Okay, I get it now. I think I hate Glocks and love CZs...

[churchmouse]

Today we have something that was unheard of when I started, that is indoor ranges that rent nice handguns. In the past, if you were a steady customer, and talked real nice, and the owner knew you and liked you, and the moon was right, and his wife treated him well that day, he might let you shoot some scrap yard bound .38 revolver. Buying was the only way if you didn't have a buddy willing to let you try his.

Today, if you think something looks interesting, there are more then a few shops to rent it. After a box or two of ammo, you might not like it. If you do, and are not sure enough to buy it, rent something else. Maybe retry the first. How ever much it cots, it is WAY cheaper than buying a brand new gun, finding out you hate it, and then try to trade it in on something you might hate also. Been there and done that in the 70's.

Applied Ballistics has Competition ready STI's all the way down to snub nosed .38's.

And on forums like this there are so many folks willing to share.
I have lost count of the hours/ammo spent letting people run my guns. Some of it getting new shooters involved. Some just letting a new to the 1911/CZ thing have a go at the platforms.

 

[88E30M50]

I've said it before and will say it again. It is a great time to be a firearms enthusiast. The availability, selection, and affordability of handguns and ammo today lets just about anyone with an interest enjoy the sport. I really hope that we are at the very beginning of a long golden age of shooting. It could have taken a very dark turn last fall. But, right now there are a huge number of good pistol designs out there, with brand new ones coming out each year. We are nearing the end of the golden age of surplus arms, but that might just be a cycle that will improve in the future as today's firearms are replaced by newer ones across the globe.

 

[throttletony]

I've said it before and will say it again. It is a great time to be a firearms enthusiast. The availability, selection, and affordability of handguns and ammo today lets just about anyone with an interest enjoy the sport. I really hope that we are at the very beginning of a long golden age of shooting. It could have taken a very dark turn last fall. But, right now there are a huge number of good pistol designs out there, with brand new ones coming out each year. We are nearing the end of the golden age of surplus arms, but that might just be a cycle that will improve in the future as today's firearms are replaced by newer ones across the globe.

I wholeheartedly agree.
Let's hope things keep going well (and more than hope, let's urge our legislators to keep up the fight!!)