Has THR influenced your firearms interests?

Status
Not open for further replies.
SwampWolf said:
Not even a little for me. Since as a teenager growing up in the fifties, I was consumed with great interest in all things firearms-related decades before the advent of the internet. Which isn't at all to say that forums like THR haven't been a great source of information and entertainment for me over the last twenty years or so; so much so that it's hard to imagine life before the internet when it comes to guns and so much else-unless you've lived it.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. You have a few years on me SwampWolf (I wasn't a "teenager" until the '60s) but I grew up around guns, hunting and shooting. And I formed most of my opinions about guns long before the internet was invented. I've told the story before - my 308 Norma Magnum was my retirement gift to myself 10 years ago, and I bought it because when I was 16 years old (in 1964) my then girlfriend's dad had a 308 Norma Magnum that I loved.:D
Like you though, I consider THR a great source of "information and entertainment." THR is the only internet forum I participate in, and I'm glad I ran across it. It's just that I can't say it has had any influence on my firearms interests. I guess you could say I was "set in my ways" before THR came along.;)
 
Absolutely has changed mine. Totally for the better.

When I originally came here, I was either buying my first firearm or just had (can't remember which). Over time, the information I gleaned led to enthusiasm for shooting as a hobby rather than just a home/self defense thing.

When I started out I couldn't imagine myself ever "needing" more than one shotgun, one handgun, a centerfire rifle, and a 22 rifle. Needless to say, I'm well beyond that now... and that's only over 7-8 years.
 
I would have to say no for influencing my preferences in firearms or even related equipment. I still like the same types of guns and haven't suddenly developed a beef with others like so many folks online seem to have. However it has done a very good job of making me aware of things that were available or on sale which I would not have otherwise known about. So we can say it's expanded my collection and helped me find new guns and accessories. Certainly has also helped me source tons of parts and ammo as well.
 
personal experience is what drives me. Had bought all the semi handguns on my wish list and decided I should own one revolver. Did my homework, picked out what I wanted, and discovered that I love revolvers, even more than the semis I've been shooting most of my life. Bought two more of them within a month.

Similar experience with lever guns. Was building a small collection of bolt actions with plans for more of them. Took my 44 mag Marlin to the range for the first time, and a couple weeks later there was a second lever gun in my collection. Didn't make me like my semi autos and bolt actions any less than I had, just found out that I really, really had fun with revolvers and lever guns.

Never bought a gun because of web forums. Youtube, yes most definitely.
 
Hasn't really changed what I'm interested in, but this place has left me less afraid of being stuck if something weird stops working.
After sourcing parts for my dad's old shotgun, a Stevens 1100, and almost immediately getting "Oh, they stopped making that in 1941, but sold to Savage, who renamed it 311, and these parts work, but check these parts are in spec and..." and seeing plenty of "these parts also work in these guns, and if you're handy you can make this, and if not I know a smith that's familiar with them," I wouldn't hesitate to buy pretty much anything of decent quality post-WW1.
 
Back when I had a bad case of the "I wants" all the time THR did influence me. Now I've shot and owned a lot of guns, and I really don't care much what people say about a particular gun, as "reviews" and "overviews" are largely useless. Guns are individual things that suit all different people in different ways. And samples of one are not helpful. A trend is helpful. But we seldom gather enough honest opinions or real facts about any one model to actually draw a reasonable conclusion.

So previously, yes. Now? Not so much. If I'm interested in a gun, I buy the gun and try it for a year or two. If it's still fun and operates properly, then ok cool. If I've lost interest, I trade it for a different gun.
 
Last edited:
J-Bar said:
If you folks tell me not to buy anything at the gunshow next Saturday I’m probably gonna ignore you.

So there.

How’s that for resisting influence?

:neener:
Click to expand...
What?!? You're going to a gunshow after you've been told by plenty of THR folks that gunshows are a waste of money, and there's nothing to see there but cheap knives, cheap (yet expensive) jewelry, and beef jerky? Well, that's just silly!;)
Just kidding J-Bar. Have a good time! I'm looking forward to this covid thing being over and done with so that the gunshows around here can start back up.:)
 
With reloading (handloading) Ive learned so much here on THR.
In reloading manuals theres so much wisdom they dont tell you, and there are tons of published loads that are less than ideal. Before "hunting and pecking" with a new load combination, i check here.
Most of my favorite handloads are thanks to someone else's hard work and trial/error. And yes, they meet specifications in published data, and i start beneath it and work up.
 
