I feel like I'm losing my interest

[mcbethr 42]

So here's what's going on.

 

I still read TTAG every day and I check up on the NJ forums every once in a while.  I still listen to Gun For Hire.  But I feel... done

 

It's hard to explain.  I just don't have the passion for shooting that I had just a few years ago.  Maybe I'm getting older?  Maybe I just feel like I have all of my bases covered when it comes to self defense and sport shooting.

 

Honestly, I just got into bike riding and rock climbing.  It seems like sport shooting has taken a back seat to everything else.  Ammo is too expensive... when you can find it.

 

I'm not about to sell anything, but nothing really excites me about the sport anymore.  

 

When I bought my first gun I went to the range maybe once every six months.  When I changed jobs I sat in a cube next to a former Marine who was a Glockaholic and he got me into shooting again.  Six years later it just feels like I'd rather do something else with my time.

 

Was the gun thing just a phase?  Has this happened to anyone else here?

 

 

[matt1751 2]

We all have our times when we don't do our hobbies as often as we use to. Don't give up hope. Sometimes you just need to plan a day to do nothing and go to the range. I've noticed myself not getting out there as often either but its a combination of to many other things going on, ammo prices and shortage didn't help either. But I still try to go atleast a few times a year if not more. One thing since I can't but .22LR's anywhere I got my 11 year old shooting the AR and enjoying it. Hang in there. Not sure where you are located but I go out to Classic Pistol In Pa if you ever want to join me for a day at the range.

[BlueLineFish 615]

If you decide to sell i am here for you. Hey, our interests change. Priorities change. Who know, maybe if you take a break it will rekindle your interest. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. If not, remember, i buy in bulk..lol

[checko 180]

Isn't everything a phase? And you're right, its getting difficult for the average person to GI out and waste a few thousand rounds a month.

 

Im guilty of having a million hobbies that I start and it never lasts. Shooting has been a bit different for me.

 

[Silphidae 33]

I've changed major hobbies 3 times in my life, I always knew when I was done each one. I had 700+ gallons of reef tanks, was really into the audiophile scene and most recently shooting. It's takes 3 things to keep me interested in a hobby;

 

1. Mechanical/equipment interest.

2. Desire to master some sort of skill.

3. People who share my interest and who I like.

 

I was was almost on the downswing with shooting, decided to really pursue IDPA and took a course with mike seeklander. I'm now reinvigorated and soley focused on becoming a better shooter and reaching a personal goal. Practicing dry fire 5 times a week and live fire 2 times per week and can't wait for my next match but it took this level of commitment to get back into it.

 

Is there anything you can get excited about? If you've reached you're personal goals, don't have any interest acquiring/fixing guns and lost the overall enthusiasm it might be time for a break Or at least to find something that will get the spark going within the hobby....there are quite a few special interest groups.

 

What's the thing that has you so excited about climbing and biking? Sometimes it takes something new to bring the sexy back.

[Vicious 138]

The good thing is that even if you don't feel like going out and shooting, firearms still have a practical purpose.

[HBecwithFn7 296]

So here's what's going on.

 

I still read TTAG every day and I check up on the NJ forums every once in a while.  I still listen to Gun For Hire.  But I feel... done

 

It's hard to explain.  I just don't have the passion for shooting that I had just a few years ago.  Maybe I'm getting older?  Maybe I just feel like I have all of my bases covered when it comes to self defense and sport shooting.

 

Honestly, I just got into bike riding and rock climbing.  It seems like sport shooting has taken a back seat to everything else.  Ammo is too expensive... when you can find it.

 

I'm not about to sell anything, but nothing really excites me about the sport anymore.  

 

When I bought my first gun I went to the range maybe once every six months.  When I changed jobs I sat in a cube next to a former Marine who was a Glockaholic and he got me into shooting again.  Six years later it just feels like I'd rather do something else with my time.

 

Was the gun thing just a phase?  Has this happened to anyone else here?

 

 I sure hope not.    I think there's quite a bit to accomplish. But I guess it depends on what got you into it and keeps you in it.

