It's enough to make you cry.
- Thread starter kda
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C-grunt
Member
This is the truth here.
Maybe the guy loves guns, but doesnt have the time to get the skills up to par.
My two hobbies are guns and cars. I love cars. Look at my signature. I know a good deal about the workings of a car, but Im no mechanic by any means. I can do the simple things but anything complicated gets done by a professional. I dont have the time to become a proficient mechanic. But I sure do have time to drive my cars.
coloradokevin
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Yeah, when I was flying more often we used to refer to the Beechcraft Bonanza as simply the "V-tailed Doctor Killer". I'm sure you realize that we weren't being critical of the aircraft!
Anyway, I think you guys are looking at this all wrong... These poor rich bastards have probably spent tens of thousands of dollars just trying to find the one "gun that shoots well". Unfortunately for them, money doesn't buy skill. I'm a practical and frugal person, and I am always a little bit proud of myself when I can out shoot someone who has all of the "best" equipment, and none of the skills to go with it! On the other hand, you don't have to be good at something to enjoy it!
In fact, before posting this reply I was just down in my basement working up some hunting loads for my M48 Mauser... I've been planning to try my hand at elk hunting out here in the near future (I used to hunt deer back east, but we had no elk), and thought I'd see if I could make my old Mauser work for that purpose! There's nothing I'd love more than to be able to take my first Colorado elk with a gun that I bought on a whim for less than $100. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can produce the accuracy I'm looking for out of this rifle, because the caliber is otherwise plenty capable of downing an elk! I just think it would be an unspoken subtle response to the crowds of hunters who outright insist that you need to have a .658 Super Ultra-mega Magnum with a 10-90x scope to hunt a mule deer in the brush!
madcratebuilder
Member
Also some of the best pilots that have ever flown.
Quoheleth
Member
Shifting gears a little...back to teh OP's observations...
At least it sounds like the other shooter was respectful and polite. He wasn't wearing mall ninja tactical gear (though his guns were). He was all over the paper, but he managed to hit it 40%. Major leaguers hit less than 30% and get paid millions to "only" do that. I know...different sport & expectations. But that's my point: different shooters, different abilities. Give him credit for "being in the arena," to borrow from Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe he was having a bad day...eyes were not working right. Had a fellow shooting with me last Monday where his glaucoma was flaring up - he could barely keep it on paper at 10 yards. I've seen this ol' boy shoot - veeeeery unusual when he cant keep it all in a 4" circle at that distance.
More than owning great guns and not being able to shoot them well, it's the loud, arrogant, abnoxious shooters that don't give a tinker's darn about anyone else nearby who drive me bonkers.
Q
At least it sounds like the other shooter was respectful and polite. He wasn't wearing mall ninja tactical gear (though his guns were). He was all over the paper, but he managed to hit it 40%. Major leaguers hit less than 30% and get paid millions to "only" do that. I know...different sport & expectations. But that's my point: different shooters, different abilities. Give him credit for "being in the arena," to borrow from Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe he was having a bad day...eyes were not working right. Had a fellow shooting with me last Monday where his glaucoma was flaring up - he could barely keep it on paper at 10 yards. I've seen this ol' boy shoot - veeeeery unusual when he cant keep it all in a 4" circle at that distance.
More than owning great guns and not being able to shoot them well, it's the loud, arrogant, abnoxious shooters that don't give a tinker's darn about anyone else nearby who drive me bonkers.
Q
Jealousy, the green eyed monster
Don't begrudge the guy his right to buy whatever he wants simply because he can afford it and, right now, you can't. It really does not matter that he can't shoot as well as you. You have a good gun in the Glock and, apparently, you practice with it enough to have become proficient. That is its own reward. Also, remember that he probably didn't buy them all at once. Good collections come as the result of a lifetime of buying. I like to keep a few hundred saved up in the back of my wallet waiting for a deal to come along. It really doesn't matter what it is as long as it is something that I can make money on. I have bought guns that I have never shot only to resell them and turn them into something that I really wanted.
Don't begrudge the guy his right to buy whatever he wants simply because he can afford it and, right now, you can't. It really does not matter that he can't shoot as well as you. You have a good gun in the Glock and, apparently, you practice with it enough to have become proficient. That is its own reward. Also, remember that he probably didn't buy them all at once. Good collections come as the result of a lifetime of buying. I like to keep a few hundred saved up in the back of my wallet waiting for a deal to come along. It really doesn't matter what it is as long as it is something that I can make money on. I have bought guns that I have never shot only to resell them and turn them into something that I really wanted.
