Question Of The Month (January 2025) - Shooting Goals
- Thread starter Ernst
- Start date
Bobster
.30-06
Bringin' back the QOTM--good deal! 
A little history before I talk about the future.
I've been shooting steel a couple times a month for about 1-1/2 yrs now. It's not about money or points or anything like that but more about developing (life-saving/life-taking) skills under the clock. Which is fun! My only regret is not doing it 20 or even 10 years ago. So I went from shooting as low as maybe 500 rounds the year before to shooting 500+ a month during matches.
Anyhow, my gun hobby must not consume any of the household budget. I've been financing it by selling off surplus shop equipment (I have too much anyway--I'm long overdue to downsize) and guns that weren't being used. For example, I sold a S&W 622 that only had 10rd mags and was unsuitable for plate competition and I'd have to have a holster/mag pouches made. The kids DID learn how to shoot semi-auto pistol with it but neither of them had any desire to keep it. The $400 from that equaled the cost of a new SIG 322. The Shiny 590 Mariner money bought a like-new S&W 15-22 and optic, 1000rds of 9mm and 1000rds of M-22 (.22LR). The Mariner was nice to look at but I didn't want to drill/tap the receiver or butch it out. So I'll let someone else look at it. I almost bought a JM930 but my budget is not quite ready for 3-gun. Both new .22s get used at least once a month and cost about $.10/rd to feed or $20/match.
9mm is costing about $.20/rd ($10/box Magtech steel) or $40/match so that is another ongoing cost. I won't "bore" you with details but I got into 80% Glock clone building for a little while. Mainly to build a cheap "glock" or two. But I ended up also building a complete "competition" gun for the price of just one aftermarket "Z" slide. 19X clone with red-dot, runs great, trigger is great. Lone Wolf frame/Dagger slide. I just put a compensator on it so now I have to tune it. I put the "old" slide without comp back on it for this weekend's Zombie match. The dot and her BF will be using the .22s above and I the DaggerWolf.
I became a NRA RSO this year and will become a Hunter Safety instructor in 2025 so I'll continue to do training. We have a "Public Day" at my range I have been volunteering at as a RSO for "service hours" to reduce/eliminate yearly dues. I just renewed for 2025 and it cost me $0!
So long story short, for 2025, I'll continue tinkering with guns, shooting them "competitively" and training people, time and money permitting. I don't really have any particular gun purchase in mind, maybe a Glock 34 or slide. I'm not really a "collector" but more of a "shooter"--guns are tools and must work for a living. Maybe a gun deal will fall into my lap and I'll buy it?
I've been thinking about Precision Rifle but at $1500+ for a gun not including glass (add $1500+) and over $1/rd, I don't think I can afford it in 2025.
I got persuaded to join ARA to possibly do some Precision Rimfire shooting but to be competitive the ammo is $20+per box! And the gun everybody uses is the bolt-action CZ 457 that starts at $700. Then the scope... So I probably can't afford that either.
I MIGHT get a JM930/940 and get into 3-gun but to do that I'll have to sell the Thug and 1000s of rds of 20ga ammo. I don't use the Thug for anything, really. I have fat thumbs which make it difficult loading 20ga.
A little history before I talk about the future. I've been shooting steel a couple times a month for about 1-1/2 yrs now. It's not about money or points or anything like that but more about developing (life-saving/life-taking) skills under the clock. Which is fun!
My only regret is not doing it 20 or even 10 years ago. So I went from shooting as low as maybe 500 rounds the year before to shooting 500+ a month during matches.Anyhow, my gun hobby must not consume any of the household budget. I've been financing it by selling off surplus shop equipment (I have too much anyway--I'm long overdue to downsize) and guns that weren't being used. For example, I sold a S&W 622 that only had 10rd mags and was unsuitable for plate competition and I'd have to have a holster/mag pouches made. The kids DID learn how to shoot semi-auto pistol with it but neither of them had any desire to keep it. The $400 from that equaled the cost of a new SIG 322. The Shiny 590 Mariner money bought a like-new S&W 15-22 and optic, 1000rds of 9mm and 1000rds of M-22 (.22LR). The Mariner was nice to look at but I didn't want to drill/tap the receiver or butch it out. So I'll let someone else look at it.
I almost bought a JM930 but my budget is not quite ready for 3-gun. Both new .22s get used at least once a month and cost about $.10/rd to feed or $20/match. 9mm is costing about $.20/rd ($10/box Magtech steel) or $40/match so that is another ongoing cost. I won't "bore" you with details
but I got into 80% Glock clone building for a little while. Mainly to build a cheap "glock" or two. But I ended up also building a complete "competition" gun for the price of just one aftermarket "Z" slide. 19X clone with red-dot, runs great, trigger is great. Lone Wolf frame/Dagger slide. I just put a compensator on it so now I have to tune it. I put the "old" slide without comp back on it for this weekend's Zombie match. The dot and her BF will be using the .22s above and I the DaggerWolf. I became a NRA RSO this year and will become a Hunter Safety instructor in 2025 so I'll continue to do training. We have a "Public Day" at my range I have been volunteering at as a RSO for "service hours" to reduce/eliminate yearly dues. I just renewed for 2025 and it cost me $0!
