How many shooting years do I have left?

[JJE]

I recently started to organize and inventory my ammo and reloading components. My stash was disorganized enough that I couldn't tell exactly where I should be spending my ammo and components budget. I started to make a spreadsheet inventory where I would track all my supplies and calculate how many years my supply of each component would last. This led to a couple of questions:

How many years do I expect to continue to shoot?

Are my shooting habits going to change as I get older?

I should mention that I'm a high-frequency (maybe 40 times a year), low-volume shooter (almost always less than 100 rounds per day – half of that rimfire) and I don't shoot any heavy-recoil calibers. I shoot 22LR, 380 ACP, 9x19, 38 Special, 357 magnum, 30-30 Win. My shooting activities are: informal Bullseye, self-defense practice, and hunting practice with a Contender handgun and a rifle.

For my spreadsheet, I assumed that I'm going to follow the same shooting schedule for 30 years (I'm late 40's now) and then I'm going to stop shooting at about 80. How realistic is that? I'm in good health, except for my nearsightedness (correctable). The only other shooters I know are my age, and I haven't noticed many 80-year-old-looking people at the range. Wikipedia says that human life expectancy (at birth) isn't any higher than 80 years in the U.S.

So, those of you who are about 70 or older, or know a shooter or ex-shooter that age, what factors made them quit shooting, or kept them shooting? If you had a regular shooting routine for a long time, did that routine change as you approached or passed 70?

 

[W.E.G.]

I knew my dad was done shooting when it almost killed him (I mean that literally) to walk from the car to our shooting spot that was slightly uphill, and about a quarter-mile from the parking area.

He was in his mid-70's.
But, he was definitely NOT taking good care of his health for the several years preceding.

Now, I'm sure there are plenty guys 80+, for whom that walk would have been not a problem.

The problem is, when you're the 80+ guy, and you've been taking good care of your health while all those other dummies are dying or dead from over-eating, drinking, and not exercising, you have your pick of the women.

Let's see,... go shooting for the umpty-millionth time, or spend some time with the lovely widow?

Hmmmm....

.
.
________________________________________________

 

[David E]

or spend some time with the lovely widow?

Well, as long as she isn't your widow..........................

 

[jnyork]

My gun club gets togather every Friday morning to shoot silhouettes. We get 25-30 guys showing up. Every one of us is on Social Security, most are over 70, a couple or three are over 80. We can all stand on our hind legs and shoot like men. We shoot .22's, pistol cartridge rifles and 30-30 class rifles.

No one person still smokes , very few drink more than an occasional beer , none are what you would call obsese or seriously overweight, which should tell you something.

 

[Ed Harris]

Walter Walsh is still shooting at 102

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/052009/05062009/464302/printer_friendly

https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=92937115

 

[Cuzzin]

You only let it stop you if you LET it stop you. I'm getting a new knee in January and soon as I can, I'm going after some birds and get back on the skeet range.

 

[dairycreek]

So, those of you who are about 70 or older, or know a shooter or ex-shooter that age, what factors made them quit shooting, or kept them shooting? If you had a regular shooting routine for a long time, did that routine change as you approached or passed 70?

I'm 73 and still going strong. Only time and money limit my shooting. My age has nothing to do with it.

 

[oneounceload]

I shoot with many folks in their 70's and 80's (here in FL we tend to have a large population of them). These folks are shotgun shooters. One gentleman, at 82, is still one of the best shots I have ever seen and does not wear glasses for shooting or driving. I have my Remington 1100 in 28 gauge for when I (hopefully) get to be his age.

 

[wishin]

I'm just short of 70 and frankly feel like I'll be able to shoot for some time yet. My eyes aren't as good, but can outshoot many young'uns as long as I can use a scope. I walk 2.5 miles every day, and work out occasionally on the Bowflex. life is good.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I'll be 72 next month and in all modesty I can out-shoot everyone I know.

There are times when my right hand shakes and interferes with my shooting. On those days I just beat the kids by shooting left handed.

 

[Frank Ettin]

Nobody knows what your shooting future will be. The best way to find out is to just keep getting older and see what happens.

 

[danbrew]

And nobody knows what YOUR future will be. You could drop dead tomorrow. There are many hobbies that I have had in life that I was extremely passionate about at the time, but no longer care for. Who knows what will happen to you in the future? For me, there have been peaks and valleys in my shooting/collecting guns life. I'm at a peak now, but there have been several year periods where I didn't touch a gun. Go figure. You know it's been too long when you can't recall the combination to the safe...

 

[Sav .250]

IMO, it`s motivation that drives the engine. Lose that and you join the ranks of the "soap" watchers. Hope your motivation stays strong for a long time.

