Here at Speed Beez, we cater to many different types of shooters. Some have had their firearms for years and are just getting around to getting serious, so they’re coming by for revolver holsters and speedloaders. Others have been shooting for their entire lives and are looking to see the latest in magazine loaders and moon clips.
What we’re saying is, there are as many different types of shooters as there are people. After all, everyone has their own taste, whether they’re looking for a standard or speed holster, moon clips or speed loaders, and, of course, semi-auto or revolver.
But as many combos of firearm accessories as there are, there are definitely types of people you’ll be seeing at the range. Let’s take a look at some of the categories of shooter, for better or worse, that you’ll be running into. (For now, we’re just going to keep it to revolver shooters, which are the clients we cater to most.)
The Unloader
Despite the name, some of us use our speedloaders slowly. Hand reloading, especially when dealing with 9- and 10-shot cylinders, can get monotonous and cause a lot of live ammo to be dropped on the range floor.
But then there’s the guy whose sole goal seems to be to see how quickly he can burn through ammo. He’s got a dozen moon clips lined up and is determined to see if he can turn that live brass into spent brass in under two minutes. This is the guy who’s standing a couple of lanes down and you wonder “what’s going on down there?!” Still, that guy has a speedloader from Speed Beez for every one of his revolvers, so who are we to complain?
There’s no doubt that we’re all The Unloader at one time or another. That first time we head to the range with a new speedloader, we take it at its name so that we can see how fast we can unload, reload, and unload. But if that’s you all the time, you deserve to be branded The Unloader.
The Quick Draw
Not everyone is at a range to see how fast they can empty their revolver. Some would rather spend their speed on drawing, and those are the ones who check out our speed holsters.
While most Quick Draw shooters are perfectly safe, there’s no doubt that there are some who are questionable. Some might have an old-time revolver holster and you just know they’re going to get caught up and end up shooting them in the foot. If they don’t yet have a proper holster for their revolver, send them over to us and there’s a good chance we can get one that won’t cause an accidental discharge.
The Newbie
This is the new shooter who might need some help. They might not know the difference between .22, .22LR, and .22 Magnum, and might not even know which their revolver can shoot. (Hopefully the shop or the rangemaster can help them before they make a mistake.) This is the kind of shooter who thinks that competition shooting might be fun, but doesn’t yet have any idea how to properly stand and support their weapon.
Depending on the type of person you are, maybe you’ll help them. After all, not everyone grew up in an environment where there were ubiquitous revolver holsters on everyone’s hip. But if you’re not interested in helping, at least make sure you don’t make fun of them. They’re in the fold of proud gun owners now!
The Home Defender
These are the guys with a determined look on their face, most likely because someone just robbed their house when they weren’t home. But they’ve been galvanized, and they’re going to be ready to defend their family should someone ever stage a home invasion. They’re not shooting small caliber, either. .357 or 9mm has the stopping power they need, and they’re probably using silhouette targets.
Though the Home Defender might have a speed loader (in case there’s more than one attacker), they might not even have a revolver holster. Why? Because their gun safe is fingerprint activated, and when they reach in they can’t afford two seconds to remove the gun from its holster.
The Talker
Some people live and breathe guns. Considering our business is making speed loaders and selling revolver holsters, you probably won’t be surprised to know that we’re constantly talking about guns…what’s old, what’s new, what coming around the bend. So when something is so close to your heart (especially if you have a concealed carry holster on your left side!), you tend to talk about it, a lot.
Can it go too far? Yes it can. While it’s great to talk about guns while you’re at the pro shop or during some down time at the range, The Talker goes too far and tries to talk while people are on the line. They want to tell you about what guns they grew up shooting, what they bought, what they sold, what they’re thinking about buying, and how many rounds they went through last week. And they’ll keep talking even after your eyes glaze over…which isn’t good for shooting!
Talking can be very distracting while someone is trying to concentrate on the target. After all, one reason people like speedloaders is that they can get back to shooting as quickly as possible without losing their focus on the target. But The Talker also sometimes forgets that what they’re saying can’t be heard! If you’re doing the right thing and wearing two forms of ear protection, most of what they’re saying isn’t coming through. And hearing every fifth word is more annoying than hearing every word! If you’re The Talker, please reconsider your words on the line.
There are some amazing people in the gun world, and you’re going to make some fast friends when you head to the range. Gun owners often help each other out, so if you’re sporting a speedloader or your favorite revolver holster from Speed Beez, be sure to help a fellow gun lover out and hook them up with the best!