A gun topic with a twist.

[buck]

Let's talk guns, but something different this time.

I was on another boating forum and this topic came up about two years ago. The normal question that we see a lot. You know, I'm looking for a home defense weapon and would like some input or opinions. But I found this one to be different. The thread starter stated that there had been a couple of homocides within a very close distance of his home within the past year or so. He was married, a couple of kids, mid 40s, and finally ready to own his first handgun. I might add this was gonna be the first weapon he had every owned. He stated that he had shot a couple of guns in his life but wasn't comfortable enough to make a decision on his own.

The normal replies started coming in that we always see with gun threads stating opinions on why they would choose a certain caliber or style of gun. Nothing more than the opinions we usually see on a gun thread. Again, just opinions. This thread had grown to about 4 pages in less than a day like normal for one of these threads, but to me the OBVIOUS question had not been asked of the thread starter yet. I'm gonna throw out what jumped at me the second I read the original post and I would like some feedback. Not looking for more than just some thoughts or personal experiences as to how this could happen.

I could not for the life of me understand how someone could get to be married, have kids, in their mid 40s, and had NEVER owned a gun in his entire life.

I asked the question in a polite way because I was intrigued by what I felt was an oddity of sorts. I got a couple of answers but nothing that could justify this in my head. I left that thread unable to wrap my narrow minded, redneck, farm raised, pea sized brain around the situation.

Let's have it peeps, how does one get to that point in life and not own a weapon of any sorts? I think this should be a somewhat good discussion.

I might add that the person lived in the midwest, so location shouldn't be a factor.

Let's hear it...

Buck

 

[inbetween]

I could be that guy. Married early 40s 2 kids. Only owned a couple of BB/pellet guns and a couple of pocket knives. Never felt the need to have anything more. Maybe I'm too trusting of others. Didn't think I was abnormal.

 

[RPM]

I think it's just crazy to not own one...

 

[RPM]

I say that for the simple fact of the crime rate rapidly rising. I can't say it's because they don't watch the news but maybe they are in a real nice area where police frequent the streets and crime is low.. that being said you can never be too careful ...

 

[RPM]

No disrespect inbetween.

 

[inbetween]

No disrespect inbetween.

none taken

 

[buck]

inbetween,

I guess I should make my thoughts a little more clear. A majority of gun owners don't consider the sole reason for owning a gun to be personal protection. I didn't need a gun for personal protection at the age of 10 but I had a couple, nor do I consider that to be the main reason I own most of the guns that I do own.

Do I have a gun that is for the sole purpose of personal protection? Yes and no. It/they get used for much more than just that reason.

I don't need a gun in my house to feel safe. To me it's like owning and automobile or a computer in today's time. I don't understand how one goes through life without one.

You said you didn't think it to be abnormal. I can honestly say I don't know anyone on a personal level that doesn't own a gun. I don't find that abnormal.

Like RPM said, no disrespect here either...

Buck

 

[inbetween]

I've just never really had the desire for one.

I've got nothing against them and have shot and had a great time doing it. If I need a gun fix, I call a friend. I wouldn't mind some skeet shooting, have a blast doing that.

 

[Tony]

I think it has to do a lot with how a person was raised. Past experiences both good and bad, along with personal beliefs of all sorts get passed along from parents into their children. Im a farm boy, guns around the house while growing up were just normal. Of all the firearms I own only one serves a sole purpose for personal protection, the rest are for target or collection purposes.

To each his own, when it comes to the personal protection aspect some belive/ assume/ rely on others, i.e. law enforecement will keep them safe %110 of the time. Then there are those who are prepared to defend themselves, either through extensive hand to hand self defense/ combat skills or with protection devices such as firearms.

 

[buck]

Tony,

Thanks for you thoughts. I was actually thinking of you when I made this post. I like that you mentioned you only owned one gun that was intended for personal defense.

Buck

 

[inbetween]

Tony, you made me think back a little. My parents and grandparents from both sides did not have guns. You may be on to something. My in-laws and the grand-in-laws that I remember did not either. Could it be a geographical thing too?

 

[glassdave]

Good thread Buck, I think i have some pretty good insight to your question. I was brought up in pretty much typical suburban America in a town of about five thousand outside Toledo. I never had any exposure to guns and honestly it was never a thought, never needed one and growing up in the seventies personal protection wasn't as necessary as it seems to be today. My parents and grand parents never really had much use for them either, it just wasn't something we were exposed to. I had toyed around with the prospect of getting a firearm for personal protection but was never serious until recently. I lost a friend to a very senseless act of violence. He was shot point blank by his girlfriends X who then turned the gun on himself. I cant tell you how devastated the family is, his upbringing was very similar to my own. Three weeks ago i picked up a Remington 870 after researching all the advice on these topics as well as talking to the right people. Had it out for the first time today, ran a few boxes through it off the deck. Nothing fancy just threw some clays out over the lake on the ice, came back in cleaned it and put it away. Its not the first time I've fired a gun but its the first time I've fired my gun. It still feels a bit unnatural to me but through repetition I'm sure that will pass. I still haven't decided weather having a gun in the home is for me yet but time will tell, I've got a lot to learn about it and a long way to go. I don't currently keep it loaded or "at the ready". Personally I'm just easing into it. whats really odd is i still feel somewhat foreign with the gun as i'm sure you would feel without one. Guess it comes down to how your brought up and what kind of exposure you have to it.

