Comfortably Retired vs Working Man

[blackdog899]

I’m reclining on cellar couch catching up on here and was thinking about money spent recently on my new airgun hobby. I found it amusing that when I was actively hunting and shooting from 14 to about 60 my equipment was based on getting the job done with no frills. Frugal is the nicer way to put it, cheap f ck not so.
I can only imagine the fine rifles especially I would have accumulated if working on life itself wasn’t a concern. Sorry getting melancholic . The loss of friends, hunting land , and body strength means I can only dream about it.
Not so with the Airguns . Today will be looking for that 0.22 inch hole that 5 of the various AEA and JTS new to try pellets passed through. Only 13 yards.
RAW 1000 arrived and already choosing between the Uragan or Taipan, Manul or Huban
Mike

 

[cmatera]

Unfortunately, we are well on our way to most issues of other platforms being applied to airguns.

They want your airguns guys

Just saw this

www.airgunnation.com

Look up PICA, Protecting Illinois Communities Act, and check out the definition of a firearm in IL. Spreading like wildfire.

 

[jimhafley]

I’m reclining on cellar couch catching up on here and was thinking about money spent recently on my new airgun hobby. I found it amusing that when I was actively hunting and shooting from 14 to about 60 my equipment was based on getting the job done with no frills. Frugal is the nicer way to put it, cheap f ck not so.
I can only imagine the fine rifles especially I would have accumulated if working on life itself wasn’t a concern. Sorry getting melancholic . The loss of friends, hunting land , and body strength means I can only dream about it.
Not so with the Airguns . Today will be looking for that 0.22 inch hole that 5 of the various AEA and JTS new to try pellets passed through.
RAW 1000 arrived and already choosing between the Uragan or Taipan, Manul or Huban
Mike

Amen brother, I am right there with you!

 

[MongooseV8]

You can still hunt, just change your application. Have you ever tried bbq bacon wrapped tree squirrel? Or Dove? I dont know what your local laws are in regards to hunting, but even here in California we can hunt wild turkeys with air rifles. You shouldnt have to go too far from home to find a spot to hunt these types of animals and have a nice dinner with someone.

 

[Vana2]

Yeah, I can relate!

Retired, enjoying my airgun addiction... and the new RAW HM1000x.

Not looking for any more airguns though, have enough to keep me busy.

Cheers!

 

[Gerry52]

Retired sort of. DONE with my day job but still playing gigs fairly frequently (but if you love it it's not work). Airguns & airgunning occupy much of my time now & keeps me feeling young (ish). Picked up a new permission yesterday & really looking forward to the Spring & the accompanying & ever present Ground Squirrels!

 

[blackdog899]

Retired sort of. DONE with my day job but still playing gigs fairly frequently (but if you love it it's not work). Airguns & airgunning occupy much of my time now & keeps me feeling young (ish). Picked up a new permission yesterday & really looking forward to the Spring & the accompanying & ever present Ground Squirrels!

Hey Gerry I envy the musician in you , I love guitars and have went through dozens buying and selling . Just to try different beauties. This started in my late 50s . The thing is I can’t play for s it . Learned all the basics about 10 years ago but never progressed. Sold most but just bought another Les Paul cause I regret selling the fantastic one I had. Sitting there in it’s case by the Airguns supplies but so far taking a backseat to our hobby.
Mike

 

[maxtrouble]

I’m reclining on cellar couch catching up on here and was thinking about money spent recently on my new airgun hobby. I found it amusing that when I was actively hunting and shooting from 14 to about 60 my equipment was based on getting the job done with no frills. Frugal is the nicer way to put it, cheap f ck not so.
I can only imagine the fine rifles especially I would have accumulated if working on life itself wasn’t a concern. Sorry getting melancholic . The loss of friends, hunting land , and body strength means I can only dream about it.
Not so with the Airguns . Today will be looking for that 0.22 inch hole that 5 of the various AEA and JTS new to try pellets passed through. Only 13 yards.
RAW 1000 arrived and already choosing between the Uragan or Taipan, Manul or Huban
Mike

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[blackdog899]

You can still hunt, just change your application. Have you ever tried bbq bacon wrapped tree squirrel? Or Dove? I dont know what your local laws are in regards to hunting, but even here in California we can hunt wild turkeys with air rifles. You shouldnt have to go too far from home to find a spot to hunt these types of animals and have a nice dinner with someone.

