I'm in a rut, not sure what to do...
- Thread starter Mike Irwin
- Start date
kristop64089
New member
My problem is, I am in a rural area. I am looking to join IPSC/IDPA. I am 33, I am "younger person" then some, older than others.
How do you go about being a mentor? how do you find a mentor?
What I have found, is a bit of animosity? towards me(or maybe envy), as my collection is good, and well....envious. I don't mention it to people around me, only here. But when people see it, They change their tunes and no longer want to talk about guns.
I don't know how to put it in words, but, It's takin' the fun out of guns. I have noone to share with, and I think it's because of my collection...which has put me in this "rut"
I know the feeling. Large safe full of guns. Shotguns, rifles, and handguns. Shooters, collectors, niche, common, scarce, and rare guns. I've hunted, competed, plinked, and done a little gunsmithing. I've shot most everything from blackpowder to BBs. I don't care for most of the new guns and when something older and interesting pops up I now ask myself why (it's not that I need anything). My safe now only opens if someone asks to see something or my son looks for something to shoot. My reloading and casting benches just gathers dust now and I have a small mountain of components plus about a ton of lead squirreled away. Maybe one day the urge will return, but for now my biggest firearm interest is these forums.
Pax is right. We say it another way on the dock.
It ain't the boat.
It's the crew.
I have hunted and fished for pay, all my life. For more than half a century, people have paid me to take them hunting and fishing. This type of prostitution can sour you on guns and game; boats and fish.
But as Pax suggests, the right person can help you enjoy catching bluegills more than you ever enjoyed killing blue marlin.
A fresh, fascinating companion can make you treasure time spent with them with a .22 rifle, more than all the hours you ever spent alone, stoking a classic N Frame Smith with handloads.
It ain't the boat, it's the crew.
You and me, we got plenty guns. There is more.
rugerfreak
New member
Seems a few beat me to it---get a high quality .22--a couple bricks of ammo and become one with the gun.
Try Sporting Clays---dove season is right around the corner.
Mow the lawn---grill out---enjoy your kids--maybe take in a summer outdoor concert.
Try Sporting Clays---dove season is right around the corner.
Mow the lawn---grill out---enjoy your kids--maybe take in a summer outdoor concert.
predator86
New member
i tend to rotate my hobbies
archery
motorized vehicles
guns
activism
landscaping
gardening
fishing
woodworking
i never lose interest in any of my hobbies, but i do rotate them from the front to the back burners, right now im on guns, next will be vehicles and after im sick of working on my bronco all summer then it will be time for bow season.....
try landscaping, you would be amazed at how satisfying it is, how much better your yard will look and how soon you wish you had a gun in your hand to take care of those damn gophers!!!
archery
motorized vehicles
guns
activism
landscaping
gardening
fishing
woodworking
i never lose interest in any of my hobbies, but i do rotate them from the front to the back burners, right now im on guns, next will be vehicles and after im sick of working on my bronco all summer then it will be time for bow season.....
try landscaping, you would be amazed at how satisfying it is, how much better your yard will look and how soon you wish you had a gun in your hand to take care of those damn gophers!!!
LanceOregon
Moderator
Take up hunting. Hunting usually involves little actual shooting, so ammo cost is not a significant factor. Gas to get to a hunting spot can be, though. If you are in a rural area, though, maybe that is not a concern.
Still, you get exercise, fresh air, and the thrill of the hunt. Few things are most exciting than a life and death struggle. And you will typically not be the one that dies. Shooting animals out in the field is a whole different experience than shooting at a target range. It is far, far more challenging.
Also, try to think outside of the box when it comes to animals to shoot. Deer season, for example, is often only for a couple of weeks out of the year in many places, and you can only take one or two max deer. Waterfowl season is generally quite long, but not everyone is into being out at daybreak on a cold, wet winter day. But if you don't mind that, you can keep busy all winter.
There are a lot of nuisance animals that can be hunted in non-typical hunting seasons, sometimes even all year long.
This weekend my son and I are headed to Eastern Oregon to celebrate Father's Day together, and will hopefully return with our rifles quite bloodied. It is a great tradition to share with your kids, and pass down to future generations.
In fact, that would be another thing that one could do: introduce a teenager to the sport of shooting, and take them to the range with you.