 

[buck]

Interesting reply Dave. I like how you worded it. That puts another twist on the topic for me.

 

[ar15meister]

x2. I grew up in a small town(2000 peeps) and we hunted year round. After I left, except for Army basic training, I never fired another gun. Skeet and trap is fun, but too expensive to do on a regular basis unless you do your own reloading.

you are on a forujm about offfshore boatgs and you call skeet shooting "too expensive"!!!!!:leaving:lol

 

[ar15meister]

Im Canadian I have lots of guns. assault rifles, pistols, shotguns, hunting rifles etc.

My dad neer owned one before I got into it.

Many canucks dont own guns, especially handguns-assault rifles.

I live n downtown toronto and I ove pulling out my m4 in front of my budddies liberal girlfriends. haha

owning guns for me is a lifestyle decision, hunting stuff is for sport but other stuff is for bragging rights......and defense.

 

[Audiofn]

I grew up with my father being a lawer in a well off town. In all my years I think that there was 1 shooting in that town. Same with the town I live in now. So when talking about self defense were I grew up and in the town I now live in it was not something that you would think about, no need.

So that leaves sport/target and hunting. Lets start with hunting. There are few that do it in the North east (per capita I mean). Once you take the home defense and hunting out of the equasion then there is for most no driving reason to own a gun.

I got involved with guns because I had a few friends that had them and honestly when they took them out I was scared of them. I my fear was more of a lack of knowledge on how to know if they were safe. I took it apon myself to take the gun safty class to learn about it and soon found that I very much enjoyed shooting. I got more and more guns and tried all kinds of different things such as target, trap, pins, plate.... I now own about 20 guns. I do not keep them at my house.

Some people are very cavalier about guns. I read the posts on this and other sites and just shake my head in the advice that is given. They act like if some one breaks into their house they will have no problem pulling the trigger. Unfotunately those are probably the guys that will freeze if the need ever arises.

I own all my guns for competition shooting and target. If some one was not interested in that or hunting then why own one? It is an awsome responsibility. Most people do not live in towns that require guns for safty. I know that if I felt that I needed a gun for home security I would move that day. All I can do in my life for my wife and kids is provide a safe environment for them to grow up/live. Yes we live in a very small house becuase the town I choose is expensive but it is safe.

 

[Offshoredrillin]

you are on a forujm about offfshore boatgs and you call skeet shooting "too expensive"!!!!!:leaving:lol

it's ok he doesnt own a boat either, my biggest kick was him on the body building forums.

Now to bucks question. I had my sarcastic reply all planned out, but I would agree with the others its all about upbringing and area. Where I grew up, wasnt anything to walk up the street with my 20 guage to go target shooting or crow shooting with my dog. nowadays, 4 cop cars would show up if a 12year old was doing that. I no longer hunt, as a grocery store has everything I need and the rush from killing something did nothing for me. I could hunt for food, if needed and would certainly defend my house and property with deadly force if needed.

 

[BBB725]

Living in the midwest and not owning a gun is like living on the water and never learning to swim.

 

[Chris]

I think there are lots of reasons. First is that many consider firearms a hobby and if that hobby isn't for you... The second is that there are alot of people that truly believe that it's the job of law enforcement to protect you and they (naively) believe that's a foolproof system. Law enforcement is 99% deterrence- many people don't want to go to jail and a large portion of our society have no interest in stealing or harming another person. But it only takes a small percentage.

I have a shooting buddy- he's a casual shooter but was raised in the country and brought up hunting and plinking. We shoot clays together and he's pretty good at it. He keeps his shotguns in my safe. His wife is decidedly anti-gun. Doesn't like them, doesn't want to "take the chance" of having guns in her home. The grew up 6 blocks away from him out in the middle of nowhere so environment has little to do here. The issue with her and with many is her stark naivete on the topic. She believes that we should live in a world where everyone loves and respects their fellow man. She believes that she can live her life that way and be an example to the rest of the world. She believes that all people are good and that the one's that do things wrong do so because of no fault of their own- poor upbringing and things like that. They live out in a beautiful subdivision and she doesn't venture far into any urban areas- so things probably will work out for her.

In thinking about this, I wonder- how does someone NOT raised around firearms get interested or "in to" the sport or the use for self defense? Something has to trigger it. If you live in the suburbs, statistically-speaking you're never going to experience a violent crime. So there's little to trigger the desire to own a weapon. I suppose that barring some circumstance that trips the issue with you, becoming a firearm owner happens the same way you become a boat owner or a model airplane enthusiast- you see it, experience it and it resonates with you.

I still remember 30 years ago in basic the sheer number of people that had never even handled a weapon- it's more common than you think.

 

[BBB725]

In thinking about this, I wonder- how does someone NOT raised around firearms get interested or "in to" the sport or the use for self defense? Something has to trigger it. If you live in the suburbs, statistically-speaking you're never going to experience a violent crime. So there's little to trigger the desire to own a weapon. I suppose that barring some circumstance that trips the issue with you, becoming a firearm owner happens the same way you become a boat owner or a model airplane enthusiast- you see it, experience it and it resonates with you.

I still remember 30 years ago in basic the sheer number of people that had never even handled a weapon- it's more common than you think.

Back in Jr High, yes it was along time ago, our science books didn't arrive at the beginning of the school year so the teachers took it upon themselves and did a hunter safety class. They brought in shot guns and rifles and went thru the actual class everyone was given a certificate at the end. Think if that were to happen today.