Has THR influenced your firearms interests?

Not really. I've always liked guns.
I still like what I used too. But I've noticed my reloading style has changed.

Not necessarily my choices in firearms specifically, that has generally remained the same. It has influenced areas of my reloading, choices in optics, cleaning, etc.

Well it definitely hasn't done well in curbing my buying habits in this new hobby

Old Dog said:

Has THR (or any other internet gun forum) at all influenced or changed your firearms interests since you started participating in the internet gun world?

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Yes.

The High Road and Rimfire Central have given me useful information that brand specific forums typically have not. I can't specifically say how that information has influenced me, but to say that I haven't been influenced wouldn't be honest on my part.

not much, but a THR user did tell me to buy an AO 1911, after post talking about 9mm 1911's made me complain there were no options for Government Model types in 9mm, other than the in bankruptcy Colt. I bought one soon after and its become a favorite.

Not too much actually, my style is my style. I do glean information about the guns that fall into my style. THR is a great place to get information and opinions...

One area that I do get influenced is when someone posts about a gun that is in my vain that I didn’t know about. That’s where I get in trouble with my wallet.

I have to say no. I’ve learned things for sure, but mostly I just confirm my biases

Absolutely. I strongly suspect I’d never have gotten a CZ had it not been for THR.

It really helped me with reloading

I wouldn't say THR has influenced or changed my mind about anything firearms related; more like THR has broadened and enhanced my knowledge about guns and the people who share this same interest. I enjoy the sharing of said knowledge and just being able to talk freely about guns with fellow enthusiasts makes THR so special to me.

Highly influential.
Most enablers are []

Very much so, in that knowing people's opinions who are often waaay more knowledgeable than I, can.

Between here and YT, I'd never have gotten into reloading or come to understand the pleasure in shooting a bolt action well, rather than the "spray and pray" mentality I'd devolve into when doing poorly with my semi-auto...

I can't say that it's influenced my tastes at all. At best, it's reaffirmed something I'd learned long ago: I can't possibly ever own all the guns I'd like to own. At worst, it's convinced me I should still try.

I like getting input and opinions about different firearms and THR is the best place to go on the web for that.
The members become friends and most of all want to help each other. With the moderators help to keep things clean!

Safe shooting! I got to see how much cash I have towards that new gun! ENABLERS, ENABLERS, DARN ENABLERS ON THR

nope. dont spend enough time here to be influenced. I also don't participate in " normal" social media at all. which from posts I see has a huge influence on people. greatest advertising ever invented.

THR has affirmed that my firearm choices aren't moronic , they're calculated and awesome (not just to myself). My buddies are more of the g19 + AR type and if they're really into guns they've got a shotgun too.
Ask any one of the people I see regularly what a 1873 colt is or if they've ever seen a 223 wssm , you'll get a look like you must be from Neptune.

So I come here and talk reloading, odd beautiful guns, ehhhm...bear threads. You know all the cool stuff.

I was already abnormal when I got here, this place has not steered me toward normalcy . so I'll carry on, thanks guys!! - I really mean it.

Yes, most of the time, thanks to seasoned, objective responses. Interesting opinions to describe personal impressions which are often subjective are valuable (nobody here is an android). My searches seldom work out.

During the SKS interest it was SKSboards, thanks to the huge span of owner experience with multiple origins.
For AKMs, learning--as a novice on these--to mostly trust only imported brands (steel quality/assembly) has been very rewarding. Too bad that a gritty but very blunt and informative website never really restarted (?) after a hack, or such.

Youtube to see the operations and disassembling etc.

Yes! The knowledge and experience brought to this forum is awesome. Have learned so many things over the last couple of years has opened up my thinking and gotten me interested in guns a never even knew about. This has influenced many of my decisions and also let me help others.

However the more a I learn and talk about guns, the more theyre on my mind, the more theyre on my mind the more i want to buy them.... and with my daughter just turning one and finding you yesterday theres another one on the way, i cant be buying much these days, hence my in activity over the past few months. Bunch of enablers, but love ya'll for it LOL.

With the exception of convincing me to get started in black powder, no.

A resounding “Absolutely” from me!

Many of you have touched on my sentiments regarding THR. The other forum that has influenced me is the SASS CAS forum.

Regarding THR, before joining I learned a lot by lurking but after having joined other forums and learning that “keyboard commandos” and knuckleheads rule in many shooting forums I was hesitant to join any other gun / shooting forum. I mentioned the other I belong to above. After a time I realized that I really liked THR and what I saw and read so one day I joined.
Thank you all for being here and being who you are and Thank You to the creators, staff and Mods of THR. This is a great forum.

Gun purchase influences?
Maybe not direct influences on what I buy or shoot but education. Many of you have educated me on firearms that has helped me make choices on purchases or helped me decide not to buy something because of one issue or another.
One influence that hasn’t happened yet is me getting the luck of @Snake Plisskin in finding some of the nicest, coolest revolvers...I swear, the man is one lucky dude in this regard.
@Driftwood Johnson has educated me on S&W revolvers. His knowledge and information has helped me develop an appreciation for guns that a few years ago I would walk right past at a gun show or used firearm case. One of my coming acquisitions will be a 1905 model in .38 Special.

Reloading?
@LiveLife and @Project355 have educated me on reloading in ways I would have never gotten from books.

My latest “influence” came from @Jimbo80
I will be applying to purchase one of the CMP 1911s come January 4th.

Nearly everyone that has posted on this thread has influenced me in one way or another.

I think @LoonWulf said it best:

LoonWulf said:

YES!!!!! bunch of bloody enablers all y'all!!

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If it wasn’t for a select group of folks on here my bank and credit card companies wouldn’t be as busy. My family wouldn’t have as extensive a Christmas list for me. You all are making life easier for these folks. Give yourselves a round of applause!

...

I’d have to say with a birthdate of the pre war type. WW2, by the time the internet and forums became ones go to library for things of interest. my personal hobbies and interest had become pretty much established long before. I joined THR in 2008 looking for information on Lee products and have been “hooked” since. It’s my morning routine. Coffee cell phone and the forums. Still learning but mostly just being entertained.

Mike .45 said:

I would have to say at least a little.

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Not even a little for me. Since as a teenager growing up in the fifties, I was consumed with great interest in all things firearms-related decades before the advent of the internet. Which isn't at all to say that forums like THR haven't been a great source of information and entertainment for me over the last twenty years or so; so much so that it's hard to imagine life before the internet when it comes to guns and so much else-unless you've lived it.

I think so with so much info and recourses here plus the pictures on some threads can really get a guy to add things to the want list