I got doves right now under the bird feeder that started this whole Airguns thing with me. Its way too close a shot though to be any challenge and if wife knew I shot one oh …. Never had one to eat, smallest game bird I ever had was a woodcock way early in life . Hunted small game then before deer hunting took over.

As for the squirrels never ate either. Only time actually hunting them as primary target got 3 with my model 41 S&W target pistol. My friend got 2 . He was going to eat so we skinned them. I remember it being hard to do. Like too hard to try again. Ive recently seen some kind of contraption rack with holes for legs or head to hold squirrel while you’re pulling skin .
Seen a couple utube vids of guys cooking them , looks gooood .
I’ll shoot them ( and have) in back yard as a pest. Just gotta clean that first one.Already told her I’m thinking about it .
Shes definitely not going along with idea.

 

[MongooseV8]

Tell her the doves are non native invasive birds taking resources from the NY birds. Doves are freakin delicious.

 

[blackdog899]

Tell her the doves are non native invasive birds taking resources from the NY birds. Doves are freakin delicious.

Haaa! That’s great
have to get my son to come over when shes out to cook em up
microwave is my only cooking skill

 

[MongooseV8]

We have just pan seared them in butter or olive oil, and maybe some seasoning. They are like tiny chicken steaks nuggets. Not a ton of meat on them, but a few birds would feed a couple people.

 

[Gerry52]

Hey Gerry I envy the musician in you , I love guitars and have went through dozens buying and selling . Just to try different beauties. This started in my late 50s . The thing is I can’t play for s it . Learned all the basics about 10 years ago but never progressed. Sold most but just bought another Les Paul cause I regret selling the fantastic one I had. Sitting there in it’s case by the Airguns supplies but so far taking a backseat to our hobby.
Mike

Had no choice in the matter. Wanted to try drums when I was 10 & became consumed by it. Couldn't wait to get home from school every day to go home & play my kit. Was playing gigs every weekend by the time I was 12 with a band of young guys playing weddings, dinner dances, cocktail parties & the like. Made more $ in a weekend than most of my friends made in a month. That's not what kept me going though. It was the pure love & joy of being the anchor that held (& still holds) everything together. The opportunities & experiences I've had in my life have been amazing. Too much of "sex, drugs & rock & roll" in my youth but have mellowed with age. The love of it that hooked me in the beginning is still alive & kicking 63 years down theroad! 1964

 

[cavedweller]

I’m reclining on cellar couch catching up on here and was thinking about money spent recently on my new airgun hobby. I found it amusing that when I was actively hunting and shooting from 14 to about 60 my equipment was based on getting the job done with no frills. Frugal is the nicer way to put it, cheap f ck not so.
I can only imagine the fine rifles especially I would have accumulated if working on life itself wasn’t a concern. Sorry getting melancholic . The loss of friends, hunting land , and body strength means I can only dream about it.
Not so with the Airguns . Today will be looking for that 0.22 inch hole that 5 of the various AEA and JTS new to try pellets passed through. Only 13 yards.
RAW 1000 arrived and already choosing between the Uragan or Taipan, Manul or Huban
Mike

Great choices to have!

 

[Sleestak]

~"I once had a friend, he had a cactus. Same cactus sitting on his windowsill for 15 years. Then one day someone gave him a second cactus and within six months he had to move to a bigger house for his cactus collection" ~

 

[AirNGasman]

I can only imagine the fine rifles especially I would have accumulated if working on life itself wasn’t a concern.

For perspective-

Although having spent my whole working life in the bicycle business, that pays little more than a poverty-level income, being a rabid shooter/hunter/competitor, at 71 I've owned the better part of a thousand airguns of all kinds; and 1/4 to 1/3 as many "real" guns. So how did I afford to own SO MANY at near poverty-level, you ask?

