As I Mature my Gun Tastes Mature

[bluetopper]

I got back in to handguns several years ago with a passion as I have a great place to shoot now. I started out buying Makarovs and Hi-Points and they suited me OK for a time but the luster soon wore off and I felt the need to sell and upgrade: all along looking for good deals. I have gradually done so over several years and it seems the only guns I have ANY interest at all in now are specialty target guns, high end 1911's, older S&W revolvers, and Freedom Arms revolvers. Anybody else feel this way?

 

[towboat_er]

Nope. I sill like shooting Makarovs and such.

 

[Sam1911]

I think I could say something similar. When I was young I longed for guns based on aesthetics (of a fashion), 'legendary' reputation, and half-understood concepts I'd read about. And I needed one of everything.

After a few decades of plinking, competing, a little hunting, etc., I tend to be very pragmatic. What does this gun do for me? Is it substantivly better than something else I already have? Does it fill a niche I'm missing?

I can look at a rack of new ARs or Sig 556s or (who knows, someday?) SCAR-17s -- or service auto pistols, shotguns, etc, and my heart rate doesn't even flutter. Hey, cool, look how they solved this issue or incorporated that ergonomic feature ... but I don't have any need for one as I have that base covered.

The pulse still quickens a little with a nice old revolver or mil-surplus rifle, and maybe a few other items, but I'm generally not terribly tempted. Much.

 

[Rembrandt]

......seems the only guns I have ANY interest at all in now are specialty target guns, high end 1911's, older S&W revolvers, and Freedom Arms revolvers. Anybody else feel this way?

You have good tastes.....

 

[WaywardAce]

I feel the same. It's because as I get older, I make more money and it bugs the crap out of me to think that by spending a few hundred extra bucks, I can get something top notch as opposed to skimping and getting something marginal.

 

[acorn1754]

I'm not even 30 and lately I get more excited about pre-lock, pre-MIM S&W revolvers than I do about anything else! Now that's not to say that any gun won't get my heart rate up a little...

 

[ColtPythonElite]

The first handgun I bought when I turned 21 was a brand new Colt revolver....Fast forward over 20 year and the last gun I bought was a Colt revolver.

 

[451 Detonics]

Actually I started out with good taste...my first handgun at age 14 was an OM 45 convertible Blackhawk and the first handgun I bought for myself was a Colt Commander.

 

[yhtomit]

"I think I could say something similar. When I was young I longed for guns based on aesthetics (of a fashion), 'legendary' reputation, and half-understood concepts I'd read about. And I needed one of everything."

I'm still at least youngish, and must admit it's a hard fetish to fight. I don't actually want "one of everything," but the range of what I *do* want is wide enough to be infinite for practical purposes. (When it's more than I can afford, the price is infinite.)

Unless someone gives me one on a lark, though, I don't want to devote time / risk / storage space to junk guns (Phoenix / Lorcin / etc), and I don't care much for fancy scrollwork / grips made from the very cocobolo tree that Merlin planted for King Arthur. What really grabs me are guns I think are good bargains -- high quality at non-stratospheric prices. (I might one day take a deep breath and get a mid-grade 1911, but for the moment, this means I'm interested in things like high-quality polymer, my Cz-75, "normal" (not custom shop once-a-decade stuff) guns generally, and high-value used guns.

Problem with an interest in guns is that there are so many interesting aspects, from action to caliber to approaches to safety, that it certainly is tempting to want one of each.

My resolution to keep things simple (and to respect my bank account, other interests, etc) is to go only for cartridges that are in common circulation and reloadable, and when possible, guns that can use more than one kind of ammunition. That gives one small frugal escape valve!

That's why a .22 Kadet is on my wishlist, and why my (thus far) only revolver is a .45ACP, and why I'm glad that I can swap out for different calibers on my Witness down the road ... everyone has a rationale One of mine is "With guns in a handful of common calibers, I can use inexpensive ammo and have fun."

So, while I will admire other people's S&W 500s, Five SeveNs, .25ACPs, etc, my personal "one of each" I try to confine to .22LR, 9mm, .45, .38sp/.357 (I've got some scrounged and donated brass, but other money needs mean I haven't committed yet to a pistol -- I really like shooting .38sp, though, and I'd go for a .357 for recoil control and ammo flexibility), .223, and 12ga. OK, I'll admit that I'm tempted to expand that list with .380 and Makarov and 7.62×39mm and and and, but Sheesh -- I realize we (in the U.S.) are pretty spoiled that way.

timothy

 

[K-Rod]

What you "Ole Timers" should be doing is kicking yourself in the butt for not buying those "High End" pistols back in the day when you were "Whipper Snappers" & they were $60!!!

