To those who own guns. What's the attraction?

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sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
91
For me:

1) Sport - Target shooting with both pistols and rifles is fun, relaxing, and challenging. Each gun has it's own characteristics and makes it unique. This is why I love my .22 as much as my .45. It if very zen like and very relaxing. The sport is accessible in all weather and is something both my wife and I like to do, providing a bonding experience. The community is also welcoming and friendly, allowing us to meet new people and expand our circle of friends.

2) Self defense - Being prepared is a trait I was raised with. I like knowing I am prepared for defending myself, my family, or my property. The crime in my area is on a steep rise due to joblessness and meth. The police are becoming increasingly strained. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as just selling my house and moving because the market sucks. I moved into a area with no crime only to find that now smash and grabs and car thefts are becoming more common. Police are a minimum of 20 minutes away. A few hundred bucks is nothing compared to knowing that if a man breaks in while my wife is home she can stop him.

3) To exercise my rights. I'm a believer that not exercising your rights is the first step to losing them. I bought my first rifle for sport, my first shotgun for defense, and my first AR-15 as a execution of my rights (Rumors of a renewed ban at that time).

4) They are fun to collect. People collect all sorts of strange stuff, some functional and some non-functional. I love firearms. They are complex, unique, and beautiful. I particularly like WW1/WW2 war area firearms (M1, Mosin, etc) and revolvers.

5) I list this last as it is something I have only done as child, and would not do unless there was a drastic reason. Hunting. While I respect hunters, I find no pleasure in killing animals. I understand the reasons behind it and how it can be fun. I hunted as a child and enjoyed it. However, I live near the country and if I was starving, it is comforting to know I have the skills to hunt, clean and cook my own food.
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,908
2,141
126
The killing of the intruder via using a gun would indeed at first blush seem to be a very cathartic and pleasing experience. However I very much think that killing the intruder be it either with a gun or not while it would feel like I'd saved the family it would also be a horrible experience in and of itself. Both the rape that you mention AND the killing of the intruder at my hands would weigh heavily on me the rest of my life. In such a situation I have no doubt that I would seak out the closest heavy object and attempt to hit the intruder over the head with it, possibly killing him. IF I had a gun I also don't doubt that I would fire it killing the intruder that way. But neither one would make me feel any better in any way.

Perhaps a better question would be why should one live in fear of such an outcome in the first place. I have no doubt that it could happen here but I can't honestly say that I nor anyone that I have met in my daily interactions even gives a 2nd thought to this outcome. It's not like it doesn't happen sure but I've never felt the need to worry about it one way or the other. And neither do any of the people that I know here.

Plus, if the intruder is raping your mom, he's probably on top of her, so if you shot him the bullet would go right through both of them. Then, both the intruder and your mom would die mid-coitus and you would have to leave them like that until the police arrived.

Guns rock!
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,017
147
106
No guns in the house growing up, no one in my family hunted either. Never had an attraction to guns. But when I noticed a couple years ago that crackheads don't just rob and burglarize the poor areas of town anymore, and armed home invasions were becoming very random, I decided I was going to be in a position to defend myself. My wife and I have taken training classes and we practice - I hope we never use it for anything but practice.

Years ago, criminals didn't want to go to jail because it was an unpleasant place to be, and if someone was a chronic offender he would stay in jail. Today, jail is no longer a deterrent and you can have someone who has a long record of armed robberies get out after a few months. So there are more bad guys out there, with less concern about going to jail, and less reason to worry about staying in jail a long time.
 

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
91
I'm not a fan of just owning a firearm for defense. Go out and get into some competitions. They are fun, give you a greater return on the investment of the firearm, and build skill quickly.
 

Analog

Lifer
Jan 7, 2002
12,755
3
0
Pick up an M1 Garand and take it to a range. Then you'll understand why Patton said it was the greatest single battle implement ever devised by man. That's how I got into it, the history of the weapon. I also like to hunt.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,517
223
106
:eek:

My son is turning 11 and we don't want him to get a BB gun!

We're another "never had guns in the house" family. We do now, but just because my wife was in law enforcement. I don't think they've seen the light of day in 5 years though.

