I used to be really into buying guns, hunting, target shooting and reloading. Not a competitive shooter, but easily went through 10,000 rounds per year.

A few years ago, my interest waned and I took a little break. No big deal. That happens with hobbies. This time, it's been longer than in the past. I don't think I've fired a single round of ammunition in over 2 years. I guess it's OK to burn out and just "move on", but it kind of bugs me that I've got all this equipment gathering dust when it was such a big part of my life before.

Has anyone else taken a multi-year break and actually regained their enthusiasm for the sport?

I think one time I went as much as ten years w/o firing a shot. Then I got interested again.

I've been on-and-off with the hobby for nearly fifty years. It's the one hobby, out of all I've ever had, to which I've always eventually returned.

Right now my time, money, and interest are going into building my home gym. About the time that's done, or even before that, it'll be golf season again. So I don't see me doing much, if anything, firearms-wise, at least until fall--or even next spring.

But I'm sure I'll be back to it, eventually.

I think it’s been 15 years so far but I’ve not gone back yet.

I have t shot USPSA since Covid. Components will return one day and I’ll be back.

I've always had guns around for SD and Hunting, but as far as just shooting for the enjoyment of shooting I took about a 25 year hiatus due to family and running a business, both if which required 30+ hours a day.

I havn't been shooting for close to 5 years now. All is different here. I came from anti gun New York but had 4 gun clubs within 10 miles of home. I could meander off into the forest to shoot all I like. I would be at a indoor range 3 nights per week. Perfect for Winter and was just $95.00 per year. Heck, I'd go there late at night and the place was empty. The 2 outdoor ranges were 100 and 300 meters. One had turning targets at 25 and 50 yards. Those clubs membersips were just $35.00 annual. I played skeet at one club and would always get there early. I havn't found such clubs where I live now. Kentucky is a good State for gun people. Where the heck are any gun clubs?

I shot competitively a lot for about ten years. That stopped about ten or twelve years ago, as one of the clubs I shot with collapsed (the range we used closed) and others were too far from a new job to make evening shoots possible.

I still shoot on my own, but the frequency is much lower. This lull also coincided with the sharp rises in ammo costs. I also still like to go out and shoot some sporting clays, too.

I still hunt, which for me is bird hunting.

I was once very active in IDPA, shooting almost weekly. Then because of a shift change at work, it slowed way down. Thankfully my ability didn't change too much and stayed pretty competitive. Then I relocated and that put a stop to everything. At least for the time being. I hope to get back into it heavily once spring rolls around since I've located a few local clubs near me in Mass. Unfortunately and surprisingly, I haven't yet found any in the Lowcountry.

IDPA (and USPSA) really spoiled me and after that, I rarely just went to target shoot.

It's been about 8 months since I shot a match.

I'm working on more than half a decade. I did go for the first time late last year, a gift-trip to the range for my daughter and her boyfriend. Other than that (and that visit, while we all had a great time, didn't reignite my passion like I thought -- and hoped -- it might), it's been six, eight years. God help me, it might be as much as ten years, at least with any type of regular consistency.

Cost of ammo, lessening of time and opportunity, other hobbies, whatever...no idea what changed, but I just haven't had much interest in for quite some time. I have a Baer safe queen that I never thought I'd part with that I'm planning on listing in the Classifieds here soon, and that'll be the exclamation mark on the difference in my interest between today and a decade ago.

Maybe someday the interest will return, but today is not that day.

Went about 15 years at one time, then got back into it hard & heavy for several years. Kind of got back out since the shortages. I've got plenty of components, but I can't replace them if I shoot them up. If & when the shortage ends, & prices normalize, I'll buy more & start shooting again. I'll keep all of my reloading equipment because I know that the bug will hit again.

I haven’t ever really stepped away, but life got in the way and I’ve gone a year or more without shooting a few times. When my ex and I got into our roughest patch about 6 or so years ago I started going more just to get out of the house.

Now I go almost every week unless I’m not home. It helps that I have an indoor range within 5 minutes and an outdoor within 15. That makes it easier to get out even if I just shoot for 30 minutes or so.

1969-1976 shot pistol like crazy. Worked towards Olympic Freepistol tryouts.

1976-1997 almost no bullseye.
Lots of hunting with Dad.
Raising two kids alone.
Both in their 40s now. One a doctor, one a land and business owner.

1997 to ~2010 shot bullseye like crazy again. Got Distinguished.
Since then work, age, elderly mother care, has almost stopped my shooting.

In 28 years of shooting, I have never been away from it for more than 6 months. My 2 longest absences were USAF tech school (almost 6 months) and a 4 month TDY which both happened in the 90’s.

More recently, rising ammo costs got me into casting and hand loading. Primer shortages cut down on my range session round counts but I always managed to still shoot at least monthly.

10 years due to medically-related issues. I'm back now, but not shooting every weekend like I used to.

Part of it I've already done all the testing for the Accu-strut. Also, the indoor range that used to be 20 minutes from me closed a couple years ago, so now it's an hour drive one way.

2 week's.

Putting myself through college degrees I was poor. Ammo was a luxury other than keeping the rabbit population down who were devouring the vegetable garden. After school was over began working and been shooting ever since.

Haven't fired a round in probably five years anyway. Got a new job in 2015 with a shit schedule and swing shift and a lot of weekend overtime. Add in that none of my friends shoot and my range is about an hour away and run by a bunch of tool bags and the desire is just not there anymore. I would like to buy a house with some small amount of property and put a short range in at my home, but finances haven't allowed it yet. Land is averaging 10k an Acre in my area.

I do still buy when I find something interesting, but I am no longer buying two or three guns a month. More like two or three a year and there was several where I didn't buy anything.

I Was "out" for about five years 98-03.

I have not been shooting since 2014 due to disability.

quote:

Originally posted by john crusher:
2 week's.

This is about like me.
When I don’t go shooting I stop by my friends gunstore and talk guns and stuff, a lot like here.
We’ll go in the back and build a gun for a customer. I’ve learned a lot from this forum and his shop.
I’m going to work there some when I retire in a few months. He might start an indoor range, so I’ll shoot more.

I hadn't fired a live gun in 13 years when I attended a tactical rifle class in WV organized via another board in 2015. Luckily I found it's something you don't unlearn, like cycling; my military training from the 90s came back, and I ran the target course uphill through the woods in half the time of everone else. I'm content knowing that with little other opportunities in recent years.