Old vs New

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Labguy47

Labguy47

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I have spent a lot of money acquiring the latest and greatest over the years. What I have found works for me is an eclectic collection of platforms. Now it doesn't help things that I shoot a pistol left handed and a rifle right handed. I am not one eye dominant either. I like cross draw pistol holsters for my S&W mod 10 and a chest rig for my ARs. I like full metal pistols best, but combat plastic for my rifles. Now that I am on the road to recovery from cancer, 7 mo. remission (I'm very happy), but now I am learning to shoot all over again. Should I go back to what worked for me or move on with the times.
 
Congratulations on the better health status. I think the main answers to your question are two other questions:

1) For what purpose? and
2) What sounds like fun?

If you have a very specific and demanding use in mind, then figuring out what is objectively optimal may make sense. For instance, if you're talking about some kind of competition with a high level of participation and investment by your competitor peers, then that may effectively force you to stay "with the times" on gear if there have been advances that improve measured performance. But that's really only relevant if you're already very competitive and the game is particularly gear driven/

But most people don't have a use planned that is so demanding, or where gradations are so fine, that only the current "best" stuff will work. For about 99.9+% of users, there is a wide swath of things that will work more than well enough. And for most people, their most common actual use of firearms is shooting for fun, with a contingency use for self-defense. Next most common is probably hunting - mostly as a form of fun - where a wide variety of guns are sufficient to "get r dun."

So for 99.9+% of us, the second question is what really matters. If you have functioning firearms that are anywhere in the zone of acceptability, and you have proficiency, then the main reasons to get "with the times" would simply be a desire to get "with the times." If getting a plastic striker-fired gun, and learning to shoot it well, sounds like fun, then do it. If getting another K-frame sounds like fun, then do that.

Hint: red dots on pistols are fun. If you've never played around with that, you should.
 
ATLDave said:
1) For what purpose? and
2) What sounds like fun?
So for 99.9+% of us, the second question is what really matters. If you have functioning firearms that are anywhere in the zone of acceptability, and you have proficiency, then the main reasons to get "with the times" would simply be a desire to get "with the times." If getting a plastic striker-fired gun, and learning to shoot it well, sounds like fun, then do it. If getting another K-frame sounds like fun, then do that.

Hint: red dots on pistols are fun. If you've never played around with that, you should.
Click to expand...

No purpose other than to update my skills, accuracy is fun to me, it use to be putting a 3" K-frame in my hand was like adding a laser grip. Not so much now. I don't need any more guns, I have that part already covered except for the acquisition of an AR in 9mm. I don't have a red dot so maybe I will give that a go.
 
Good to hear about the health improving. Hope it stays that way!

I think staying with what you already have and what already has worked is a good idea. You will probably pick back up a lot quicker than it took you to get there the first time.
 
bdickens said:
I think staying with what you already have and what already has worked is a good idea. You will probably pick back up a lot quicker than it took you to get there the first time.
Click to expand...

Rifle is still the same but the pistol (that's why I put in general handgun) is giving me fits. .22lr or .22WMR no problem .38/.357 huge disparity. 9mm isn't what it use to be but still way better than my wheel guns, and I have long been a wheel gun advocate. I will be honest I might have started too soon. I was frail and bored right after surgery so I went plinking.
 
Labguy47 said:
I have spent a lot of money acquiring the latest and greatest over the years. What I have found works for me is an eclectic collection of platforms. Now it doesn't help things that I shoot a pistol left handed and a rifle right handed. I am not one eye dominant either. I like cross draw pistol holsters for my S&W mod 10 and a chest rig for my ARs. I like full metal pistols best, but combat plastic for my rifles. Now that I am on the road to recovery from cancer, 7 mo. remission (I'm very happy), but now I am learning to shoot all over again. Should I go back to what worked for me or move on with the times.
Click to expand...
 
If you don't have any physical reason that you can't go back to your old way of shooting I would do that. It's like riding a bike. Learning to shoot a handgun with either hand is just smart training. The rifle should be with your dominant eye.

But most importantly congratulations on beating your cancer! Safe/fun shooting!!!
 
