Why do you enjoy shooting so much?

K

Kimio

New member
For me, I love just about anything to do with marksmanship. That challenge of trying to land your shots down range and keep your groups as small as possible. The satisfaction of seeing the results of your training and hard work coming to fruition.

The adrenaline rush you get when you're under pressure to take a shot and make it as accurate you can. (Only done this while stationary so far, still it's a thrill)

Long guns, hand guns, close or long range. I love it all. That and the ability to be surrounded by people who typically share a common interest. I especially enjoy talking to older combat vets and LEO's. Most are very friendly and helpful, though I sometimes wonder if I annoy them with my questions. Id like to think I'm coming off as simply being eager to learn and improve.

So tell me, what is it that you love about shooting the most? Do you prefer target shooting or hunting? Static shooting from the bench or USPSA/IDPA style fire and move? Maybe a little bit of all of the above?
 
I have always enjoyed shooting from a very young age and just enjoy the challenge. I suppose in some ways it’s like any other hobby that allows you a short distraction from the day to day hassles. I also enjoy other mechanical objects such as watches, fountain pens, knives etc. I enjoy the design aspect of firearms and how different designers/companies approach the same basic challenges.
 
I am with you on looking for ways to keep groups as small as possible. This involves rifle accuracy tuning and precision reloading. And a little bit of scope testing. I take the static approach from a heavy bench with good rests.

My game is vintage .30 caliber cartridges in vintage (1892 - 1960) rifles. I have shot tons of groups with both factory ammo and handloads. I am not able to hunt, but if I were, group shooting with a variety of rifles would still be my main game.
 
hunting came first for me but the shooting part is nice to.

I don't do any specific target practise, everything is targeted at hunting (except pistol shooting that I took up last year)
 
The concentration required (that is relaxing to me).
The smell of burnt powder and Hoppe's No. 9.
The fellowship (if shooting with others).
 
At first, I did it for the sport. I liked competing with my brothers and grandpa shooting trap. Then, the military instilled in me a desire for proficiency in SD which was multiplied 10 fold when I got married and had other people to look after. After I got married, my father-in-law introduced me to hunting, and I really enjoy the peace I get while doing that. I'm just now starting to find the joy in making tiny holes on tiny targets, but it is very fun, and gives me a good sense of competition.

All of these things have resulted in a decently sized collection, and a fascination in the inner workings of guns as well. Oh, and I suppose I'm not the worst shot in the world anymore.
 
During the 5 to 10 seconds it takes to settle in, get a sight picture, start the trigger squeeze, and the sear breaks, NOTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD MATTERS. Nothing! Problems with the job? It doesn’t matter. Problems at home? It doesn’t matter. My entire world is focused on putting a hole in the x-ring. I joke sometimes that a nuclear bomb could go off behind me and I wouldn’t hear it. Putting a hole in that target, exactly where I want it is all that matters. To me, it’s therapy.
 
For me, it's the controlled chaos aspect of it. The controlled violence. What do I mean? You pull a lever and cause an explosion (rather close to yourself) that launches a piece of metal hundreds of yards. And you can control it enough to hit what you want to hit... And you can get better at controlling that chaos!

I've shared this before but I got into shooting as part of my PTSD theropy. Just when I felt down and out with everything, shooting reminded me that if i can handle, literally, handheld explosions and control them to do what I want, life isn't so unbearable.

But that's just me...
 
I retired from high school history teaching about 8 years ago. Went into a closet one day after being retired for a year or so, looking for something, opening up various boxes. Came across some ammo for my 1891 Argentine mauser, that'd been sporterized, that I used for deer hunting back in the later 60s and some 22 LR ammo for my squirrel rifle, a Marlin 99M1. Neither of these rifles I'd shot since about 1968. What the heck, went to a local public range to shoot the ammo. Had fun shooting up the old ammo....yea, there were some duds and the brass on a number of the CCI mini-mags from the 60s split.

Anyway, next thing I know, I'm buying the dies, press, powder and etc., necessary to reload my own ammo. Reloading is something I'd learned to do in a neighbor's garage back in the late 60's.