BillyBothHands
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Maybe he was just having a "super fun" session. lol. He could have been trying something new or not really trying at all on purpose. I know it sounds silly, but I've been known to shoot poorly on purpose. It is a waste of ammo, but its fun and it goes like this...
It is usually after I've been watching some of my old favorite westerns or something and I try to see what kind of groups I can get without really using the sights. Although at that distant he probably could have done better.
I'm not rich by any means but once in a while when stressed i've been known to just go to the range for the boom, boom, boom!
The guy probably was just a poor shot, but just offering the possibility that there could be other explanations.
And I do have some nice stuff. I'm not married and no kids you'd be suprised how much further your money will go in that situation lol. I was thinking about that the last one I bought my buddy spent the same on his boy's broken arm so there ya go.
Just my 2 copper discs worth
It is usually after I've been watching some of my old favorite westerns or something and I try to see what kind of groups I can get without really using the sights. Although at that distant he probably could have done better.
I'm not rich by any means but once in a while when stressed i've been known to just go to the range for the boom, boom, boom!
The guy probably was just a poor shot, but just offering the possibility that there could be other explanations.
And I do have some nice stuff. I'm not married and no kids you'd be suprised how much further your money will go in that situation lol. I was thinking about that the last one I bought my buddy spent the same on his boy's broken arm so there ya go.
Just my 2 copper discs worth
jcwit
member
This could be nothing more than a medical condition. I own some very nice target hand guns but can not even begin to shoot in competition, from having polio when young. Not crying about it, its just a fact of life I'm required to deal with. There was a time I couldn't hold a newspaper and read it because of my shaking. I'm just thank the Lord I'm as well off as I am.
scottaschultz
Member
It could be, but who knows? We don't know anything about the other shooter other than he has some very nice handguns. What we do know is that it is nothing more than jealousy on the part of the OP, pure and simple.
Life isn't fair! You want to talk about unfair? I lost my spouse after fighting non-Hodgkins lymphoma for 10 years! She even had a bone marrow transplant that cost over $1 million after which we had no other choice but to declare bankruptcy and she still died 4 years later.
Now tell me why you think it is unfair that you don't have a gun collection like the other man at the range. The kind of guns other people have and what they do with them are nobody else's business so why waste time worrying about it?
To the OP, you have absolutely NOTHING to cry about! You just need to get a proper perspective on life!
Scott
Life is short and then we die. We're all self centered to some extent, the key is to try to become aware of it and to get over ourselves so we can truly live life free from the burden of self and thus live a positive life out of love and not just exist acting out our insecurities and fears. At the end of the day all of us have to look in the mirror and face the truth of who we are - and what we have chosen to make our lives about. I believe in a personal God and that I am accountable for my life and I don't think he cares how good of a shot I am, how much money I make, how many nice things I have or don't have, how many I good deeds I do, or how smart or talented I am. He and I care about how much I live my life out of love.
That life isn't fair - of course not - thank God it isn't or we'd all be dead or worse. Today I am grateful for my life - sure I've had pain in my life - alcoholism, the loss of a marriage, the death of my father, the death of my brother, almost losing my youngest daughter, losing my career of twenty plus years, facing losing my home, and potentially losing my currrent marriage and family. But that is life. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn't promised so I live today.
I don't shoot poorly but then I'm by no means a crack shot, I have some nice guns but I know a lot of people that have more. So what. The things of this world, the achievments and rewards of this world are of no real value. Life is what we each choose to make it. Get over the hubris of judging others for in doing so one only passes judgement on themselves. Envy, resentment, self-righteousness only prevent us from living and loving.
No one needs to justify themselves or their choices in life to me or to any man, they have incalcuable value in God's eyes and he is the only judge.
So, what would I say to someone who had a lot of quality or expensive guns and who was a lousy shot - probably - "Hey those are some really nice guns. Don't get to shoot much or are you just a bad shot?"
That life isn't fair - of course not - thank God it isn't or we'd all be dead or worse. Today I am grateful for my life - sure I've had pain in my life - alcoholism, the loss of a marriage, the death of my father, the death of my brother, almost losing my youngest daughter, losing my career of twenty plus years, facing losing my home, and potentially losing my currrent marriage and family. But that is life. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn't promised so I live today.