Congrats on the comeback. One of my best buddies also has been fighting cancer and in remission for two years now. The chemo really beat him up. He lost most of feeling in his feet and his hands are often numb.
The last year we have been shooting handguns every week. He has got into it even more. What he shoots best has changed. He even bought a nice 1911 in 9mm and loves it. Pre cancer he "hated" 1911's. He is a fantastic shot with his Blackhawk and also bought a new MK target. If something new strikes your fancy give it a try.
 
Don't take offense, none intended, but approach your own situation as you would introducing youth, women, new shooters to firearms. You have a golden opportunity to rebuild fundamentals from the ground up and discard deep seated bad habits. Spend a lot of time with the .22s, limited use of low powered .38s or a softer recoiling automatic as your stamina will tolerate. Keep it fun, don't shoot to the point of discomfort. Compete against yourself and look for small improvements and build on those. Don't expect to climb Everest all at once, you need base camps at incrementally increasing elevations.

Congrats on your remission. Count your blessings, and live every day to it's fullest.
 
Random 8 said:
Spend a lot of time with the .22s, limited use of low powered .38s or a softer recoiling automatic as your stamina will tolerate. Keep it fun, don't shoot to the point of discomfort. Compete against yourself and look for small improvements and build on those. Don't expect to climb Everest all at once, you need base camps at incrementally increasing elevations.
Click to expand...

Way ahead of ya there, I used to collect 'em but now I am thankful for 'em. .22s are my base camp. I am down to half dollar size groupings but no where near the nickel size I used to get. That's what happens when you lose 40% of your muscle.
 
Glad to hear you are doing well and recovering, Labguy47. Like others, I'd advise to shoot what appeals to you. "Moving on with the times" is NOT always better, sometimes the changing times are just someone else maneuvering you into a position that's better for them (cheaper-to-make plastic guns come to mind, among other things).
 
Shoot what's familiar to you. I think you'll enjoy it (the process of shooting) more!

You can always change!;)
 
I say stick with the Ruger MKs.
I agree, it is time to rebuild some fundamentals. For some reason, Glock 17 is one that comes to mind, if I was out of surgery and life was new to me again, but you say you prefer all metal. Browning Hi-power is a great one, along with CZ-75.
'Getting with the times' doesn't make the old any less effective, just means they've made the old easier to get. Choose what you like of the new. Keep the old that you like. Back in its day, the 1911 was the coolest gun there was. Now, Glocks take that place but both are equally awesome.
 
But at the end of the day, only you knows what'll work for you in the long run. What's worked for you for decades will still continue to work.
 
Labguy47 said:
Rifle is still the same but the pistol (that's why I put in general handgun) is giving me fits. .22lr or .22WMR no problem .38/.357 huge disparity. 9mm isn't what it use to be but still way better than my wheel guns, and I have long been a wheel gun advocate. I will be honest I might have started too soon. I was frail and bored right after surgery so I went plinking.
Click to expand...
The fairly new S&W M&P 380 Shield EZ might be a good intermediate step. It's a tilt barrel, locked breech design, so recoil shouldn't be as bad as straight blow back .380s. I handled the 9mm version the other day, and it was very easy to manipulate the slide, as advertised. The trigger was pretty good for a factory trigger on a plastic gun. It's probably worth a look.
 
Just curious if you have chemo brain? I've been in remission for 6 years but my cognitive thinking isn't what it used to be. And the numbness goes away eventually. Congrats on beating it. I would recommend getting a star 9mm. Heavy and dependable. Best part they are cheap.
 
I6turbo said:
Glad to hear you are doing well and recovering, Labguy47. Like others, I'd advise to shoot what appeals to you. "Moving on with the times" is NOT always better, sometimes the changing times are just someone else maneuvering you into a position that's better for them (cheaper-to-make plastic guns come to mind, among other things).
Click to expand...

I am sticking to full metal as this weird conundrum has left me recoil sensitive.
 
ugaarguy said:
The fairly new S&W M&P 380 Shield EZ might be a good intermediate step. It's a tilt barrel, locked breech design, so recoil shouldn't be as bad as straight blow back .380s. I handled the 9mm version the other day, and it was very easy to manipulate the slide, as advertised. The trigger was pretty good for a factory trigger on a plastic gun. It's probably worth a look.
Click to expand...

I will see if the local range will let me rent one.
 
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