Thinking about quitting shooting competitively and selling stuff off

[Ronnie j]

What kind of shot gun you wanna get rid of when you quit

[Sarge]

What kind of shot gun you wanna get rid of when you quit

I knew it was only a matter of time until the sharks started circling!

[joseywales]

Everything we do goes in cycles. How long or deep of a cycle each activity is will be different for everyone. We only have so much time on this earth. Don't waste the limited time you have trying to force or maintain an outcome that is not worth it to you. If competitive shooting isn't "Worth it" to you right now, then walk away and put your efforts into the next thing that tickles your fancy. If you happen to change your mind later on down the road, competitive shooting will still be available.

What to do with your guns and gear is totally up to you. But in the competition world there is ALWAYS the "Next" hot thing which makes the older model obsolete or undesirable. If you don't have any sentimental attachment to your current competition guns or gear, and are truly over it, I would suggest selling what you have now while the guns and gear are still relevant and competitive. Selling your guns and gear now will give you the best return on investment. Verses socking them away in a safe for 5 - 10 years and risk them being far outdated by the time you want to use them again or sell them.

I hate to think that I am helping someone leave the sport, but as I said before, we only have so much time on this earth. Use that time effectively. If that means leaving the sport to pursue other things then so be it. Do what makes you happy and feels rewarding when you do it.

Well said. +1.

[steviesterno]

no worries about sharks circling, I actually posted my 6" 2011 and Open M&P for sale last night. Check the classifieds. I found out I'm not allowed to sell my shotgun or rifle because that same special lady likes shooting clays with a 3 gun shotty and playing sniper with the gas gun. hahaha, I'm totally OK with that, too

[rhett45acp]

Sell, Keep, it's all up to you. The key is, are you having fun? Life is too short, get it all, and as said by my brothers, "get it in ya".

To Echo many responses, one would not want to discourage a shooter. However, circling around is a possibility. Go do something different. And here is the key, you may learn something in another function that my come back to shooting. I think some of us get caught into the ego thing about "Knowing guns" and "tactical ready". Whatever. In my life, I will be stuck in some airport with a 6$ bag of peanuts when all poop breaks loose. Go figure. But, I have the knowledge.....

So, on the circling comment I made. I find a great balance in playing in the informal game of long range rifle shooting. It is almost a 360 of what I LOVE about USPSA, but it is so much fun. And you learn.

After a bit of working and doing MDing for steel challenge reengage matches, I took some time off. Bought a few boats and had a blast. If you ask me today if I want to buy a new boat? Maybe, but the 300 Win Mag is looking good, but the new Para 1640 is looking better. That is if Para can supply???? dig too para if you did not get :-)

[Aglifter]

I took last year off, just about. Didn't really miss it, aside from certain things. I really enjoy shooting some matches, others get a bit dull.

Perhaps try something different - revolver, production, open, etc.

Or, take a break, maybe focus on running/yoga/something which may eliminate whatever physical barriers could have been hindering you.

[steviesterno]

I actually have a group of friends playing hooky this afternoon so we can go shoot sporting clays on a 70 and sunny Friday afternoon. I haven't ever been good at that and haven't shot at a flying clay in a few years, but I'm excited! Will probably get a deal on a side by side I can cut down and sand and play with for no reason other than I don't have one and everybody should.

Decided to scale back on matches and making myself crazy over it. I'm shooting an all-steel match next week with an my Open M&P. I may do a hand full of practice draws to remember to look for the dot, but otherwise I have no expectation of doing well, just having fun!

Sold my full on competition gun yesterday, to an old buddy who's got the desire (and skill) to help make GM this year. I don't currently want to put that kind of work into it, so we're both really happy with the outcome. I think scaling back rather than cold turkey might just be the answer...

[Steve RA]

Think that is a better approach than just "cold turkey".

[texasref]

Re-evaluate why you shoot.

Is it for the competition or the comraderie? Also it seems like you do have a very good sense of this being something you do, not who you are. And that's good.

