completely lost interest

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My God I read all 74 replies and this sounds like a suicide hot line. All he said was he lost interest in guns. What if it was fishing, golf, a million other hobby's? Is losing interest in shooting a sign of clinical depression the others aren't?
I got my pilot's license in 2006 and have hardly shot since. I like being around airplanes now. Should I go to a Doctor?
 
I've gone through phases where I lose interest un Gun mags (same sh** all the time) or lose interest in forums but never, never lose interest in my guns. I also collect knives and do woodworking projects (lots of tools). Sometimes I'm more active than others due to work or grandkids etc,. they are all part of me, my life can't imagine getting rid of them. As my grandsons get older I may give a gun or two to them but...
 
Guns and shooting sports have always been a part of my life, but I've certainly gone through phases where they weren't really that important to me. Similarly, I've spent a lot of time hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking, flying, etc.

In most of my hobbies I've found that interest comes and goes to some degree. For instance, I still like rock climbing, but haven't really been doing it much in the last couple of years. I still have the equipment, and have recently been thinking about getting back on the rock. In the mean time, I've spent more time shooting and biking. But, in the past I've put shooting on the back burner while I've focused on other interests.

I guess my advice to you would be to figure out why you've lost interest in your guns. Have you had a bad experience with guns (or violence) lately? Have you lost interest in shooting? How do you feel about the other things in your life? How long have guns been a part of your life, and how much of a role did they play in your life?

Maybe this is a phase, and maybe it isn't. Only you can decide!
 
Perhaps it's just being tired of the same old same old. What I thought was interesting was the suggestion about the Single Action Shooting Society. That is something that adds another dimension to shooting and involves participation with others. (If they had a "Double Action Shooting Society" or allowed "replicas" of some of the early double-action revolvers, I'd join like a shot.)

A lot of my own enjoyment comes from shooting and talking guns with my son. My wife also enjoys shooting, but she isn't as "into" guns as Will and I are. Like some other people, I have made .22 the focus of most of the shooting; it's cheap and we have fun guns to shoot.
 
Lost interest???

That would mean I had lost my mind...

My interest shifts from caliber to caliber (thats how I have acquired so many guns) as I'm sure many have noticed over the years on the forums...but I have never lost interest in firearms.
 
My interest has sort of "lain dormant" over the last couple of years. I lack funds to accumulate guns or buy ammo for shooting; in fact, I've sold most of them, including some beloved ones. (A few did sell for considerably more than I originally paid for them, lessening the pain a little.) Firearms forums like this are pretty much the extent of my participation in the sport/hobby these days.
 
Waning interest?????

For years I had a single firearm, a Ruger 9mm. Never shot it, kept in in a draw in the bedroom. One day decided to take it to the range - and that opened Pandora's Box. Within a short period of time I had accumulated quite a collection of revolvers, semi, shotguns, ARs and bolt-action firearms. Lets not talk about the ammo supply.....I went to the range weekly and shot each one over the course of each month.

Fast forward 5 years. I woke up one morning, decided to prune my collection and sold everything except for 6 handguns, 2 rifles, and a shotgun. For some reason going to the range is a chore now. While i enjoy shooting, i actually dread packing up all the stuff needed for a few hours at the range and then driving the 45 minutes to the closest site.

I'm seriously thinking of selling a few more handguns. I'll still have the HD and CCW firearms but the others seem to have no purpose now.
 
I honestly cannot tell you why I liked them. I know that when I was a kid I would read gun magazines from the 50's up. I don't want to brag, (okay, I do) but when it comes to firearm knowledge, I can hold my own against people who have been shooting and into guns far longer than I am old. It is rare when I see a gun that I don't know what is, or a question on here that I cannot answer. I think it is something I have put too much of my life into that doesn't really matter. There are other things I can pour myself into other than guns.
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That post explains a lot ccsniper. It sounds as if you have spent some time evaluating things lately & decided that there are other things you haven't gotten to do because of your interest in firearms. I would think it would be wise to keep something for personal protection (like you said you are). It is your life & you know better than any of us how the time you have should be spent. Maybe a little later you will decide to spend some time with firearms again. Maybe just not quite as much as you have in the past.
 
