People quitting and leaving the gun life

If people are leaving the sport, for every one going out, there must be five coming in based on sales numbers. I have a friend in his 50's who recently got interested in guns, just bought two pistols in NY, where getting a license is a long term commitment.

To me guns were always about more than one thing. There was target shooting, collecting, hunting, self defense, etc. If I got tired of one aspect, there were several others to keep me interested.

I don't know anyone giving up on guns altogether. I know of guys who don't hunt any more, others who don't compete any more, and some who--because of current costs--are moderating the amount of shooting they are doing. I've sold off a couple in the last few months, but I'm not getting out--just right sizing. I don't anticipate getting out until I am physically unable which, Lord willing, will be way down the road.

All the evidence I see around me is that more people are getting into guns.

In 99% of the cases, it is the complete opposite of what the OP suggests.

3Crows said:

What I see is the same thing I see in almost every outdoor activity (camping, hiking, boating), sport (hunting, fishing, SCUBA, surfing, cycling, motorcycling), that as Boomers age out, they are not being replaced.

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Camping, hiking, boating, atv-ing are exploding if you look at sales numbers of equipment. Outdoor recreation has never been bigger however people these days are weekend glampers and recreational boaters. Stores around here in the south cannot keep stock and used *nice* stuff is hard to find. (If its older or needs repair no one wants it.)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kc...ehicle-sales-set-records-coronavirus/32837227

There's a "gun life"??

Although guns have been part of many aspects of my life, and my family's lives (like grandparents, uncles, friends, etc.) from before I can remember I have never, and would never describe my life as a "gun life". We hunted, shot targets, practiced, played with, modified, adjusted, protected property and others from threats (hardly ever people threats), and just enjoyed shooting in general whenever friends and family gathered in places where shooting could be part of the fun. But no one in my life ever thought we were living a "gun life", or ever thought guns were any more important than any of the other "toys and tools" we used on a regular basis. It seems to me, that if you are defining your life in terms of guns, you are completely mistaken in your interpretations of what is important to a life of happiness.

Guns are fun. They are useful. They are not important to my definition of my life at all. Lamenting the fact that many people decide to do something other than play with guns as a recreational activity is a waste of energy.

Well if they are leaving leaves more ammo for the rest of us.

the people "getting out" are the hoarders that were never in, and can't justify the ever increasing time and expense of finding more to hoard. Now in 5-7 years, they may start selling it for 2X what they spent. Regular people are giving up on the time being, and no reason to blame them. Public land is closed in lots of the country. Ranges are closed. Ammo is unavailable. Not much to do for them.

CDW4ME said:

"Gun life" if that is not a sticker like "Salt life" it has potential, just saying.

In before someone hits quote to tell me how they don't put stickers on their vehicle and especially not gun stickers, called it.

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I noticed you often times use bold type for “in”. I’m old and out of the loop, is there a significance to this?

As to the OP, I haven’t seen anyone getting out either. Anecdotal accounts suggest more people than ever are becoming firearms owners.

I have to agree with the majority of posters that have stated more people are acquiring firearms for the first time than ever; needless to say that fear of civil unrest coming to their neck of the woods is a motivating factor for many.

Firearms have been a part of my family's life for decades; my family using them to hunt in Finland and here in the USA, target shooting, trap shooting,etc. Is there a time I can say I became "bored" with something? Well, I had several WWII rifles that I hadn't shot for quite a while; I needed the money and sold them (kicking myself in the a** for selling my M1 Garand) several years ago. There are firearms that are heirlooms and will never be parted with and in the last few years I have really taken to black powder shooting and hunting.

I look at firearms as tools; I may not "need" a specific tool today, tomorrow or next week but its better to have and not need than to need and not have. I haven't been shooting as much due to the shortage of ammo; I just keep my eyes peeled and when I see something I need I buy it. I try to go to the range every two months to keep up my skills. I feel sorry for the people who just purchased a firearm for the first time; with the ammo shortage I am assuming most of those folks aren't getting the training and practice time they need to become proficient and confident.

Walkalong said:

Where in the world did that come from.

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That question has been posed multiple times.
No satisfactory response. Unless I hear otherwise I’m going with fake news.

Personally, I've heard of more people getting into gun ownership than getting out of it.

That being said, with the price/availability of ammo, I know several people including myself who aren't shooting for pleasure as much. In my case it's a combination of not enough time and not wanting to run my ammo supply down too much

357smallbore said:

I've read on several sites and even on this one. That many people are contemplating getting out of the sport of guns.

