What a FFL dealer told me about the buying tendencies of older shooters...

On another site that is populated almost exclusively by older gentlemen, there is a thread asking what the latest handgun was that they purchased. Out of 50 answers so far, only 10 were semi-automatics, and only 5 of those were actually modern pistols. The vast majority were revolvers.

I only own two revolvers, and as I just turned 51, have been looking to add another, as well as a Corvette and some Viagra.

I own four ARs and really have no desire to own any more. With work and my other interests, I already have a few guns I have never fired and a few more that haven't been fired in decades.

With three toddler grandsons, I will be looking at equipping all three of them with .22s over the next decade, so will be looking for guns for them, and the seemingly never ending search for the perfect carry gun continues.

I'm 58 years young and own more guns than I probably need, if there is such a thing! Shooting targets, hunting, woods bumming, city bumming, mowing the lawn, etc. and being ready for any evil doers are the priority in today's world. Each piece of configured wood, metal, plastic has it's reason and place in the arsenal. But practice and the one gun man have been stretched to two guns. S&W Model 60 .357 Magnum for 4 leg critters in the woods and Glock 23 40 S&W for 2 leg evil clowns! Rifles used are depending on what activity, but a Henry lever in 22 Magnum comes out of the safe alot.

When I was younger I sold many a firearm for the cash necessary to meet an unexpected expense. I remember I had a nice HK93. Sold it to help make ends meet when my son was born. Now that I am older, the children except for one all out of college, my expenses are much lower. I can now afford to replace those things from my younger days or buy those firearms I always drooled over. Within reason of course.

71, more guns than brains.
Hunt, target shooting, plinking, self defense, shtf , what ever, I got it and enough of them and ammo to outfit all the grand kids and then some!
I resent being slotted some random dude or an industry that thinks it knows what I want.
Which is a long way of saying a 1911, or a 357 sits on my hip most days.

Hokkmike said:

He mentioned that many older gents seek to replace or copy the first guns that they owned as hunters or shooters when they first started out.

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I turned 54 in December and for the last several year my focus has been more on streamlining things and thinning out my accumulation. I don't go window shopping for guns.

The first three guns I ever owned were a Remington Nylon 66, a Winchester Model '94 and a S&W Model 915. I'm not sure when the Model '94 was made but I bought it in a pawn shop in Pearland Texas in 1984 and it was at least 15 years old then.

I'm not actively seeking to replace any of them. I don't cruise pawnshops, I don't do Gunbroker and I don't think I've been to a gun show in probably 10 years but if they fell into my lap I might.

bikerdoc said:

71, more guns than brains.
Which is a long way of saying a 1911, or a 357 sits on my hip most days.

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Close enough to 70 to see it down the road a short ways. A Colt Anaconda sits on my hip at the store because it's big and impressive to any orcs that think it might be a good idea to hold up the pawnshop. Truthfullly, I'd probably grab my Bersa first. A 6" revolver is sometimes hard to draw from a high riding hip holster.

George P said:

I know the gent who established and set up the Sporting Clays down there..........Heckuva shot even well into his 80s.............

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I never got into clays. Like shooting my revolvers at 100 yards or so and my 22's at shorter ranges.

Hi...
I am 65 years old now and retired a year and a half ago.
Firearms tastes haven't really changed much over the years.
Started out with a pump action .22LR, a pump action 12ga Ithaca shotgun and a pump action Remington 760 in.30/06.
Started buying handguns at age 21 or so...first was a .22 single action, then a 1911 in .45ACP and then a S&W 686. Still have those three and many others.
I have a couple of SKS rifles and my son built me a real nice AR a year or so ago.
Most of my rifles are wood stocked blued steel bolt actions. Most of my handguns are SA revolvers. Most of my shotguns are wood stocked blued steel 12gauges.

I own exactly one plastic fantastic handgun.
I rarely pass up an opportunity to buy a nice Dan Wesson revolver or Sako rifle if funds allow it.

My son started out shooting my guns but transitioned to semiauto pistols and ARs when he turned 21.
He just turned 26 and is transitioning over to revolvers and lever action rifles but remains a big fan and user of semiauto pistols and ARs.

I guess between the two of us we shoot just about everything and have no intention of changing. We shoot claybirds , steel plates and paper targets. We handload for every caliber we own except shotguns....every handgun caliber from 9mm through .44Mag and rifle calibers from .243 to .30/06 and many in between.

