Popularity of pistols over rifles in the current generation?

[akodo]

I see this coming from three directions.

Those people who grew up around guns, usually in rural areas, were exposed to .22LR rifles, shotguns, and full power rifles, probably in that order of popularity...followed by .22LR handguns and then centerfire handguns. The .22 rifle is great to learn on and fun and all, but is isn't a very flashy tool, etc etc. You always reach for what is more 'exotic'. I've seen guys who were in the military express interest in trying the lever action 30-30 rifle, SKS, AK, etc rather than the AR-15, becaue they have 'been there done that'

TV and movies generally have a very unrealistic bent on how easy it is to shoot car tires, immediately stop a badguy, etc etc, with a handgun. First person shooters seem to glorify the spray and pray, although usually with a 9mm SMG or some rotary barrel fictious lead sprayer. People who don't have exposure to firearms in their general life get exposure then interested in guns from these angles, and they color their perception when the idea of going to a range and firing a real gun comes up...and it colors their perception when they decide to buy their first gun. People don't realize that a rifle is 10X a handgun in every single catagory except concealability and ease of all hands free carry.

People who have grown up around rifles generally have spots to shoot them, because they are rural or have connetions to long time hunting spot even if they are city folk etc. During the 30s grandpa wouldn't have continued to own a rifle if it wasn't useful, and there wasn't space to use it, and fathers teach sons who teach their sons, etc etc, so most guys who have rifles don't NEED to go to ranges, and guys who don't have the space to shoot rifles gravitate to handguns


and that is why you see more handguns at the range. Handguns are more exotic to those of us who grew up with guns, Handguns are 'the thing' for those of us introduced through movies and games, and Handguns are what the demographic of those gun owners who need ranges posess.

 

[Bobhwry]

.

 

[Gordon Fink]

I still don’t understand your complaint, Bob, but at least I can ask for clarification without being impolite about it.

~G. Fink

 

[WiLLtallica]

I was just dieing to shoot anything for my entire life for my first, then I actually had my eye on a .17HMR bolt action rifle. Those are impressive little bullets.

 

[Ed Ames]

I thought Fink's statement was accurate. Maybe it is a regional thing.

I guess there are places where you can have a rifle rack in your car/truck... around here it will get you badgered by LEOs (who are in turned feeling badgered by the public reporting "man with gun"... not a good situation) at best and a busted rear window/no gun at worst.

I was at a friend's house the other day and he was showing me the family rifles... he said something along the lines of, "These haven't left the house since the 90s...some since the 80s.... we're not sure how to get them out to the car without anybody noticing so we can't take them to the range or anything." Of course the showing was a "closed doors and windows" event... and we're talking a lever action and a couple of bolt guns, nothing illegal and nothing fancy.

Handguns, on the other hand? Toss them in a tackle box or tool box, throw a tiny little padlock on the box (in this state) to satisfy any LEOs you might encounter, and carry it out to the car. No problems, no worries, no concern that someone is going to see it, know you have guns, and come back to rob you some day when you aren't at home. If you hear a bump in the night you can explore holding one inside the sleeve of your robe, behind your leg, or folded under your weak arm. They are a LOT easier to practice with because indoor ranges are scattered all over including in cities and the like (LEOs need practice ranges)... when I lived in a city the indoor range was 3 miles away (and right along a bus route so I could--'ve (ehem) tossed my locked pistol in a backpack and ridden the bus over there) and the nearest outdoor range was 30 miles away...50 after that one closed... and it was at the end of a dirt road so there was no way to get there without your own car.

People see a lot more handguns than rifles too. Every cop has one on their belt for example... so do quite a few security guards. I probably see fifty pistols for every long gun. Familiarity is a major factor.

 

[Gord]

Tactical Ninja, give me a break. I'm part of the MTV generation. I've been married for 8 years, have 3 kids, a mortgage, own a gunstore, and teach CCW.

Yep, I love pistols because of baggy pants gangsters.

Sorry - I meant the current 18-21 college generation. I just say "MTV generation" as a generalization. Is there an official designation for the current generation? I can think of a few but they aren't very High Road...

Here in southern CA, there's not much of an urban/rural divide because it's all urban, no rural. This is reflected by the current generation of young adults who've been brought up exclusively in urban business-suit liberal environments. The '70s were a good time for rifles, but right now handguns reign supreme in pop culture. As someone else said, rifles are not very discreet in urban settings.

 

[hank327]

I think one of the biggest reasons for the popularity of handguns over rifles is the lack of outdoor ranges. Here on the northern fringes of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metromess, two outdoor public ranges have closed just this summer. The only other public outdoor range close to me does not allow the use of FMJ ammo in rifles. I rarely fire my rifles now because of the expense of having to use hunting grade ammo just to punch paper. When I do shoot a rifle it is usually my AK as I can use Wolf HP ammo, but I usually find myself just shooting my handguns.
I'm a Baby Boomer by the way, and not of the current generation.

 

[default]

I don't see what was dumb about Gordon Fink's statement either. It ties into the idea of growing urban and sub-urbanization and the rise of shall-issue CCW as a cause for the perceived dominance of handguns among shooters seen at ranges. If you live in an apartment in a city (or, for that matter, a condo in the suburbs) and the only range you can regularly get to is a 25-yard one, what practical use is a centerfire rifle? It would be a distant third behind handguns and shotguns as a home defense weapon for many people, for a variety of reasons (noise, penetration, cumbersomeness, etc.), and at a short indoor range, even if one is allowed to shoot it there, it's not really being used up to its capabilities, and thus less appealing to many (by no means all) shooters.

In other words, if you don't hunt, kill varmints and pests, target-shoot at longer ranges, or need to defend a large area, a centerfire rifle is not that useful an item, which would partially explain their declining popularity vs. handguns. It's not an attack on rifles or rifle shooters, just an explanation of why they are less commonly seen than they were 30-50 years ago.

 

[Soybomb]

I really enjoy shooting long guns but have more handguns and spend most of my time with them. Most of my shooting is done on a 25 yard range and even though I can use rifle rounds there, it isn't near long enough to have real fun on. I hear there's a local private rifle club but can't find anyone who is a member to get me started. In some ways the shooting community seems very closed to new shooters at least locally.

I also think most new shooters have no idea about the ballistic differences between long guns or handguns, or the relative difficulty of using a handgun so they're the "cooler" choice with no down sides.

 

[Gordon Fink]

I was actually surprised that Mr. Vanitas even asked the question, as the answer is fairly self-evident. I now own more rifles than handguns, but while the nearest indoor range is only 10 minutes away, all the outdoor ranges seem to be hours away.

~G. Fink

 

[Snake Eyes]

I also agree with Gordon Finks' statement. I am one of those he refers to.

I live in an urban environment
I don't hunt
My parents had no guns or experience, so no one ever taught me to shoot

The ONLY use I have for a rifle is SHTF. Sure, I'd love to have a precision rifle, and learn to shoot it. But not before I spend some more time refining my handgun skills.

When I thought about it, I realized that 95% of our first-time shooters want to shoot handgun

Easy to clean, easy to use. What's not to like?

(BTW--Bobhwry--Exactly what did your comments add to this discussion? Glass houses, rocks and all that.....)

 

[Heavy Metal Hero]

I like to shoot everything and anything. Pistols, however, are easier for the casual shooter and it is easier to find a range that accomodates them. I also like pistols due to the fact that I plan on going into a branch of law enforcement after college. Pistol would be a good choice for me and I am sure it isn't much different for others.

However, I do not own a single gun yet. But I plan on getting a black rifle for my first purchase (hopefully soon). My reason for a rifle is three fold: A) My dad does not own a .223 and it will offer variety, B) .223 ammo in cases of 1000 is only about $20 more than 9mm, C) They recently opened a Shoot Straight in Tampa and there is one in Dade City (Pasco county). Plus with a 16" AR you can shoot in most ranges and at most distances.

 

[DRMMR02]

I'd say it has more to do with the urban enviroment than anything. I live in a city, and in the not-so-rich part as well. I can't take a rifle to the ATM or gas station. I can take my Walther though.

 

[knoxx45]

For me it's the range issue

Although i'm at the old end of "that generation", and i do own more rifles than pistols, pistols are far easier for me to shoot on a consistant basis. It seems that all of the ranges close to me are indoor. Even though I can fire my rifles (up to 308) at the indoor range, it is no fun shooting a rifle at 25 yards. When I do go to an outdoor range it is a project and an all day affair. It is an hour and a half away, and then there's the weather. I know that we should train in all types of conditions, but come on, Idon't want to lay in the mud or snow. We need more ranges, but as land gets more and more developed, prices of land, taxes, and clean up costs continue to rise this looks less likely.

 

[Erebus]

There are 3 rifle ranges within 30 minutes of my house. One less than 10 minutes from my house. But I still hear more 20 to 30 year olds that want to shoot only the "cool" guns. Big black and nickel plated handguns and the tacticool rifles(AR, AK). But primarily the big handguns. I get alot of questions like, "What was that gun that *insert actor's name* used in *insert movie title*?" The DE seems to be real popular now. Agent Smith did alot for the popularity of the DE. When someone says they want to get one I tell 'em good luck, it ain't on "The List". And newbies want to know if they can get Robocop's gun.

Oh and don't under estimate the influence of games like SOCOM & HALO.

 

[DRMMR02]

Can I rent a Covenant Plasma Rifle at that range?

 

[Tim L]

Lets not forget one other reason that is creaping into the equation, the price of ammo. If like myself and many others you don't reload this is a major reason for choosing pistols, or at least pistol caliber carbines. 50-100 rds of 9mm for $15 or .45cal for $25 sure beats 20 rds of 30-30 for $16, especially if all you are doing is killing paper.

Tim

 

[TX1911fan]

My first gun was a shotgun. Then I bought a couple handguns, then a .22 rifle, then a couple handguns, then a couple shotguns, then a couple more handguns. Now I want a rifle. I like to buy everything. When I go to the range, I prefer to shoot handguns at targets because it is faster and easier than the rifle range. I don't need a spotting scope, I don't need 20 minute cease fires so everyone can get downrange to change targets, etc. However, my favorite thing to shoot is shotguns. There is nothing better than dusting a clay pigeon!

 

[Wes Janson]

Sorry - I meant the current 18-21 college generation. I just say "MTV generation" as a generalization. Is there an official designation for the current generation? I can think of a few but they aren't very High Road...

Sorry, but I'm 19 here, and was enormously, deeply disappointed the other day when I found out the CMP sold out of Service Grade M1s, since I was about to order a second Garand.

Please don't stereotype my generation. While stereotypes may be often accurate, there are a few my age who don't fit that standard, particularly on this website.

 

[Baba Louie]

I would opine that since we are now more urban than rural handguns purchased for self defense rather than rifles purchased for hunting (or self defense) back in the rural setting America once was, is the 21st century norm.
Hence, Mr. Fink and others are correct in their assessment... Look at the number's viewing each board here at THR. Rifles vs Handguns (collective group of general, revolver and semi-auto) are typically outnumbered 1 - 1.5/2. Right now, Thurs. Sept 21 @ 13:52 PST it's 146 viewing rifles, 216 looking at handguns (collective). If you add the 46 reading up on shotguns it changes to 192 long guns, 216 handguns... just about even.

 

[Gordon Fink]

Tim, you have it backwards. Expensive and hard-to-find rifle ammunition is why people start reloading. That’s what has me starting to think about it at least.

~G. Fink

 

['Card]

I think in order to spot a trend, you'd need to look at sales figures instead of what shows up at ranges.

Most of the people who purchase rifles are hunters. Most people who hunt in the US live in rural areas. In a big chunk of the US, people in rural areas don't really have a need for a range - they just go out in the woods, or up the holler, or down by the river, and they shoot. Other than the military, I'd never in my life set foot on a gun range until my mid-30's, but I'd been a fairly active shooter all along.

People in more congested areas, on the other hand, are more likely to want a gun for self-defense, are therefore more likely to buy a pistol, and will also need a range on which to shoot it.

 

[LeonCarr]

On of the reason I have gotten away from rifles and gotten more into handguns is that there are handguns nowadays (T/C, XP-100s) that can outshoot most rifles, and are much easier to carry in the field. I also hunt with handguns exclusively now and enjoy the challenge over rifle hunting. Also, as a previous poster mentioned, here in the DFW Metromess rifle ranges are becoming an endangered species due to urban sprawl. If someone would open up a 100 yard indoor rifle range (big long building) in DFW capable of handling the big stuff, they could make a buttload of dough.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Gord]

Please don't stereotype my generation. While stereotypes may be often accurate, there are a few my age who don't fit that standard, particularly on this website.

We're the same age. I'm calling it as I see it.

Yes, there are a bunch of us here who love and respect firearms, but we're outnumbered 100-to-1 by gangbangers, Counterstrike commandos and plain old morons. These people emulate what is presented as 'cool' in movies, TV and videogames, and since MP5s tend to be expensive, they gravitate towards the 'next best thing' - handguns.

Unless it's a full-auto AK/AR/whatever, rifles are not prominently featured in pop media these days.

Bottom line is that most of our generation are clueless wannabe counterculture Dems because that is what's cool. Talk to anyone in the 16-to-21 age group in any sort of urban setting. You will notice a few trends...

- Bush is the root of all evil in the universe.
- Che was a really cool guy because he "um, uh, fought the government or something"
- Guns are cool but only in the sense that "oh man, it'd be wicked to shoot x movie/videogame gun" or "I frequently take pictures of myself and my friends pointing loaded Glocks at each other's heads". We've all seen Xavier's Idiots With Guns site. Notice the typical age of the people pictured?

Excluding gun guys, everyone I've talked to in this age range accepts handguns as part of the 'urban' scene, but equates rifles with fat redneck hunters like Uncle Joe Bob, thinks they're lame, and doesn't know why anyone would want to own one or eat animals. These people have a deeply ingrained stereotype of 'rifle' as a 300-pound guy in camo and flannel with three-day stubble hauling a Remchester around taking potshots out the door of his rusty old truck at deer and trespassers while swilling warm beer.

 

[loki.fish]

I love shooting rifles. I like long range shots. I want a rifle that can be a tack driver at 800+ yards There's only 1 problem with that. There's only a couple of rifle ranges around here and they're only 100 yards. One is way too expensive for my taste, one is too far away to be worth it and the other I'm waiting till my schedule and my buddy's, who's a member there, schedule is good for us to go so I can check it out. While 100yds isn't as long as I'd like, atleast I'd get some rifle time. Until then, I've spent alot of time gathering handgusn, as I love handguns just as much. You get what you can enjoy the most....space is running out to shoot rifles, so pistols are becoming more popular.