1) I chose to not reproduce.
2) I (consequently) was not married most of my life.
3) I managed to avoid my vices becoming addictions.
4) Correction- guns excepted.
5) I don't smoke, drink only in moderation, so also don't frequent bars and strip clubs.
6) At some point I had enough guns so when I wanted a new one I'd sell another to (at least help) fund it.
7) By buying and selling smart, to varying degrees I profited on most sales. At very least I lost very little on most sales.
8) On those, I figure I rented them.
9) Consequently, over the course of a half-century my 'collection' not only became somewhat self-perpetuating, but grew in numbers and values.
10) Now retired on 30 acres of Texas rural-heaven-on-Earth removed from large cities, I've made my home-place into an airgun competitions venue, staging monthly airgun matches.
11) The only thing I miss about cities is friends I made.
12) Now somewhat allergic to traveling more than a hundred miles from home, I've effectively IMPORTED my preferred circle of friends virtue of them traveling from all around Texas and several other states to enjoy aforementioned monthly competitions.
13) Having developed something of an allergy to people after 40+ years in cities and retail, in my somewhat reclusive retirement, monthly interactions with custom-tuned friends suit me perfectly well.
14) I do regret having had to part with many unique, truly rare, and even one-of-a-kind pieces that I'll never be able to replace.
15) But had that not been the case, my current airgun collection would number in the hundreds, rather than dozens.
16) If that sounds excessive or overly-indulgent, you're mistaken.
17) Many owners of all those bars and strip clubs I never frequented have collections of automobiles, mansions and WOMEN outnumbering my gun collection.

Check the bid amount on the supercar below (top-center, in red). Whoever ends up with that jalopy probably has more supercars in his collection than I have guns in mine.

.

 

[blackdog899]

Your description of your land sounds wonderful. I’d love to shoot one of your competitions.
A touch too long of a drive though haa ! Through life I always stayed with 2 main life styles
motorcycles and guns. Not hobbies. The Airgunning is what I consider a hobby, which at this
time I’m very very into. Went through dozens of guitars the last 15 years, like you felt like if I
lost a small amount when selling it was “ renting”

 

[JimBentley]

Since I retired, I spent the most I ever have on an any gun (air or PB).
I have bought around 100 air guns in the years before retirement.
Did I need this one, no.
Did I want it...heck yes!
Will I ever shoot it, I did mount a scope and sight it in.
An old Theoben Scirocco in mint condition doesn't show up very often, and the seller is a good friend.
Now I hope it isn't sold at a garage sale with all my custom guns when I'm gone

 

[JEFFPPC]

I got doves right now under the bird feeder that started this whole Airguns thing with me. Its way too close a shot though to be any challenge and if wife knew I shot one oh …. Never had one to eat, smallest game bird I ever had was a woodcock way early in life . Hunted small game then before deer hunting took over.

As for the squirrels never ate either. Only time actually hunting them as primary target got 3 with my model 41 S&W target pistol. My friend got 2 . He was going to eat so we skinned them. I remember it being hard to do. Like too hard to try again. Ive recently seen some kind of contraption rack with holes for legs or head to hold squirrel while you’re pulling skin .
Seen a couple utube vids of guys cooking them , looks gooood .
I’ll shoot them ( and have) in back yard as a pest. Just gotta clean that first one.Already told her I’m thinking about it .
Shes definitely not going along with idea.

Much easier to skin squirrels immediately after killing them. Boil them until the meat turns white and falls off the bones and make soup by adding some chicken broth, potatoes, carrots,and onions. A little salt , a fair amount of black pepper. The meat will melt in your mouth, tell your weird sister in law it's chicken soup, she will ask for more. Lol 50 years later.

 

[AirNGasman]

Did I need this one, no.
Did I want it...heck yes!
Will I ever shoot it, I did mount a scope and sight it in.
An old Theoben Scirocco in mint condition doesn't show up very often, and the seller is a good friend.

I often say, "The only time you NEED a gun is when you're coming under attack", Jim. However... I NEED that Scirocco! Had a .22 waaaay back when, and have sorely missed it for nigh on a half-century, I reckon. But glad to hear it has found a deserving renter. Count your blessing; I'm jealous.

Happy, HAPPY shooting, Buddy! Got any photos?

.