A gun topic with a twist.

We're about the same age- I grew up in a smaller city in a more urban area. In 3rd grade I took a little aspirin bottle full of empty .22 cases I'd picked up the weekend before. They took them from me and dragged me to the office to call my parents. I was a very dangerous person even back then.
 
I have been around guns my whole life. My dad and I hunted, there was always a shotgun hanging on the wall. I am lucky enough to have both my fathers, and my grandfathers shotguns still. That being said my oldest sister HATES guns, and has swore never to have one in her house. She is one of those types who are always hungry to eat up any of the liberal medea's idiocrocy, and her type are not alone in this country. She told me one day "a gun in your house is 15 times more likely to be used on you as it is a criminal" I asked her where that statistic came from and her response was "well that is just common knowlege". You want to know why some people don't have guns? There you go.
 
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.


A buddy and I hosted (un official FFA) trapshoots after school throughout most of high school, many of the kids didnt own shotguns but still wanted to learn. We made sure they did and did it right.

Back on topic, Donzigirl grew up in the city with next to no exposure to firearms, she tells me she never really had any interest. Ive had her shooting a handfull of times and she still doenst really seem into it, but when she does she has no problem knocking out half MOA groups off the bench with my varmint rifles.:26:
 
I was brought up in a mid-west family that didn't own or shoot any guns. My father inherited a couple, but we never knew that he had them, other than in the service I don't think my dad ever fired a gun until much later in his life when we got interested in hunting and trap shooting. My older brother started hunting when he was in college and got me interested when I was out of high school. My other brother became a LEO outside of Chicago. We started bird hunting, pistol shooting, and trap shooting and it has become a passion for me and my son. Living here in Texas, we both got our carry permits and got into handguns, target shooting, trap, and skeet. It has been a natural progression and some what of an addiction. We spent all day yesterday at the range, shooting our handguns, rifles, and shotguns on the trap range. Even my wife who does not like any kind of handgun has gotten into shooting with a 22 pistol and also loves trap shooting. We do keep our handguns that we have in the house locked, but I have a shotgun within easy reach with shells nearby. I do not normally carry my weapon at work, but do have it in the truck, again within easy reach.
 
First of all I want to thank everyone for being civil to each other. I appreciate views from both sides.

There have been some good points made...

Chris asked a question I hadn't even thought of. How does someone that hasn't been around guns get introduced to them? Food for thought. On the flip side, how does someone that was raised around guns get turned away from them?

I'll throw another twist on the topic. It's obvious there's a good number of us that were raised around guns from a very young age. How many of you go shooting with your kids and have purchased guns especially for them? I have two daughters age 8 and 11. They've been shooting guns for about five years now. We shoot together at least once a month if not more. I consider it a privelage and honor as a parent to share this with them. I also consider it to be my reponsibility as a parent. In my mind to not do this with them is like neglecting my duties as a parent. No different than teaching them to drive IMO. This past Christmas I purchased a small gun specifically for them. It will be something they have the rest of their lives just like my dad did for me and so on.



Buck
 
My 19 year old son kicks my ass in sporting clays. I'm proud and embarrassed at the same time. He's grown up with it and has been interested for a long time.

When my son started in scouting, the boys were introduced to rifle (.22) and shotgun shooting in summer camp. That first year (Boy Scouts, not cubs) I set aside a 3-day weekend at my shooting club and we took the boys out for a very intense learning and shooting weekend. We had the instructors from the club, a couple of guys from sporting goods stores- who brought kid-sized guns and some of my shotoing buddies came along too. We immersed the kids in safety and skills- and now when they discuss where they want to go on outings, they want to go to the club and shoot every month. Hopefully we've planted the seed with some future hobbyist/sportsmen but I know for certain that we've turned out each time a group of 100% competency in firearm safety.

P.S. My daughter isn't much for the shooting but she does like to drive the cart while we shoot a round on those nice, sunny weekend mornings.
 
I must say I have never really thought about owning a gun. I think I would probably enjoy shooting one at a range or in the woods though. Growing up none of my family was into hunting or shooting, so we never really had that type of stuff around the house. I don`t think it has that much to do with where you grew up (I have friends that enjoy target shooting), but more so with family activities. For the most part I grew up on the beach in the summer and the ski hills in the winter.
 
I can imagine someone who grew up in a nice 'middle to upper class' town and is now raising his family in a nice 'middle to upper class' town where a small % of crime is a misdemeanor+ has no real need to own a gun.