Will find a private range about 25 minutes from my home that cost only $125 a year to shoot, that I joined. Soooooo, many purchased rifles later, I spend several mornings a week at the range burning powder with various rifles. Many of which, I've made wooden stocks for....woodworking has been a hobby for a long time. Have a hoot shooting paper and I've met some nice gents at the range I've befriended. I just have a good time.
 
As strange as it seems it's peaceful. A lot like golf, not much talking and me trying my best on every shot. I retreat into myself and focus on the task at hand, very peaceful!
 
Trying to get 5 projectiles to enter the same hole and knowing that my chances of doing so are extremely slim/will probably never happen. The more I do it, the more I learn, and the better I get. In other words, practice doesn't make perfect, but it definitely makes me better. During the process of trying to achieve the impossible I learn so much about the reloading process, my rifle of choice, rifle scopes, the mechanics of shooting, etc. I also enjoy conversations with other who enjoy the same and have been doing it many years longer than I have. Knowing that I can take a bone stock rifle, assemble a projectile and make it shoot like gang busters gives me a rush. Good therapy I guess :)

#bangbang
 
My two reasons are similar to most others here:

1. Stress relief. Being outdoors and focusing on a single goal allows me to clear my head and leave all my worries behind for the 6ish hours I'm on the line. It's the same reason I love golfing.

2. Striving to be better. Until I put every shot in the same hole, I know I can always improve.
 
military surplus

my main reason is because Ive always been interested in the surplus small arms used by the military, Ive always liked army or military type firearms

part of it is because of the history, it's fun shooting historical firearms that were used in wars, plus the nostalgia of reliving history by firing these old war horses

I like just about any firearm that they would have used from old Krags 1895 - WWI - WWII - Korea - Vietnam

US and foreign
 
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I when I retired 15+ years ago my wife bought me some golf clubs. Took about three rounds to rediscover why I sold my old clubs 15 years before. Had always enjoyed shooting as a kid so at a friends suggestion tried trap shooting. Got hooked quite easily. Then took up handguns and rifles. My collection has grown and so is the amount of time spent shooting. It's my main form of relaxation. I enjoy the tools (guns) as much as the actual shooting.

Killing innocent paper and clay discs is a great hobby in my mind.
 
I wrote a bit about this last year:

http://benjaminraber.hubpages.com/hub/Why-I-love-to-Shoot

Excerpt:

In all, shooting is a way to stay active, be outdoors, and have fun; while all the while giving the shooter a significant challenge to his or her willpower and focus. It also is empowering and can provide important piece of mind when you hear that bump in the night. Recreational shooters like myself don't shoot because we have to, we do not anticipate a coming apocalypse (ok, some do, but even we call them crazy), or even an attack, we just like to have a good time with friends while also teaching ourselves some discipline; it’s just like any other recreational sport. Shooting is my sport and that is why I love to shoot.
Click to expand...
 
I've actually asked myself this exact question a few times, and while I can think of a few smaller reasons for liking shooting/firearms, I can't seem to figure it out exactly, I just do. The first time I had ever fired a gun was when my dad let me shoot his S&W model 18 revolver, and from then on I was hooked.

I think it party has to do with my liking of loud noises, ever since I was a kid I've always had a fascination with loud noises like fireworks, don't really know why. Part of the reason I like shooting my mosin and M1 Garand so much is because of the loud boom-like report they create, as well as feeling the concussion. Not sure if anyone else shares this. This definitely isn't the sole reason I like shooting though, as I enjoy shooting my .22 more than anything. I guess as others have stated its just a fun and relaxing challenge trying to hit small targets, or shooting a tight group. I also enjoy shooting at reactive targets, like gallon jugs of water, aerosol cans, and anything else that has a cool effect when a bullet hits it.

For me though shooting is only part of the fun of owning a gun. I also enjoy sometimes just holding and admiring my guns, especially the M1. I bought my mosin and M1 mainly due to their historical significance (they also happen to satisfy my need for loud booms :D), I like thinking about where they've been, and what the person(s) were like that used them in the past.
 
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