Bad Habits -- Gun Buying Trends

[bluealtered]

There is one bad habit that I have not been able to shake since I started shooting back in 1964. It's a very easy one to fall into when you just start shooting but most people soon learn to over come it and move on to other bad habits that come along with learning to shoot.
I have always thought that I could take a piece of junk firearm and make it shoot like a good firearm. Now I have been able to do that with some guns but probably not enough to justify having spent all the untold dollars that I soon learned not to count simply because a rational person would not have started in the first place.

I will throw one more in here as well, I have never been able to not buy firearms just because i just wanted to shoot it. No not buy it because it was worth keeping, just because I wanted to shoot it. When i was younger this lead to many second jobs to pay for that few minutes of learning that no, I really didn't want to keep it, just to run a box of ammo threw it.

Ok, I fessed up what about you?

 

[jelenko]

Hmm. That sounds like a 'passion' - sort of like a hobby. Hobbies do tend to consume $'s.
For some, it's rewarding to fix up something to make it perform better

 

[paperpuncher]

I have fallen into the trap more than once... as they say with age comes wisdom. I finally figured out some turds are best left unpolished. Now if I can just get my son to take my word for it LOL

 

[Spook]

.... in my circle of acquaintances I'm known as "The Patron Saint of Lost Causes".

 

[Liven The Dream]

Bad Habits ! I Shoot High Power ,F/Class ?
I always say there is a Bag of Bad Habits in my Shooting Box. I just never know when one will jump out ?

As for Rifles or Pistols , I have had a great deal of them. I never fall in Love with them .
I was in a Hunting Camp Years ago , this Guy fell in Love with my Custom .270. He went on and on how he want one like it ! I got to the point I said " why have a copy you can have the Original ".
He wrote a nice check .

Boy I wish I had some of those Rifles today

 

[JLT]

.... in my circle of acquaintances I'm known as "The Patron Saint of Lost Causes".

Spook, aka St. Jude . . .

I have a few lost causes in the safe, too. "I confess to Almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters..."

 

[joshb]

My father had a collection. My Grandfather had a collection. I’m just keeping up the family tradition.
I like to buy interesting guns and guns with history. I like to build guns.
I have guns I haven’t shot and don’t plan to. Some people collect art, some collect cars. Whatever makes you happy. I don’t feel guilty about it.
I have one Browning X bolt that won’t shoot. It’s my challenge gun. I keep thinking someday I’ll figure out what load it likes!

 

[DangerRanger]

I’ve yet to own the same handgun for 2 years.

I always want to get into them but they are so boring to shoot to me, and I end up selling/trading them away for either a rifle or a handgun I might actually love

 

[hogpatrol]

After an eleven month wait for what turned out to be a tomato stake chamber job from a well known barrel company, I started chambering and building my own rifles. I lost track of how many but it usually starts with a thread in these forums. The enablers on here have no mercy.

 

[std7mag]

I only have 2 "rifles" i don't shoot.
But i bought them, fully intending NOT to shoot them.

All my other rifles and handguns i shoot as often as time and components allow.

 

[std7mag]

After an eleven month wait for what turned out to be a tomato stake chamber job from a well known barrel company, I started chambering and building my own rifles. I lost track of how many but it usually starts with a thread in these forums. The enablers on here have no mercy. View attachment 1302828

Which cartridge do you need next?
Maybe we can help.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

We all have bad habits when it comes to shooting and guns. For me, it's the next rifle. Lately I have built or had built new refiles and as soon as I get one. I start thinking about the next build. I don't hunt and I don't shoot competitively but the urge for something new and different while chasing the one hole rabbit, seems to entice me on something new.

For many years I lived a pleasant life being satisfied with a few good rifles and mediocre loading equipment and I simply had fun with my neighbor and a few friends at the range. We would get together shoot the breeze, drink coffee and enjoy life. Then the neighbor came over one day excited and started talking about building an AR 15. Next thing I bought the jig and a few 80% lower receivers. Really this was a fun project and I have to admit I had a ball shooting them. A newer better jig was developed and of course I had to have one. The new jig was also capable of turning out AR 10s. Built several of them also. My children and grandchildren had to have them and I watched them build their own which was even more fun to me. I lost interest in the AR and they sit in my gun room along with tons of ammo. Shoot them two or three times a year now. What will I do with all that ammo and range brass.

Then there is the next great piece of loading equipment. Don't forget the newest way to clean your brass. I have them all. I have four loading presses. Why, I don't know. The RCBS Rockchucker is still my go to press.

Sad story about all of this is, that you don't get to drive the car before you buy it. Too many rear bags and way to many front rests. Should have bought the Seb in the first place and just been done with it. Great rest and a piece of art.

Big question, what will my next build be? Onward we march.

 

[Nealm66]

My brother buys inexpensive over the counter rifles and expects me to make them shoot extremely well. I’ve asked him, why don’t you spend the extra money and get a nice custom ?( he can definitely afford it) He answered, what’s the fun in that. I’ve got a few other friends that hand me they’re rifles and I get to make them shoot good. My one friend says “ you know you can charge money for this “ I said,” I can’t believe people charge money to do this “ lol

 

[PigButtons]

I don't hunt, don't compete, only shoot at my home range. But I still want every rifle I own to shoot 1/4 MOA @ 100. Many do, but to what purpose, it just makes me happy. If it wasn't for shooting and hand loading, I would more than likely be doing something really use____ . You fill in the blanks.

 

[Adam in WI]

Every rifle in my possession with the exception of my grandfather's, I've owned less than two years. I've been hunting every year since I was twelve. In 22 years, I've never killed deer with the same gun two years in a row.

In nine months I can go from finding an interesting rifle, to killing the biggest deer I've ever got with it, to "wonder what I can get for this one".

Sentimentality is a bug I am apparently immune to.

 

[JSH]

I bought a lot of “project” guns in years past. With the market being a sellers market I sold a majority of them for way more than I paid and more than their actual worth. Reinvested those funds into good rigs already to go. Also sold a bunch of glass, did up grades there as well.
Have all but three with loads they like.

One stupid project I want to get done is a sporterized Enfield rebarreled to 375JDJ, why I don’t know just cool factor and no one else has one.

My mad money for another action went to a Winchester high wall in of all things a 6mm/30-30AI. This was shortly after I swore I would not fool with any more wildcats. :-o

 

[KMart]

My brother buys inexpensive over the counter rifles and expects me to make them shoot extremely well. I’ve asked him, why don’t you spend the extra money and get a nice custom ?( he can definitely afford it) He answered, what’s the fun in that. I’ve got a few other friends that hand me they’re rifles and I get to make them shoot good. My one friend says “ you know you can charge money for this “ I said,” I can’t believe people charge money to do this “ lol

I see that we have the same kind of friends. I call them "alleged" friends. I really get popular a week before hunt time. They got a new scope for their birthday in June and just never got around to mounting it. And, by the way, can you load for a 243? I can't find any ammo either.

 

[Danoh]

Preachin' to the choir in my case.

 

[SEM]

What sucks is trying to justify selling the turd your stuck with, Only to stick some poor unsuspecting dummy with it. So my collection has grown.

Dummy

 

[sdean]

After an eleven month wait for what turned out to be a tomato stake chamber job from a well known barrel company, I started chambering and building my own rifles. I lost track of how many but it usually starts with a thread in these forums. The enablers on here have no mercy. View attachment 1302828

I know the feeling. They got me looking for 22-204 reamer.