Average age here

[oldman45]

Anyone have an idea as to the average age of the members here?

I get the idea that the avg age will be well under 40.

I have also noticed the younger the shooter, the more prone to owning a black plastic gun. The older the shooter, the more prone to owning a more conservative traditional gun.

Since I am 65, most of my guns are the traditional designs of old. While owning a few of the standard ugly black guns, I am not one to be on a range shooting some tactical weapon simply for impressions. I was at a range yesterday and noticed what those there (about 15 people) were shooting. The young were shooting Glocks, the older were shooting stainless steel or blued revolvers with a couple exceptions.

Some of the young lawyers I work with do not know the quality features of the older shotguns like the Browning Auto 5 that was made in Belgium and in fact, never heard of them. However they know all about the new scatterguns out there that cost as much as a late model used car.

Do you think age has an effect on the type gun a person buys?

 

[Combat]

YES, with "old age" comes wisdom. Youth has a lot of ignorance because of inexperience. But that can be overcome with time and guidance from "old folks".

 

[LTC]

I'm 64 and will not be lured to the dark side. I probably have an equal number of semi-autos and revolvers, but they are all made of metal.

You can not beat the alure of a finely polished & blued S&W revolver. I am adding another one to the collection this week.

LTC

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

I am in my 60's and still have a love affair with blued Model 1911, Smith J, K, & N frames, Triple-Locks, Register Mags, Colt SAA, Pythons, etc

 

[Smith357]

My wife keeps telling me I'm a 12 year old. You don't ever want to tell her she's wrong. So I'm not 50, I'm 12.

This 12 year old likes old blue steel and walnut on his guns, I don't like do plastic on any firearms, unless it's old school Bakelite grips.

 

[gregintenn]

I'm 37, and although I dislike plastic guns, my Ruger LCP sure rides nicely in my front pocket. It's my only plastic gun.

 

[Engineer1911]

Tupperware

My 3 evil black rifles each have black anodized aluminum hand guards. Stainless steel or blued steel handguns don't have no tupperware, except maybe the grips.

The social security check still arrives on the third Wednesday, but I ain't old. I'm not new either.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

I'm 67 and all my handguns are revolvers dating to the 60's and early 70's, with the exception of a recent 640-1(NL). When I shoot my friends Glock it feels like the toy gun I had as a kid. I can shoot it well, it's reliable and functional, but still......many of the young people I see on the range have never held a revolver, let alone shot one. But that's OK. Times change, as does technology. If I were a new LEO I'd want a pistol with as many rounds as I could carry (back when, we had 6 in the revolver and 12 on the belt, now they can carry 3X than many). I wonder if, 40 years from now, will people hold their Glocks and feel the same way we do about our revolvers? Or are our guns becoming like computers, something to use and discard as they get old and "outdated"?

 

[NFrameFred]

"Past 55" is as close as I'll commit

A lot of grist for several rabbit trail discussions on this topic; for instance, the current thread on "So Much Negativity".

Now, I've lived long enough to know for a fact and witness first hand many times over that some folks never outgrow enjoying being an Alpha Hotel . . . but >hopefully< most people outgrow prickly anti-social tendencies as they grow older or at least learn to suppress them, common sense notwithstanding, a by-product of age usually being wisdom - if for no other reason the cruel vagaries of experience.

I note with amusement that there seems to be an abundance of folks that feel compelled to contribute to the "comments" sections of the on-line news blurbs out there such as "Yahoo News". For the most part it's a free-for-all and apparently very lightly (if at all) moderated. Some of the most baiting, asinine, juvenile, ignorant comments can be seen in response to most any article, but you can imagine the crescendo that takes place when it gets political or hits on some other hot topic. And I believe I would be safe in assuming that a great majority of the posters are younger people judging by the attitudes, language and content of the comments.

Thus I really found it ironic this morning when I scanned a story about a young man who died near Lake Tahoe performing "extreme skiing stunts" to the tune of doing a back flip off a 40 foot cliff. Apparently, he was somewhat of a celebrity to many of the younger folks. As could be predicted, in the "comments" section there were a few indelicate observations about the wisdom of such undertakings, speculating about the intelligence of such individuals who engage in these "sports". The explosive vitriol and reaction from the younger crowd was immediate and predictably vicious, attacking anyone who disagreed with their view of this "hero" as "old, ancient, out-of-touch" . . . you get the picture. Thus I found it ironic that when gored by their own ox, so to speak, they can't take it very well. They feel well qualified to comment on "adult" things in any news story, political or otherwise, spouting off about things which they have no real experience or understanding of; but when the shoe is on the other foot . . .

When I was a teen in the 60's (that's 1960's for those tempted to comment) there was much made of a "generation gap". I don't think much has changed. When I was that age I was sure I knew more than I was given credit for - most of the time I now see I was wrong in my certainty. In fact, the older I get, the less I'm sure I know.

