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View Poll Results: What age group are you? | |||
Under 25 | 0 | 0% | |
25 to 35 | 4 | 3.81% | |
35 to 45 | 10 | 9.52% | |
45 to 55 | 19 | 18.10% | |
55 to 65 | 31 | 29.52% | |
Over 65 | 41 | 39.05% | |
Voters: 105. You may not vote on this poll |
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December 14, 2019, 07:00 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: October 9, 1998
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Posts: 8,563
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Are guns going out of favor with the younger crowd?
Being young these days has to be a tough job. I don't know how kids these days get by. It costs a small fortune to do even simple things like going out on a date. In my youth, a $10 or $20 covered it - no problem. Now, that doesn't even cover the cost of gas it seems! Things like that don't leave much room for spending money & ammo costs are going up all the time.
OTOH - getting old means a lot of increased medical expenses - and - on a fixed income that can be tough. Middle age of course brings on a whole different array of expenditures that leave no money for a "hobby", much less two or three or more. Then there's the ever present - guns are bad attitude that getting more and more wide spread. I'm beginning to think that guns - like a lot of things these days - are more or less, the things us old coots do and the youth - not so much. So - let's see where everyone falls according to age. |
December 14, 2019, 07:53 AM | #2 |
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Guns are just as popular as ever among the younger folks. The TYPE of guns being sold is changing. In my youth virtually all gun owners were primarily hunters and the type of guns they owned reflected that.
Today there are just as many gun owners, probably more, but hunting is a dying activity. Only a handful still hunt, mostly older guys and they are not being replaced by younger hunters. To a lesser extent fishing is the same. Younger shooters are buying AR's, precision rifles, and handguns designed around SD or shooting games. I'm in my 60's, retired and even my gun buying habits are changing. I still hunt, but now that I have more time, and expendable income I can now spend more time shooting than I could when I was working 60 hours/week to support my family. Most of my recent purchases have been geared toward greater accuracy. While I still enjoy hunting, I can go to the range much more often, year round and enjoy trying to get better at shooting small groups on paper at longer ranges. Cost is relative. Yes things cost more, but people are earning much more. We need to work fewer hours in order to afford most of the things we buy than we did when I was in college in the 1970's. Cost isn't really a factor if we consider inflation and modern wages. Even at $2.50/gallon gas is now cheaper than at any other time in my life relative to income. The 1st new rifle was bought back in 1975. A fellow working at minimum wages would have to work over 90 hours to pay for that rifle. A fellow working at minimum wages today could work 90 hours and pay for a BETTER rifle AND put a decent scope on it. The difference is in what we CHOOSE to spend our money on. As a youth TV was free with the antenna on the roof. Of course we only had 3 channels. My parents didn't own computers or pay for internet service. We didn't pay for cell phones and eating out was a rare treat.
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December 14, 2019, 09:30 AM | #3 | ||
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Pretty decent re-cap here, including various ages.
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017...gun-ownership/ Quote:
Quote:
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December 14, 2019, 11:25 AM | #4 |
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Location: North Central Pennsyltucky
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Depends upon how they were raised, up to a point. Both of my son-in-laws were raised in households without firearms. One is a liberal, anti-gun buttercup (I call him that to his face, and I'm OK with it). The other is a-political, and showed no inclinations towards firearms. However, at a management seminar, he was introduced to skeet shooting, had a great time and is showing interest in sporting guns.
Again, it depends upon the family life they grew up in. |
December 14, 2019, 02:20 PM | #5 |
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Location: Canada
Posts: 12,453
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"...Being young these days..." Isn't any easier being a geezer. Stuff costs a lot more now and non-union(especially for unelected civil servants. Up here anyway. A cop anywhere in Ontario is paid over 100 grand per annum.) wages have not risen with the cost of living.
However, all you need do it read all the posts by the younguns about ad prices in the gun rags from years ago. They still want to play, but may or may not be able to afford current prices. (Even when living in mom's basement.) And those are still about a week's or so pay. Just like they were in the "old days". In 1985, Ohio's minimum wage was $3.35. That's $134.00 per week. Stuff was priced accordingly.
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December 14, 2019, 06:02 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: March 21, 2018
Location: AZ
Posts: 236
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Your poll does not show anything except what the age is for readers of this forun thread.
