52 years young! Been shooting since age 11, started with a Browning BLR .22 LR rifle and a S&W Combat .22 wheelgun. Got my first self-owned hand gun at age 18 (you didn't have to be 21 back then in 1977). Used my HS graduation present money! It is a S&W Model 19 Combat .357 Magnum, which is "on duty" right now as I type this!

 

All sorts of rifles-pistols-shotguns since. Last purchase was a double barrel 10 ga. muzzleloading black powder percussion shotgun several years ago.

 

Currently a competitive shooter in several disciplines: USPSA Limited-10 and Revolver-Iron, IDPA w/ CDP and Revolver (SSR), Police Practical Competition (PPC) Chairman @ Old Bridge R&P, Sporting Clays, Trap. Black Powder Pistol, Rifle & Shotgun Champion at several local Clubs throughout NJ. Currently hold Distinguished Expert in Muzzleloading Rifle and Expert in Muzzleloading Pistol. NRA Certified Instructor and RSO.

 

My 22 year old son has been shooting since age 4, and I made him a NRA Life Member at age 5! He holds the rank of Expert in Muzzleloading Rifle.

I just turned 31 on monday, been shooting since I was 7-8, got my first 12ga when I was 12 (I still have it too).

45 and have been shooting since 5 or 6 and remember in 1st grade show and tell bringing in empty brass and clay birds to show off

45 and have been shooting since 5 or 6 and remember in 1st grade show and tell bringing in empty brass and clay birds to show off

 

You do that now-a-days and you'll have SWAT on you...

 

Going to do another Tally tomorrow, and see what we're at.

55 years young and shooting since 2004

21. Started shooting around 15 or so but didn't get really interested in it until 18 or 19.

I'm 29, started when I was 28. Shot my first real gun about one year ago (suppressed M4 and M9...went and applied for my FID the next day).

 

I was into shooting airsoft and BB guns for a number of years prior to getting my FID.

I'm 38. Shot my first gun at age 10.

24 (25 next month) started shooting when I was 12 (with the boyscouts then once a year till I was 16) Started again when I when I was 22 when I bought my first rifle. (nowI got 13 rifles 2 shotguns and 4 pistols an need one more fire arm to make an even 20)

 

I am really surprised at the results so far. accourding to the poll there are alot more yonger shooters than I would have expected. There is almost as many people under 35 here than over. My hope is that this is a sign that the us yonger people are getting into the hobby in increasing numbers. Though the pessimistic side of me says that apearance is just because the older generations use the internet less.

My hope is that this is a sign that the us yonger people are getting into the hobby in increasing numbers. Though the pessimistic side of me says that apearance is just because the older generations use the internet less.

 

It's a sign that more younger people are conversant with the use of a computer and the forum format. There are still plenty of old shooters out there, they just don't "socially network" the way your generation does.

 

Thta's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

Looks like us really old guys sold our guns............... or........ ARE DEAD! HA.

 

Next surveys. How much do you weigh? How tall are you? LOL.

 

Haha, well my reason for doing this was to get an unofficial metric of the NJ firearm enthusiest population. I'm a biology major, all we do is look at statistics in populations, and things like that. Eventually, when time permits, I may do a more thorough comb through of the statistics here, but for now I'm just doing a simple tally. Already the data has gone against what I figured. I expected the average age to be closer to 50, and it likely is, but for our purposes this is still very important....

It's a sign that more younger people are conversant with the use of a computer and the forum format. There are still plenty of old shooters out there, they just don't "socially network" the way your generation does.

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

.... Because of this. Though I am unlike most in my generation, I do realize when they have a good idea. Knock facebook, twitter, and all that stuff as much as you like, and honestly, most of the time that stuff is stupid, however it can also be a useful tool. In days before immediate access to information, it would be much harder to inform others of things going on. If more gun owners are younger, particularly if, as with myself, they come from homes without firearms, and start getting into them, that's a very good thing. It shows that the RKBA is growing, and that more people will support our rights. Furthermore individuals who are "plugged in" are more likely to hear about legislation that is either for, or against 2A rights, and can act accordingly. Look at NJ588. I'm sure that some people called their legislator when they heard about it at the local gun shop, but "old media" never mentioned it. Few who are not involved with the online NJ firearm community would know have known about it, feathers wouldn't have been ruffled, and it may have gotten through. It is also good to see that it's not just young people online, but many of the "old guard" who are adopting it as well. The internet is a great means of unification, however, either the enemies of 2A rights, or 2A rights supporters can unify online. We must use every tool at our disposal to protect the rights guaranteed us, and it is a good sign to see shooters of all ages embracing this technology.

 

That being said, as of now the Average NJGF user is 37.2 years old (out of 79 answers) and the average age that someone fired their first gun has dropped quite a bit, it's only 16.5 years (out of 56 responses.)

 

I did not count people who used a lot of math in their responses. I'm using a TI-84+ calculator, and honestly, it's a pain in the a** to do all that. When schools out, and I have more free time maybe I will.

 

A trend I AM noticing, and will have to look at later is that there is strange dichotomy in the results. The oldest users generally seem to have started shooting at younger ages. It seems most of the people similar in age to myself (20s) didn't start shooting until their mid to late teens, or even later. This last point is either a sign that they are new to guns because they come from an anti-gun background, or because their parents did not take them out shooting when they were 7 or 8 like many older users did.

I realize that what you are doing is fun, in and of itself, but pretty much meaningless, statictically speaking. You are making broad generalizations based on far too small a sample and the results are skewed to begin with by the very method of gathering data. As entertainment it's fine. Carry on.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

I realize that what you are doing is fun, in and of itself, but pretty much meaningless, statictically speaking. You are making broad generalizations based on far too small a sample and the results are skewed to begin with by the very method of gathering data. As entertainment it's fine. Carry on.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

I agree. For medical tests and things, our sample size would be okay (Ideally 200+) but it is still a useful measure of those who are online. I'm doing it really just as a curiosity, it would be an interesting thing to look into generally, since the average ages, and things of that nature could be used to determine if gun ownership is on the rise or not. It's still fun to do, and to see people's responses about when they first shot, or how they're just getting into shooting.

Kaiser,

 

I gave you info on my son too, in case you wanted to use that, since he's not a member of the forum, and working in Iowa.

 

This also gives readers a chance to see where people are coming from. Some Old Fudds like me have been around firearms a long while, and some others my age have just a year or two involvement. Although it's not "scientific", it does lend itself to a better understanding of what gets written about (and by whom) comment-wise, since experience is the best teacher.

Kaiser,

 

I joined a doubles and then a bird dog forum more than a decade ago, my firsts in an "internet" attempt to connect to folks with similar interests. Most fellows I know, who I shoot and hunt with, are between the ages of 40 and 100. Most don't have a Twitter account, many have never seen Facebook, nor have they ever been on the internet. So for these folks, no one will ever hear from or know they exist. If you joined a hunting forum or a shotgun doubles forum and asked the same question, you may get very different results. I belong to a number of forums that are state specific (ME, PA, NY, MI, MN) and the makeup of "shooting" people and topics of conversation are somewhat different.

 

There are a few accomplished hunters & shooters on a NJ hunting forum (www.thebuckbarn.com/forum) who range in age from 12-17 that regularly post. There are a few on NJH as well.