 

I feel similar about my other avocation... cave diving.  The first challenge in cave diving was getting past all the training requirements, which means, getting approval of one's "cave instructor."  That took 2-3 years, and only after I had been diving in open water for the previous 5 years. But even after one achieves the "full cave diver" level of certification, there are advanced level caves that require a lot more experience. You can't take a class for those kinds of dives. It just comes with "experience."

 

The problem is, figuring out how to get that experience. No one can tell you how to do it. THey just know "they did it" and "you aren't experienced enough to dive with them...."  The classic "Catch 22...."  you need experience to dive those advanced caves, but you can't get the experience because you don't have the required "experience."    You're just left by the senior members of the community to "figure it out." Meanwhile they gloat on the cave diving forums about how they conquered the "Mt. Everest" of cave diving....   Quite frustrating.  This, combined with the fact that it's much more difficult since I don't live locally in "cave country" and don't get down there but twice a year. I do a lot when I'm there, but  I could do more if I were living there and, maybe, be more "accepted" by the community.

 

Sometimes, I think I'll never get there and think I should just give up, but other times, I'm energized by the thought of achieving that level of experience just to prove those elder ba$tards that think I can't make it wrong!   As long as I stay healthy/fit, I should be able to get it done, even without the benefit of youth and more time in, historically.

 

Likewise, I re-started late in re: shooting, and I face some challenges there (cross eye dominance, rt. eye astigmatism, etc.). But I consider it a challenge and a sweet reward when i knock it out even with those challenges. And there's more to look for. I could go into competitive shooting, where there's tons of interest and room to grow.  Enough to last *my* lifetime, at least. As long as I stay healthy and my concentration/focus stays good, I have a lot places to go, and room to grow.

 

I hope you find something that makes you enough to stay in it. Just to prove the ba$stards wrong! :D

[Kaiser7 33]

If you decide to sell i am here for you. Hey, our interests change. Priorities change. Who know, maybe if you take a break it will rekindle your interest. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. If not, remember, i buy in bulk..lol

 

Lol, I love how quick BLF was to jump on that XD.

 

I go through phases in all my hobbies. One month, I'll really want to play more videogames, another I'll want nothing more than to get some more gun stuff, then i'll want to work on rockhounding and will totally not care about gun stuff, then i'll get really into anime and manga again, then i'll reach a saturation point with that, and get back into guns or something.

 

That's just how I am. I've gone through phases of not being super gun-ho about guns, but I know for me it was mainly due to the hobby being cost-prohibitive for me. I generally didn't have the cash to get a range membership of my own, not to mention ammo is expensive, I noticed that earlier this year, just prior to being unemployed I had a good bit of extra cash, and i really started getting more and more excited about guns. 

[Duppie 73]

Like you my interest have waned somewhat but I believe it's a natural cycle,at least in my case. I latch on to a hobby or past time and become almost obsessive, invest time ,money and emotion in it and then something else comes along and the cycle starts all over again.

In my younger days it was diving,spearfishing,trials riding,surfing,autocross,salsa,women,booze,cigars, but the one constant will always be ...cooking, and right now I'm so taken with middle eastern,Indian and Malaysian food that Kalustyan's sees me every week for one spice or the other.

I'll always be a firearms enthusiast but perhaps not as rabid as I was when I used my first 3 P2P's.

[hiker88 22]

You need to get into reloading. It's a hobby started by another hobby. There are times that I find myself in the range just so that I can use up ammo and reload some more. 

[Vlad G 345]

Take up competition shooting if you haven't done so already. Shooting at the range for target practice gets boring after a while, but once you get into the action shooting games a new world opens up

[Kaiser7 33]

Like you my interest have waned somewhat but I believe it's a natural cycle,at least in my case. I latch on to a hobby or past time and become almost obsessive, invest time ,money and emotion in it and then something else comes along and the cycle starts all over again.

In my younger days it was diving,spearfishing,trials riding,surfing,autocross,salsa,women,booze,cigars, but the one constant will always be ...cooking, and right now I'm so taken with middle eastern,Indian and Malaysian food that Kalustyan's sees me every week for one spice or the other.

I'll always be a firearms enthusiast but perhaps not as rabid as I was when I used my first 3 P2P's.

