Shooting Less & Enjoying it Less

[Frizzman]

I was going to the shooting club that I belong to with a friend yesterday for a bit of range play. On the way I stopped in my favorite gun shop. The supply of guns was adequate but the ammo department was very depleted. There was no 9mm or .38 spl and very little of anything else in the way of handgun ammo. The reloading section had perhaps 5 or six can of assorted powders. The store manager had no idea when the stock would be replaced. We decided now to use the ammo we have and just went and had a nice lunch and skipped the range session. It was rather depressing.
I have been a shooter, hunter and reloader for most of my long life. I shoot BP guns of all types and was a LEO and competitive shooter. Now I feel a bit disgusted with it all. This lack of ammo and supplies for reloading has become silly. The panic and hoarding going on is dumb. It just makes it bad for us all. It really decreases my interest in shooting right now.
I will continue to shoot BP guns and go back to shooting BP cartridge rifles if I can continue to get primers. The ammo I have now is too hard to replace so I will just sit on it. This makes me think that at my age perhaps I should get rid of much of what I have and put the money into some other hobby. I wouldn't mind a new motorcycle or fishing boat.

 

[Papaw]

I stopped at a pawnshop today to look around and they had lots of handgun ammo on the shelves...they said they just got it in today and are expecting rifle ammo Monday. Since I reload I didn't buy any but maybe the tide is turning. Primers are still very hard to find around here and that shop doesn't sell reloading supplies.

 

[beemerrider]

Consider "Snap Caps" for a few of your favorites and practice at home by dry-firing. You will have the fun of handling your guns and improving your skills, making your live-fire sessions a lot more fun.

This too shall end and probably alot sooner if everybody quits trying to hoard every loaded round or loading components they can sniff out at whatever price. Chill guys!

 

[wbraswell]

Start to push your limits. Shoot at longer ranges. Like it was said above, shoot a bolt gun instead of an AR or AK. Improve your aim by semi serious paper punching. Take every shot more carefully, more seriously. With the expense and availability, ammo is more precious today, so treat it that way.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Actually, I am shooting a bit more than I have in the past couple of years.

I am shooting my muzzleloaders more frequently simply for the fact I now am enjoying it more, and have friends that shoot them also.

It also makes me concentrate more on accuracy than speed of shooting.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Originally posted by Wheelgunner840:
I wouldn't reload for anyone else. I know that there are many people that do, but the way I see it, is that I may make a mistake. I haven't made a mistake in any of the 10s of thousands of rounds I have reloaded over the years, but if I blow up a gun, I don't want it to be someone elses.

I have been asked to reload for others, and I always politely refuse. Likewise, I won't shoot anyone elses reloads in my guns.

Worth repeating. NOT just WG240's opinion.

 

[animalmother]

I too have reduced the amount I shoot. Back in the 90s and up to about 2003, I would almost always shoot 700-900 rounds per range visit. I'd bring 3 guns and shoot 4-6 boxes per gun. Now, I bring one or two handguns (the second is almost always a 22) and shoot 300-400 rounds total. I now shoot 1/2 of what I use to.

 

[pharmer]

I've cut back on shooting for sure. Less than 1k centerfire and 5k rimfire a year. Haven't fired a 12 ga in quite some time.
There's a reason the military standardizes calibers. In the last couple years I am down to 2 rifle, 1 shotgun, 4 handgun and .22 lr cals. Can't eliminate any further, my lone .44mag just makes me grin too much. Joe

 

[Polar Boy]

Component availability (or more accurately the lack of)sure has me in a funk. I have some ammo ready to go of course, but I resist taking to the range for practice use. I'm hoarding it for match use instead. Of course, if I don't practice then I perform poorly on match day so... Guess it's just vicious cycle.

I've often wished I knew just how much longer I was going to live so that I could be more precise with calculating my ammo needs. But for now the only answer I can come up with when I ask myself how much ammo while I need is "MORE".

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I have pretty much become a 22 shooter in the last few years. Catching up on what I missedd-didn't have one as a kid. Finally got .22 conversion units for my Browning HP and Colt Government Model-wish I'd gotten them 30 years ago. When I fire a centerfire rifle or handgun I find the practice with the 22 pays off. And it's easier on the shoulders and ears at the indoor ranges I frequent. I sort of drifted away from reloading-I did a lot of CW and Rev War reenacting in the 1990s, that involved reloading of sorts but no worries about accuracy. I look at shooting the same way I do eating-if you get your fill and it tastes good, that's all that matters.