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.
Let's hear it...
Buck
 
Well... here's my few words.
Couple questions in reference. Do you "WANT" a gun or do you think you "NEED" one.
Either way. what type of gun would you have and for what reasons?

I shot my first rifle in a Communist Country (just like any other yung teen) when I was 12. IT was the "Youg (red) Pioneers, training.
I figured I will have one or few one day but I don't even know when I got my first 22 cal rifle somewhere around the 80's for shooting skunks at a project site. So I had an excuse to buy it. Many don't have an excuse or don't want a reason. I know many dudes in the 40's and 50's with no weaponry of any sort. BUT. I always had access to guns, so "owning" one wasn't a priority.
Now, we can talk about "boat guns" I bought a special stainless boat gun for obvious reason in florida boating. THis choice was a "want". I have others, for "FUN" and for hunting. Even though I do very little hunting due to time issues not due to lack of desire. For many, just like for me I'm sure it was just one of those things that "I didn't get around to it yet" untill the need or desire came to the point of making an actal effort of the purchase.
For home security?/ :) a bazzooka does little when the thief is at your bedside at 2:38 AM. So I got these. The "couch potatos" but beilieve you me, no one gets in here. (besides they are fun to have around)
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As fas as guns.!? for each his own, no need for a special reason for or against.
 
I can imagine someone who grew up in a nice 'middle to upper class' town and is now raising his family in a nice 'middle to upper class' town where a small % of crime is a misdemeanor+ has no real need to own a gun.

We've already established that the majority of the guns in our possession are not for the purpose of self defense. I don't understand why people think that's why guns exist.

That being said, I live and grew up in what I would consider a smallish middle class town. I know of one homocide in the last 20+ years here that I can remember. Given that fact, I also don't know anyone in said town that doesn't own a gun. Kinda blows the gun ownership vs crime rate theory out the window. (not saying there aren't people in my town that don't own guns. just saying I don't know any personally)

EDIT..Chris and I have both commented on the time we have spent with our kids shooting. Chris' son is much older than my kids, but it shows how that has followed through with their relationship. I have two young daughters. Pretty much the opposite side of the spectrum. I realize not everyone would go out of their way to go shooting with their daughters. How many with sons don't or have never taken them out shooting? Kind of a right of passage isn't it? You know, my dad did it with me and his dad did it with him sort of thing.

Buck
 
a bazzooka does little when the thief is at your bedside at 2:38 AM. So I got these. The "couch potatos" but beilieve you me, no one gets in here. (besides they are fun to have around)
View attachment 13671

As fas as guns.!? for each his own, no need for a special reason for or against.

a 100+ pounds of dog jumping against the front door can be pretty damn intimidating!
 
EDIT..Chris and I have both commented on the time we have spent with our kids shooting. Chris' son is much older than my kids, but it shows how that has followed through with their relationship. I have two young daughters. Pretty much the opposite side of the spectrum. I realize not everyone would go out of their way to go shooting with their daughters. How many with sons don't or have never taken them out shooting? Kind of a right of passage isn't it? You know, my dad did it with me and his dad did it with him sort of thing.

Buck

I took my daughter's boyfriend to the range this weekend. My buddy owns it so we go down right before it closes and shoot by ourselves for a few hours. The BF had only been shooting a couple of times (his father is deceased) We shot pistols for a little bit to warm him up. Then I pulled out the MP5 and the Thompson and we shot some F/A for a bit. We set up the benches and shot bowling pins. He was absolutely geeked up about the whole thing. As a secondary benefit, he's now very afraid of making my little princess cry or be sad in any way. And I no longer have to concern myself as to where they are- or more importantly where his hands are.
 
I took my daughter's boyfriend to the range this weekend. My buddy owns it so we go down right before it closes and shoot by ourselves for a few hours. The BF had only been shooting a couple of times (his father is deceased) We shot pistols for a little bit to warm him up. Then I pulled out the MP5 and the Thompson and we shot some F/A for a bit. We set up the benches and shot bowling pins. He was absolutely geeked up about the whole thing. As a secondary benefit, he's now very afraid of making my little princess cry or be sad in any way. And I no longer have to concern myself as to where they are- or more importantly where his hands are.

LOL! Priceless for sure. That should be a VISA commercial.

Buck
 
I would agree with alot of the above statements that it has a lot to do with what you are exposed to as a child. My dad wasn't in the service, and didn't start hunting until later in life when he started going with some friends of his from work. Subsequently when my brother and I were kids he would take us down to deer camp and thus we were exposed to the hunting aspect and the firearms that went along with it. I was taught the basics of firearm handling at a very young age, but it must not have been too young because I still remember it to this day, some 20 years later. And a lot of it has to do with the firearms you are exposed to. Heck I didn't even know you could buy AR rifles until about a year ago when I was looking for a new shotgun for my dad. I saw one in of the gun stores and asked the guy what you had to do to buy one of those, he said nothing special, fill out a background check. And that's when my BRD started :D and I love my black rifles.

