyable.

[seeker_two]

Why would anyone have a gun designated solely as a range gun?


Because I can.... :evil:

[keyhole]

seeker_two


THAT'S the answer!

[Zip06]

Well, I can see a car gun and a bed stand gun and I can see having to many guns which are hard to justify but the concept of a range gun being other than your primary firearm doesn't seem right. I guess an exception would be an identical gun to your primary which you shoot the beejeebies out of.

[Kharn]

A few of my guns have less than 50 rounds through them (my FAL and two SKSs), and I've got a few others that either need a little work (an Ar15 that had FTE problems on my last range visit) or just got a little done (1911 I just restaked the plunger tube on). I wouldnt trust those guns outside of the range (well, maybe the FAL, but thats because its a FAL), so they're for-range-use-only until more rounds down-range prove they are 100% functional.

Kharn

[Skunkabilly]

Some competition guns may not be suitable for carry or even defense.

I need a beater Beretta that fits the same holster....

[CZ-100]

What they said. Carry what's comfortable (and dependable, etc.). Shoot what's fun and enjoyable.

Or.. Carry what's comfortable (and dependable, etc.). Shoot the hell out of everything else. :neener:

[Brian Williams]

Hey MikeBecause I'm not going to try toting an S&W N-frame .44 Spl. with a 6.5" barrel



I bet C.R.Sam has!!!!!! Prollly 2 even!!!!!


I carry either my S&W 940 or Mod 13 but I do not think it wise to carry my ruger MKII slabside and Leupold 2x scope or my 6.5' barreled single six 22mag

G19, 1911, S&W 586, Tracker 45colt, or the previously mentioned 940 or 13 all could be carried but I prefer the 940 or 13

[444]

This has pretty much been covered, but there are lots of reasons for a range gun. I have two guns that I carry. Then I have about 60 other handguns that I own simply for enjoyment. I have guns that I only use for one particular load even. I have a .357 that is zeroed for use with 110 grain HP at max velocity. That is the only load I fire out of it. I have a bunch of other .357s that I normally shoot 158 grain cast bullets out of at moderate velocity. I have a .44 mag zeroed for 180 grain HP at max velocity, I have other .44 mags that I only shoot moderate .44 Special loads out of and I have one .44 that I only shoot max loads out of. I have a S&W Model 686 with an 8 3/8" barrel that sports a scope. I only use that gun for shooting tight groups from a bench. That is it's sole function. I have three Browning Hi-Powers. One is an old surplus gun that is pretty beat up on the outside. If I want to carry a Hi-Power in the field, that one gets the nod. If I want to use a Hi-Power in an IDPA match or something I use my Hi-Power Practical. Then I have one Hi-Power that I have set up for maximum accuracy. It has a beautiful, old world blue on it and I would never consider sticking it in a holster. I have a 1911 that has had a full accuracy job done on it by Clark's. It isn't reliable when it gets dirty, but, if you want to try and shoot a 2" group at 50 yards with a 1911, this gun is capable of it if you are. I could go on, but you get the point.

[Erik]

1. Lots of guns are not meant to be carry guns by design.

2. Lots of folks have enough guns that they can pick and choose which they carry. It is not that they do shoot their carry guns at the range so much as they do not carry their range guns.

3. Lots of folks do not carry. Even where allowed, most choose not to. Their guns are by default range guns.

[Old Fuff]

It may come as a shock, but unlike a lot of folks on this forum there are people who don’t carry or practice with handguns in a weapon’s context. All the shooting they do is recreational in one way or another so everything they shoot are “range & field guns.” I see nothing wrong with this. Each and every one of us can do whatever we like.

The right too chose is an old American tradition ….

[kalibear45]

All my guns are "range guns", with some shot more than others. Then I have several that I designate as a hunting, home defense, carry or backup or pocket gun.

[Jesse H]

I would carry my CZ-75sa except it has fiberoptic sights which are a bit bulky and delicate for carry.

I never planned on ccw-ing the Ruger P97, thing is a brick.

Ruger 22/45? Hehehe. Although one time I had it close and ready with only Aguila Colibris because it was all I had w/me at the time. Talk about being undergunned.

[blades67]

Why would anyone have a gun designated solely as a range gun?

Why wouldn't you have a range gun?:scrutiny:



You: Hey blades, you goin' to the range?
Me: You bet.
You: What're ya takin'?
Me: My gun.*




















*Hense the name "range gun".:neener:

[Dorrin79]

I consider a Range Gun to be any gun I enjoy shooting at the range.

Therefore, all of my guns except my 12ga Mossy 500 and my KelTec P11 are Range Guns.

[John Ross]

Reading carefully, the question I *think* Zip06 was asking was about people who have more than one concealed carry handgun of the same exact type and configuration, and designate one a "range gun" and do not carry it.

Many of us who shoot multiple times a week do not completely disassemble and clean our handguns with toothpicks and Q-tips every single time we shoot them. This is really what you need to do if you carry in nice clothes and don't want to stain them.

Thus, we carry one gun, and practice with an identical twin that we let get dirty.

JR