As you grow older, what are some words of wisdom can you share?

[2agunner]

As I get older I wish I became a CCW holder sooner. But, then again, maybe that wouldn't have been the best thing because my temperament was different when I was a lot younger. This is probably the case, especially if you are a male.

Therefore, when you look back at your life what have you learned/changed that has had a profound way you view firearms?

 

[milemaker13]

For me? Don't get rid of your guns. I've regretted almost everyone that I've 'lost'. Some more than others but there wasn't a single one that I'd regret still having!

 

[BigSteve57]

Don't take things for granted. What you think is easy to get today might be difficult or impossible to get tomorrow. I think that goes pretty much for life in general. However as applied to firearms I wish I had acquired FA before they became expensive. I also wish I had started competing with rifles & handguns sooner when my eyes were better than they are now.

 

[TheSquire]

I wish I had started shooting / buying guns sooner, before a time when houses and kids ate all my pay!

 

[theotherwaldo]

Buy low.
Don't sell.
Research.

 

[VoodooMountain]

If theres a milsurp you want just get it. In a few short years some rifles have climbed from being nearly worthless to fetching a premium.

Reloading doesnt save you money but is absolutely worth it.

Dont fall for the marketing when new platforms or calibers continually roll out.

Brand and caliber arent nearly as important as how the gun fits you or your needs.

 

[Rob62]

Words of wisdom......hmmm.......

Think carefully about your firearm purchases. I have literally owned well over 100 firearms at one time....all because I thought I had to have more. All the way from an NAA Mini revolver chambered in .22 Short to a CZ Safari rifle in .458 Win Mag, and that doesn't even include my Barret .50 cal.

Now am down to a handful of guns and could not be happier.

Don't fall for marketing hype or the "I gotta have the latest and best" mentality. There is nothing wrong with owning only a relatively few guns and being proficient with them. There is nothing wrong with owning a gun which may be 50 years old and look like crap. As long as that gun is reliable, shoots accurately, and you handle it well - that is all which should matter.

And for optics - get Leupold and never look back. Without question, IMO, Leupold scopes offer the best value out there. And you do not even need to get top of the line Leupolds. The mid price stuff works great.

Rob

 

[Jinx0760]

History does repeat itself, learn from the past!

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Communicate your expectations.

Lead by example.

Dont sweat the small stuff.

Gun related:
Fall in Love with a woman who appreciates your passion for the hobby/sport. Sneaking purchases behind your partners back will lead to problems.

There is nothing new under the sun.
Be careful buying into claims that are "new" or never thought of befkre. Especially if it is some self defense technique.

It is okay to appreciate a firearm (or caliber) that you would never own personally.

Be kind and courteous to the other people in the shooting community.

Understand that politicians (of any party) are not to be trusted.

Vote.

Speak up and be able to have a polite and sensible discussion about your rights with other people.


Dont be a jack wagon.

Try not to sell your guns.

 

[alfsauve]

I wish I had bought more "shooters" and spend more time shooting more, and spent less on "collectables" (safe queens).

 

[2agunner]

Now am down to a handful of guns and could not be happier.

Don't fall for marketing hype or the "I gotta have the latest and best" mentality.

Yes, in our materialistic society, people are in the never ending quest to get more stuff. More stuff does not guarantee happiness. Ultimately, I think what most people want are happiness, contentment, and peace within themselves, especially with all the craziness in the world. Unfortunately, many people look for these things in all the wrong places.

 

[Robert]

Keep it firearms related and as always, we don't do politics or religion.

 

[Eagle103]

Guns are almost always a solid investment.

 

[Jack B.]

You get what you pay for.

 

[bassjam]

Don't discount .22's as kids guns. Shooting $100 worth of .22 ammo will improve your abilities more than $100 worth of centerfire.

I also don't buy into the "never sell any guns" mentality. I have a handful of inherited guns that'll never leave the family, and a handful of others that I really like I you'd have to pay double their worth to get them away from me. But I like to buy some guns when I find a screaming deal, and use them to trade up for something nicer if I don't fall in love with them. There's no point in keeping something around that I feel just kind of "meh" about.

 

[boom boom]

Try to always have a plan--but be flexible enough to change them if the circumstances warrant.

 

[2agunner]

You get what you pay for.