I got my pilot's license in 2006 and have hardly shot since. I like being around airplanes now. Should I go to a Doctor?
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Every 24 or 60 months (depending on age), assuming you want to keep at least a 3rd class airman medical certificate. ;)

Switching interests is normal. Three years ago I did a lot of shooting. Last year I did a lot of kayaking. This year I've done a lot of motorcycling. There was even a year when I did as much flying as I could afford. Next year? Yep, it'll be something a little different. None of these go away completely, but they sure cycle.

Going from a lifelong interest to sell at a loss just to get rid of them and angry at sight, thinking about might-have beens? Nope, never been there. The closest I have seen to that was, as I said, friends with depression issues (as in taking the pills and seeing the doctors).
 
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I used to have a considerable collection...thought I wanted to collect firearms. I soon figured out that what I really enjoyed was practical firearms. I eventually cut way back on quantity, and focused on quality. This also allows me adequate time to properly care for those I decided to keep.

I would suggest waiting for a few days or weeks. Take time to sleep on the decision, especially where taking a considerable loss. Be sure it is what you really want to do. For my part, I was raised on bolt-actions and single-shots. That's right where I settled back into as well.

Take time and reflect.

Geno
 
Ala Dan said:
I work as a firearms sales associate every week; sometimes I'm so tired by
the end of the day that I don't even open my RSC when arriving at home;
but I have NEVER gotten to the point of wanting too rid myself of my own
personal firearms~! ;) :D
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Workplace stress? Your job must be like being a bouncer at a strip club; after a day of seeing the hotties you have to go home to the old lady. Very stressful unless of course you have a hottie in the safe;)
 
I have plenty of interest, but not plenty of money. If you really have the need to get rid of them you could always send me one or two. :D

Seriously, I can't think of a single hobby that I have ever lost interest in to the point that I would want to get rid of everything. I'll admit, I haven't golfed in over a year. With work, shooting, reloading, and an injury here and there I just don't have the time, but I haven't sold my clubs. The thought has crossed my mind to sell them to pay for my gun habbits.
 
Every 24 or 60 months (depending on age), assuming you want to keep at least a 3rd class airman medical certificate.

Switching interests is normal. Three years ago I did a lot of shooting. Last year I did a lot of kayaking. This year I've done a lot of motorcycling. There was even a year when I did as much flying as I could afford. Next year? Yep, it'll be something a little different. None of these go away completely, but they sure cycle.

Going from a lifelong interest to sell at a loss just to get rid of them and angry at sight, thinking about might-have beens? Nope, never been there. The closest I have seen to that was, as I said, friends with depression issues (as in taking the pills and seeing the doctors).
__________________
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24 or 36 months actually. I am looking at one right now. How ever I would NOT recommend mentioning depression to a FAA medical examiner-not at lest if you like flying!
 
alright... I can't believe I'm chiming into this one... but I think Jim from Anchorage hit the nail on the head...

You've got absolutely no moral or human obligation to get into guns.....

It sounds like you've done more reading and studying than actual shooting... but whatever floats you boat man.

It's healthy to take stock of your life and what your spending your limited resources of time and treasure on. If you think the gun bug is taking away time that would be more productively spent doing other things, then just move on and do them.

Peace be with you!
 
Life is short - too short to not live it with passion - follow your passion so long as you are not hurting others. I just wish some of my passions were less expensive - (marriages and kids). Oh, to be young and totally clueless again - as opposed to old and generally ignorant.

edit to add - the only thing different for me from what you've posted is that I can always remember the joy or the attraction of those things I have pursued in my life - I remember the excitement of my first toy gun, my first bb gun, the first time I shot a real gun, my first real gun and so on - even remember the attraction to my first wife and my current wife and every girl/woman before and between - just like favorite movies or books. I've known and met people who can't remember why they fell in love with someone or something - but I've never been able to personally relate to that.
 
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That's what it was last time I had one done. Before I edited my post it read 2-3 years.

However, the FAA changed the standard to 60 months in 2008.

