anybody radically change gun habits?

[44 special Dave]

The older I get the more interested I am in handguns for personal protection, ease of finding ammo, and gerneral portability.

As such as much as I like my old 44 hand ejectors, I'm condsidering going to all 45acp/ar revolvers. I have two, a 625-10 and a 325sc. both shoot and feel great.

I know a lot of folks here will say, buy more, keep all you have. Well I live in michigan and money "is" an issue these days. As fond as I am of my 44s, i haven't shot them in a long time.

As for carrying and portability, my 45s fill the bill. I know there are others that might say; "anything is portable with the right holster".

There was a fellow on this forum who said he carried a newer 22-4 in his FRONT pants pocket! Now I estitmate a loaded 22-4 to weigh approx 42oz. "is that a gun in your pocket or........." (Mae West). Ok, if you're 6'10" tall and weigh 350lbs. Me, I'm short for my weight.

My 44s weigh around 41-42 oz loaded.

So anyway, has anyone else gone from collectible to tactical or practical?

Please consider, non reloader, availability of ammo, and general carry characteristics.

Dave

 

[perrazi]

first and foremost-start reloading. you decide how much ammo you want to have, not anyone else. tailor the loads for the job at hand. defense, target, long range shooting, ok, maybe not with a 45acp,but you get the idea. making your own is the only way if you want to shoot very much,especially in these times. i will get off my soapbox now, thank you.

 

[perrazi]

sorry i didn't answer your real question. if you absolutely have to, i would sell only what was needed to get the new guns you feel you need. keep all the good old ones you can.

 

[44 special Dave]

Perrazi,
Been buying , shooting, and dabling in S&W revolvers since 1974. Used to reload, it definitely saved on cost. I guess times change and likes and motivations change.

Yes, you are correct. It would be nice to keep what I could and buy others.

Thanks
Dave

 

[Bat Guano]

I'd stay with what you have if they carry well enough. It sounds like you get along with N frames ok, and the 625 should cut it. .45 ACP white box ammo should be reasonable; get a box of JHP for carry and the former for occasional blasting. I'd sure consider handloading for .45 ACP, and Auto Rim would work well for that too.

Also, nothing wrong with a police trade-in .38/.357 DA S&W for plinking and CCW. I've been at this a long time and there are probably 20 different guns I could make do with nicely. They all do basically the same thing.

 

[moosedog]

Hi Dave. Having carried 357s, 41 mags, 44spl, 45 AR and 45 Colt revolvers over the years I am more than happy with my Glock 23. I still carry a model 49 in my pocket when I go lite, but I am seriously looking at getting a couple of the Ruger 380 pocket pistols for my daughter and myself.
As far as collecting, I am getting more and more into the WWII guns myself. I should have done it years ago when they were alot cheaper.

Ever consider a Fitz style 1917? Maybe one in each pocket? Now that would be cool.

 

[Snapping Twig]

Started with a 586 and hot home loaded 125's using reloading data from the late 50's. I got the books at an estate sale.

Moved to the 29 and found a home. Liked 220g hot cast homeloads, then on to 265g hot cast homeloads, then gradually worked out a 250g 900fps round for fun.

Eventually I took a Gunsite course and fell in love with the 1911 and 230g cast rounds.

Now I like those 900fps rounds from calibers starting with a .4 and do not feel undergunned in the least.

Got a .45 colt in 89, but didn't shoot it till last year. Love it!

Don't get me wrong, I love flame throwing rounds, I'll never sell my Casull, but I can be happy shooting big fat bullets @ 900fps these days.

 

[caribouhunter]

I have found as I get older the focus moves from quantity to quality.
I have been moving from mostly semi-auto back into S&W revolvers lately. Gone is the bling and high cap magazines to the wheeled guns.

 

[BKDinTexas]

About 2 or 3 years ago, I went full circle and slowly started a cycle back to all wheelguns, which is how I started close to 30 years ago.

I sold all my Glocks, my last 2 Colt M-4's (with a ton of .223 bought many years ago for cheap) for a great profit during the post election craze. The money I cleared allowed me to buy a nice Smith revolver collection from an individual, and I have added to it since then. I am all wheelguns now, and I am having a blast. I also built a new reloading bench and drug out all my old reloading equipment that had been put away for many years.

I liked black guns before they were cool, so maybe I am rebelling now, or just getting old and old school! I have even picked up a couple of single actions lately. So anyone that knows me would consider me radically changed within the last two or three years...

 

[Arizona Commander]

I started with revolvers, moved into autos (by my handle you can probably tell I prefer Colt Commanders) But am now moving back to revolvers, which to me means Smith & Wesson.

I'm now struggling with "caliber interchangability," I dont plan to sell off any guns but am now buying only .38's .357's.

My next purchase will be a .357 long gun, not sure which yet but the plan is to be able to use one cartridge for all.

 

[Brian41]

Money and room in my safe have become issues for me and I find myself trading Colts and Rugers now for S&W revolvers. I never left revolvers but now about all I buy or carry.
I expect that trend to continue and have fewer guns but more quality S&W big bores in the end. I don't reload as much as I used to as I concider it a chore mainly but do a quanity when I do. I stretch that out too by shooting rimfire revolvers along with my 41s and 44s.