Under 25, boys and girls are too busy chasing each other. Believe the poll would be slightly skewed positively in rural and ag areas. 25- 35 they are looking to find themselves, work is a priority, oh, and chasing the other sex. If they've caught each other, both are probably working to make ends meet, and if they've already met and children enter the picture, money and time are even shorter. 35-45, they've figured it out, and IF they are still married, there is usually more time and money for "wants" as opposed to "needs". Social demands, soccor mom/dad, clubs, associations, and golf to stay on the good side of the boss. Firearms interest grows, maybe for security 45-50 kids don't require as much atten (better watch out here). The 25-35 passing interest in firearms negins to nag. What the heck, think I'll try a pistol/rifle/shotgun. Wife and kids might like it too.... 50-65 gotta get that group size down. Check my reload process, what can I do different/better. If I get a model Z, Lazer Super Blammer, I've heard it shoots flat to 2600 yds. If I get a Gosh All .75 semi auto I can get a deer and cook it at the same time. 65-75 Think I'll try bench or even prone, if I can get down. Wonder if the kids will get a deer/turkey/goose-duck this year? The Itis boys, Arthur and Burs, have moved in for the duration. Maybe I'll just sit here by the fire, drink my coffee, and read The Firing Line with my slippers on. |
December 14, 2019, 06:23 PM | #7 | |
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Join Date: September 12, 2002
Location: Twin Cities, MN
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In Minnesota High School Trap shooting has taken off and is doing pretty good, so the fun/fascination factor is still there it just has to be given the opportunity to "blossom" as it were.
Quote:
Going to a commercial range is pricey, there's lots of rules you may or may not be familiar with and a distinct lack of "fun". Also there may be helpful old fogeys trying to give you advice you don't need or high-speed-low-drag that disparage your shooting and your equipment. I have fun at the range because I'm in my own "old fogey" world enjoying my "old fogey" shooting. When I was a young guy I shot at a range as part of a club and we socialized a lot. The young people I see at commercial ranges, come in and shoot paper targets and get out. If you go back far enough there used to be shooting galleries where you could go shoot for fun. Except for our state fair I haven't seen any of them. Lastly, if you want to shoot competitively, even in .22LR (smallbore) competitions you need high price equipment. I see the Project Appleseed program as a hopeful thing and wish them the best. (Disclaimer: I have not gone to an Appleseed program). |
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December 14, 2019, 07:54 PM | #8 |
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Location: Arkansas
Posts: 244
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While we don't know the popularity of guns or forums with the younger crowd it appears gun forums are really popular with the older crowd.
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December 14, 2019, 07:58 PM | #9 |
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Join Date: June 21, 2018
Posts: 218
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At the rate guns and rifles flew off the shelves during the Obama years, I have faith that gun ownership is not lacking in any category. I know Obama Zombies of the highest order, 20s, 60s and 70s, in my extended family right now, that own many guns. These same people now love Bloomberg... there is no making sense of it.
With the information flow these days with cable news and social media, when a mass shooting occurs, terrorist related or not, people of all ideologies and ages wipe out gun shop inventories. Where I live I see a lot of young people involved in shooting sports. In a neighboring county, I'll pull into the wildlife club and there is always and RO and some young kid getting evaluated... it's always good to see that. Also, as far as hunting areas, they seem to be getting more crowded. I went through the drive thru at chickfila at lunch time and these teenagers came out wearing full camo with their face paint. I was like, "Hell Yeah", I love where I live... except for the occasional unbelievably loud car stereo. |
December 15, 2019, 01:39 AM | #10 |
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Join Date: March 21, 2018
Location: AZ
Posts: 236
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Hmmmm..."fixed income"....exactly what is it? My whole life, I've lived on a fixed income. Unless I got a raise or bonus, every paycheck was the same. Now, unless you are in sales, or work piece work, you live pretty much on a fixed paycheck.
After retirement, it's still pay check to pay check, albeit, less but at prescribed times. Maybe suplemented by part time or hobby income, but still pay check to pay check. Fixed income is usually invoked when meant someone is lesser advantaged. So, in my opinion, living from pay check to pay check is more accurate than "fixed income". Last edited by pwc; December 15, 2019 at 01:56 AM. |
December 15, 2019, 06:38 AM | #11 |
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Join Date: August 25, 2006
Posts: 1,819
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"Fixed income"? I was under the impression that was a pension without any cost of living increase.