I'm 65 and change but still have my first rifle. A 512 Remington 22 with the tubular magazine. Bought it with my own money in 1968 or 69..?
If I was in a buying position the birth year theme is kind of cool but, personal and family events of the past year have put me more in a position to start selling off the accumulation of guns and gear.

Just turned 60 and the only gun from my youth that I'd like now is the original Crosman 760.

I'm just beyond the half-century mark, but am a relatively new shooter, and as such my tastes cycle among the different types of guns I haven't yet tried but am interested in. Started out with polymer pistols, went to steel/alloy DA/SA semis, to 1911's, to revolvers, and back again. I prefer the style and craftsmanship of older steel guns, but appreciate the function and durability of modern polymer models. I'm much more into handguns than long guns because of the availability of places to shoot them, but I have the requisite 12 gauge and semi-auto rifle. The problem is, I like them all but have very limited space!

HPCadm17 said:

The problem is, I like them all but have very limited space!

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Yep. I understand completely. Now picture yourself with a wife who likes "them all" as much as you do, but your gun safes are full, and you don't have room for any more safes.

I'm into Social Security now, so gettin up there. It's always been cyclical with me. Something in the back of my mind gets unsettled and I think about a new spear.

9-11 did it last time. Upped my inventory by a few pieces.

Recently something has been tickling my nervous bones again. So I have two AR projects underway. Dedicated 22 rimfire so Cali will let me have all the evil features, and a Rainier Arms CA compliant lower with fixed mag so I can swap uppers with my buds and not get called on the carpet about features ...

I might build one more? Just have not figured out what yet ... I have one more stripped lower and a CompMag. By the time I have it all figured out, the nerves will be gone, if the past is any indication

Trey Veston said:

I only own two revolvers, and as I just turned 51, have been looking to add another, as well as a Corvette and some Viagra.

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Any caliber over 100 years old will be allowed as long as it's not 9x19 mm.

Well, bad news came out today. Seems the US Life Expectancy rose for the first time in four years but to "For males, it's about 76 years and 2 months; for females 81 years and 1 month." When that number is in your rear view mirror maybe it's time to consider downsizing.

Dframe said:

Over the years I gravitated to revolvers. No special reason, I just like them.

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Me too, and I enjoy not having to chase down 10mm brass in the adjacent county as often as I used to!

jar said:

Well, bad news came out today. Seems the US Life Expectancy rose for the first time in four years but to "For males, it's about 76 years and 2 months; for females 81 years and 1 month." When that number is in your rear view mirror maybe it's time to consider downsizing.

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If that number is in the rear view mirror, it's time to floor it.
Seriously, if you are in your 70s and healthy, your odds of several more good years are pretty encouraging.

jar said:

Well, bad news came out today. Seems the US Life Expectancy rose for the first time in four years but to "For males, it's about 76 years and 2 months; for females 81 years and 1 month." When that number is in your rear view mirror maybe it's time to consider downsizing.

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It's a matter of perspective. I absolutely know I've earned the right to die first.

Later this year will start my 80th year. I still have the Daisy lever action BB gun from my youth and the Remington .22 bolt action model 511 from probably early 50s. I don't recall ever selling any firearm but I did give my father-in-law Springfield 30-06 that he wanted to sporterize. Not interested at all in so-called black rifles. A blued steel and walnut kind of guy. I have acquired some old guns which I will never sell such as a 1975 Remington revolver that has not been fired a hundred times. I am the 5th owner. I still lust for a double rifle but have come to the conclusion that will never happen.
There is a gun store about 40 minutes away where one can pick up off the shelf of the gun room any of several dozen $20,000.00 to over $50,000.00 shotguns and I will confess to spending several hours there over the years dreaming to myself. I have not fired a shotgun in over 40 years because I miss every time. I love an engraved and inlaid firearm.

Erex and I are very close to the same age as we were born in '42 and Bob Willman (above) seems to be the oldest so we take pity on the rest of you young grasshoppers as you're still wet behind the ears. I bought a Remington 721 in .222 caliber while stationed in Great Falls, MT in the mid-60's. Several years later I had to sell that rifle in order to pay bills for the young family that my wife and I were raising. I've always wanted to replace it and last year I did by buying a Winchester Model 70 (the new model) in .222 caliber. Young grasshoppers don't let your dreams fade!

Still have the Single Six I bought new in 1959 at the age of 15. Am more of an accumulator and an occasional plinker. Gave both my ARs away to sons and have been gifting my handguns for birthdays (also to grandsons), so that leaves me room in the safe to pick up good pistol & revolver sale bargains now & then. Just had cataract surgery on both eyes, but that probably won’t help my lousy shooting.