Firearms may not be for everybody, but I believe people should be taught how to handle a firearm, safely and confidently, should the need arise, preferably at a young age. I have some family members that I spend alot of time with that have never really been exposed to firearms, with similar reasoning in that they have never 'needed' them and thus aren't necessarily firearm friendly. But as the topic has come up in discussion they have become somewhat more receptive to the idea that both themselves and their kids should be exposed, when the kids are old enough (which the oldest is) so that the kids know what to do if they should come across a firearm, say at a friends house or something.

Another incident that happened not too long ago also opened their eyes in that relying on first-responders isn't the best idea. They are building a new house and one of their neighbors barn caught on fire. That baby was burnt halfway to the ground before the first FD truck came, and the FD/PD is right down the road no more than a 8-10 minute drive. I was out there working on the boats in his barn and saw it myself, it was unreal. After that they realized that even with being so close to first-responders, they need to take it upon themselves to have their own plan in place, not depend on first-responders should the need arrive.
 
I understand your point and the many plausible reasons for owning or not owning a gun as mentioned in this thread. Fact is you are either turned onto guns due to being introduced to them in a positive atmosphere and take a natural interest (ie for the love of the sport like boating), feel there might be a need to own a gun in case a bad situation might present itself, or have had guns passed on to you from living or deceased family members and friends.

My brother and I were raised around guns and were enrolled in a pistol & rifle club by my Dad at a very young age. We both graduated with top honors when we were teens. Although I've always been a great shot and enjoyed the sport of popping off rounds in the wild and on a range, it just never grabbed me like the sport of boating. My brother is in another category. He LOVES hunting and owns practically every gun ever made. He is also a bow hunter, avid fisherman and sailboater. Some guys have wine cellars, game & smoking rooms, but my bro has a huge trophy room that houses the results of his many hunts as well as arsenal. He even married a girl that loves to hunt with him! Me on the other hand, I could care less about guns. I don't love the sport, but do appreciate it for what it is. I live in a great neighborhood where I could leave everything I own unlocked and in the open and not have a single thought of being robbed or that my stuff or loved ones are being watched and may be potentially violated. It just doesn't happen where I live.

Off topic, but somewhat relevant to this topic is the fact that my girlfriend never handled or fired a gun until this past fall. She mentioned it in casual conversation so I thought it would be a good experience as well as fun to take her to a range. The next day we went to the local range near my shore house where I taught her the basics and started her off with a .22 cal revolver. Once she felt comfortable, I upgraded her firearm to a 9mm glock then .45 cal sig. She loved the glock and did pretty well for her first time. Here's her pic... she's the best!!


We've already established that the majority of the guns in our possession are not for the purpose of self defense. I don't understand why people think that's why guns exist.
 

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I took my daughter's boyfriend to the range this weekend. My buddy owns it so we go down right before it closes and shoot by ourselves for a few hours. The BF had only been shooting a couple of times (his father is deceased) We shot pistols for a little bit to warm him up. Then I pulled out the MP5 and the Thompson and we shot some F/A for a bit. We set up the benches and shot bowling pins. He was absolutely geeked up about the whole thing. As a secondary benefit, he's now very afraid of making my little princess cry or be sad in any way. And I no longer have to concern myself as to where they are- or more importantly where his hands are.

I had the opportunity to shoot a few rounds thru an MP5 on f/a, must say I was very surprised with the balance and control it had emptying clips :03:
 
I had the opportunity to shoot a few rounds thru an MP5 on f/a, must say I was very surprised with the balance and control it had emptying clips :03:

MP5 is a girls gun.........

with an avatar like that I would expect a .500 s/w scoped with a bag of coke to make you shoot straight:(
 
Canadians dont get trained on guns we get trained to pay taxes atr a young age...our 5 cent candies cost 4 bucks after tax
 
MP5 is a girls gun.........

with an avatar like that I would expect a .500 s/w scoped with a bag of coke to make you shoot straight:(

the sk has a gernade launcher, alas I sold my morter launcher a few years ago. Did you know that the chemical cold paks contain pure amonium nitrate? not the watered down fertalizer stuff... gasoline is much more effective when mixed with tide (powder not liquid) and styrofoam.
 
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