So long story short, for 2025, I'll continue tinkering with guns, shooting them "competitively" and training people, time and money permitting. I don't really have any particular gun purchase in mind, maybe a Glock 34 or slide. I'm not really a "collector" but more of a "shooter"--guns are tools and must work for a living.
Maybe a gun deal will fall into my lap and I'll buy it?I've been thinking about Precision Rifle but at $1500+ for a gun not including glass (add $1500+) and over $1/rd, I don't think I can afford it in 2025.
I got persuaded to join ARA to possibly do some Precision Rimfire shooting but to be competitive the ammo is $20+per box!
And the gun everybody uses is the bolt-action CZ 457 that starts at $700. Then the scope... So I probably can't afford that either. I MIGHT get a JM930/940 and get into 3-gun but to do that I'll have to sell the Thug and 1000s of rds of 20ga ammo.
I don't use the Thug for anything, really. I have fat thumbs which make it difficult loading 20ga.
First goal is to return to shooting regularly. Second is to find a place that I can shoot outdoors - a range within a reasonable distance or private property. Which leads to the third goal: I have three firearms that I've owned for a while that I have never shot, including the new-ish 12 gauge. I usually get an invite to our state AG's annual pheasant hunt, but I've always passed because until a few months ago, I didn't own a damn shotgun!!
I've got a new .22LR rifle that is cleaned and ready. Never shot. I need to find a good outdoor range for the M&P Sport AR-10 [.308 & 7.62 x 51] that I've assembled over three years that has yet to leave the house. Need to zero the scope and also the red dot that is mounted at 45 degrees.
I guess a goal that should precede the others is to find some shooting buddies that I can hang with and force me to get out more.
I've got a new .22LR rifle that is cleaned and ready. Never shot. I need to find a good outdoor range for the M&P Sport AR-10 [.308 & 7.62 x 51] that I've assembled over three years that has yet to leave the house. Need to zero the scope and also the red dot that is mounted at 45 degrees.
I guess a goal that should precede the others is to find some shooting buddies that I can hang with and force me to get out more.
Bobster
.30-06
Here in Central FL, with all the build-up going on (DO NOT MOVE HERE!!! FLORIDA IS FULL!!!), belonging to an outdoor range can be time-consuming especially travel-wise. MY range is about a 30min drive. The range in Orlando I go to is 45min away. With all the liability involved, a common phase at the Orlando club is "we are one bullet away from being closed down". Meaning, if an errant round from the range goes over a berm and hits a house nearby, the resulting lawsuit could close the place.
Anyhow, finding someone to go with you can be challenging. I went to my range to sight in some guns a couple days ago and no one was available to go with me. So I went alone as I HAD to test-fire and sight-in a few pistols. If I make it sound like a task it is because it was.
If I was there with one of my kids at least THEY could do the work! My neighbor belongs to the Orlando club and I've ridden to matches with him on a number of occasions but lately he has been blowing me off so I end up driving myself. My dot and her BF are going with me to the Zombie match Sunday so that will be fun. I think your first step should be to find and join a range. You may find like-minded people there that want to hang. I've gotten more into the workings of my club the past year, going to meetings and whatnot. Later today I'll be attending "Action Pistol" which is a scheduled, but less structured event at my club. About 15-20 members will show up and it can be fun to interact with them. The instructor JJ, is a great guy, ex-Miami-Dade cop, and runs a few stages to work on various skills. Sometimes it shooting from the hip, sometimes it is shooting around barriers like bait barrels. In fact, we just got a donation of about 30 barrels so it will be interesting to see what kind of "shoot house" he configures.
Given our recent move to Wyoming I'm way behind in burning ammo so my first priority for the new year is to rectify that issues. Secondly is to get my wife back interested in shooting her pistol and rifle.
Then on my to buy list is the newly introduced Ruger LC carbine in 10 mm which used Glock 20 10 mm magazines. It comes with a 30 round magazine. My Glock 20 in 10 mm has become my go to semiauto pistol especially for bear defense and this new carbine will complement it. This Ruger carbine has a 16.25 barrel which is an excellent match for the 10 mm cartridge. Plus a folding stock and excellent folding sights. Guess I need to buy more 10 mm ammo!
Then on my to buy list is the newly introduced Ruger LC carbine in 10 mm which used Glock 20 10 mm magazines. It comes with a 30 round magazine. My Glock 20 in 10 mm has become my go to semiauto pistol especially for bear defense and this new carbine will complement it. This Ruger carbine has a 16.25 barrel which is an excellent match for the 10 mm cartridge. Plus a folding stock and excellent folding sights. Guess I need to buy more 10 mm ammo!
