Ever feel disconnected with other shooters ?

[Wolfdog91]

Ever feel a little... " Disconnected" from normal shooters and gun people by being a reloader lol ?
Like .300blk is a prime example. I hear people talk about it and complain about how they want one but ammo is so expensive, and I'm just here like " .300 blk ? Expensive? You can get once fired 5.56 brass for free at the range and you can use any .308 bullet and all ya need to do is.... Heck your not using a ton of powder either ... And geez if you get a few molds and start casting !!!..." Then I realize " o hay they probably don't reload "
That or I'm talking about some weird caliber I want like a .277 wolverine or something and people just look at me like where the hell are you going to buy ammo and I'm confused when their looking confused when I just shrug and say "reload !"
Anyone else tend to find themselves being a tad bit "disconnected" ?

 

[Liven The Dream]

Well ! How about being a F/Open Shooter and using Remington Actions ?
I like your term "Disconnected".

 

[1K6BRA]

Been disconnected for a long time, and I enjoy it. Everybody knows me there.

 

[PopCharlie]

I know what you mean. I've felt it too. Reloading in general, is black magic to most people, even other shooters. I don't talk about reloading with my friends because I get that "deer in the headlights" glazed over look. I do have one friend who reloads, but just for plinking. He is somewhat interested, but refers to my reloading as next level sh!t. This forum is my only resource for kicking around thoughts and ideas.
PopCharlie

 

[Gargoyle]

"Disconnected, table for one!" As I sit looking at the Harbor Freight mini saw, with a new 300 BLK rig in the vice, and all my 1X 5.56 brass and various 30 cal bullets!

 

[joshb]

A lot of men I met aren’t mechanical. They can change a light bulb but that’s about it. It’s sad, but I’ve made a good living building stuff for them, over the years.
I had a nice win, over the summer. My adopted son’s new wife’s son asked me to teach him how to reload. He’s 25 and loves to work on cars, rebuild engines and such. He has a good understanding off displacement (case volume), torque, etc.
He picked it up quickly.

 

[Sandstorm]

Welcome to disconnected...Its right down the road where the sun shines.
Makes me sad to think so many dont have the drive and desire to try something new.
Its what God gave you hands for...I think.

 

[Hino895]

Been reloading for 40 years and I’ve taught several people how to reload over the years.
Some get it some don’t, and the ones I’ve taught are somewhat obsessed.
I think most people don’t trust themselves to reload safely.

 

[DShortt]

I'm in the same boat as many of you are. I enjoy working on firearms more than shooting them and while I know one guy who reloads and casts and one other who shoots PRS I don't know any gunsmiths or even any aspiring gunsmiths. Most established 'smiths online are not particularly helpful if you're asking about anything very complex so I muddle through as best I can.

 

[JFrank]

Been disconnected for a long time, and I enjoy it. Everybody knows me there.

Me too

 

[6.5 forever]

Well.....Yes!
I am a RSO at a long (1000 yard) range. I volunteer on Friday mornings. Most of the shooters we have on that day are retired or obsessed! Sometimes both!

I feel disconnected because they WAY OVERTHINK. OCD OCD OCD.

It is all about better equipment, a new top secret reloading method, secret bullets.....

Just shut up and work on trigger control and reading the wind/mirage.

Who has OCD?....

 

[AccelR8]

Yes, and no. When it comes to reloading in particular, and also many other things related to shooting, it seems I notice an age component. Of course there's exceptions to every rule but in general, there's handful of “regulars” at the range, all older folks, who do reload strive for accuracy, try new cartridges (again in a quest for better accuracy or longer range) and I do connect with them, maybe not on a personal level but at least we have good discussions on reloading and shooting in general. And when the talk descends into politics it seems most of us are on the same page.

On the other hand, I have heard the younger guys talk about reloading in the most disparaging of terms. As if reloading is some cheapskate way to try to-unwisely-save money. I've heard things like “ditch the reloads and BUY some good ammo” and “If I had to shoot reloads I'd take a serious look at my life” (as if you are a low-income loser or one of 'the poors' as they say). This, while they shoot their AR15 on the 50 yard range. A 1,800 dollar AR15 with another 1,000-plus in optics. And not police their brass when they leave (the “reloaders” can have it...hahaha).

Seriously, heard one guy tell another shooter who was having some difficulty “I could buy three of your rifles with what I have in my optic alone.” Hard to feel connected with someone like that. Recently, talking with a guy and he was asking about my rifle and the talk came down to the barrel. He asked where I bought the barrel. I told him it was a blank that I contoured and chambered. He says, “And you think you can do a better job than the factory?” I said yes, absolutely. He laughed and said “Well, good luck with that!”

But, exceptions to every rule...over the years I've met young guys who were really into it so...
but anyway I do like to just do my thing when I go to the range and not socialize too much.

 

[DR_2297]

Disconnected? I shoot from a sling with aperture sights beyond 100 yards… I feel like the lonely old guy sitting in the corner at the coffee shop eating my scrambled eggs with dry white toast and black coffee…

 

[J.d. Popkes]

There’s probably 25 or more reasons that outrank reloading, as to why I’m disconnected from most people. But yeah, it’s usually pretty pointless talking guns with 97% of the public. Thankfully I don’t feel the need to congregate. It’s a choice ya see.

 

[K22]

Absolutely feel disconnected in the sense I don't understand a lot of what I see today in the shooting fraternity but I'm a live and let live kind of guy. But here goes my vent:

1. Don't understand guys at the range shooting 10 to 30 rounds sustained fired seemingly aimlessly to just make noise. If practicing for self-defense wouldn't a 2 to 3 round burst, make more sense? At least that's what they taught us in the Army.