I got my first rifle on my 12th b'day. Ruger 10/22..I still have it, and it hasn't shot anyone yet!
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
I went to the range the other day, it's just fun to shoot targets. The weight of the gun in your hand, the report, the kick. I finally fired my Mossberg 500 Cruiser for the first time. That sucker has some bite.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,534
911
126
I grew up in a house that was also gunless. Went to the shooting range with a friend of mine when I was in my early 20s and got hooked. That was 20 years ago and over the years I've picked up a few guns myself. I still go to the range every now and then, it is a lot of fun.

I don't carry any of my guns, just for sport shooting and home defense if needed. Believe me, killing someone is something I hope I never experience.
 
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pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Some states yeah. Some states like CA prohibit CCW to a very very few number of people so you basically will never see it. I think some states also have regulations on where you can carry, I know you aren't allowed to carry inside the Mall of America in MN because I saw a few signs saying that.

I wouldn't say it would be normal though. I live in a state where open carry is legal and I don't think I've ever seen anyone open carrying outside of a gun shop or a range.

the appeal? I collect historic firearms, like the M1 Garand, the Enfield, the Mosin Nagant. There is history behind these firearms. Also, a well made firearm is a piece or art and a thing of beauty.

they're also fun to shoot.
 
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pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Plus, if the intruder is raping your mom, he's probably on top of her, so if you shot him the bullet would go right through both of them. Then, both the intruder and your mom would die mid-coitus and you would have to leave them like that until the police arrived.

Guns rock!

shoot him from the front, from the side, or pull him off and shoot him. why do you have to be a troll?

I wish there weren't so many misinformed and/or stupid people out there, that way we could have a thread about guns be civil without these trolls and anti's coming in.
 

CrazyAznDriver

Golden Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,200
0
0
I am thinking of getting my first hand gun soon. I come from a family that didn't have guns. I have never shot a gun outside of bb guns. I am going to take an intro to guns/ gun safety course first. I think it could be fun. Defending myself/family would be a plus too. I want to be as responsible as I can be though.
 

Rumpltzer

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
4,815
33
91
I've got hand guns and long guns. I've put thousands and thousands of rounds downrange. Putting holes in paper or hearing the "plink" of it bouncing off a steel target is a lot of fun. I'm a good shot.

Even taking the guns apart for cleaning and maintenance is good fun for me (as much as taking apart the bike, motorcycles, or cars).

If there was ever an intruder in my home, I'd go for the 25-inch (short) aluminum bat.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
My house was broken into in the middle of the night. The next morning when I realized what had happened your mind does a whole lot of "what if". What if they wanted to do harm to me or my wife (she was away on a buisiness trip). There were a decent number of them as they tried to haul out a 67" inch TV in the home theater. That day I went out and armed myself to eliminate the "what if", at least I'll have a say in preserving our life and property and won't be at the will of another. Now there is a loaded weapon on every floor in places only me and my wife know about. We have a plan and practice it.

Just like you have a fire escape plan, we have a home and life defense plan.
 

IcePickFreak

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2007
2,428
9
81
shoot him from the front, from the side, or pull him off and shoot him. why do you have to be a troll?

I wish there weren't so many misinformed and/or stupid people out there, that way we could have a thread about guns be civil without these trolls and anti's coming in.

Exactly. The vast majority of people who shoot guns as a hobby are generally going to be much safer to be around when they have a gun. If you never used one before and find yourself in the position where you need to for your own safety, you're going to be more dangerous than anyone else.

Some of you guys need to save your "But do you NEED your gun?" arguments for the guy that comes into your house with a gun from Mexico or Central America with no serial numbers. Drugs and guns go together like bread and butter, and they haven't ever had problems getting drugs into this country. Last I checked Australia nor New Zealand share a border with a 3rd world country either.

Also, where would you propose we get the money for maintaining population control on the animals that are maintained via hunting? Deer are a big enough problem here for farmers, they can and do get permits to hunt them year-round as they destroy crops. For 2010, during the week-long deer gun season in my state over 200,000 deer were killed, and they are still are problem for both farmers, and drivers for that matter. Even one or two years without a deer harvesting season and they would be absolutely out of control since they breed like crazy. Oh right, we could just introduce more wolves and bears to the area, that would be a great idea now that nobody has guns.
 

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
5,382
65
91
maybe, but that seems so fucking strange to me. i got a gun (20 ga.) from santa when i was 7 i think. :biggrin:
yeah some time ago some guy got a gun at a young age and shot all his relatives.
That doesn't happen in a no-guns household.

