What makes a gun "fun" to shoot?

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joe sixpack

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In other threads I have come across the concept of a gun is "fun to shoot"
or that shooting the gun was not an enjoyable experience, and varying degrees of the above.

If you will, please explain "fun to shoot", what are the qualities
that make it so, or, what are the qualities that make it
otherwise.

Realize that what I am originating here, is based off my limited
experience with guns in general. That they go "bang" when you pull
the trigger obviously would add to the fun factor, and if they jam
or in some way fail to do what is intended would detract from their
enjoyment. But, what about something like a .50cal Desert Eagle?
It would seem to me that it would be "fun to shoot" maybe once
(that is if it has a brutal recoil or some nasty habit of breaking your
thumb), but once the novelty had worn off, you'd rather not practise
with it.
What about the smaller guns for CCW, or compacts? FTS (Fun to shoot)?

Also, if you like, please list guns that you think are "fun" and/or
those which were not "fun" for you.

cheers, ab

ps: the DE example above may not be based in fact, I have no idea if it is a bear to use or not.
 
For "fun-to-shoot" factor, I like the following:

Comfort and manageable recoil: It is important for a fun gun NOT to chew my hand up, or make me sore, etc. However, I think it's funner to have a gun with some recoil -- not too much, nor too little.

Accuracy: What I mean by this is that it is both accurate mechanically and practically -- meaning that the gun is accurate, but also that it is easy to shoot accurately.

Reliability: It's no fun to clear jams, because time spent clearing jams is time spent not shooting.

Wes
 
For "fun-to-shoot" factor, I like the following:

Comfort and manageable recoil: It is important for a fun gun NOT to chew my hand up, or make me sore, etc. However, I think it's funner to have a gun with some recoil -- not too much, nor too little.

Accuracy: What I mean by this is that it is both accurate mechanically and practically -- meaning that the gun is accurate, but also that it is easy to shoot accurately.

Reliability: It's no fun to clear jams, because time spent clearing jams is time spent not shooting.
Click to expand...

I also like what I am shooting to be cheap to shoot. I don't want to be thinking about how much it is costing to have fun. So if I reload it, or it is 9mm or 22 lr, or the ammo is just plain cheap anyways, then the piece has a higher fun factor to me.
 
My fun guns all have these things in common:
Comfort
Accuracy
Enough energy for the job.

My Smith Model 18 .22 revolver is definitely a fun gun but it doesn't have enough oomph for steel plates or bowling pins.
For those I shoot either my custom Para/Casp .45 ACP with a Hybrid Comp barrel, or a Smith M57 .41 Magnum. The M57 has Pachmayr Gripper grips to help keep the recoil manageable.

My M57 is one of the guns I just know I'm going to shoot well. My Manurhin/Walther PP is another. Very different guns, but both are fun.

Cheap ammo can make a fun gun too. I've been shooting my Colt Combat Commander in 9mm more often lately. I'm behind in my reloading so cheap surplus 9mm helps keep shooting fun.

Full auto makes a fun gun too!
I've enjoyed shooting subguns at rental ranges, at the old Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot, and after I bought some, locally. The only one I didn't like much was a PPSH. The one I shoot most now is a Madsen M50. It's extremely reliable shoots cheap 9mm and magazines were dirt cheap when I bought mine. Subs in .45 ACP are fun too, but ammo costs more.

As long as I'm shooting, I can generally have fun.
 
To add to the above:

A gun that doesn't make you spend half your time looking for brass. A revolver obviously satisfies this condition, but I would also include semi-autos that eject most brass into a reasonably small area (other than your face).

For semi-autos, magazines that are reasonable easy to fill to their capacity make for a fun experience.

A gun that will allow you to roll your own without voiding the warranty.
 
F'r instance:
My Ruger .45LC Bisley SS 5.5" fits the bill:

Looks great- at least to me. Just looking at the thing puts a grin on my face.
Feels just right in my hand.
Easy gun for me to shoot well.
Just enough recoil.
Fun and easy to reload for, so not too expensive to shoot.
When, at the range, all the 9mms around me are going "crack!" the Bisley goes BOOM!

Come to think of it all the above also holds true for my 1911!

Jeff
 
Fun for me is cheap & accurate. That means 9MM (under $6 for 50) and .22 (500 for under $10). I'm not into reloading - so the fun factor begins to wane when the cost per round gets up to around 20 cents per shot. I like to shoot until I get tired - not until I run out of money. About the only other rounds I shoot with any regularity are .38 & .357 - but typically that's more for "skill building" than for fun.
 
Fun= a quality .22lr, brick of ammo, and any suitable target that presents itself. I could do that all day every day.
 