 

You ought to try making Vietnamese food. It's delicious, nothing beats homemade Pho.

Take up competition shooting if you haven't done so already. Shooting at the range for target practice gets boring after a while, but once you get into the action shooting games a new world opens up

I'd have to agree, I don't do competition shooting, as I think I've only even been target shooting 10 times in my life, but I know that's my aspiration. It just looks like so much fun!

 

 

[T Bill 649]

Fell out myself years ago.  Between the kids, family, work, didn't even look at them. Now that everybody's got their own thing to do I have more time for it.  Still have problems getting to the range, so I use the time to reload, fiddle frig the guns and help out friends with theirs.  Cleaned house getting rid of things I felt I would never use and found a few I never did break in, still new in the safe.  So give it time, it may come back and then again it may not.  Then it is just time to move on (I'd keep a few just in case).

[CageFighter 236]

not a phase, just sometimes priorities change.  shooting has become expensive for me since all my tools & ammo cost ALOT of $$$$.   with my wife getting sick, i had to redirect my attention.  with that being said, my guns arent the biggest priority anymore.  they are still have a part in my life, but im not consumed as much as i used to be.  trying to pay off medical bills & staying out of collections is now priority one!

[The_Matrix 105]

I'm in the same boat.  Starting to loss interest.  Some of the reasons:

 

1) getting expensive- money can be use elsewhere, ie like a new salt water aquarium.

2) Nothing new and exciting

3) NJ gun laws suck- no NFA stuff

4) Time consuming hobby, ie forums, weapon maintenance, etc.  Want to spend free time with family and friends rather than for my own thing.

5) again, expensive

[Duppie 73]

You ought to try making Vietnamese food. It's delicious, nothing beats homemade Pho.

I'd have to agree, I don't do competition shooting, as I think I've only even been target shooting 10 times in my life, but I know that's my aspiration. It just looks like so much fun!

 

 

Pho,Banh Mi's,Banh Cuon,Bo Luc Lac,ect was 2 years ago when I discovered all the Vietnamese restaurants,bakeries and groceries on Washington Avenue in Philly.... now I even make my own blood cake. 

[Kaiser7 33]

Pho,Banh Mi's,Banh Cuon,Bo Luc Lac,ect was 2 years ago when I discovered all the Vietnamese restaurants,bakeries and groceries on Washington Avenue in Philly.... now I even make my own blood cake. 

Dang, I've never heard of some of that stuff. I'm going to ask my gf about it XD. So far the only thing I've refused to eat is hot ga lon.

 

Though I've never had any of their baked goods, my gf made it seem like they never have cakes, or any baked goods really.

[Duppie 73]

Dang, I've never heard of some of that stuff. I'm going to ask my gf about it XD. So far the only thing I've refused to eat is hot ga lon.

 

Though I've never had any of their baked goods, my gf made it seem like they never have cakes, or any baked goods really.

Your GF is Vietnamese and haven't taken you to Washington Avenue?

Vietnam was occupied by the French for over a hundred years and have a tradition of  producing excellent bread and pastries.

I would urge you to take the drive and if you need some hints for the best Pho or pork stuffed grape leaves,soy and lemongrass pork knuckles and Banh Mi's just PM me and I'll be happy to steer you in the right direction.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

Take up competition shooting if you haven't done so already. Shooting at the range for target practice gets boring after a while, but once you get into the action shooting games a new world opens up

Every once in awhile the wife and I will go to our indoor or outdoor range and just punch holes in paper, maybe put some clays on the berm so we can see them break. But that is just to blow-off steam.

 

Once we started participating in the shooting competitions, we really started to like it so much more. I love Knockdown Steel. Great to here the sound and see the plate fall.

 

Not too much into USPSA, but do it from time to time. IDPA was more fun for me.

 

Try Sporting Clays, that is the only thing I like more than Knockdown Steel.

 

Been Drag Racing since 1990, not burned out with it yet.............  (Yes, pun intended!)

[kman 56]

Many gun enthusiasts only make it to the range a few times a year.  And if you buy high quality guns, you can put them in storage for years.  Go less often you will enjoy it more.  Your guns are not going to become obsolete and your ammo will last your lifetime in storage.  Sounds like you want to do something more physical.  Good for you. 