I did something advocationally for 25 years. At about year 23, I started to slow down a lot. Came to the decision it was ok to walk away. The one thing that I didn't consider was the human contact.

I had lost the guys I hung out with. So I started shooting to have something else to do besides going to work and coming home. We all need that outside support group, however small.

Shoot when you feel like it, and do it for yourself first.

[blaster113]

When I get that burned out feeling I play with the guns that give me that good ol' fuzzy feeling; my P226s, Garands and now my newest flame a 10mm Glock 20. starting to get burned out trying to reach the next class. try playing in a new division which you dont care at all about placement with a gun you really like. I shoot Production with my favorite pistol, a P226 for that very reason and also the fact that its so cheap to shoot 9mm. As for expensive competition gear unless I could break close to even on a sale I would try to hang on to the gear for as long as possible. I've later regretted the sale of most of the guns I've gotten rid of, especially the uber expensive ones which I've lost money on.

the urge may come back after a while. if after a few years the urge still doesnt return I'd dump all the competition stuff and just keep the fun and self defense stuff

[prairiefire]

I think life is about periodically reinventing yourself. Always diving into the deep end of the pool (my modus operandi) means getting burned out from over emphasis in one area of life to the exclusion of other equally gratifying things. I usually have some regrets about selling off stuff too quickly, but certainly in a year if you aren't wanting to shoot in some form or another, then sell gear and see what else is available. I think you are approaching this correctly. These things ususually have a way of working out quite well.

[mwc]

Everything we do goes in cycles. How long or deep of a cycle each activity is will be different for everyone. We only have so much time on this earth. Don't waste the limited time you have trying to force or maintain an outcome that is not worth it to you. If competitive shooting isn't "Worth it" to you right now, then walk away and put your efforts into the next thing that tickles your fancy. If you happen to change your mind later on down the road, competitive shooting will still be available.

What to do with your guns and gear is totally up to you. But in the competition world there is ALWAYS the "Next" hot thing which makes the older model obsolete or undesirable. If you don't have any sentimental attachment to your current competition guns or gear, and are truly over it, I would suggest selling what you have now while the guns and gear are still relevant and competitive. Selling your guns and gear now will give you the best return on investment. Verses socking them away in a safe for 5 - 10 years and risk them being far outdated by the time you want to use them again or sell them.

I hate to think that I am helping someone leave the sport, but as I said before, we only have so much time on this earth. Use that time effectively. If that means leaving the sport to pursue other things then so be it. Do what makes you happy and feels rewarding when you do it.

True wisdom...one of the better posts I've read.

[addiction]

I think they call it the seven year itch....I know i I get it, I have lots of gear sitting around that I no longer use because I moved on after about 6-7 years....when asked about it, my answer is simple " I got what I wanted out of the activity, and now have moved on...."

first rule of happiness, do what makes you happy

[zhuk]

If you live in a country where you have the luxury of not having to shoot competitively to be "allowed" to be in legal possession of handguns, then just shoot recreationally for a while. Keep your comp stuff, but just shoot when you want, for fun, and don't give any thought to competing if that's what you want...pick it up again if/when the urge returns

[steviesterno]

i haven't shot a match since posting this, and don't mind it. was thinking about today, but it was multi gun and I don't feel like lugging all that crap around.

but i DID get to have a blast at the range yesterday. Learned how to shoot a snub correctly, and blasted like 25 rounds of full power 357. Then started doing fire-reload-fire drills with a new RMR M&P (Tacticool open gun) and was running under 1.9 from the pocket. Then we started shooting a suppressed 5" 22 upper and used low-powder rounds, it was HILARIOUS@!!! no ear protection, and when you sent them into the berm, all you heard is the hammer dropping. Any time you can make a bunch of grown men giggle, it's a fun day!

[alma]

I tender to walk away from multigun matches feeling the same. At least with standard USPSA matches there is only performance with one gun about which you can be frustrated. Reflecting back on it I had fun but driving away from the range I felt overwhelmed.