Fun to shoot for me is any day at the range. I love hearing the *bang* and feeling the recoil, as well as shooting well and teaching/introducing new shooters into the sport.

You give me a gun to shoot. I WILL have fun. (as long as its not a jammomatic)
 
the feel of it in your hand....the way that the sights are lined up as soon as i point it...

the recoil...enough to be enjoyable, but not so much that it is unmanageable

and when the bullet goes where i want it....


one of the funnest guns i have shot: drum rolll.....

bersa thunder 380:eek:
 
My S&W M63 .22lr.

What makes a handgun fun to shoot? One that is accurate and fun to shoot. The G33 is accurate, comfortable but a challenge because of its small size and recoil. Same for the S&W 629 5" with standard .44Mag rounds.

Others:
Browning Challenger
Ruger Mk II 5"
Anschutz Exemplar (.22lr bolt action)
Walther P99 9mm (with the small grip insert)
Glock 17
Glock 33
SIG P239 9mm
S&W M686 6" (with .38 Special target loads)
S&W 629 Classic 5
S&W 952
Les Baer Ultimate Master 5" .45 ACP

Rich
 
A little off the beaten path, but

Firing a Sharp's Rifle at a metal buffalo at 1000 yards and hearing a clang about 3 seconds after you fire will make you grin..

That's a fun gun!!

Pistols??
Anything that works every time and you can hit what you shoot at!!
 
When you get to that point where you know before you even aim that you can hit what you want to hit. You don't blink, the gun recoils just like you expect it to, and then comes the big smile!
 
Lots of factors involved, each type of gun can be different. Example when shooting a .44 Mag revolver, fun is Big Boom, Big recoil.

But, in my .45 ACP, I don't want big boom and big recoil. Cause the gun serves a different role. But my .45 is fun because it's accurate, and easy on the recoil.

My SP101 with full house mags is Not Fun, but it's my CCW so it has to be trained with. Load it up with .38 Specials, and I love it! Lots of fun

Shooting a Mark II .22 with a Dot Scope fast at pins or plates is fun! The adrenenaline of shooting fast and accurate is fun.

My Desert Eagle .357 is fun because it's accurate and easy to shoot and has a big boom and flash. Plus, it attracts attention, so that makes it fun.

My Bushmaster is fun because it is so scary looking. And it's accurate.

Alot of extra fun for me is had by handloading for all of these guns. It's really rewarding to see my loads perform well.

And Rewarding always equals Fun!
 
Fun is in the senses and attitude of the beholder, to put a spin on a cliche.

Things are a little differant for everyone. I like a challenge. I like a lot of fire and thunder. I like my Desert Eagle .50 Action Express. Nothing puts a grin on my face quite like the DEagle.

I've also found myself having a lot of fun with my RAMI and Kamicosmos' SP101. Now I'm wanting a snubbie revolver of my own. Maybe some more itty bitty guns in too large a caliber. I'm seriously looking at a Taurus 445 or a S&W Airweight.

I guess I just like recoil and flash :evil:
 
A big boom.... or a small boom.

Really I like shooting all of my handguns.... shooting "old" guns is probably the most fun for me.

From a 1920's Colt .25 to a 1917 revolver or a 1939 Luger.

But really only accurate guns are interesting.
 
Agree with Kamicosmos: there's different kinds ah fun :D . I haven't shot that many guns smaller than compacts but the ones I have tried weren't much fun for me (and I shot them poorly). If it's not gonna be carried, a general rule for me is "Bigger gun, longer barrel in same caliber is likely to be more fun, all other things equal."

Shooting a friend's S&W 686 with 6" barrel in .357 Magnum at steel is very fun. Reactive target + .357 = distinct loud noise = :D . Also, I found it easy to shoot effectively with the single action trigger.

I'm eventually gonna have to get a full-size 9x19mm pistol, since I shoot them a bit better than I do my compact 9x19.

Of course, the grips, sights, and trigger have to suit me reasonably well, too.
 
For me, the number one factor is accuracy; if you can't hit what you're shooting at, all you're doing is making noise. Second, probably an interesting action involved (Mateba, P7, Luger). Third, probably a reasonable amount of power, so you can actually see a result when you hit your target.
 
Accuracy, ergonomics; it feels right and points well. I have more "fun" with a Ruger MKII Stainless Target .22 than with any other handgun. I use golfballs for targets, they're very reactive and you can bounce them til they're out of range, then do it all over again. :D

PLUS, it's el cheapo to shoot.
 
What makes a gun "fun" to shoot?


The likelihood that my wife can outshoot me with it.
The likelihood that my wife will want to try.

:)
 
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