An overused phrase that I don't always find to be the case at all.Quality and reliability does not always correlate with what you pay for a particular tangible object regardless if it's a gun or anything else.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Start early and buy the best that you can afford.
If you are a hunter, try to get out often and, for the more strenuous hunts like moose or elk, do it when you are young enough to do it ...

 

[Jack B.]

An overused phrase that I don't always find to be the case at all.Quality and reliability does not always correlate with what you pay for a particular tangible object regardless if it's a gun or anything else.

Works for me when it comes to guns.

 

[WrongHanded]

A full toolbox does not make a Craftsman. I should have put more money into ammo and shooting when I was younger, and spent less money on that next gun and the accessories for it.

 

[Labguy47]

If its mechanical it can fail, if its new and improved its the same, if its withstood the hands of time its probably worth it, and used isn't always a bad thing.

 

[2agunner]

If its mechanical it can fail, if its new and improved its the same, if its withstood the hands of time its probably worth it, and used isn't always a bad thing.

Especially, if it's a solid, quality revolver.

 

[cslinger]

Disassemble in a clear plastic gallon bag. Not field strip DISASSEMBLY. “Your welcome”.

A Mauser firing pin is under a great amount of spring tension in that bolt. Don’t aim it at your leg if disassembling the bolt.

Variety is the spice of life. If you shoot for fun shoot and learn a great many platforms.

Buy a double action revolver and learn to shoot it. You will shoot everything better after.

Being a good air rifle shooter WILL make you a better rifle shooter. Being a good rifle shooter WILL NOT make you a good air rifle shooter.

Secure your firearms. I know, I know you do t have kids. What you do have is idiot friends or family or other folks who end up in your house. We all do. Be a proper steward and secure your weapons

You didn’t miss.....you were ummmm sighting in.

When you don’t use the plastic bag above and that spring goes flying bouncing all over the garage.......cut your losses and just order a new one. That is much easier then going to Narnia to find the one you lost. Order a Box of gallon zip locks too.

Always ask to dryfire another’s firearm.

You can always make more money.

Stock up on magazines.

If you shoot .22 keep a few thousand rounds on hand. It takes no space and you will thank me the next time you cannot find .22

As to the above.....There will ALWAYS be a next time. Plan for it.

Dryfire. Dryfire. Dryfire. It’s amazing how much it will improve your shooting. I suggest getting some kind of barrel blocking / flag device for safety reasons.

I can shoot MOA all day everyday. Minute of arsehole.

Shoot whatever caliber you like and don’t sweat the “numbers”.

If you use a gun for defense use decent defensive hollowpoint ammo and test it in your Gun.

Revolvers actually DO malfunction and when the do they do so by giving you the middle finger and going completely out of the fight.

Semi autos will malfunction more then revolvers but when they do a quick Tap Rack Bang usually gets you back up and running quick

Glocks come with all that extra added ugly at no extra charge.....don’t worry about scuffing them up.

Never ever ever refinish any historic firearm. Do your research first.

A dremel is NOT a precision tool and you are not a gunsmith.

Those are a few that come to mind.

 

[Dudedog]

When you don’t use the plastic bag above and that spring goes flying bouncing all over the garage.......cut your losses and just order a new one. That is much easier then going to Narnia to find the one you lost. Order a Box of gallon zip locks too.

Yep no point in looking for the one you lost. Murphy says you won't find it until sometime after the replacement arrives
Extra power xxxx springs work well for launching parts farther......buy some of these if the stock spring didn't launch the part far enough to get lost....

Think twice, then think again before selling/trading any gun, once it's gone getting another may be hard/expensive.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Communicate your expectations.

Lead by example.

Dont sweat the small stuff.

Gun related:
Fall in Love with a woman who appreciates your passion for the hobby/sport. Sneaking purchases behind your partners back will lead to problems.

There is nothing new under the sun.
Be careful buying into claims that are "new" or never thought of befkre. Especially if it is some self defense technique.

It is okay to appreciate a firearm (or caliber) that you would never own personally.

Be kind and courteous to the other people in the shooting community.

Understand that politicians (of any party) are not to be trusted.

Vote.

Speak up and be able to have a polite and sensible discussion about your rights with other people.


Dont be a jack wagon.

Try not to sell your guns.

I would like that 10 times if I could, Cpl.