brokenprism
US Veteran
There it is.
Why so many shot very little?
- Thread starter BigBill
- Start date
There it is.
Ive said and thought the same thing but it hasnt happened.
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I try and shoot mine as often as possible, but I go through phases. One period I'll shoot nothing but .45 Colt, then next it is .44 mag or .38 Special, etc. Maybe it has to do with setting up the reloader for another caliber? 
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
Years ago I shot and experimented a lot. I was buying and selling. I ended up with a respectable collection. I dont shoot a fraction now of what I thought I would when I retired. I do carry but seldom shoot. I cant seem to bring myself to carry my really choice expensive stuff. I find myself carrying my most scuffed up guns and leaving the choice stuff in the safe. In good weather we trail ride a lot. It`s dusty and once in awhile we get caught out in the open in a rain storm. I dont want or need to be packing a fine colt python or single action army when I have cheaper but just as fine shooting guns in all calibers. This isnt going to make me popular on a gun site, but were I to live my life again I would buy the finest guns I could and use them BUT I would probley only own a fifth as many as I do now. There are other things in life that I would like to do too. Now I admit that the guns I have kept would be considered great investments only I cant bare to sell them!
I have to add this: Now that I am old I have developed the shakes and aint one part as accurate as when I was young. I do believe I am good enough to defend myself and wife though but I probley would embarrass myself around good shooters.
I have to add this: Now that I am old I have developed the shakes and aint one part as accurate as when I was young. I do believe I am good enough to defend myself and wife though but I probley would embarrass myself around good shooters.
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Cost and time, are the top two answers I get when I ask people why they don't shoot on their own, its amazing how many people make the comment that requalification's are the only time they shoot, in the modern society many people are so busy that time is a big factor, and then you have the cost of shooting, if it wasn't for the fact their getting paid to shoot free ammo, the majority of our staff wouldn't shoot any.
BCDWYO
Member
I reload and shoot quite a lot. Try to get to the range at least once a week. But like many people on this forum, I have a fairly large accumulation of revolvers as well as semiautos and rifles. So even though I'm a shooter, no one gun gets heavily shot and I take care of them, so most of them would still be considered in the high 90% range. I suspect there are a lot of guys like me.
I think it is a combination of things.
Cost of ammo. I'll bet way less than 10% of gun owners reload and the cost of ammo isn't factored in when they buy the gun.
There is a lot of "Got to Have" in America. I have it too. I don't need 15 handguns or 10 rifles. Many gun owners fall under this spell. If I went to the range and fired 100 rds a week my guns would average 200 rds a year. Some get way more than others. My J frame 38, my 2 5 shot 44 specials and k frame 357 don't get the round count my 45 cal revolvers do. Having 3 45s means they all share the load.
Many are bought for "self defense" fired a few times and stuck in the sock drawer, upper shelf or safe.
Magnumidus, people buy 44 mags and the like and find out the recoil isn't enjoyable. Small hands, soft hands, whatever. Loud noise and $1 a bang to take the punishment doesn't last long. Going to see this alot with the alloy guns, the 460 and 500 mags and now the L frame 44mag. I doubt more than 10% of these guns will see 50 rds a year.
Matter of fact I will bet way less than 10% of gun owners fire a total 50 rds a year and those that fire 100rds a week are less than 0.1%
Cost of ammo. I'll bet way less than 10% of gun owners reload and the cost of ammo isn't factored in when they buy the gun.
There is a lot of "Got to Have" in America. I have it too. I don't need 15 handguns or 10 rifles. Many gun owners fall under this spell. If I went to the range and fired 100 rds a week my guns would average 200 rds a year. Some get way more than others. My J frame 38, my 2 5 shot 44 specials and k frame 357 don't get the round count my 45 cal revolvers do. Having 3 45s means they all share the load.
Many are bought for "self defense" fired a few times and stuck in the sock drawer, upper shelf or safe.