[steviesterno]

oh don't get me wrong, I like multi gun a ton. I think it's much more of a challenge to be good at so many parts of different styles of shooting, different guns, different loading, and it usually consists of a lot more thinking and mental ability (I think). However, it's lugging 3 gun cases, 10 different mags, holsters, piles of shotgun ammo, all this just general crap. I don't have a stroller, and living in an apartment means I take like 10 trips up and down the stairs to load the car in the morning, then the same in reverse. Just not always worth the trouble.

[Jeff F]

I would not sell anything right away unless you needed the money. I have been shooting since 2008 and this last 12 months has been nuts, different job position is killing me and having 2 kids in college. Mi am not shooting nearly as much as I was but I am not selling anything

Do what's best for you. Good luck!

[PistolPete]

I recently went thru this 3 years ago. I was shooting like a maniac and dry firing almost every single day. It became a job and was no longer fun. I ended up starting my own business and I sold EVERYTHING I had to fund the business. Now, 3 years later I'm getting back into it. Luckily my business is booming and I'm doing great. I have the perfect schedule as I only work 4 days/week and about 20 hours per week so it's great. I'm not sure if I will shoot any matches but right now I'm focused on shooting for fun. I miss shooting and I miss the people.

Give it a lot of though if you do decide to sell. It becomes harder to replace all the cool stuff because all the custom guns take forever to build.

[steviesterno]

well maybe an update? I had the chance to sell my custom 2011 to a buddy who's gunning for master this year. I don't shoot 40 any more, so i don't even really miss it. It was a nice gun, but we never really bonded.

I got to trade those mags to another buddy who needed some, and chipped in cash to buy an M&P full custom our other friend built. So I was able to really help him out and get him some money, plus I have a new, 9mm limited gun that's perfect for the events I shoot now.

I haven't sold my game rifle, since it would be too hard to replace everything for what I have into it. I did list an extra trijicon tr 21 1-4, no reason to have 2. I want a dot for close stuff with the HD rifle, and the scope was just too much.

I also had a chance to pick up a fun 357 snub, (sp101) for a deal, so I still get to go out and enjoy blasting stuff. I just haven't been crazy into competition. Now a days, my weekends are being eaten up with continuing ed classes and searching for a wedding venue. Not too shabby!

[caspian38]

I joined the army and didn't have time to shoot. I thought about selling my gear before I went in but decided to keep it in storage. I just went to my first match in almost 5 years, and it was better than the first time I shot USPSA. I had a blast ! I don't think I would have gotten back into shooting if I hadn't kept all my bullets, primers , powder , reloading equipment and best of all my open gun! Dam that thing is fun !

I'm still in sticker shock mode though I can't believe how expensive ammo/ components have gotten. Or the fact that everyone is out of stock!

I say don't worry about competition, take a nice long break... Then come back and make GM in 6 MO. I was surprised by how little progress the guys I used to shoot with have made. A few hard core shooters I thought would be M or GM are still in the class they where five or more years ago. I had technical issues on my first match back but other than that...I feel like I'm in a position to make some huge gains and my motivational level is 110%.

There is no competition just targets ...forget about scores or times and just shoot targets. It's a pretty fun way to spend a saturday morning.

Edited April 8, 2014 by caspian38

[basman]

Shoot a match when you can and want. Hang with your friends and talk, laugh and shoot. Don't worry about your scores, just enjoy. I shoot with a couple of guys who NEVER check the targets, time, or final results and they have a great time just shooting, and being on the range.

[dervin]

hey I quit shooting a while ago and sold everything now im getting back to shooting again and buying everything all over again its been 19 years since I shot last really I cant wait .to get back at it

Edited May 20, 2015 by dervin

[wtturn]

I'm a pretty decent shooter, too. I would win or place at local matches, but I really don't want to spend any time practicing dry fire. Sure, I could get to be a master (I know I could if I wanted to) but I just don't want to.

[DBateman]

I'm with wtturn...

That being said people come and go from shooting all the time, I know I took a few years off match shooting, a few of my friends have done the same.