Are We A Dying Breed?

[barbara_em]

As a high school teacher, I rarely yet sometimes discuss guns with a student. (If my local school board ever discovers me, I'm in deep doo-doo.) The talk is almost always Glock because that's what they see on the tube.
And although I sometimes shoot with my school police officers (mostly less than my 57 years and ex-military) and they love my 2nd and 3rd Generation S&Ws, not a one would trade the Glock/XD/M&P for, say, a 5906 or a 915.
We have a new guy in my department, nice kid, a captain in the National Guard, and except for a Kimber .45, he won't touch a hammer fired metal pistol. When I told him about a recently acquired 469, he sneered and said he'd never own a Smith. I pointed out the gun was older than he (he's 34), he seemed amazed that it actually existed and that there was anyone on the planet who would actually want to carry such a piece.
Finally, I have a nephew by marriage (41 yo) who's into long guns for hunting, although he has a Glock for house defense. He would consider nothing else.
Yes, I know the evidence is all anecdotal. It's the evidence I have, though. I face the sad conclusion that my hobby and preferences for metal TDA is going out of favor. My cherished pistols will, when I'm gone, be left to unappreciative (if nice) inheritors. I'm afraid even the 85 year old Colt's Woodsman that my grandfather owned won't matter to whomever gets it. When I'm gone, I won't care. For now, it pains me.

 

[antilamr]

I think people tend to want what they see, what they are shown.



Same with firearms. People buy what the manufacturers show them.

Show them striker fired plastic guns. They buy them.

"Hammer? What's a hammer? You don't need a hammer to fire a gun. You just need a trigger."

And I noticed as of late, I'm seeing more and more rifles that come without sights. You have to mount a scope or red dot sights on them.

This is all wonderful for the manufacturers. They crank out cheaper for them to make, inferior firearms and ill educated (at least as far as guns go) consumers snap them up as the "latest thing."

Idiots.

Is it greed on the manufactures part or are they just trying to keep their boat afloat? Lower price point expands the market of potential customers.(younger crowd struggling with finances as mentioned in previous posts) Also competition from over seas pushing price down?

 

[joeintexas]

I agree that a lot of gun purchases are price driven. I have to admit I have more than a few plastics. I shoot them. That's what they're made for and they do it well. Lots of rounds and not a lot of money. My steel guns also get shot but they also get admired for the quality they represent. Show me a 1911 and I start to drool. It's true each generation has their own pleasures, imagine what our forefathers said when the next generation went away from black powder! Young whippersnappers!!

 

[BAM-BAM]

I think people tend to want what they see, what they are shown.



Same with firearms. People buy what the manufacturers show them.

Show them striker fired plastic guns. They buy them.

"


They crank out cheaper for them to make, inferior firearms and ill educated (at least as far as guns go) consumers snap them up as the "latest thing."

Idiots.

Not the Manufactures it's what people see on TV and in the Movies that tell them what they want:

Model 29........... Dirty Harry

Browning High Power....... Serpico

Beretta 92 ........... Die Hard and Lethal Weapon

Bren 10/ S&W 4506........ Miami Vice

Walther PPK ......... Dr No and "Bond; James Bond"

Sig 229....... NCIS

Colt Python........ The Walking Dead....... revived interest from the "masses" in this out of production REVOLVER!!!!!

Glock....... every other movie made since 1990


Not to mention what they see in local cops holsters:

It use to be the Model 10,19,66 then Model 5906s and sad to say Glocks.

 

[OttoLoader]

Collecting and shooting will stay around.
But who does what may not necessarily be determined by age.
For example here is my experience.
I am in my early 60s and even in my 20s was interested in shooting not collecting.
I used pump shotguns for hunting and s&w revolvers for sport.
Real nice guns such as registered magnums was appreciated but way out of my budget. I certainly wouldn't have shot one.
S&W semis were cool but more of a duty or defense use and not my main interest for ownership.
I did shoot alot of types of handguns and rifles, owned by friends and relatives but I only had a couple of hunting guns.
In my 50s I bought a 686-6 and 60-14 for field and cc. I chose the current production due to S&W factory support and new alloy frame and barrel.
Older ones from the 70s would be nice, but too nice to shoot. And I shoot what I own.
I am pretty sure there will be intrest in collecting and in shooting in years to come.
Yet maybe some like me will concentrate on one or the other.
Some will do both.