2. Don't understand the gross disregard for common safety practices at the range, i.e., handling firearms when someone is down range, pointing a firearm down the firing line, and failure to open the action when proceeding down range. Simply no excuse since both clubs I belong to have required safety orientations and have the rules posted.

3. Don't understand all this nonsense with equipment having gone wild! Nonsensical scopes and new cartridges that are not necessary. Somehow a guy thinks just because he purchased a 28 Nosler with a $2,000 scope he can shoot big game at 500 yards without a lot of practical range practice. What ever happen to marksmanship training and focus? Another aspect of this is that if mfg.'s only produced ammo and components for the well-established traditional calibers there would be no shortages. In my day, if you wanted specialized caliber for specialized use, you had a wildcat built.

In general, being in the sport of hunting, recreational shooting, and competitive shooting over the past 50 years I seen the focus change from skills training to an equipment race. I see it all the time at the range, both on the rifle and more so on the pistol range of shooters not having a clue regarding the fundamentals of shooting. In my early life, my father and grandfather's generation, you got a hand me down rifle or shotgun, learned how to shoot it and we were quite successful.

 

[DShortt]

Yes, and no. When it comes to reloading in particular, and also many other things related to shooting, it seems I notice an age component. Of course there's exceptions to every rule but in general, there's handful of “regulars” at the range, all older folks, who do reload strive for accuracy, try new cartridges (again in a quest for better accuracy or longer range) and I do connect with them, maybe not on a personal level but at least we have good discussions on reloading and shooting in general. And when the talk descends into politics it seems most of us are on the same page.

On the other hand, I have heard the younger guys talk about reloading in the most disparaging of terms. As if reloading is some cheapskate way to try to-unwisely-save money. I've heard things like “ditch the reloads and BUY some good ammo” and “If I had to shoot reloads I'd take a serious look at my life” (as if you are a low-income loser or one of 'the poors' as they say). This, while they shoot their AR15 on the 50 yard range. A 1,800 dollar AR15 with another 1,000-plus in optics. And not police their brass when they leave (the “reloaders” can have it...hahaha).

Seriously, heard one guy tell another shooter who was having some difficulty “I could buy three of your rifles with what I have in my optic alone.” Hard to feel connected with someone like that. Recently, talking with a guy and he was asking about my rifle and the talk came down to the barrel. He asked where I bought the barrel. I told him it was a blank that I contoured and chambered. He says, “And you think you can do a better job than the factory?” I said yes, absolutely. He laughed and said “Well, good luck with that!”

But, exceptions to every rule...over the years I've met young guys who were really into it so...
but anyway I do like to just do my thing when I go to the range and not socialize too much.

I've always been amazed by the 'it cost so much more it's unquestionably better' mentality but that carries over to pretty much every aspect of the lives people like that live.
As much as possible I only do things that I personally want to do. If others don't understand my motives then that's fine with me. I don't understand theirs, either.

 

[Mark M.]

Ever feel a little... " Disconnected" from normal shooters and gun people by being a reloader lol ?
Like .300blk is a prime example. I hear people talk about it and complain about how they want one but ammo is so expensive, and I'm just here like " .300 blk ? Expensive? You can get once fired 5.56 brass for free at the range and you can use any .308 bullet and all ya need to do is.... Heck your not using a ton of powder either ... And geez if you get a few molds and start casting !!!..." Then I realize " o hay they probably don't reload "
That or I'm talking about some weird caliber I want like a .277 wolverine or something and people just look at me like where the hell are you going to buy ammo and I'm confused when their looking confused when I just shrug and say "reload !"
Anyone else tend to find themselves being a tad bit "disconnected" ?

I find that when I talk to others about reloading, it like there hearing a foreign language they know nothing about.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Most of the public that does any shooting at all are what I call "trigger pullers". Most will pull the trigger all day long if it doesn't cost them anything or is really cheap. Reloading is a much too complex task for them to be bothered with.

 

[338 Mollett]

YES ! When everybody is shooting cleans and I'm shooting 180's

 

[AccelR8]

Another place I feel disconnected is church. Shouldn't be that way but, when all us guys congregate before or after service the talk is always sports, sports, and more sports. These guys are so enthusiastic about watching other people play a game. They call the players by their first names and know all the facts and statistics. For me, it's less than zero interest. I mean, I simply do not get it. It just doesn't penetrate. Like water off a duck's back.

Ya know, the thought occurs to me...well let me see if I can explain it.

By far, most people spend their every-day leisure time watching “television.” In quote because, yeah I know nobody watches broadcast TV or even cable any more, it's all some kind of internet streaming. I think the fact that they're watching these highly popular series like “The Punisher” or “The Mandilorian” or the zombie stuff is a big factor in their interest in guns. These cultural things form their attitudes and perceptions, their interests. That's why you see AR15s at the range with logos from these TV shows on them. Skulls, space-man helmets, and zombies. Quotes like “This Is The Way” (somebody had to explain that one to me). But this is nothing new, the old Dirty Harry movies caused a run on S&W Model 29s and the ranges filled up with guys wearing sun glasses and leather jackets who would fire three rounds, two of them with a massive flinch, and then leave.

Video games too. People at the range with all the “Army” gear.

If it wasn't for popular culture maybe many of these guys would not own a gun at all. Same with concealed carry. Instructors promote training on social media, people see it and a small percentage of them go Oh, I can do that? Carry a gun? And there's a whole concealed carry culture...that doesn't necessarily involve regular practice...

Not saying any of this is bad. More gun owners is a good thing. It's just that most of them are people I wouldn't ordinarily dovetail with so to speak, hence the feeling of disconnection.