Is this a FOMO Hobby

[ilikegunspdx]

Pretty new to all this, only owned a firearm for 3 months and not much earlier than that got interested enough to sign up for an introductory course.
Fast forward after a lot of reading and talking with friends who have owned firearms longer - I feel a serious sense of FOMO. Coming into this after the WA State AWB, I feel a sense of having really missed a chance to own/try many firearms. So anything I'm remotely considering, I get an overwhelming sense of hurry up and get it before something happens that I further miss out. Definitely not good for my wallet!!
Do any of the other newbies have a similar feeling?
Also, great business idea, start a range where you can try out all the firearms no longer available for purchase. Or offer classes on loaner guns. Just a thought.

I experienced the National decade long assualt weapons and magazine ban. That time sucked. BIG TIME. After that experience I will not miss out, period. When OR was threatening their new sweeping, idiotic gun laws I purchased everything I wanted. And I'm damn glad I did because those are some of my favorite guns now.

Re Washington, here is my advice FWIW. My personal opinion only and should not be considered legal advice:

1) keep in mind that any gun or mag in your possession before the WA AWB is grandfathered. If you have a mag for example with no imprinted date, how would anyone know when you first possessed it in WA? Also keep in mind that prosecution has to prove you acquired it after the AWB (it's the opposite in OR unfortunately, you have to prove you owned it prior). I'm sure there must be people out there who had guns and mags stored in WA with friends relatives or wherever while they were living out of state.

2) find out what semi-auto guns are still transferable under the new law. For example tp9, mini 14, sl6, sl7, m1 Garand, some others.

3) my understanding is that FRTs are currently legal in WA. Many sites that won't sell to OR and others states will sell to WA. Get for everything you have if reliable version is available would be my advice.

4) there are some fantastic options to transform guns you already have to a different type of gun. For example for the Tx-22 the Calloway chassis. Completely transforms the gun imo and made this one of my favorite guns (btw FRTs are avaialable for it):

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• ilikegunspdx
• Apr 29, 2026

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• ilikegunspdx
• Apr 29, 2026

Or for Glock I can't recommend the b&t USW chassis highly enough. Swiss made, aluminum chassis beautiful design. SBR version shown:

00D00954-DE19-4F27-B514-AB0B8F5C0FC1.jpeg

• ilikegunspdx
• May 17, 2024

Glock 10mm. Notice no muzzle rise.

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• ilikegunspdx
• Dec 26, 2023

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• ilikegunspdx
• May 14, 2023

5) get a suppressor or 2. Get 22 suppressor first. Then whatever caliber you most use.

6) buy this universal brace. Can be used on any full size or medium sized pistol. About $100. Sb mini shown on the universal brace. It comes with inexpensive blade type but will accept any pistol tube sized brace.

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• ilikegunspdx
• Jan 12, 2026

7) if considering passing down to grandkids someday, research whether having a trust as the owner will protect it forever. Currently you can hand down WA grandfathered AWB guns to your kids, but they cannot hand down to their kids. If trust is the owner, ownership never changes. People are added or removed from the trust over time. This may protect it but I have not researched it so I'm not sure (I'm not in WA).

8) watch this video re buying parts for grandfathered AWB guns in WA:

 

[Capn Jack]

Oh, OK. As long as it wasn't the furnature Polish...

I was involved with a Anglo - Saxon re-enactment group....and was pretty good at Old English.
The language...not the Malt beverage.....

 

[Mark W.]

More than a hobby for me as well, I missed the order a Thompson from the hardware store era.

Cause that was before 1934? so just 92 years ago

 

[briano49]

Pretty new to all this, only owned a firearm for 3 months and not much earlier than that got interested enough to sign up for an introductory course.
Fast forward after a lot of reading and talking with friends who have owned firearms longer - I feel a serious sense of FOMO. Coming into this after the WA State AWB, I feel a sense of having really missed a chance to own/try many firearms. So anything I'm remotely considering, I get an overwhelming sense of hurry up and get it before something happens that I further miss out. Definitely not good for my wallet!!
Do any of the other newbies have a similar feeling?
Also, great business idea, start a range where you can try out all the firearms no longer available for purchase. Or offer classes on loaner guns. Just a thought.

Share the same sentiment. Gone are the good days of gun racks in the trucks and open holsters....except if you happen to own a big ranch and are out in the middle of nowhere. Now I have to drive 2 hours just to shoot a bbgun with my kids.

 

[msgriff]

Not much which can change the existing anti-2nd Amendment State laws, short of judicial intervention at the highest level (United States Supreme Court). Even then, anti-American States like Washington will do everything they can to circumvent any judicial rulings. My advice is to research the gun control laws which will be passed in the near future, so you won't be caught flat-footed next time. A couple ways to gauge what's coming up is to look at State legislation which has been introduced but not yet passed, and to look at the legislative templates published by anti-2nd Amendment organizations like Everytown for Gun Safety. Personally, I think that they are going to try to eliminate the "grandfather" clauses like Virginia recently proposed in their AWB. which will make possession of the banned weapons illegal.

 

[Stomper]

At one time....long ago...