 

[withdrawn34]

$60 back then was the same financial burden as one of us young whippersnappers buying a several hundred dollar firearm today

I haven't been into firearms for long myself, but even I've found my tastes changing. I can really appreciate a well done, polished blue and wood 870 police, for example, which I would've found almost disgusting just a couple of years ago. Weird, eh?

I also used to find OD green and desert tan rifles and such really ugly. But now I kind of like them.

 

[Joe Demko]

I'd be better served to shoot the ones I have than to add more from any price point.

 

[K-Rod]

I realize that Paul but when I handle my 1949 S&W K22, it's hard not to think this $700+ pistol sold that cheap when it was new. I'm 34yrs old & though I do like the new "Fancy" firearms, there's something about holding a 60+ yr old firearm that makes me all warm & fuzzy inside!!! Not to mention all metal & NO plastic.

 

[JohnBiltz]

When I first started buying gun in the 80s I was into fads and the wonder 9s were the new thing and a couple of magnum revolvers. I went through a lot of 9mms. I also picked up a Mossberg 500 and a HK 93. Lost them all in a long sad story involving divorce. Now I own Glocks, a Mossberg 500 and a AR in 6.5 Grendel and I'm pretty happy with what I've got and I'm pretty restful. I'm no longer looking for the newest and greatest. I'm 55 and I know how to use a Glock and an AR I'm not looking to learn a new manual of arms for a new gun. Unless I come in to some lottery money I don't see me buying much new stuff.

 

[SoulLessGinger]

I keep my Glocks, AR, and Mossberg for SD.

Now that those bases are covered, and anything else I have is for the range, I find my interest in anything remotely "tactical" waning.

Now the guns I buy are wood and steel.

 

[Cosmoline]

I don't know about "maturing," but as I've shot more and learned more about shooting I've found my tastes have settled down to a few firearms. I've "been there done that" with the rest. I'm also more interested in shooting better with what I have than buying a new firearm to try out.

 

[mbopp]

I had a 25 year hiatus from shooting. When I got back into it I was pleased to find out my S&W P&R 19-3 was still highly rated.
I always wanted a HS Victor and finally bought a Hamden one.
My Rugers - yeah, I still shoot them but prefer some of my other guns.

 

[papa_bear]

I don't know, I have found that I have always liked pretty much all guns

 

[KodiakBeer]

For me it boils down to "unlearning" a lot of things I thought I knew when I was younger.

At one time I "knew" that the best gun had various tactical whoozits and upgrades that made this one better than that one. The gun magazines said so.

Over time, after spending thousands of dollars on countless handguns I now realize that the only thing that really matters is the ergonomics and trigger. If it doesn't fit in your hand and point naturally, you can't shoot well. If you're fighting a bad trigger, you can't shoot well.

Capacity, caliber, finish, even sights, count for little when it comes down to drawing and hitting a target at 20 yards.

I find myself shooting 1911's and Hi Powers. I could have saved a lot of money in guns and ammo if I'd have realized this 30 years ago.

 

[hermannr]

I have to laugh, I wanted a High Standard Victor too, the other gun I never purchased was an HK P70 (back when they were new in the early 70's). $65 for the HK was just more money than I was willing to put out...I had the money at the time, and that P70 fit my hand perfectly, pointed naturally etc,,,felt just perfect...but $65? Way too much money, too many other uses for it with a wife and 5 young children.

Last I saw a NIB P70 was $650....

 

[Iggy]

I started out with wood and steel about 60 years ago.

I'm still muddlin' along with relics.

 

[Jim PHL]

I said a while ago that I can cover all my bases with "J's, K's and 1911's", and for a time that's all I owned. I've swayed slightly over the last couple of years by adding a couple of 9mm's. (Notably 3rd generation S+W's with a Hi Power possibly coming soon.)

I do consider modern guns but if I find myself thinking about selling my S+W Model 65 or 19 to fund a Glock or XD, all I have to do is take it out and handle it for a few seconds to remind myself it's not going anywhere.

 

[Morrell]

Didn't realize that having a makarov was low on the gun maturity scale... guess that puts me at about 2 years old since I love my cheap milsurp firearms! I don't believe it has anything to do with maturity. From the day we are born to the day we die, everything about us is in a constant flux... what food we like, the clothing we wear, the guns we love. One is no better than the other. Offer me a Bently and I will sell it to get a pinzgauer

 

[InkEd]

I like a variety of guns but Saturday Night Specials never really interested me. I think that a polymer duty gun can be just as great as a custom 1911. You have to judge them by breed and category though like a dog show. Then "best in show" is determined by pretty much personal preference.

 

[bluetopper]

I like Makarovs as well as the next guy. I used to own eleven of them at the same time. I'd still have the bulk of them if they didn't throw brass into the next county.