doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The future of our sport....

Chuck is correct. Other than "the inner city crowd," guns are a rural endeavor.

And CA culture is now media culture. And media is what America is ruled by.

Washington is now Hollywood... and vice versa.

That means you, your double guns, and ALL guns are gonna go.

Sooner or later.

Thank you, Entertainment Tonight.

Adam.......really all I can say is that I wish I was your age again and already knew as much about doubles as you do. You have a long and rewarding life ahead of you with your avocation. You are envied my friend.

Bob, I think they'll become relics, not from repressive governments over time but more from changing attitudes over time, as communities got away over time from chewing tobacco and spittoons---or nearly. I live on a 15 km country road and there's not a soul who would shoot a rabbit, grouse or deer to save their lives. They see it as spitting tobacco, a filthy and disgusting habit. You're right, media does shape our culture. Makes it great for unapologetic dinosaurs like me!

King,

Rather humorous observation you make. Of course, in Texas dipping, chewing, and guns are still VERY common. I grew up with all of that. I don't dip or chew, but many friends do, so I guess Texas is safe for a while.

Adam's return to his original message on double guns versus others has merit - I just think as folks learn more, they're drawn to classic guns. I've always loved SxSs, even though I didn't own one until I was 40.

Well I won the auction yesterday so my nephew will get a Marlin 1897 that I will go through and do a mild custom on for him. It should be fun. Now I'm thinking I might really need one too.
Steve

Our sport future is more in the 40-50 year old age group. Far easier to recruit a 50 year old person to shoot doubles than a 20 year old. Here are my best reasons.

First by 50 you are starting to look back at your youth with nostalgia for all things as they use to be either real or just in your mind and doubles fit right into this. Second by 50 most of your lifetime major purchases are done, house, cars, several wives and many or too many kids so you have time to spend on a hobby. Third by 50 you have more discretionary spending money than you ever had at 20. And last by fifty reflexes are gone so you are lucky to get off two shots at a bird so a double works out perfectly.

You have to shoot TWICE at the same bird?

SRH

In order for this prediction to become true, all of those millions of folks who are right now packing into gun shows and emptying the shelves of gun shops would have to collectively roll over like whipped puppies. To me, this is a pure defeatist attitude, and no way to approach anything deemed worthwhile.

The formula to turn back the current tide is simple. Join NRA... there is strength in numbers. Expose a kid to the shooting sports, and in most cases, they will be begging to participate again. Call, write, and e-mail your legislators. More than anything, they want to be re-elected. Tell them your future support is conditional, depending on their support for your 2nd Amendment Rights. Say that to them politely, but firmly... and mean what you say. Stay engaged, and never give up. Virtually no one who has given up and predicts the death of shooting will do any of the above. That's sad. Winning at anything doesn't just happen without some effort.

Meanwhile, total ownership of all guns has increased by a third in only the last 10 years. Supply and demand is still working just fine with doubleguns. No one is giving any away yet. It's not even trending that way.

I can recall reading items in 'Shooting Times' in the 1970s predicting the end of game shooting in the UK.

By the late 1980s we used to have discussions on our shoots about whether or not we would still be there in five years time.

Well, here we are in the 2010s and we are still shooting.

I am not sticking my head in the sand and do not take shooting and gun ownership for granted. Things change and indeed have changed in the UK shooting field. They always have and always will. However, we are still here and will be, I suspect, in another fifty years time. At least, I hope and pray so!

Tim

The sun will burn out, the earth will get cold, all of us will die.