I figure the average age on this board is a little older, if for no other reason the average internet surfer of a younger age is very likely to become quickly bored here, since his colorful language and immature behavior is not allowed by moderation and those types are rarely responsible enough to have any real knowledge or ownership of firearms, especially something as arcane and old fashioned as revolvers.

The "younger" crowd we do have here is no doubt comprised of many who are of the military or police services and thus have already set themselves apart from the average person of their age and maturity.

Being adamant and set in your ways from being curmudgeonly (i.e. - *^%&& IL ! *@%%## plastic guns !) is just as bad as the opposite, spouting off and denigrating from the impudence of youth those with more knowledge and experience .

I appreciate the opportunity to come here to learn from the "ancient ones" since there's really nothing new under the sun and it's easier to tread an established well worn path than bust your way through the brush on the side of the hill . . . .

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

I am 54 and I like the lure of a finely blued or stainless handgun, but the last three I purchased were SW99's. I agree.......us older farts like the classics, and the younger generationhave no idea what they are missing out on.

 

[deanodog]

I am 72+ and I do not like plastic or striker fired guns.

 

[Iggy]

I was camped on the "Greasy Grass" when Custer and Sittin' Bull had that there squabble, and I durn near went over to complain about the noise.
I ain't at all convinced them new caplocks will ever catch on.

I like the old wood and steel guns. I don't have anything against the newer models, but I don't own any of them.
I'm 67

 

[mg357]

im 25 almost 26 and i only own 2 revolvers at the present time a s&w model 36 made in 1972 and a colt official police made in 1957. i would also like to say it will be a cold day in heck when i own a plastic gun!

 

[NFrameFred]

I was camped on the "Greasy Grass" when Custer and Sittin' Bull had that there squabble, and I durn near went over to complain about the noise.
I ain't at all convinced them new caplocks will ever catch on.

Iggy, it would have been worth it to get Sitting Bull's autograph . . . .

 

[Joe Kent]

I am 61 and to be quite honest, while I like and collect steel and wood guns of all types I also like many of the new evil black guns as well as plastic pistols,however, there is just no "pride of ownership" attached to many of them. I appreciate what can be done with them the same way that I like Craftsman Hammers, but if you visit my gun room I won't be dragging one out to show you. AS far as age goes ,all that we see both the military and police using are "new" style firearms so it stands to reason that young people will want what they see much the same as us older guys did. I know I couldn't wait to get an M1 Rifle and an M1 Carbine as well as a Blue Steel S&W Revolver and 45 Gov't. We truly are shaped by what we see and read about.

 

[JohnnieB]

.........Do you think age has an effect on the type gun a person buys?

Personally, I believe age equates to experience and the lack of experience adversely affects those lacking it.
Unfortunately, the actions of those lacking experience often adversely effects those of us having it.

I once justified my reasoning for hiring a guy that received his BMET training in the military and had 5 years of experience over a guy fresh out of college with a BSEE by stating the college grad lacked "the expensive errors in judgment known as experience". From that point on, HR didn't try to dictate my selection criteria or process.

If more than 30 characters were allowed, my sig line would read: "Age and Treachery will always overcome Youth and Skill"

I just turned 68, so other than stocks or grips, all my guns are all metal of some type or other, mostly ferrous.

I must confess though, I used to own a XD-45 and PT-24/7, but I gave those to my daughter. Not because they were plastic, rather because they were bottom feeders and I can no longer rack the slides reliably, or at least not quickly and/or safely enough for HD/SD.

Bottom line: I think plastic guns have their place and purpose, but none meet my purpose, so none are at my place.

 

[tripledipper]

Started this hobby later in life than most (like Jack Benny, have celebrated many 39th birthdays) first shooting a Model 10 and my left thumb also gets in the way when using semi's, so 10 or 11 revolvers later, all but one not a Smith, I am pretty much set in my ways.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Plastic, wood and steel... Revolver, bolt and auto... Blonde, brunette and redhead.... 52 and not limiting my 'experiences' due to old age

 

[Combat_Diver]

I'm 45 and tactical minded given my profession but love Old West guns, WWI, & WWII. Only have one engraved Glock and that was given to me by my oldest son last year when we were both home on leave from down range (he got my 29-2). While I'm issued both a M9 and M4A1, I still manage to carry a M1911A1, National Match M14 and a M79 (did also mount a M1919A6 on my Humvee but .30 M2 linked is hard to come by now)

CD

 

[deadin]

69 here and, IIRC, we did a poll a couple of years ago and unless the demographic has changed drastically, the average age was in the late 40's, early 50's.
(There's a lot of us "old" goats to offset the young pups.)