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New-ish to the hobby — not sure where to go next

F

findoutcoolbb

⚠️ New Member | No Deposits ☢️
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A few years ago I bought a Glock 19 during the pandemic and only took it to an indoor range twice. At the time I thought the recoil was pretty strong and everything was just loud, so I never really got into shooting.

That changed around March this year. I went to a shooting experience where I got to try more than 10 different guns, and that was when I really started getting interested in firearms as a hobby.

At first I was actually most interested in .22s. The P322 was probably my favorite because it had the feel of a regular handgun, almost no recoil, and was just really fun to shoot. After that I started wanting to try and own different types of guns instead of just sticking with one category. My first few were all bought new, then I found CAguns and started picking up some used guns through PPT as well.

Right now I have:
  • SIG P322
  • Browning Buck Mark
  • SIG P365XL
  • Springfield Echelon 4.5F
  • SIG P320 X5 Legion
  • Fusion XP Pro
  • Ruger 10/22
  • Maverick 88
  • Anderson AR15
  • Ruger American .308
At this point I feel like I have most of the basic guns/categories covered, and now I'm not really sure what direction to go next.

I've also figured out that I enjoy handguns quite a bit more than shotguns, and I'm not really into antique or historical guns. My budget isn't Atlas-level, but if something is interesting and worth trying, I'm open to it. I also tend to prefer things that aren't too difficult to sell later if I decide they're not for me.

For those of you who have been in the hobby longer, what would you try next from here?
 
MK6M9 said:
ah man. that is the best part. that controlled chaos sound

why do you need to have a direction to go to? just enjoy them. also, i prefer handguns and iron sights. i do not have any red dots
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Haha actually im kinda enjoy figuring out what to buy next and finding the right gun at the right price lol. My .22 pistols are irons, but most of my 9mms have red dots, so I probably do need a good iron-sight 9mm.
 
Pretty solid collection that covers a lot. I only have 1 bolt gun in 300 mag but 4 ars all in 5.56.but might go to 9mm on a 10.5 I have.

Handgun calibers 9mm 10mm and 45.

A 1911 would be a nice add In 45 as it’s a classic.10mm if you do a lot of outdoors camping or a .357 wheel gun.
 
findoutcoolbb said:
Use the ruger 308 or find one 6.5 creedmore?
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Stretch the .308 until you hit its limits. If you get the itch you will know which 6mm cartridge you want. I take no responsibility for what happens to your bank account if the long range bug bites you.
 
chiroken007 said:
You have a great well rounded collection!
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I was anticipating less but for a "start" this is fantastic. Maybe add a revolver if interested but no critique here.

I'm no Sommelier (french for uppity) but I'd imagine it's the same as wine - you start with the basics and find your way into a niche. I noticed that I enjoy different mechanics/operations of each piece. What about guns do you enjoy?

A easy start but each listed could be broken down further:
Pistol Actions - Single-Action (SA), Double-Action Only (DAO), Double-Action/Single-Action (DA/SA), and Striker-Fired
Platforms - AR, AK, 870, etc
Manual Action - bolt-action, lever-action, pump-action, and break-action
Self-Loading Actions (Semi-automatic) - blowback, direct impingement, gas piston, recoil-operated
Caliber/Cartridge
 
findoutcoolbb said:
For those of you who have been in the hobby longer, what would you try next from here?
Click to expand...

That's like asking an automotive forum what kind of car you should buy. There's lots of fun to be had, limited only by your imagination. I don't see any hand cannon on your list. How about something like a .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum? If you want to be OG, how about a .45 Long Colt? It makes a big hole, but recoil is modest. Or maybe you'll want to load it hot and go crazy with it.

For me, though, it's not as much about what I shoot as where I shoot and what I'm shooting at. Paper targets are boring as all get out. That pretty much wrecks all Indoors ranges for me. Outdoor ranges are only a little better. Wilderness is the best. Aluminum cans are the great. I like to start with them close, then blast them further and further away until they're hard to see. They're reactive, so sometimes you get to take follow-up shots on a moving target.

Dueling Trees and other armor-plate targets are nice, but they're heavy to haul round and set up.
 
Nice collection!

I like my PCC. Also, I put a linear compensator/blast diverter on it. Helps the ol' jello between the ears and...the ears. It's fun to shoot, especially with subsonic ammo.

I like handguns, too. I want to get a full-sized 9mm. Looking at you, Kimber! Maybe not easy on the eyes for me (maybe Robocop?), but I care more about function. I really like my EMP 3, a 1911 in 9mm.
 
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