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certific...faq/response4/
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Yeah looks like they changed it. But being over 40 it is of no concern to me. But as I looked at the 2010 part 67 regulations I noticed no mention of blood pressure I wonder if I am missing something in my reading of it? I have always been close on that[old reg 155/95] I always passed, but just barely. Would love not to worry about that.
 
Maybe your priorities have changed. In my years of collecting ,shooting and hunting I have not taken care of responsibilites at times and this comes back to bite you. Maybe you have realized this and are perhaps really disgusted with yourself for not taking of business at times. The shooting and collecting "fraternity" is full of the you can never have enough guns attitude and anything for shooting. Things like going to church and spending time with family are more important. I have been there. Put everything in its proper place. This happens to people when they start thinking about life and whats really important. Put the hobby to the side and take care of things. You probably dont need a doc. Read Steve Chapmans books "Life from a Deer Stand" or "What a Hunter brings home". You will be Ok.
 
For one who only keeps guns for entertainment purposes, I can see a loss of interest and selling of all guns as a possibility. However, as someone who keeps guns for home defense and concealed carry I cannot fathom selling all, or even most of my guns.

At times I feel burnt out on guns. They are my obsession. I tinker with them, read about them, train with them, talk about them and do something otherwise gun related every day. So, sometimes I have to take a break for a few days and try not to do anything gun related, not even handle one if I can help it, to "relight my candle" so to speak.

I suggest taking a break from them for a while, until you become interested in them again. If you still don't want to own them that's fine, however I don't think you ever owned them for the right reasons to begin with.
 
ccsniper said:
I think it is something I have put too much of my life into that doesn't really matter. There are other things I can pour myself into other than guns.
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This I understand. Your sig line suggests that you may have discovered that guns have become an idol (c.f., Tim Keller's Counterfeit Gods). In that case, you're most likely moving in the right direction.
 
Candor and self-awareness are good things, not bad things. A gun for self-defense is an essential tool - essential should you ever need it. It's one of those things that you hope you never need. You've said you have kept one for self-defense. Not much else to say about that.
But the other aspects of shooting (target, competition, long-range, re-loading, hunting . . . ) are OPTIONAL activities. Let's face it: not everyone is interested in the same hobbies. It's OK. I like cars, but I'm not into restoring old sedans. It's OK.
 
Interests come and go.

Keep a couple of your better ones and just put them away.

As a kid--I couldn't get enough hunting and guns--I was obsessed. Then I turned 16 and cars and girls came around---I didn't even touch my guns again till I was 24--unless I was moving from one place to another--I only had 2--a .22 and a shotgun.

Eventually I was up to 50 guns--now I'm down to 7 or 8 and haven't been shooting for several months---but I've been building another AR all summer--just ordered my last 2 parts to complete it today. Plus have been doing little reloading to have things ready for when it cools off a bit.

From 25 to 39-40ish I was golfing all the time--still have a $2000 set of clubs sitting in the garage that I haven't touched for 8 or 9 years---they're still there if I ever get the urge.

Haven't been deer hunting for the last 5 or 6 years--mainly because my youngest daughter's birthday is when the season is in swing--guess I'd rather have a happy youngster and not miss her growing up than to go shoot another deer---I used to go every year.

The expensive bicycle sat in the garage for 4 or 5 years--guess what-- I rode it 2 to 3 times a week this summer.

This summer I took up old style shaving--I spent maybe at the most $150 on it on various razors, blades, brushes, soaps etc.. and I've had a ball with my new hobby and there's a daily payoff when you shave every morning--I even shave on the weekends where before I would let myself go.

Point to all this is--even if you've lost all interest--you can always come back to it. Don't get all wrapped up into one thing---I was pretty much done doing kid stuff--then my youngest came along--guess how my weekends are taken up now? I'm old enough to be her grandfather instead of her father--heck, I even have a grandson older than her. I'm having more fun with a youngster this time around--with my older girls, I was more worried about keeping em fed and clothed than to enjoy watching em grow. Make sence?

Oh ya--football starts next weekend too.

Don't let your "stuff" define you.
 
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