 

[Kyle1886]

I'm just shy of 70. Age is only chronological. I feel that I can be safe in shooting as well as driving. That's today---tomorrow, may be different. Enjoy the things you like to do as long as your physically and mentally alert. (Note: Be honest with yourself and your capibilities---I'll probably get flack for that comment, but some of us "seniors" try to fake it or don't realize that some of have deminished capacity).

 

[Claude Clay]

you'll shoot for as long as you are interested in doing so and
your mind stays sharp such that you are not a danger to self or others and
your body allows it

I'm near 60 and arthritis has changed my shooting style--
i fire less light weight power guns-defender, P-11, OMC Back-Up, etc
if my bent is to play with them, i will roll some lighter rounds for the range.

i carry the 332 rather than my old 642. i stooped carrying the P-239/40; more gun than i need for where i travel.....my choice, others have theirs.

i average 23/25 birds with the 20 i took back from my daughter. so she gets the 12 now.
i oh, and i rediscovered the fun of the Dark-Side.

 

[420Stainless]

I know plenty of folks in their 70's and well into their 80's that shoot weekly - some are pretty competitive in the cowboy action geezer divisions. I plan to be one of them after my child rearing responsibilities lighten up a little. And life expectancy continues to increase with each decade. Good to keep the shooting skills honed too. It'll be a great surprise for those despicable hoodlums that prey on the elderly.

 

[hivel37]

At 72, I still shoot silhouette once a month. The other guys are about my age or maybe a little younger. My scores are slipping but so what...
Shoulder problems keep me away from a lot of recoil.

I do take extra care at the reloading bench.

 

[tpaw]

The problem is, when you're the 80+ guy, and you've been taking good care of your health while all those other dummies are dying or dead from over-eating, drinking, and not exercising, you have your pick of the women.

Heredity and genes play a huge part. My wife's uncle was exposed to muster gas during WW1, he smoked like a chimney, drank whisky with beer chasers all day, and ate bacon and eggs every morning. He died at the age of 91 from a sudden heart attack. Otherwise, he was self sufficient.

 

[Gunfighter123]

I know plenty of folks in their 70's and well into their 80's that shoot weekly - some are pretty competitive in the cowboy action geezer divisions.

I/we call SASS/Cowboy Action the Retirement Center of IPSC !!!!

As a former "has been" in IPSC/3 Gun Action , I started to shoot more Cowboy !!! In my 20s,30s, and mid-40s -- I could keep up/lead the pack in Action "run & gun" type of shooting competition --- well , after martial arts , fighting in and outside the ring , over 30 years with the same woman { now thats been a battle } and other "outdoor or contact sports" ---- I'm getting run down !!!

I know MANY shooting competitors in their 70s who still enjoy it and are still competitive.
How long will I keep shooting ??? Untill I can no longer shoot safely !!!!


How long will I keep shooting ??? AS LONG AS OUR GOD LETS ME !!!

 

[fedlaw]

Several years ago I shot next to an elderly gentleman at an outdoor range. I never asked his age, but he told me he was on the 1956 Olympic team. I believed it.
He walked slowly and deliberately out to and back from the 25 yd targets. His shooting was also deliberate. Everything he did was precise, from the way he loaded the magazines to the stapling of his targets to the stand.
He shot one handed with his Smith 41 and never had a group larger than an inch; most were smaller.
He did not look to be in particularly good health and was fairly overweight, but he sure could shoot.

 

[GD]

I shoot centerfire rifles (8mm, variety of 30 calibre) and a variety of handguns with my 75 year old father-in-law fairly frequently.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I have a friend that 84 he reloads shot gun and still hunts Dove This year he had to sit in a chair but didn't affect his shooting. I saw him at 20 yards from a rest shoot little over inch 3 round group group with a 38 spl. He doing just fine.

 

[Top_Gunn]

Maybe it's just me, but at 69 I find that I can't shoot a rifle with iron sights any more. When I focus on the front sight, (wearing glasses) the target is so much a blur that I can't see what I'm aiming at. Without glasses, I can see the target fine, but can't get a good sight picture. I'm about to get a scope for my lever-action rifle; hate to do it, but it's that or quit.

Pistol (at ten yards, say) is still no problem.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

i just turned 68. I climb the mountain every morning (5 mile walk, 700 feet of climbing) and shoot every day. I plan to keep that up for the next 20 years, and then maybe I'll start doing strenuous exercise.

 

[jojo200517]

Any man that doesn't consider a .357 magnum to have heavy recoil isn't going to have to worry about when he quits shooting just when he will run out of ammo.