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I don't own guns for sport, although I'm aware that some people do. I don't care if those people "leave" any more than I'd care if someone decided to quit drinking IPA's (a hobby of mine). A sport is a sport, a hobby. People's hobby's come and go and change. No big deal. I consider owning and training with certain types of firearms to be a basic responsibility of every free, physically and mentally fit adult, but that has nothing to do with "sport" other than that there is some crossover of the equipment used.

SteadyD said:

I noticed you often times use bold type for “in”. I’m old and out of the loop, is there a significance to this?

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Part of the gun life might be using threadlocker on select items.
Adjustments (input) would need to be made before threadlocker was/is applied.

Not getting out but forced out. I love this sport. With three memberships to different ranges. I have been shooting every single week until now. Certain SOB's have totally taken that away from me. Or at least made it impossible to enjoy the sport with the freedom I have had for so many years and they are continuing to make it more difficult every single day. But NO, they will never actually make me get totally out of protecting myself and family until they kill me. Sick of their constant destruction of the US, billions of dollars in damages, constant threats etc.
If this were any other sport, recreation, past time, yes I would get the heck out. Just too much of a hassle.Would you buy a set of Golf clubs if you knew you could only get one box of balls? America better wake up and smell the coffee.

Me too, on all this below; in fact the sign of the times dictates that this is a bad time to get out of firearms use and ownership.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

Nope, nobody I know is getting out. In fact, Ive had several people approach me for advice on getting in.

I will say that I think the vast majority of existing gun owners dont shoot enough to really take a huge hit to the wallet. Only takes one or two boxes of shells to get many years worth of deer tags or sit in a drawer next to the nightstand gun.

I try to get some range time at least once a month, and despite that being far less than some folks here, its far MORE than anyone else I know personally.

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This is lunacy!

jmorris said:

Paying $100/1000 primers, that your not going to use this year is going to seem stupid in a few months though.

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Encoreman said:

Those were the cheap ones, I saw on GB someone paid $150/1000 plus shipping.

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I think a bigger problem is the gun community not bringing along the next generation.
Go to the range. How many 20 and 30 years olds do you see?
How many dad's teaching their kids the Art of The Trigger?

AFS

CDW4ME said:

Part of the gun life might be using threadlocker on select items.
Adjustments (input) would need to be made before threadlocker was/is applied.
View attachment 939753

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I see what you did there...

aarondhgraham said:

A co-worker retired recently,,,
He had a huge sale that went on for months.

He sold the vast majority of a large collection,,,
All he kept were these few guns.

• Home defense 12 gauge
• Conceal carry 9mm
• Bolt action .22 rifle
• DA/SA .22 revolver

He also sold all of his reloading gear and remaining components.

I asked him why when he told me his intentions,,,
His reply was, "These are all I will need for defense and recreation."

He also said, "If I ever feel I need something else, I'll just go buy it."

Aarond

.

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I know a couple of guys in the same boat. One has close to 100 guns and is paring down to a more manageable number for him. Another is moving from California and doesn't want to move all his reloading stuff and ammo aka the heavy stuff. So he is selling off a bunch and will buy new once he lands in free America again.

Neither one is getting totally out of guns but times change and interests change.

WB

On a possibly encouraging note, I am seeing a lot of novice level questions about reloading on the gun boards and FB groups.
So we are generating some new enthusiasts, not just nervous urbanites.
Possibly encouraging; man, reading a book is entirely foreign to these guys, they want to be spoon fed the details one question at a time, or shown a movie.

AirForceShooter said:

I think a bigger problem is the gun community not bringing along the next generation.
Go to the range. How many 20 and 30 years olds do you see?
How many dad's teaching their kids the Art of The Trigger?

AFS

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What kid or young adult can even afford a box of ammo now? "I taught my Son the Art of the Trigger" etc. But what does he see in his future world of shooting. Between National Guard duties and College, money is already tight for him. Don't blame the kids or Fathers, blame the SOB'S causing the problem.

I’ve only seen it in the very much older generation. Lotta older folks getting out because they spent a lifetime buying guns and enjoying their hobby but don’t see the point in continuing to buy more STUFF guns or otherwise, in their advanced age and dwindling health.

This is a good indication otherwise and closely matches up with what I've been hearing and seeing. Lots of new gun buyers, mostly handguns, and likely most of them aren't enthusiasts per se.

https://www.nssf.org/first-time-gun-buyers-grow-to-nearly-5-million-in-2020/#:~:text=Million in 2020-,NEWTOWN, Conn.,very first time in 2020.

Sport, hobby? Naw way of life.

after Gun purchase my only cost is ammo.

There is no evidence of anyone leaving the gun life around here. Quite the opposite, actually.