I don't shoot poorly but then I'm by no means a crack shot, I have some nice guns but I know a lot of people that have more. So what. The things of this world, the achievments and rewards of this world are of no real value. Life is what we each choose to make it. Get over the hubris of judging others for in doing so one only passes judgement on themselves. Envy, resentment, self-righteousness only prevent us from living and loving.
No one needs to justify themselves or their choices in life to me or to any man, they have incalcuable value in God's eyes and he is the only judge.
So, what would I say to someone who had a lot of quality or expensive guns and who was a lousy shot - probably - "Hey those are some really nice guns. Don't get to shoot much or are you just a bad shot?"
Nothing is more fun than `educating' a guy who shoots a high dollar pistol who can't hit the broad side of a barn at 50 feet. Now, I'm more than happy to teach someone who is interested in learning how to shoot properly, but they have to put aside the notion that they can pay their way into shooting prowess. Check the paid for ego at the door and get back to the basics of shooting.
Glock 21, 50 feet:
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Glock 21, 50 feet:
OurSafeHome.net
Member
Our esteemed moderator wrote:
I would humbly submit these photos of the first shots fired by one of my recent students:
She had never even touched a gun before firing these shots.
She took our online class, and got 100% hits with every shot she fired. NO MISSES!
Even tyros, if properly instructed, can achieve 100% hits.
I would humbly submit these photos of the first shots fired by one of my recent students:
She had never even touched a gun before firing these shots.
She took our online class, and got 100% hits with every shot she fired. NO MISSES!
Even tyros, if properly instructed, can achieve 100% hits.
So you approach this guy and it sounds like he was excited to have someone to talk about guns with. Then the fact that he has something more expensive than you bothers you so much that you have to start a thread on a gun board about the guy.
And you think he has some kind of personality issue? You're kidding right?
It really saddens me to see some of the responses here. I had some guy at the range one day make a comment to his buddy about it being a waste of money to buy a fancy stainless gun with fancy wood grips since it doesn't make it shoot any better. I was shooting my Ruger MKIII Hunter and he was shooting a basic blued MKII. Apparently I was some kind of snob because I was shooting the slightly more expensive model of the Ruger.
A friggin Ruger MKIII.
Of course, I just ignored him and put ten more rounds of cheap Federal Bulk 22LR into a 2" circle at 15 yards.
-Chris
JamisJockey
member
Or, you could have offered to give the guy a hand and help him with some marksmanship pointers, instead of being high and mighty.
mgregg85
Member
I find that having to work for the things you have makes you appreciate them much more. I know that is true for me.
Some people think that buying the best and a lot of it, makes them better at fulfilling their journey. If they wise up, they realize that simplicity and minimalism is happiness. Less to worry about. Just enough to value and appreciate. Unfortunately by the time you figure out a lot of this stuff, many years go by. If he had just 1 or 2 guns that he was proficient with would he be happier. Is it the guns or the pleasure derived from owning or shooting them. He may never derive the pleasure that you get from yours, be they less expensive or not.
JamisJockey
member
The op.
Im reading a lot of jealousy here, I used to be that way and I still find myself falling into that trap. Since I have learned to live within my financial means after some hard life lessons I now see "stuff" as a burden and expense. I see new cars and wonder when or if it will ever be paid for. Toys and gear are just wasted money, at least guns arent purchased on credit.
The well worn G19 has a new sense of beauty to me. My Ford F150 w/ over 125K miles and going strong is a point of pride for me because its paid in full.
Bottom line is most of the gun industry has us focused on the gear, very little on shooting
The well worn G19 has a new sense of beauty to me. My Ford F150 w/ over 125K miles and going strong is a point of pride for me because its paid in full.
Bottom line is most of the gun industry has us focused on the gear, very little on shooting
OurSafeHome.net
Member
Here, here!
GoWolfpack
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so long as they don't have a nicer gun than me.
The world is full of people with more money than time. Be happy you've got the time to practice and be more proficient with your less expensive toys.
spyder1911
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- Mar 27, 2008
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kda said:
Yes but Rob Leatham, Todd Jarrett, Eric Grauffel, or any other professional shooter could easily look at you shooting your Glock and say the exact same thing. It is all a matter of perspective.
The guy was being safe, took your advice, having fun, and didn't skimp on supplies to get started in a new sport. I don't understand what is wrong?
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