 

[Barrie]

AS a person in my early 70's I see rapid growth in the shooting sports Associations. I am the Head of the Blacl Powder group at my club and a director as well. WE have had around 250 members join my club in the last few months alone. WE currently have around 950 members on paid membership. Many new shooters are women which we do need more of. I am also one of around 40 Range Officers annointed earlier this year.

 

[antilamr]

AS a person in my early 70's I see rapid growth in the shooting sports Associations. I am the Head of the Blacl Powder group at my club and a director as well. WE have had around 250 members join my club in the last few months alone. WE currently have around 950 members on paid membership. Many new shooters are women which we do need more of. I am also one of around 40 Range Officers annointed earlier this year.

Barrie,
Thanks for your input from our neighbors to the North. Are all those new members joining due to a up tick in the interest of Black Powder rifles/firearms or are they also involved in newer types as well? Just wondering if it's easier to belong to a "Black Powder" club since they're not as useful in committing a crime from the governments view point. (not trying to go political here) I know that it's really hard to own a gun up there vs down here.

 

[Barrie]

Most of the new shooters men and women alike are joining our pistol section it seems. I am getting a few new members in the Black Powder group but not as many as the pistol groups at all. Archery is also another big thing at our club as we have a wood's walk and a Measured archery field for them also.We cater to Trap,5 stand, and skeet as well as two pistol ranges. One with 20 stations which is covered and a 15-20 yard station which is sepperate to the main pistol Range. Then we have a Black Powder range sepperate again. Also have a Cowboy action range and some IPSIG ranges. WE have No mortgage on our property at all and money in the bank as well.

 

[kbm6893]

Can anybody here ever imagine passing down a plastic gun to an heir? Plastic Guns work but they are disposable and have no pride in ownership. My two kids are still young and they are far more drawn to one of my older revolvers or hammer fired semi autos. I have three plastic guns and they aren't impressed with them at all.

Which is why a nice used Model 10 will sell for more than a new plastic gun.

As for those people who sneer at an older model weapon, that's just ignorant. The projectile launched from that 5906 into their target won't be any different than the one from the baby poop brown Glock 19X. And the target will be just as dead.

 

[Practical]

Hobbies go in cycles. I think you are right collectibles go in cycles some guns will be collectible and timeless but most are tied to eras of culture. Personally I have no interest in guns that are not easy to shoot for me and easy to maintain. I own one polymer handgun but it is my favorite carry and self defense gun. I like revolvers and frankly I like the prelock MIM revolvers best because that is the era I came of age. I think most old accumulators are going to be giving your guns away I have already seen one 90 year old gun hoarder sell it getting little except for a few items.

 

[Practical]

The only reason a model 10 costs more is utility it is more likely to work with benign neglect while used polymer glock might be modified or heavily used police model plus inflation has propped up some values if gun control makes it harder to sell your guns their value will collapse. we are already seeing this as assault weapons market is shrinking and supply exceeds demand. Finally why by a third generation smith if you can't repair it or replace parts. 2ND generation smith autos are worse yet.

 

[Practical]

It's not that young people don't shoot revolvers or whatever else you're into. Mostly, they just don't want to shoot with you.

I don't see very many revolvers for sale or for rent in my life experience. I my local market polymer rules.

 

[Ktmken]

I keep a plastic gun in my bedroom safe. At 35 I much prefer more wood grips and blued steel. So typically I'm buying either a revolver, or my ultimate weakness, another 1911.

