People quitting and leaving the gun life

[357smallbore]

I've read on several sites and even on this one. That many people are contemplating getting out of the sport of guns. Whether that be plinking, hunting CAS or competition.
I've even read that some are thinking that with the cost of guns, lack of guns, no components and right now especially ammo being non existent or ridiculously over priced they are selling out and doing something else.
Made me wonder if this is a knee jerk reaction, or something that is sweeping gun ownership.

 

[readyeddy]

I’ve always thought of guns as more than a sport. Giving up on guns would be like giving up food or shelter.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Nope, nobody I know is getting out. In fact, Ive had several people approach me for advice on getting in.

I will say that I think the vast majority of existing gun owners dont shoot enough to really take a huge hit to the wallet. Only takes one or two boxes of shells to get many years worth of deer tags or sit in a drawer next to the nightstand gun.

I try to get some range time at least once a month, and despite that being far less than some folks here, its far MORE than anyone else I know personally.

 

[jmorris]

If your going to get out or just sell off some stuff, now is the time.

Lots of people make knee jerk reactions but selling something for a premium right now is not the worst idea one could have.

Paying $100/1000 primers, that your not going to use this year is going to seem stupid in a few months though.

Might as well pay $20 a roll of toilet paper and fill the guest room with it. Are you “good to go”? Sure. Did you make a wise investment? Likely not.

If you are the seller though...

 

[jmohme]

I don't see it happening around here.
In fact, the local gun shop seems to be doing record business, even with the lack of ammo.

 

[Outlaw75]

There seems to be to be a lot of "lifestyle" types out there. They say their hobby is guns, but their hobby is really buying guns so they can post the pictures on Instagram or make unboxing videos for YouTube. Not people you'll ever see out at the range with a brick of .22 working on their marksmanship skills. I could see those types bailing out, especially since there are no guns to buy and they don't get any likes if they post pictures of past purchases.

 

[jhb]

for some guns and shooting sports are a hobby, and anyone who is a hobbyist knows interest comes and goes.

I lose interest chit chatting about guns and shooting, but never lose interest in my rights.

 

[LiveLife]

Really?

Everybody I know and bunch of millennials/progressives who never owned guns before all bought guns and bugging me to take them shooting and inquiring about building ARs/PCCs now.

As for me, I am retired and getting older so I am going to shoot as much as I possibly can before I am too old and decrepit.

 

[WheelGunMan]

I don't see that. I see an increased interest in guns as people see the world becoming a far more dangerous place. They want the ability to defend themselves. Gun enthusiasts are limiting the time spent on the range because of the cost of ammo at the moment but that'll change after November.

 

[Stophel]

I'm not getting out, but I can't really do anything, even though I'll always be "in". I'm just not shooting now. I can't. I can't afford to shoot up ammunition that I can't replace, and who knows when, or if, I ever will be able to?

 

[Ironicaintit]

If they’re getting out.... they were never in to begin with.

 

[armoredman]

Nobody I know of is selling out. They are sitting on what they have or trying to buy more. I have aso had several coworkers ask about first time buyers, and I say the same thing to start - you missed the salad days when I told you to buy, so now it's going to be expensive and you might not get what you want.

 

[Encoreman]

Paying $100/1000 primers, that your not going to use this year is going to seem stupid in a few months though.

Those were the cheap ones, I saw on GB someone paid $150/1000 plus shipping. I haven't heard anyone getting out, but not many folks shooting at the range. I do but mainly because I have been reloading for quite awhile and cast my own bullets so 6 or 7 cents per round, I can handle shooting a few hundred each trip out.

 

[jmorris]

Yeah, I helped out fellow competitors after Obama’s re-election and sandy hook with components because I had plenty and they were going to have to quit or get ripped off.

I didn’t take anything except a promise to replace the components with the same thing when they were available again.

Turned out to be a great way to keep friends shooting and have components that were decades old replaced with new.

I suppose I have many thousands I would sell at $100-150/1000 but the shipping part would almost be harder than sleeping at night....

 

[Tommygunn]

I'm not out, never will be. Ok, ammo shortage; so I'm judicious about shooting. I recently bought a Italian clone of Colt's 1873 S. A. A. In .45 with a 7.5" barrel, the U. S. Army Cavalry version, before that, a Miroku made 1873 Winchester, before that a Ruger semi auto handgun.... so forth.


These are of course, niche guns. Right now most buyers are concerned about social disorder and don't want these types of guns. Ok, I wish them the best and all, but in self-defense matters I believe in modern stuff, and I have what I need. Bare shelves where there used to be Glock and Sig Sauer, sad yes, but this will end. Empty ammo shelves? I have my stock. And this too shall end.

So, some gun activities get put on hold, or slow motion. It will end, be patient.

I am NOT QUITTING!!!!

 

[Waveski]

Made me wonder if this is a knee jerk reaction, or something that is sweeping gun ownership.

I really don't think that there is any evidence that would constitute a basis for wondering if "quitting the gun life". At least none that I know of.
There is still a waiting list at my club , the range is quite active there , and we sure aren't seeing unsold guns and ammo piling up on the retail shelves.

Who and where are these people you say are quitting?

 

[George P]

I'd like to see some links to these purported stories of folks getting out, ESPECIALLY in light of the recent riots, looting and things moving into the Burbs

 

[billtool]

3,000,000 new gun owners since March. I don't see a problem with a few folks getting out of the "hobby". They'll be replaced.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Fake news.

 

[AlexanderA]

On the contrary. People are arming up like there's no tomorrow.

 

[Old Dog]

I've read on several sites and even on this one.

I haven't. Not one. Not this one.

Care to give us a few links?

Frankly, I don't believe this at all. Likely things are going in the exact other direction.

 

[rust collector]

I have not seen such articles. Like most human activities, shooting goes through cycles but if you enjoy it, there's no reason to bail. Some will lose interest, more likely lose opportunities, but will likely miss it or rediscover at some later time. It's a lifetime sport that even decrepit old fossils like me can enjoy.

 

[IJ1981]

Gun sales are up 75% over last year. Up 145% in June alone. Ruger and S&W stocks are soaring. Over 5 million guns sold this year.


Seems to be a great time to get into or further your gun interests.

 

[Ignition Override]

Anybody who had been "...in to begin with" should have absorbed the common advice (in normal years) and should have had the self-initiative to have bought at least some amount of reserve ammo.

Or did they have some, and now it's almost all gone? Possibly they were broke etc (home/car repairs etc) much of the time.

 

[AlexanderA]

To the extent that guns are a "hobby," there's going to be a cyclical burnout. People lose interest. I've seen it among participants in historical reenactments.

I don't believe that guns are a "hobby" in that sense. They're more like a way of life.