Magnumidus, people buy 44 mags and the like and find out the recoil isn't enjoyable. Small hands, soft hands, whatever. Loud noise and $1 a bang to take the punishment doesn't last long. Going to see this alot with the alloy guns, the 460 and 500 mags and now the L frame 44mag. I doubt more than 10% of these guns will see 50 rds a year.
Matter of fact I will bet way less than 10% of gun owners fire a total 50 rds a year and those that fire 100rds a week are less than 0.1%
David R
Member
MY rule is every day you have a new gun and don't shoot it, its a sin.
I am a reloader. In the 80s I had a Dan Wesson 357 with interchangeable barrels. I wore it lose and sent it back to the factory. They rebuilt it. I wore it out again. Sent it back for a rebuild and re blue. Traded it for something else. I shot out the barrel in a 7mm mag. Traded it.
All my guns get shot a lot. I keep a box of cartridges in the car for my carry piece in case I just want to shoot it for fun. I do this a lot. I sneak out to the range at lunch time.
I bought a model 36 no dash with a 3" barrel. It had been carried a lot. I could see the rings in the cylinder from the cartridge rims. The recoil shield looked like brand new. Zero signs of wear or even being fired. This gun is a 1970 vintage. The day I brought it home, it was snowing and blowing. I took it out back and fired a cylinder full. The target looked good. I bought a keeper.
I am not one of those folks. Guns were made to be used. I guess more like a tool or toy to me.
David
I am a reloader. In the 80s I had a Dan Wesson 357 with interchangeable barrels. I wore it lose and sent it back to the factory. They rebuilt it. I wore it out again. Sent it back for a rebuild and re blue. Traded it for something else. I shot out the barrel in a 7mm mag. Traded it.
All my guns get shot a lot. I keep a box of cartridges in the car for my carry piece in case I just want to shoot it for fun. I do this a lot. I sneak out to the range at lunch time.
I bought a model 36 no dash with a 3" barrel. It had been carried a lot. I could see the rings in the cylinder from the cartridge rims. The recoil shield looked like brand new. Zero signs of wear or even being fired. This gun is a 1970 vintage. The day I brought it home, it was snowing and blowing. I took it out back and fired a cylinder full. The target looked good. I bought a keeper.
I am not one of those folks. Guns were made to be used. I guess more like a tool or toy to me.
David
Same reason most people don't make insurance claims.
They don't get in situations that require using a handgun for defense.
Fifty years ago we were called "gun-nuts" cause we enjoyed more shooting than just sighting in the deer rifle, or going dove hunting twice a year.
Most gun owners weren't "gun-nuts" even if they did hunt occasionally.
But every household I knew had a handgun in the sock drawer.
Just consider the number of duty weapons sold that have had very little ammo run through them, and LEO are required to qualify regularly.
There are so many "like new" old revolvers out there, sleeping quietly in the BVDs and argyle socks.
zzzzzzzzzzzzz
They don't get in situations that require using a handgun for defense.
Fifty years ago we were called "gun-nuts" cause we enjoyed more shooting than just sighting in the deer rifle, or going dove hunting twice a year.
Most gun owners weren't "gun-nuts" even if they did hunt occasionally.
But every household I knew had a handgun in the sock drawer.
Just consider the number of duty weapons sold that have had very little ammo run through them, and LEO are required to qualify regularly.
There are so many "like new" old revolvers out there, sleeping quietly in the BVDs and argyle socks.
zzzzzzzzzzzzz
loeman
Member
I Took Care of Them!
I'm speaking only for myself on this topic. Way back in the day (late 70s) when I first became affluent enough to buy guns I wanted the best and that happened to be mostly Smith & Wessons with a Ruger and a couple of Colts sprinkled in. These guns were very expensive for me and it took me months to save enough for the purchase of one gun. Therefore I did whatever I could to ensure they looked as new as possible. I babied them! I was careful how and where I put them down. If holstered I was careful how they were inserted and drawn. I cleaned them every time I shot them to the best of my ability. I made sure they were always stored properly and if not used for a long period of time I got them out and cleaned them. Yes, I shot these guns with some degree of regularity but you know what? They still look new today!