I was involved with a Anglo - Saxon re-enactment group....and was pretty good at Old English.
The language...not the Malt beverage.....
Andy

NERD!!



I was able to find a HS senior class photo of Andy admiring the coconut groves while walking through the Valley of Peaks before he enlisted into the Army Rangers and then proceeded to win two silver stars (one with V device).

 

[MannyGlocks]

THIS: "I am not a fan of "cutesy " terms or goofy acronyms* ...Just tell me or ask me , in plain English , please"

 

[64MercurysRule]

It's two ranks above HOMO.

I thought the FOMO stood for
FOrd MOtor Company and
HOMO was
HOnda MOtor Company


What do I know ............

PS: I'm just a simple English Homosapien trying to get along in this time called LIFE

 

[Ballardguy]

It really doesn't matter when you started, you're always going to look at what older guys were able to collect, and pay, and be envious of that time when they started. I'm in my mid 70's and I collect late 1800's rifles and I can see this just within my own purchases. Things I thought were crazy priced at $1000 back when I started out are now $7,000-$10,000 today! I often have regrets about passing up something I could have bought decades ago and now can't buy them at all, or have to pay dearly to get the same guns.
The past is the past, and it might be entertaining to look at old prices, but not much we can do about them today. Get what you can afford, but don't get into a rush trying to buy more than you can afford, or buying things that you didn't take time to know were in good shape and good prices.

 

[Medic!]

Ya. I never got any of the cool guns.
Really not into Guns much at all.





Wait?

Am I logged on to a gun site!

 

[Capn Jack]

Everytime I think about those Lati semi-auto 20mm anti tank rifles for $20.00, I cry.

Only thing that held me back was the $1.00 each for the cartridges.

I don't believe RCBS made a 20mm die for reloading and they sure as heck wouldn't fit in my old, Lyman "Nut Cracker".

 

[RVTECH]

Nothing wrong with calling it a hobby, as for the average gun enthusiast that is exactly what it is.

DItto this. AND along with 'hobby' for many it is also a sport, pastime, an 'arena' of historical interest and for many and 'ingrained' part of their life - like it always has been for me.

Personally I have never had a 'fear of missing out' on anything as my gun interests tend to be more 'traditional' and I have never been one to chase the 'latest and greatest'.

 

[Ballardguy]

DItto this. AND along with 'hobby' for many it is also a sport, pastime, an 'arena' of historical interest and for many and 'ingrained' part of their life - like it always has been for me.

Personally I have never had a 'fear of missing out' on anything as my gun interests tend to be more 'traditional' and I have never been one to chase the 'latest and greatest'.

Yep. And new guns aren't hard to find, so never worried about finding them or missing out on them. It's those pre 1900 guns I collect that are tough to find and worth the hunt!

 

[titsonritz]

Also, great business idea, start a range where you can try out all the firearms no longer available for purchase. Or offer classes on loaner guns. Just a thought.

What makes you think they don't exist.

I have no Idea what FOMO means....

Don't feel bad, you're not the only one.

 

[titsonritz]

Definitively not a hobby!

Fear of missing out? Happens. Depending on an ability to move to another State. Or a lack thereof.

Still not a hobby.

We don't require a reason nor explanation to enjoy rights in America. Infringed as they are, in this State and others…

Yeah, I can't even relate to terms like "hobby", "collection", etc when referring to firearms.

 

[Desenho]

What makes you think they don't exist.


Don't feel bad, you're not the only one.

Can you point me in the right direction?

 

[boattail]

Don't feel like you missed out, start from where you are and move forward. Like others guns were never a hobby for me. I grew up using guns as tools every day. We hunted to feed the family, we were paid and unpaid pest control. Hunting was a big one for us. Deer, dove, quail, rabbits, grouse, antelope to name the bulk of it. Pest control were squirrels, birds, coyotes, snakes, rats, and other assorted critters. We had our own pellet and BB guns at an early age and were trusted with 22's by ourselves around age nine. We shot hundreds of rounds a day killing squirrels and the bad birds. We worked for farmers ridding fields of squirrels and rice patties of birds. It was nothing to shoot 600-800 rounds a day per person on squirrels and 150 rounds of 12g an evening on birds.

I had an open gun rack over my bed from the time I was born until I left home at 18. There was a gun by every door in the house for shooting critters.

I'm not much of a target shooter as I like to kill something instead. I fully understand that killing is not for everyone and at times it isn't for me anymore either. Target shooting can be very rewarding. I think the best use of a firearm is what makes you happy. Later in life I helped the law enforcement agency I worked for with active shooter trainings and was a role player, playing the bad guy. I learned so much about self defense shooting and found that part very rewarding. We used Simunitions and the shooting was real except nobody died. Lots of bloody knuckles and arms to make it real enough to make you think under pressure. I was ruthless in my role and took it very seriously.

Take what is available and have fun with it.....find your niche.

 

[CountryGent]

I am not a fan of "cutesy " terms or goofy acronyms* ...Just tell me or ask me , in plain English , please

Same. And I work in a field positively littered with acronyms, though those, generally, have a point. The cutesy-pootsy ones ... ugh.

 

[Medic!]

It could be worse I guess?

 

[Juniper9mm]

FOMO NOMO