The only guns in my house are historical and can't shoot anymore (melted mechanism).
 

nick1985

Lifer
Dec 29, 2002
27,153
6
81
Hand guns are easy to carry and conceal. Honestly that you would even ask this question shows how completely out of touch with reality American gun nuts are.

Ask yourself why America has so much gun crime compared with countries like NZ. We have just as many guns per capita, but we don't allow hand guns or automatic guns. Just think about it for a while.

We dont allow automatic guns either.

I dont have info on NZ, but Australia has similar laws...

Myth: Gun control in Australia is curbing crime

Fact: Crime has been rising since a sweeping ban on private gun ownership. In the first two years after gun-owners were forced to surrender 640,381 personal firearms, government statistics show a dramatic increase in criminal activity.61

In 2001-2002, homicides were up another 20%.62 From the inception of firearm confiscation to March 27, 2000, the numbers are:
• Gun murders up 19%
• Armed robbery up 69%
• Home invasions up 21%

The sad part is that in the 15 years before national gun confiscation:
• Firearm-related homicides dropped nearly 66%
• Firearm-related deaths fell 50%

Fact: Gun crimes are rising throughout Australia after guns were banned. In Sydney alone, robbery rates with guns rose 160% in 2001, more in the previous year.63

Fact: A ten year study that concluded Australian firearm confiscation had no effect on crime rates.64 A separate study concluded Australia’s 1996 gun control laws “found [no] evidence for an impact of the laws on the pre-existing decline in firearm homicides.”65

http://gunfacts.info/pdfs/gun-facts/5.1/gun-facts-5.1-screen.pdf


If you think just banning guns = less crime, you are foolish.
 
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jonks

Lifer
Feb 7, 2005
13,918
20
81
Waiting for the spoof

"To those who drink lattes and drive Volvos, (optionally: and murder babies) what's the attraction?"

:)
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
81
We dont allow automatic guns either.

I dont have info on NZ, but Australia has similar laws...

Myth: Gun control in Australia is curbing crime

Fact: Crime has been rising since a sweeping ban on private gun ownership. In the first two years after gun-owners were forced to surrender 640,381 personal firearms, government statistics show a dramatic increase in criminal activity.61

In 2001-2002, homicides were up another 20%.62 From the inception of firearm confiscation to March 27, 2000, the numbers are:
• Gun murders up 19%
• Armed robbery up 69%
• Home invasions up 21%

The sad part is that in the 15 years before national gun confiscation:
• Firearm-related homicides dropped nearly 66%
• Firearm-related deaths fell 50%

Fact: Gun crimes are rising throughout Australia after guns were banned. In Sydney alone, robbery rates with guns rose 160% in 2001, more in the previous year.63

Fact: A ten year study that concluded Australian firearm confiscation had no effect on crime rates.64 A separate study concluded Australia’s 1996 gun control laws “found [no] evidence for an impact of the laws on the pre-existing decline in firearm homicides.”65
Wait, what? You can get full autos in the states.
 

nick1985

Lifer
Dec 29, 2002
27,153
6
81
So everyone should be able to own a nuke? Or a SAM?

Define 'arms'?

Arms refers to swords/knives/pistols/shotguns/ and rifles, going strictly off the 18th century definition of arms.

A nuke or a SAM would be ordnance, which is not a right granted in the constitution. That stuff + rockets, grenades, RPG's, etc, is not a right granted to the people by the Constitution.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Wait, what? You can get full autos in the states.

yes, but you have to get a tax stamp which requires extensive background checking plus costs money. not to mention i believe you have to register with local sheriff. Also, full auto weapons cost several thousands of dollars.
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
81
Well yeah you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get them. But point was, collectors and other people with the means to do so can legally own those firearms in the US.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
yeah some time ago some guy got a gun at a young age and shot all his relatives.
That doesn't happen in a no-guns household.

The only guns in my house are historical and can't shoot anymore (melted mechanism).

right, in a non-gun house he would have used a steak knife or axe or baseball bat instead...whats your point?
 

IcePickFreak

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2007
2,428
9
81
Well yeah you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get them. But point was, collectors and other people with the means to do so can legally own those firearms in the US.

Right, and very few do. As I said before, in all the years I've been in the gun hobby, I've seen one person once with the license. I'd wager more people were killed by fertilizer (in the Oklahoma bombing alone) than by people with that license. I mean who NEEDS fertilizer, stuff has grown thousands of years without it. :rolleyes: