Why do you shoot what you shoot?

[kamagong]

I'm a pistol shooter, plain and simple. I'd love to own a tricked out AR, or a nice scoped Remington 700, but truth be told, I don't have much call for those weapons. There aren't many long distance ranges in Northern California, and most fun toys like the AR are unavailable here. So I stick with my 1911, not because I don't want the other stuff, but because realistically it's what I can use on a regular basis and thus become proficient with.

Are there others like me? Do any of you find your circumstances shaping your buying habits?

 

[BridgeWalker]

I'm pretty free. It appears that NFA stuff is disallowed in MI, but I've never looked into it, and all I'd want anyway is a suppressor.

I shoot trap because it's fun.
I shoot pistol because it's fun and I'd like to CCW (not much point right now; don't have a carry gun yet and spend muc of my time at school.)
I shoot rifle because it's fun, and a good skill in the event of TEOTWAKI

Pretty much, I shoot because I like shooting. And I shoot anything that is out there. Not so much with the centerfire rifle because of ammo costs, but that is what the .22 is for.

Pretty much my shooting choices are dictating by costs and my mood.

 

[CTPistol]

not really....my interest comes in waves...

at times all I want to shoot is pitsols, sometimes 1911s...sometimes plastic guns...sometimes revolvers.

Other times I just want to shoot old 30-30 rifles at bowling pins

other times I just want to shoot a nicely scoped AR at golf balls.

other times its the O/U on the skeet field.

variety is the spice of life.

 

[redneck2]

Are there others like me? Do any of you find your circumstances shaping your buying habits?

Seems that you're a victim of your circumstances.

not really....my interest comes in waves...at times all I want to shoot is pistols, sometimes 1911s...sometimes plastic guns...sometimes revolvers.

Other times I just want to shoot old 30-30 rifles at bowling pins

other times I just want to shoot a nicely scoped AR at golf balls.

other times its the O/U on the skeet field.

variety is the spice of life.

This is my attitude also. While Indiana may not be the God's paradise that Kali is, I shoot in my daughter's back yard just down the road.

10 & 12 gauge shotguns for hunting & clays. Varmint/target rifles. A couple levers for fun. 1,000 yard stuff. Most everything covered from .22's to 45-90.

 

[Nix]

when i go to the range i shoot everything in my sig... i dont take my toys that arent listed in my sig for they were bought private party... so yeah i guess this governments coming policy's do affect what i shoot.

 

[Will Fennell]

a little of this, a little of that......

I shoot a LOT of somethings, and a little of a lot of others.....

I'm a teaching professional Sportingclays shooter, so I shoot quite a bit of shotgun shells[ about 25,000 last year ] through my DT10 O/U.....

I take my personal defense seriously, so I practice with my CCW pieces and "ready rifles" regulary......various 1911's, a new love affair with a BHP, a P3AT, and AR and FAL....

I'm a "reformed" IPSC limited class shooter, and a die hard custom 1911 fan, so I shoot them quite a bit. Occasionally, I'll shoot a IDPA match for fun....again more 1911 range time

I take my hunting marksmanship seriously, so that means range time with the .17's, .22's and big game rifles.....

I take my wingshooting seriously, so more shotgun practice and as much birdshooting as I can work in, more 12 ga and 28 ga time

I'm thinking of trying some longrange precision shooting[hopefully joining a friend who shoots 1000 yard benchrest competition for some informal long range funtime/learning].....so a new SAKO .260 Varmit model has my attention for "recreational shooting" these days....

Oh yeah, I LOVE my Milsurps also.....I've taken deer with my 03'A3....what a blast!

So, if it goes bang....I'm into it

 

[OpFlash]

I'm a pistol shooter, plain and simple. I'd love to own a tricked out AR, or a nice scoped Remington 700, but truth be told, I don't have much call for those weapons. There aren't many long distance ranges in Northern California, and most fun toys like the AR are unavailable here. So I stick with my 1911, not because I don't want the other stuff, but because realistically it's what I can use on a regular basis and thus become proficient with.

Are there others like me? Do any of you find your circumstances shaping your buying habits?

Yes. When I bought my first AR I sold it almost immediately because I discovered that I had almost no suitable place to shoot it, but I had the same misconception you do that it requires a lot of space.

You're correct that a Remington 700 wouldn't be good for much other than long range target practice when at the range, but a rifle such as an AR or AK can also be used for defensive drills and competitions that I find much more entertaining. I'd check around, I bet you can find some defensive style rifle/carbine courses or matches in your neck of the woods. They are way more fun (and some would say arguably useful) than punching paper from a benchrest.

 

[Shaner]

Are there others like me? Do any of you find your circumstances shaping your buying habits?

The only circumstances I see that shape my habits are limited range distance and money.

The longest distance at a nearby range for me is 600m. I'd sure like to buy a Barrett in a .416, but that would be overkill for this short of distance. With that in mind, you can see the money issue involved there, too...

There's plenty of shotgun style ranges available...

Sporting Clays, if I'm willing to shell out about $30 a round, is available. I think at that price I tell the range owner to get bent...

Trap- Haven't done it in years. Seems a little boring to me.

Skeet-Done it regularly as a kid and went a couple of times last year. Although fun, I don't have the right shotgun for this application.

To sum up my point of shotgun, I just don't have much interest in it, that's all.

So, for the most part, I allow my own interests command the circumstances. If I don't have the means to do so, then I'd move. Of course, some people don't have that luxury...

 

[DMK]

I also like to have a variety of arms to shoot. Seems to be a common theme on here and TFL.

Sometimes, I'll take something like my old WW1 issue 1891 Mosin Nagant and much more modern Imbel FAL to the range together and shoot them side by side. Or I'll shoot a modern 1911 with Novak sights and then see how well I can shoot an old 1911A1 with the original sights John Browning put on there. It's interesting to compare and contrast.

Then again, sometimes I'll get on a revolver kick for a while and that's all I shoot, or I'll only shoot 9mm, or just 22LR for like a month. Sometimes I want to see how fast I can unholster and get all my shots in the ten ring at ten yards. Then sometimes, I'll put a target out at 100, lay prone with a sling, shooting slowly and methodically. I've gone through optics phases and then times when I want to see how well I can do with iron sights.

I do own guns I've only shot once or twice and I have other guns that I've put thousands of rounds through. I still love 'em the same.

So the answer very much varies depending on my mood for that week, month or season. However, it does explain why and how I filled up 7 gun cabinets.

 

[Gord]

Thus far, because of my age and until recently having lived in CA, I've not had much opportunity to practice with handguns, therefore I shoot rifles much more proficiently, therefore my interests tend to lie there.

If you gave me x amount of money, I can probably think of a long gun I'd buy with it before I'd buy a handgun.

I'm looking forward to "coming of age" (21) and honing my pistol skills as well, but at the moment being unable to buy a handgun from an FFL or handgun ammo from anywhere makes the whole concept sort of "meh" to me. Can't carry even if I could purchase, anyway.

I'll stick to my long-range plinking for now. Hitting small things at great distances brings a smile to my face well enough.

 

[browningguy]

I shoot shotguns least of all, but do go to 4-5 sporting clays tournaments a year. I shoot pistols a bit, a little IDPA when I can and just fun shooting at the range. I shoot rifles a lot, because right now I'm really interested in precision shooting, and I do a bit of hunting.

My interests vary according to the phase of the moon and the alignment of sunspots. Sometimes I go on a pistol shooting binge and that's all I do for months. And don't listen to my wife when she says I have adult ADD.

 

[Roswell 1847]

Lately I've been shooting Air Rifles and CO2 pistols more than anything else. More convenient since health problems prevent my getting out to the country much these days. Plus I'd just gotten a bit bored with firearms for awhile.

I recently started seriously collecting some older types of firearms. Older guns, both firearms and airguns, have a lot or different and often ingenious ways of dealing with the same functions, I like to study the various designs.

 

[revolverman357]

I shoot handguns, revolver and semi-auto. Grew up with a father who was a handgunner, I guess that's where I get it. As far as long guns, just 22's and shotgun, I don't really have a proper place to shoot high powered rifles, so I don't own any. I can shoot handguns in my own yard, so that's what I stick with.

 

[MRIman]

I just like "trigger time"!!!! Me and any thing I'm shooting.
More fun if the daughter steps in(not often at 13 now).
We need to work on that.
I'm happy with a couple of bricks of .22 and all my 22 rifles.
Ammo prices are going "through the roof",went back to the old
.22 for fun time plinking.
Picked up 3 this month,can't have too many .22 rifles!!

MRI

 

[gbran]

I find it hard to believe you live in northern CA and can't find places to shoot long guns. While there may not be ranges in your specific area, hunting and or areas open to shooting shouldn't be far away from you.

 

[Brian Williams]

I shoot centerfire revolvers and both in 22lr, 22lr cases are disposable and the centerfire is easier to gather from a revolver. I shoot handguns mostly because of the ease of being able to put up to 8 in a bag and haul them all in one bag along with ammo and a takedown Marlin 39M.

I also like to take my Marlin 1894C in 357, one caliber many guns.

occasionally I take my 1911 because I have a lot of range pickup brass in 45 ACP.

 

[esmith]

I shoot milsurp, it's cheap and is still fairly plentiful.

 

[El Tejon]

Different reasons:

1. Because it is what I've trained with.
2. Because shooting this or that firearms brings back pleasant memories of good times or relatives now gone.
3. Because I want to experiment.
4. Because I want to have fun.
5. Because someone showed me a better way.

Inter alia. However, mostly--because I want to.

 

[Officers'Wife]

I shoot rifles because I enjoy the challenge of putting a little 32 caliber ball into a 1 inch target at 200 meters.

I enjoy hunting deer with a bow and arrow. Again, for the challenge as well as the meat comes in it's own handy and tannable shopping bags.

Selena

 

[jrfoxx]

Do any of you find your circumstances shaping your buying habits?

In a sense, yes.There are absolutely NO restricions on guns here, I can get what I want, when I want, for whatever reason I want, thus I have more than a few guns I have no real need/use for, other than I wanted them cause they looked like fun, or were for my milsurp collection, or I thought were neat/unusual, etc.Only restricting factor is MONEY.Speaking of which, I dont have a suppressor or full-auto yet, so can anybody loan me like $15,000 to help a brother out?Pretty please? I'll be your bestest friend forever....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
No? Alright, screw you guys then.Cheap, selfish bastages....

 

[KC&97TA]

The Why; I truely think the best times I've had with guns; #1 hunting and drinking beer with my father. #2 Iraq... nothing more to state. #3 helping the boyscouts shoot 22lr. MEN if you're single and want to meet MILFs go help the Boyscouts shoot 22lr #4 anytime spent shooting with the wife, even when she beats me!

The What; go ahead and flame me:

I've maybe shot 500 rounds in my personal time in the last 2 months, which is pretty sad for me. I'm an Infantry Weapons Instructor, and I'll tell you; I'm either instructing or on a range most working days, everything from 9mm pistol all the way to live 84mm rockets (AT4). The last thing I want to do lattely is shoot my pistols or rifles.

So here has been my change in attitude.

#1 favorite. Trap, yup, nice and slow with my cheap S&W semi-Jamm'o-matic 12ga, shoot a round, have a soda, BS, shoot another round, BS, enjoy the sun light and BS some more.

#2 is long range shooting with my M4-gery, with an ACOG I've been reaching out past 750m with WWB 5.56mm, on a grip-pod... once again, nice and calm, relaxing shooting.

What I used to love

#1 Steel Challenge and mini-IDPA, I was shooting my 92FS at better times and scores than many who had "race guns". I'd also use my TLE .45 for this and even bought an Aegis 9mm to shoot a 1911 w/o the cost of .45... bringing out that 92FS vs. some of those $5500 guns was a blast. The local range held it on Thursdays and Satuday

#2 M4, rapid fire and multiple target engagement... only thing better than this is a M4A1 with a suppressor on Auto with no ear plugs.

#3 Highpower Rifle National Match AR-15... just don't have the time to get up and go on weekends, that's my recovery time, it is the wifes favorite, her gun hasn't been shot since last October it's a sad gun, maybe I'll mail it to you if you promise to only shoot molly coated hollow points and "count your rounds"!

#4 will always be Pistol Shooting, of any form, with the wife, mostly on paper and at our own pace, although I'm always going fast


I trained 64 men, went through about 150,000 rounds of ammo since last week, worked through the weekend... I shot a bunch of M9, M4 and 1911 over the weekend, just to relieve stress, test fired a 240B, and a M2 .50 at the end of last week... I guess I just get shot out... but a bunch of you and even alot of the men in my uniform would give thier left toe to do what I do, so I ain't complaining.

 

[Lamb of Gun]

If you can even remotely label it as a gun I want to shoot and own it. If you can even remotely label it as a target I want to shoot at it

 

[Walkalong]

Why do you shoot what you shoot?

Cause I enjoy it. I have sold nice guns just because I did not have fun shooting them. They were great guns that I liked, but they just were not fun to shoot. They did not "flic my bic" so to speak. Had to go to try other stuff.

After all these years I still enjoy shooting the 1911 in .45 ACP more than any other pistol. Recoil is not bad, but you know you shot something. It has a low BOOOOOM, instead of of a high sharp BANG. It is cool to shoot a long way, watching the sun glint off the bullet as it travels and then finally hearing the thunk when it hits.

Shooting 55 gallon metal drums at 200 yards is an absolute hoot.

 

[The-Fly]

Why do I shoot what I shoot ?

Handguns:
All of my handguns except for my carry gun were bought because they are very fun to shoot. If a handgun isn't fun (jams a lot, etc), it gets sold. The carry gun (G26) isn't quite as fun as my G34 and the other longer ones, but its not unenjoyable, and its a working gun, so I try to keep current with it.

Rifle:
I don't own as many of these as I like. Have a few 22lr's, 2 AR's (my favorite of the bunch), an AK, a 17hmr, a 30-30, and a mosin. Other then the AR's, most of these get shot max 2-3 times a quarter. For target shooting, the AR is too accurate compared to the others. The 17hmr is fun, but ammo isn't too cheap ( I can reload 223 for cheaper then 17hmr). The 22lr's are fun, but get boring fairly quick. I mainly use them for training new shooters.

I'd like eventually to get a 6.5 grendel, 50 beowulf, and a 204 ruger AR, and a bolt action 308. That would spice up my rifle collection


Shotgun:
Only have 2 here, and really only see the desire for maybe 1 more. My house gun is a 18" 870. Kicks like a mule, but its cheap and reliable. Other then taking it to the range every 2-3 months to keep myself current, it doesn't get shot. My clay (and killing old computers) shotgun is a Beretta Xtrema2. That sucker shoots so nicely that I just can't see the point in buying anything else for clays or future hunting needs.

I wouldn't mind getting one of the Benelli M4's for house gun duty, but those aren't cheap at all, and there's a lot of other gun needs higher up on the list.

 

[Hokkmike]

Mostly just lack of funds. I have my dream rifle and shotgun and am working on acquiring my dream pistol.