Guns love you too Doc.
Actually, they just kinda like your hair....
Also never say never - After diving into defensive handgun training earlier this year I tried my hand at steel challenges and now I’m hooked. Just gotta budget for ammo at these nutty prices and get good at ammo spotting.
Welcome. I am also a new gun owner. I didn’t think I’d own a gun a few years back but here I am. I was always interested in shooting. I don’t live too far from MD small arms
To my chagrin one thing I did not research before buying was ammo prices. Just a single 50 box of 9mm cost me $53 (out the door) yesterday. The counter guy joked "Only one?" and I said I can't afford any more! He said "yeah, the good days are over." Unless there's a significant market change, I'm going to have to really limit range days. This is already a really expensive fancy stick.
I've seen a lot of videos where people fire A WHOLE LOT and I can't help but think how expensive that video must have been to make.
I'm just learning where to shoot and don't have anyone to practice with yet so steel challenges and competition are out of the question, though if I ever had a pile of money to burn I'd love to try.
What made you change your mind?
Over the years it's become evident that institutions we've entrusted and invested in to, at minimum, protect us... don't. Beyond hunger, homelessness or illness, we're not protected from violence (whatever your motivation) or exploitation. The fragile nature of our "polite society" is crystal clear, especially watching the goings on of this last, very challenging year. When I have a problem, since I work with them all day, I look to my tools.
A gun is a tool with a specific function; a weapon being the use of a tool to perform a specific task. It's a subtle but important distinction that took a while to fully understand. Practically speaking, I'd rather have a tool and not need it than need a tool and not have it. I hope I never, ever, ever, ever actually need it. Ever. However, if I do, I wanted to have one and know how to use it as best I can. Safety, accuracy, efficacy, all that.
Impractically speaking, being honest, loud and dangerous things are fun. See: motorcycles. In the spring I got a basic cheapo slingshot to discourage the squirrels in my yard and forgot just how fun it is hitting targets. I never actually hit the furry bastards, but my "target" is near enough to make them think twice about my garden. A few months of that and I thought, "this would be fun at a range with a gun and no Drill Sergeant." And it is.
Put need and want together with finally a little more income to make it happen and here we are.
Good luck.
Just to clarify. I love guns.