 

[kbm6893]

The only reason a model 10 costs more is utility it is more likely to work with benign neglect while used polymer glock might be modified or heavily used police model plus inflation has propped up some values if gun control makes it harder to sell your guns their value will collapse. we are already seeing this as assault weapons market is shrinking and supply exceeds demand. Finally why by a third generation smith if you can't repair it or replace parts. 2ND generation smith autos are worse yet.

3rd gen guns generally don't require a lot of repairs. Other than new recoil springs bought "just because" I've never had to repair any of mine. 5946's are still being carried by NYPD cops for the last 25 years. New ones are t authorized anymore but the ones grandfathered in are still trucking along. Even original mag springs.

 

[Russian Bot]

Well, 22 next month and only own polymer framed guns...
Not that I'm averse to metal: seriously considering a Hudson H9.

 

[robvious]

at 52 I am on the edge age wise... spent my childhood shagging brass at the IPSC range for my father and his friends... happy when they let me shoot a steel challenge side match once a year.... I raised my son the same way and now at 20 my son is waiting in the wings ready to go... the key to the next gen of owner is to take a kid shooting... pretty simple and a great deal of fun too... just make the next generation one of shooters... it will take care of itself... that or my son will end up with all your guns...lol

 

[antilamr]

I raised my son the same way and now at 20 my son is waiting in the wings ready to go... the key to the next gen of owner is to take a kid shooting... pretty simple and a great deal of fun too... just make the next generation one of shooters...

My grandson turns 6 this November and I'll be getting him a Daisy BB rifle so he can target shoot with his MEMA & PAPA on our 5 acres. When he turns of age he'll be going to the range with us God permitting.

 

[Laketime]

I'm 56 yrs old, and started buying Smith & Wesson's when I turned 21.At that time revolvers and 1911's , wood and steal was everywhere and affordable.By the time I was 26 the used gun market was flooded with used revolvers and 1911's that were traded in for the wonder nines by the older crowd. Glock became popular because they held the most ammo.It was my generation elders who led the way for the manufacturers to concentrate on producing model after model of DA 9mm and soon after 40 cal semi autos.Plastic offerings by all came shortly afterward.And here we are in present day wondering if what we once had was a dying interest to the current and future generation.At 26 yrs old the older guys would look at me oddly because I was looking at all the used revolvers, which by the way all wore Goodyear's because the older guys who traded them in had tossed the factory stocks since no one serious would dare shoot a revolver without ergonomic grips on it.So today when we walk into a gun shop all we see is black, tan, grey and pink guns.No one really makes what we once had to give this generation a chance at trying them out.I don't blame this generation for how things are today. I rest that on the 65 yr old and up group that cut the path for this in the mid 1980's.

 

[ladder13]

...............

The projectile launched from that 5906 into their target won't be any different than the one from the baby poop brown Glock 19X. And the target will be just as dead.

Exactly, and vice versa, been saying that for years.

 

[BigBoy99]

Not to change the subject but the current generation is not interested in ANYTHING antique. My mother had a large antique glass collection which I inherited upon her passing. I've been trying to sell it off. There is just no interest. Items she paid $40 for, I can't even get any interest at $5! I rented a booth at an antique mall and put "give away" prices ($10 or less) on them. I didn't sell enough to pay for the rental of the booth space in the antique mall.

 

[wproct]

I hope this doesn't stray too far off topic, but here goes. I spent over 30 years of my life working for a manufacturing based company, and this is an estimate, but I would guess when I started in 1973 probably roughly 40 percent of the men working there either hunted or participated in shooting sports. By the time I retired in 2006 i would guess that percentage of shooters probably dropped by at least half if not more. The younger generation just didn't seem to have the interest that was present back then. I know that this comment wasn't specific to handguns, but the overall decline in interest of a shooting sport applies. Just throwing this into the conversation.

 

[antilamr]

By the time I retired in 2006 i would guess that percentage of shooters probably dropped by at least half if not more. The younger generation just didn't seem to have the interest that was present back then. I know that this comment wasn't specific to handguns, but the overall decline in interest of a shooting sport applies.

