Love of Shooting in the Age of the 'Rona and The Big Guy

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@mdwest "starter wife..." Love it! I always referred to my ex as "the practice wife" or "La Bruja".

Life changes have changed my shooting habits. I have always stocked up during sales or bought in volume to justify high shipping costs, so the Great Panic-demic did not change anything for me and I actually shot more during that time period. However, I downsized my firearms collection tremendously and kept the ones that I actually use.

I shoot daily for several weeks prior to deer season or a scheduled hunt. I never cared for a .22LR although I have taken truckloads of small game with it and always have an assortment of rifles and handguns in that caliber. I always preferred 22WMR, 22 Hornet or 218 Bee. Now I find myself shooting more of my rimfire guns than ever.

The cost of components finds me shooting more regular factory ammo for practice and saving my premium ammo and reloads for hunting.

Safe shooting

@SFRanger7GP
When the powders available the Hornet can be shot cheaper than the 22 mag and 17HMR could be bought for .
Fortunately I still have enough to be able to do it
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I actually rescued my former NZDA branch from a steady membership decline--back in the 90s--by doing the obvious things: creating/distributing our own membership forms, instead of relying upon National Office to process queries; greeting new people at our monthly clubnights; distributing our annual Branch Calendar to local shops; and acquiring brochure holders to display my newly created branch brochures at clubnights, our range complex and willing retailers.
It is quite depressing when you have to deal with people who appear to switch off their brains immediately upon being elected to a committee/board.

@ZG47
A lot of our deer hunting clubs I NSW are full of pompous self righteous pricks that are full of shit. I was told by one club that my 25 was no good for fallow and red deer. I asked how many deer he had shot with a fast 25 and he said none.
Tried to tell ME a 243 was a far better cartridge than any 25 or 270 for deer hunting. What an idiot. Didn't sit well with me so I left.
Bob

 

[Saul]

Going by sheer number of shots fired, 2020-2022 was probably my highest. That is because I finally joined the “assault rifle” club. Of course I managed to wait most of my life until it became stupidly expensive to buy .223 anywhere.

 

[deewayne2003]

Going by sheer number of shots fired, 2020-2022 was probably my highest. That is because I finally joined the “assault rifle” club. Of course I managed to wait most of my life until it became stupidly expensive to buy .223 anywhere.

@Saul funny you should mention that....

After the Obama ammo & gun craze faded and the market was packed with AR's and ammo I told a couple of wealthy friends of mine; if you are in the market for guns NOW is the time to buy, the market is flooded with new rifles and ammo at great prices

I was told "We have all the guns and ammo that we need or want"

One week later the Sandy Hook shooting happened they called me up wanting me to find them each 6 AR-15's...one for each of them and their sons!

I explained that the market prices had increased 3X.... and they still went out and bought $1K rifles for $3K and paid $1 per round for ammo!

 

[MS Hitman]

I must be the exception. I shoot more now than I ever have. My range is 100 yards from the house, I have steel hung at 100, 200, 300 and 600, and there is an embarrassing stockpile of loaded ammo and components in the gun room.

I am shooting fewer shot shells simply because I have to drive to skeet or sporting clays. I am committed to correcting that personality flaw in the near future.

There’s going to be one in every crowd. Glad for you! Keeping my business afloat and running takes more time each year, so relaxation comes at a premium when it comes at all.

 

[ZG47]

@ZG47
A lot of our deer hunting clubs I NSW are full of pompous self righteous pricks that are full of shit. I was told by one club that my 25 was no good for fallow and red deer. I asked how many deer he had shot with a fast 25 and he said none.
Tried to tell ME a 243 was a far better cartridge than any 25 or 270 for deer hunting. What an idiot. Didn't sit well with me so I left.
Bob

When I joined that Branch I had an M38--6.5x55 SE--and the guy who rang me up asked if I was using it to shoot goats. I let that slide and we ended up getting on all right!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

When I joined that Branch I had an M38--6.5x55 SE--and the guy who rang me up asked if I was using it to shoot goats. I let that slide and we ended up getting on all right!

@ZG47
Mate when someone tries to tell me the 243 is useful for more than tomato stakes or a paper weight I tend to do one of two things.
Tune out
Or
Get a bit cranky and give them a not so polite talking to.
Bob

 

[ZG47]

@ZG47
Mate when someone tries to tell me the 243 is useful for more than tomato stakes or a paper weight I tend to do one of two things.
Tune out
Or
Get a bit cranky and give them a not so polite talking to.
Bob

Yes, Bob, as we have discussed: both on line and in my local gun shop! I was simply reporting my, less annoying experience.On a mire amusing note would also point out hat we had one member at that time, a good shot/hunter who had taken his BSA .222--aka mouse rifle--on a winter hunt in the Southern Alps. Amusingly, he had taped the muzzle BUT failed to wipe off the tape after accidentally poking the barrel into snow. He took a shot at a chamois and the foresight assembly cane off. Din Collings drilled out the remainder of the screw and reattached the foresight assembly.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I shot way more before but it has nothing to do with ammo prices and everything to do with work/time and proximity to a range. I spend more nights in a hotel room than my own bed. With the new house I’m hoping to build a berm in back and at least shoot a night a week with the .22 and bow when I’m home.