One of my earliest shooting experiences was going to a range with the next door neighbor of my best friend. He was a WWII Veteran, and had a collection of M1 Carbines. And he also reloaded ammo. My friend and I had so much fun together shooting those M1's that day. The rifles had virtually no recoil, and were thus ideal for kids to shoot.
And here we were only 13. But those were different times.
.
parrothead2581
New member
+1 on pursuing other hobbies.
I'm feeling a lot like you and PBP. Nothing out there really excites me. I have plenty of guns. The only other things I really care about are a subcompact Glock in 9mm and Browning HP in 9mm.
I tend to rotate between firearms, boating, nautical history, multiple water sports and home improvement. Things stay fresh and I typically try to rotate before they get stagnant and leave a sour taste in my mouth.
I'm feeling a lot like you and PBP. Nothing out there really excites me. I have plenty of guns. The only other things I really care about are a subcompact Glock in 9mm and Browning HP in 9mm.
I tend to rotate between firearms, boating, nautical history, multiple water sports and home improvement. Things stay fresh and I typically try to rotate before they get stagnant and leave a sour taste in my mouth.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Take a break from it. Get something else to occupy your mind and then re-discover your guns in the future. I live and breath guns and hunting, but I take breaks where I find something else to occupy my mind. I always return to it though.
AirForceShooter
New member
I'm getting a deringer in 9MM.
It's just because
AFS
It's just because
AFS
LanceOregon
Moderator
That's why I suggested introducing a young person to shooting. Seeing their reaction will help you to re-discover your original passion for it.
That is certainly how I feel everytime I take my son out hunting or target shooting.
Here is his new hunting rifle, which he is getting this weekend in honor of father's day:
with flash:
Just with natural light:
P.S. -- I ended up liking this rifle so much that I ended up getting an identical one for myself too!
.
I, too, hae gone on teh collecting binge for many years.
Recently, nothing stands out.
Ironically, what I carry regularly is nothing special: A K9 or a Centennial 38SPL. Weird. I bought all this exotic stuff, and they sit in the safe.
I picked up knife collecting. Same thing. I carry a $6 razor knife from WalMart more often because all I do is flip the razor blade over, or change to a new blade. Mos of my cutting is done with a shor half inch razor edge. If I need fruit or meat, I use a 3inch blade from Buck or CKRT. All the exotic steels do nothing.
I have always put money into something. These days, with gas prices, and general power bills, mortgage, and all on the rise, I just lay low. Saving money for the right thing. I have ZERO plans of selling any of my guns, though. too hard to find it when I want it again.
I do a lot of work around the house now.
Recently, nothing stands out.
Ironically, what I carry regularly is nothing special: A K9 or a Centennial 38SPL. Weird. I bought all this exotic stuff, and they sit in the safe.
I picked up knife collecting. Same thing. I carry a $6 razor knife from WalMart more often because all I do is flip the razor blade over, or change to a new blade. Mos of my cutting is done with a shor half inch razor edge. If I need fruit or meat, I use a 3inch blade from Buck or CKRT. All the exotic steels do nothing.
I have always put money into something. These days, with gas prices, and general power bills, mortgage, and all on the rise, I just lay low. Saving money for the right thing. I have ZERO plans of selling any of my guns, though. too hard to find it when I want it again.
I do a lot of work around the house now.
SundownRider
New member
I think I have found something. There's a company that sells kits to make wood kayaks, roughly 7-800 bucks if I recall correctly. Seems like a fun thing to do and I can break out my woodworking stuff for something other than stock refinishing.
Worth a look if you're into that sort of thing.
Worth a look if you're into that sort of thing.
MeekAndMild
New member
The two best ways on earth to burn hobby money are sailing and recreational flying. I highly recommend aerobatics for the guy who has more money than sense. If I ever win the lottery I'm going to get something turbine powered.
Whatever you do-DO NOT SELL ANY OF YOUR GUNS.
Put them in storage-well oiled and just check on them once a month till the shooting bug returns.
Otherwise go shooting.
ANYWHERE.
Don't think about it.
Get the guns you like,some ammo and go.
Meet some friends at the range-hell go to the range and meet some new friends.
A great gun shop has some of the best shop talk you'll ever hear.
Put them in storage-well oiled and just check on them once a month till the shooting bug returns.
Otherwise go shooting.
ANYWHERE.
Don't think about it.
Get the guns you like,some ammo and go.
Meet some friends at the range-hell go to the range and meet some new friends.
A great gun shop has some of the best shop talk you'll ever hear.