I'm wondering if the change was due to the younger generation being influenced /distracted by the new technology/information based society and being less interested in shooting sports/life style or maybe the 70's was a more antiquated type life style (according to Hollywood & the media). With Americans habits going more toward convenience/fast foods the need or desire to hunt was diminished? Just pulling this from out of my a_s since I don't really know. A lot of lifestyle changes have come at a break neck speed since then (at least in my life time).

 

[Wise_A]

They're shooting. They're just not shooting with the guys who mock "plastic pistols".

 

[Wise_A]

Like I said, they're shooting. They're just not shooting with you. Why would they want to?

 

[huntandfishguy63]

I'm a revolver guy, always have been. But somehow I sure ended up with quite a few semi auto's. But now as I get older I find my interest more focused on revolvers, mainly Smith & Wesson. It still makes me a little sad when I go to the big gun shows in Houston. About all there is to see is tables of black plastic.

 

[tim c]

Maybe I'm just old fashion or just old but plastic is not for me

 

[Mrnurse]

We are all getting older and things are changing...its a fact of life. Wheel guns are not as sought after as before.... I collected ww2 Weapons and Winchester arms.... folks not that interested in those things today... now its plastic. and price point for most shooters. I have a Collection of LLadro Figurines some direct from Spain...Beautiful Craftsmanship.... my kids ( 27 yo twins) can care less.... Hand made quality has been replaced with 1's ans 0's, High tech ****. I dont like it or Understand it.

 

[tipoc]

I did not know what a Lladro figurine was had to look them up. Thanks for mentioning them. Selling well on EBay. They are pricey at Macy's and Neinum Marcus.

tipoc

 

[mauiblue]

I love classic, iconic firearms. Too bad I can't afford them. I was fortunate to able able to inherit a Colt Python revolver and two Armalite AR-180 rifles about a year ago. I don't see these firearms much at the local range and the one's that are in the know comes and flock by my table when I shoot them.

There will always be interest in classic and iconic firearms and even guns that are rare or out of production. I love Glock pistols but I enjoy steel guns even more.

 

[antilamr]

I'm 22 and about to get my 686+ that I got in a trade for a red dot. I use to shoot Cowboy Action when I was younger but fell out of that due to work, so I do appreciate the old stuff. I also have an old police Model 10 that is well loved and used. Overall, I really am a firearms enthusiast and enjoy all firearms, from muzzle loaders to my everyday carry Glock 19 that has a RMR, KKM bbl and comp, and X300U.
I think a lot of posters have already hit the mark as to why you're not seeing older guns in the hands of younger folks, the guns themselves were produced so long ago, spare parts are getting harder to find, and the rising cost due to appreciation. Like one poster said, he bought them new, or not too old, when he purchased them. Much like old Model A's or T's, while the decades go buy they'll be horded up or scraped as they reach their rusted end, people who don't know their worth do whatever with them, or enter another large collection of someone who does know their worth.
I suppose you could correlate the trend of older folks and their collections or pieces much like their homeowner status. Younger ones are in the cities due to college or their job and are currently facing high-rent, low-paying (probably janky Amazon or Star*ucks jobs) jobs, and disproportionately higher home prices. With lower prices, even with inflation, of homes and firearms, they were acquired back then and are still being held onto, or sold for good profit. I know one old guy who passed and had around 60 benchrest guns, unfortunately I never found out what big firm or store bought all of them from the dimwit son.
I would say that overall, a move towards newer technology such as polymer and autoloaders has given the sheer might of industrial production to the Glocks and ARs of the world. There's quite a few of my peer shooting buddies who all have old guns, from Belgian Auto-5's to Mauser C96's, and they love and cherrish them just as much.

At 22 you give great insight and make me believe that there will be others to carry on the torch when us "old" guys are gone. You and other younger "collectors" will be better positioned later in your life to hopefully keep our "dying breed" alive. I appreciate that this post was your first posting in the S&W forums. I must have hit a chord.