[mark_anthony_78 0]

I'm definitely not "losing interest" in guns, but being even somewhat on top of the political goings on in both NJ and across the nation it does wear you out a little bit.   I'm always debating with anti-gun folks on more local forums (which is time consuming) but I think that's more important than going to the range all the time - and after dealing with all of their twisted logic I sometimes feel like I need a break from guns for an afternoon or a weekend.  That's why I recently started to get back into fishing!

[maintenanceguy 510]

It's been a very intense couple of years for gun owners - especially in NJ.   I'm feeling drained from all the anti gun activity and have started to back off.  I still love my guns and still love to shoot but I'm feeling less motivated to "get involved".

[Teky0101 6]

Gun culture becomes part of your life and once its in your blood I think it stays there. Perhaps you need to get back out to the range to rekindle it again! I think if you sold everything in the long run you would regret it especially if the laws change and you are no longer able to purchase the same item again. Go have some fun one weekend with your friends and repost to let us know if you feel differently.

[Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23]

I think its more the cost that does it for me. The every now and then I do get to go shoot I feel like i enjoy it that more much however

[Kaiser7 33]

Your GF is Vietnamese and haven't taken you to Washington Avenue?

Vietnam was occupied by the French for over a hundred years and have a tradition of  producing excellent bread and pastries.

I would urge you to take the drive and if you need some hints for the best Pho or pork stuffed grape leaves,soy and lemongrass pork knuckles and Banh Mi's just PM me and I'll be happy to steer you in the right direction.

 

No, her parents have been talking about taking me to a Vietnamese restaurant for over a year now, but I haven't been to her house for a while, we ususlaly hangout in Philly, or in Jersey.

 

So far though, her family doesn't really seem to have picked up much of the French influence. I know some Vietnamese people think France is cool, and cook french food, but the only pastry I've ever seen them have was a Jewish Apple Cake I made them haha.

[illy 1]

You need to get into reloading. It's a hobby started by another hobby. There are times that I find myself in the range just so that I can use up ammo and reload some more. 

 

A. That's a great suggestion and it's my next move. Both for the enjoyment of it (learning about and trying out new loads, etc) and the eventual savings. 

 

 

 

B. Hobbies indeed come and go in intensity.

Before getting into shooting, my main interest was cigars. I still smoke daily, but I used to read several review sites, stay up on the latest releases, humidifying elements, aging processes, etc.

 

These pictures are from 2 years ago when I was organizing one of 3 humidors.

 

 

 

 

Now I usually have no more than 20 or 30 cigars total on hand. I only buy the stuff I'm used to and only when I'm getting low. 

Between learning more about guns, 2A issues, etc, I just don't have to time to focus on the cigar hobby. 

So, yeah, it happens. 

 

 

But as others have said, unlike other interests, your guns will still always be there if you need them and may serve you well should you ever need to rely on them.

[bry@n 195]

not a phase, just sometimes priorities change. shooting has become expensive for me since all my tools & ammo cost ALOT of $$$$. with my wife getting sick, i had to redirect my attention. with that being said, my guns arent the biggest priority anymore. they are still have a part in my life, but im not consumed as much as i used to be. trying to pay off medical bills & staying out of collections is now priority one!

 

As long as you are paying something, they can't send you to collections.

 

i.e. Hospital says you have to pay $100 a month and you can only do $50. As long as you pay $50 a month, they can't do crap. They may annoy you with phone calls but that's it.

[bry@n 195]

I also go through phases. Liking knives, guns, watches, cars/ trucks and tools.

 

So at times I've had my fill. Since last June I've been losing interest. Not selling off just my interest was back to cars but I'm back to guns.

[mcbethr 42]

What's the thing that has you so excited about climbing and biking?

 

Honestly, It's the athleticism.  I think I finally noticed that I was middle aged and I want to try and push myself before my body starts shutting down.

[Vlad G 345]

Honestly, It's the athleticism.  I think I finally noticed that I was middle aged and I want to try and push myself before my body starts shutting down.

 

Again .. try action shooting. Heck try 3gun.