In the mid part of my seventh decade, I'm set in my ways be they good bad or indifferent. Outside influences not so much such but I do pay attention to written articles by will versed competent authors. Written print such as Shooting Illustrated appears to be competent in content.
 
I joined here 6-7 years ago shortly after I started reloading. I primarily joined for the reloading knowledge, but the rest is icing on the case. To answer the question yes it has gotten me interested in things I never would have been before. Reloading is the other enabler.

:)

-Jeff
 
Not really, but seeing some of yalls gun collections has made me jealous a few times. Mainly with Snake and his revolver collection.
 
Absolutely. I probably would never have touched a single action revolver had I not heard good things here at THR. Got tired of looking for a .22 DA revolver and gave an old Single Six with just the LR cylinder a try. The rest, as they say, is history.


I've also learned what little I know about milsurps and their history mostly through this site.
 
Old Dog said:
Has THR (or any other internet gun forum) at all influenced or changed your firearms interests since you started participating in the internet gun world?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I've read about and seen pictures of guns I knew nothing about, or been reminded of ones that I'd forgotten I liked.
 
Yes it definitely has. Other interest come and go but I find myself checking in around here pretty much daily since I joined. I feel there is much to be learned here, obviously first hand experience is better than "I read it on a forum" but there is alot of folks here with first hand experience and lots of interesting viewpoints. I cant say for sure exactly how it has changed or influenced my life and guns but I know it has.

For one thing I know that if you're pouring over pages of optics, ammo, guns, etc and having a hard time making a decision or making up your mind about something in general, threads and forum members here can give you the extra reassurance or discouragement you need to make up your mind. Way better and more reliable than reading an amazon review from some random idiot that is calling something junk because of his own error or some such thing. You sort of get to know who you're getting your information from on here and whether to trust it or not based on certain things..... like whether or not they agree with you :D jk
 
22 years ago accurate reloading.com provided a lot of info for me when I was into african game rifles. Pre internet any rare or unusual calibres took a lot of research and snail mail. I used to bug a lot of industry names for info, even called a number for P.O Ackley at one point to be told I'm too late, he's dead. When the internet arrived it was a heady time, meeting uo online with this 'eletronic pen-pal resource' we suddenly had. THR I knew of but like TFL and 24hrCampfire didnt get around to posting until recently. This site has good traffic and expertise. Read posts along a thread and the majority of posters do seem to be talking from experience.
 
Last edited:
Has THR influenced me? I would have to say yes. We're the biggest batch of enablers I know of! :)

I always love the threads that start "should I get this?". Been a member since 2007 and I'm not sure if I ever saw a "no".
 
It has in that I probably would not have gone back to AR's without seeing some of the builds on here. I certainly have made some purchases of specific firearms due to reading threads here. There are lots of types of shooting I'd love to try (or get back into) because of seeing posts here.
I'd say it has most influenced me on parts choices or additions to guns based on members' actual use and reasons they like them. I also like that there is a variety here, more so that the specific forums I belong to. That and generally, people are nicer here than many forums.

KevininPa said:
I always love the threads that start "should I get this?". Been a member since 2007 and I'm not sure if I ever saw a "no".
Click to expand...

Look at some of the "Should I buy a Glock?" or "Should I buy a 1911?" threads, you'll find your no's, many of them resounding!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Z
  • Locked
Video Games Influence Gun Purchases?
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
Chrontius
C
DustyGmt
Who was your biggest influence in the firearms/shooting world?
2 3 4 5
Replies
114
Views
4K
4570Tom
4
K
  • Locked
Has THR influenced your dreams?
Replies
18
Views
589
saltydog452
S
P
Writer's influence
2 3
Replies
55
Views
2K
Miami_JBT
Miami_JBT
Hokkmike
  • Locked
How has your shooting interest evolved?
Replies
10
Views
693
Charles Foxtrot
C
Back
Top