My tastes have changed as I've got older and except for 1911s I have little interest in anything but S&W revolvers. I stopped at a shop yesterday and looked at some Colts and Dan Wessons but they don't interest me much. Nothing much in way of S&Ws to interest me there either and over priced anyway. I've become real picky with regards to them as well now.

 

[oldman45]

I carry either a .357 mag, 40. S&w or .45acp exclusively. While I have other calibers in guns, I like the performance from these calibers. My choice of carry guns has remained constant for years.

What has changed is I carry virtually 100% of the time, even around the house. I went to a donut shop this morning and wore a sidearm (open carry) with a cuff case and a spare mag case. Got home and took off all but the gun. Went outside (and I live in a upper scale neighborhood) to do some work on on a couple things. Still wore the gun.

Past that, the only other change i have made is to buy additional ammo often and more guns as I can afford to do so.

 

[Andy Griffith]

I have changed radically as I've aged.

Now, I have some extra money to spend that I didn't when I was younger, and can *sometimes* afford what I wanted way back when all I could do was just look at the advertisements.

That is, if the bills are paid and Mrs. Griffith is happy.

 

[pawncop]

Back in 2004 (I think), I came across a 6" Ruger Security Six very similar to the one I owned back in 1974.

Up to that point in time, I was only buying guns that I would carry as a duty sidearm, or as a backup gun. I swapped, traded, sold pretty regularly.

Something connected, and I bought that Ruger, knowing I would not carry, nor qualify with.

Since then, I have been a buying spree and the other thing that changed is I have not sold nor traded anything since 2004, and that was little 32 ACP that I never intended to hang onto when I bought it.

Yep, I have changed.

 

[tom turner]

I started with revolvers, then bought my first automatic . . . a new (1st generation) Colt Combat Elite . . . and soon added a Ruger MkII Target Model. Soon, started shooting a lot of handgun matches and got into reloading . . . and acquired more autos and more revolvers. Although I like 'em all and shot them all well, I discovered I shot my revolvers best. A few years ago I simplified my meager "collection" . . . and almost all of them have a specific need/purpose, except for a nice M27-2 acquired recently.

These days, all my autos typically reside in my safe . . . as I finally went back to my "true love" . . . S&W revolvers for self defense needs 2-3 years ago. It was during this transition that I finally bought my FIRST (but not only) J-frame and discovered how wonderful they are for CCW use.

- Today, a nice '71 Model 37 resides in my front pocket in an Uncle Mike's #3 . . . and my chopped (3 1/4") barrel 25-2 in .45ACP serves as my main "big gun," at home and on the road.

- If the 25-2 is a little "big" for a specific situation, I may switch to either a 3" Model 65 or a 2 1/2" Model 19 . . . or a steel framed Model 36.

I've never felt better armed for ME.

 

[Bat Guano]

Been a bit laid up so the 442 gets the nod a lot. About the only time it gets set aside is when I'm in bed or in the shower. The only thing more faithful is a good dog...

I don't shoot the 1911s as much anymore, and years of carrying a Ruger "Six" DA .357 have made those habitual to me. Have "a few" Ruger and S&W medium frame DA guns. I like Ruger SAs, and Smith Ns. Have owned a few newfangled black semiautos, don't like them. I'm more into the "KISS" mode.

 

[G.T. Smith]

gun habit changes

I think my gun habits have changed right along with the condition of our society. When I was young, 50 or so years ago, I only had firearms to hunt wild game. I still have those guns but I look at them differently now. A .357 magnum that was in it's case, unloaded for years (except for the occasional practice shooting and cleaning) is now fully loaded and readily accessible . Shotguns that used to be in the back of the closet till deer or rabbit season are now loaded with 00buckshot. Just a sign of the times. even my old .22 lr rifle is, in my way of thinking, probably the best survival tool I own. Don't sell your guns. I would hate to be shot with a gun I once owned
peace,
gordon

 

[scoutsdad]

I never had any use for semi-automatic weapons, like I never thought I would get a computer. My last two purchases were semi rifles, I always thought my lever action in .357 and M-66 would be my SHTF guns. It is getting scarier than I thought.

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, my gun habits have changed many times, and I'm sure they'll change again--probably many times. Other than a few heirlooms and a small "core" battery, everything else changes according to my interests, finances, and plain old whim. [shrug]

One definite long-term trend is that I'm gravitating toward fewer guns, but of higher quality.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[pharmer]

Back in NJ I started out with "throwaways". Iver Johnson "Super Sealed 8", then a Targa .25. It is very illegal to carry there unless you are a crook or a cop. Got a Model 19 as an I&A Police officer, kept it until I moved to Fla. Carried a 66 from '80-88 when I got my permit. carried a 3" nickel 13 for 5 years, then a 3" 65 for a short time. Been carrying a 6906 since '94, that gun has good "juju." Unless it breaks, I see no need to change (although I have an HK USPc .45 in stainless that wants to go out with me. Much as it cost, I ain't risking the evidence locker for it). Joe