How to get back into the hobby?

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weekdayshenanigans

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Hi all! A while back I sold all my guns to buy a house. A year later I've stabilized and got into some other hobbies (Photography for one) and I'm itching to get back into guns.

However I sold everything I had excluding some ear pro and cleaning gear.

My favorite thing to do was to introduce newbies into the sport via .22s however as far as I can see .22lr is still difficult to find.

So THR, if you were starting clean and wanting back into the sport, how would you go about it? (Keeping reasonable finances in mind)
 
I guess my question is...did you reload before, and sell all of that too?

If you are a reloader, buy some used reloading gear, and a .38 Spl or .45 acp...or 9mm setup, and a handgun to match. Put out the initial investment, and then load for .12-15/rd and enjoy. Single stage, used, $70-100 for a good press, another $125 for dies/caliper/scale/book. Then another $100 for components...but that will take you a good way down the road.

If you were/are not a reloader, buy a .22LR, pay the .10/rd now and hope it gets better in the future.
 
Start with a .22 rifle.
If you hunt, pick up a 12 gauge shotgun
Then either a centerfire rifle or handgun for target work.

Then specifics that cater to your interests.
 
Do something you weren't doing before, but would like to have tried then.

For example, instead of trap and skeet, try 3-gun or sporting clays or long range rifle.

Or instead of milsurps, try firearms of the American West (SAA's, Winchester lever actions, etc.)
 
"reasonable finances" could mean a lot of different things to different people.
we don't know if that leaves room in your budget for something like an AR-15 all the way down to a Marlin .22.
 
Entering a new hobby, any hobby can be expensive. No matter if it fishing, hunting, shooting, or quilting or classic car collecting.

Start slow, I would recommend not quickly entering or exiting any hobby.

Everyone has a unique financial situation. Only you can decide what is right for you. As stated above, you may want to purchase a firearm to get "re-started".

BTW - I love handloading more than shooting. But first you need a firearm or two to start.
 
In the year that's passed .22 Long Rifle ammunition has become more available. You'd actually be better off now for .22 than you were post sale. You mentioned .22 ... start there maybe.

Other than that, how recoil sensitive were you before you off-loaded all your guns and how much shooting did you actually do? How much do you anticipate doing now? Are you wanting to plink or do you have carry/home defense concerns? What's you budget for gun buying now and are you planning on just buying one and being done or are you embarking on another "accumulation" activity start?

Essentially, what's your current goal? The answer to that will likely tell you where to start.
 
Welcome to THR weekday.

Since we don't know your previous gun related interests you will get a lot of suggestions. My advise would be to hang out here and visit the the sub forums to help you decide your direction. I usually head straight to the Rifle forum.

It would help if you you could tell us more about what you liked about the guns you had before.
 
Maybe also we could know about when and where you expect to get a chance to shoot. Live in the suburbs, in a single-family home? Pick up a decent air rifle or CO2 pistol and go out back some.. or shoot inside into a suitable trap..
 
If I were starting anew I would probably do what I did the first time around: buy a .38 Special revolver and a Lee Loader kit.
 
So how about a different sort of advice: go read up on the Appleseed Project, get a rifle that works for Appleseed, and then work your way through their basic class and boot camp to become an Appleseed instructor. That addresses your love of introducing new shooters, and getting back into shooting, without necessarily needing a lot of gear.
 
Ruger 10/22 rifle and Ruger mkII .22 pistol.

Get 'em first, shoot 'em lots, then go from there.

Deaf
 
I echo the votes to start with a .22 rifle. No, ammo isnt as easy to find as it used to be wherein you could reasonably assume that whenever running into Walmart you could buy a brick, but it is there if you are willing to look around a bit, and buy more than 50 rounds at a time when you do find it for a decent price. Unless of course you used to have a .22 and didnt enjoy it....
 
Start back in with what you enjoy the most. Like you, I enjoy taking a .22 to the range, be it a pistol or rifle. The ammo is out there, and with some work, networking and shopping like you love it, you can still get some good prices. For me, that has become part of the fun. As for center fire if that is your interest, get into hand loading. This can save you a ton of money, especially if you cast your own projectiles. Personally, I find hand loading about as much fun as shooting.

Whatever you decide, welcome back into the fold.
 
For years the most fun I could have on a given afternoon was shooting clays with my 20 guage 870.
Best bang for the buck to be sure.

Next get yourself a CZ 75B and learn to shoot it/carry it. Those things are the most under estimated/appreciated pistols of our time.

then, get yourself a Single Action Army of some sort and have FUN! They are an absolute blast. Seriously.
 
I'd buy a 357 magnum or a 9mm depending on which type of handgun I preferred.

I personally would start with the 357.

Or, if I needed a carry gun, I'd start with a small single stack 45, or 9mm depending on your preference.
 
I would start with a rifle and handgun in 22LR regardless of the ammunition shortage. There will be ammunition becoming more available.

Then I would move to the next favored platform whether it be handguns or long guns. You have experience, so choose what you grew to like and avoid the kinds of guns that you never shot or particularly liked that you might have owned.

I would address these issues: 22 first, home defense, hunting, carry, and then range guns. Obviously there is overlap between all of these general areas of interest.
 
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