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December 15, 2019, 07:40 AM | #12 |
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Join Date: August 7, 2016
Posts: 57
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I bet 30 years from now you won't even be able to look at a gun...youth of today is anti gun imo....sad
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December 15, 2019, 11:22 AM | #13 |
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Just my opinion. With the indoctrination by the liberals that has been occurring in our schools for the last 40 years or so eventually the conservatives will be far out numbered and over run. Just from the news the past couple of years the youth of today would like to do away with the constitution. When that time comes guns will be far gone and a thing of the past. Very sad indeed and I personally see it coming in my opinion.
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December 15, 2019, 12:40 PM | #14 |
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Join Date: December 28, 2006
Posts: 4,342
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I completely disagree. Around here you see a lot of young guys in the gun shop buying, and while the old guys are there too, most are just looking or shooting the bull, many times dissing the choices of those young folks. The Hunter Safety classes I help with are just as full of youth as they ever were, except nowadays there are a lot more girls enrolled(both young and old). Just seems youth of today take a more realistic approach to guns and their ownership. Seems younger shooters look at their guns more as tools, while older guys have an emotional attachment to them. IMHO, Why you see so many more old guys on these types of forums. Our local School District has Sporting Clays teams at both the High School and Middle School level. Has more participants than the football teams. Maybe in 30 years we won't be able to watch Football on Sunday afternoons.......
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December 15, 2019, 01:01 PM | #15 | ||
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Join Date: September 12, 2002
Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Quote:
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Take almost anyone shooting and they have a good time. And I mean that, almost anyone. Still it's really disheartening to see young protesters in Hong Kong playing the US National Anthem protesting for more rights and seeing OUR youth at rallies protesting for LESS rights. I swear I think Emma Gonzalez could whip a crowd of youths into a frenzy and get them to march on Congress chanting: "TAKE, OUR, RIGHTS AWAY!" "TAKE, OUR, RIGHTS AWAY!" And the irony would be totally lost on the main stream media. Buck450xvr-your post cheered me up. |
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December 15, 2019, 03:09 PM | #16 |
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Posts: 4,700
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Remember so many of the young are growing up fatherless, often the only adult males they have any regular contact with are teachers. Who will take them to the range, teach them safety and proper gun handling and etiquette, etc.? Yours truly went down that road in the 1950s, in the 1960s I learned firearms handling in the Boy Scouts, that is a lot rarer today.
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December 15, 2019, 04:12 PM | #17 | |
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Quote:
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December 15, 2019, 05:28 PM | #18 |
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The Pewsocialtrends data posted early in the thread is probably less biased than this forum. I don't think forums in general are as popular with younger generations as are other types of media. Forums require reading and writing, and a younger generation might prefer pictures, like Snapchat and Instagram. Even if you looked at the demographics of gun-related Youtube channels, particularly those that aren't hosted by old men, you would probably see a more even age distribution.
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December 15, 2019, 07:23 PM | #19 | |
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Location: Florida
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December 15, 2019, 07:59 PM | #20 |
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Posts: 8,238
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When I was young, an AR wasn’t really a young man’s gun, nor in a young man’s budget.
Now they are both. |
December 15, 2019, 08:43 PM | #21 | |
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Quote:
Now bolts and AR are cheap and lever is high dollar. (Entry level) |
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December 15, 2019, 09:06 PM | #22 | |
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Quote:
I see a lot of young guys shooting (poorly, mostly, but they sure do pull the trigger fast!) .... not so many hunting ..... what I don't see is very many young guys on 90's style chat forums like this one. They are all on FB and Snapchat, or video game chat lobbies ..... this format is too slow for the generation of instant gratification- they need multiple screens entertaining them constantly ..... they often cannot hold a single conversation for more than 10 minutes in real time before becoming "bored" ..... .... last night I saw a commercial (which is really rare, because I almost never watch TV) .... in which a character named "Reality" entered into a kid's video game virtual reality world ...... and was made to look like a fat, lame boring, screw-up ..... "Who needs Reality?" was the tagline on the ad ...... SMH .... |
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December 15, 2019, 09:20 PM | #23 |
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900 is a lot of money when your check was $70 lol
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December 15, 2019, 10:15 PM | #24 |
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Location: SW FLORIDA
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It really depends on what part of the country you live in and the regional politics of the area.
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December 16, 2019, 12:57 AM | #25 |
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Location: North Alabama
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evidence
The attached poll seems to support jimbob's comments about the younger set, not many in those age groups have responded. That supports my own observations with bamaboy.
Now 24, he loves to shoot, buys AR's, chassis rifles and long slide pistols, but I half to shame him to come by in the spring or fall to hunt with his ol'Dad a few times these days. 'Course a fiancee and a real job effect all that too!!!!! |
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