I'm willing to bet there are a lot of old timers like me who treated their guns in a similar way. It was economically painful to buy them and just plain stupid not to care for them in the best possible way. And when these guns do come up for sale... guess what? They look almost new.
I'm speaking only for myself on this topic. Way back in the day (late 70s) when I first became affluent enough to buy guns I wanted the best and that happened to be mostly Smith & Wessons with a Ruger and a couple of Colts sprinkled in. These guns were very expensive for me and it took me months to save enough for the purchase of one gun. Therefore I did whatever I could to ensure they looked as new as possible. I babied them! I was careful how and where I put them down. If holstered I was careful how they were inserted and drawn. I cleaned them every time I shot them to the best of my ability. I made sure they were always stored properly and if not used for a long period of time I got them out and cleaned them. Yes, I shot these guns with some degree of regularity but you know what? They still look new today!
I'm willing to bet there are a lot of old timers like me who treated their guns in a similar way. It was economically painful to buy them and just plain stupid not to care for them in the best possible way. And when these guns do come up for sale... guess what? They look almost new.
In the city/suburbs the police get totally annoyed if you practice shooting in the back yard. 
Here, the only thing we can shoot is paper targets in an indoor range - no "fun stuff" like watermelons or pop bottles, or spinning metal targets, or gongs.
Here, the only thing we can shoot is paper targets in an indoor range - no "fun stuff" like watermelons or pop bottles, or spinning metal targets, or gongs.
Aren't we all glad that so many people didn't use them much, that allows us to purchase them is such nice condition. I have a 1 1/2 from 1866 that is unfired. I can't even find evidence of the factory test firing.
You speak for me as well. I grew up in a house without a ton of extra money. Not saying we were poor, but you sure as heck weren't in any position to be treating expensive guns carelessly. The finish on the blued guns also required a lot more care than SS or modern coatings. As a result, they were always wiped down and oiled after handling.
On the flip side, there seems to be some sort of notion out there among younger shooters that you need to "run your gear hard" to prove you are some kind of high speed low drag type. It is ridiculous to me to abuse a firearm of any kind.
Led4thehed2
Member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2011
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My guess would be that an N frame Magnum might not see much wear as they are fairly large and heavy revolver to carry, especially compared to polymer pistols and airweight guns.
Additionally, a N frame .44 Magnum would probably end up being shot a lot less than a 9mm or .38 Special, for instance, because the ammo is considerably more expensive. And some folks just won't want to shoot that powerful a weapon: it might be painful or intimidating.
So my guess is that due to their size and power they'll simply, be carried, handled, and shot a lot less on average that a Model 10 or a GLOCK 19. But, there are always exceptions. I know people who have guns they haven't shot in over 10 years. As others have said, some folks just don't shoot a lo.
Additionally, a N frame .44 Magnum would probably end up being shot a lot less than a 9mm or .38 Special, for instance, because the ammo is considerably more expensive. And some folks just won't want to shoot that powerful a weapon: it might be painful or intimidating.
So my guess is that due to their size and power they'll simply, be carried, handled, and shot a lot less on average that a Model 10 or a GLOCK 19. But, there are always exceptions. I know people who have guns they haven't shot in over 10 years. As others have said, some folks just don't shoot a lo.
This. Many people buy a gun for self-defense, load it, stick it in a closet, and forget it. I have bought several guns over the years that the original owner fired one box (maybe one cylinder) through the gun and then put it away, never to touch it again.
Is that like throwing a stove?
Fackler Rebel
Member
Fixed income and cost of ammo. Shoot my S&W 1957 vintage K22 most of the time. Still like to take my S&W 325 PD out and run a few moon clips thru her.
Reb
Reb
Some people buy a gun just to have a gun with no real intention to shoot much or at all. Some buy the same model their friend or relative has and just liked it because it was neat. I think many casual shooters realize they don't shoot well so just don't.
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