# Do you own a firearm? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870 "2019-09-26T19:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/101 "2019-09-30T00:35:19Z")
I’ve never owned a gun. Never wanted one. Never been in a situation where I thought I needed one. Don’t like venison. 🙂 I did win a ribbon in target shooting a BB gun at a Girl Scout camp when I was a kid. But I found it a boring and uninteresting activity. My eyes glaze over whenever people online start talking about gun specifics. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/102 "2019-09-30T00:40:10Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > What I object to is a situation like Velocity’s, where one’s rights are being imposed upon for specious reasons. In Libertopia, I agree that a landlord should be allowed to restrict their right to enter into contract with whomever they choose. We are not in Libertopia. I was curious about where you drew the line for freedom to contract to become a tenant. It’s an interesting issue but not for here. > [@](#): > > Not a big deal. I enjoy reading your contributions to these forums. And same to you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/103 "2019-09-30T01:14:14Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Have you checked them to see if they are possibly loaded? Take a longer dowel rod and put it down the barrel and mark where the muzzle is. Now lay it along the side of the barrel… Thank you! I will. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/104 "2019-09-30T01:20:50Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Actually there is a body of [Fair Housing/Equal Opportunity laws that explicitly describe what are the protected categories you cannot discriminate against](https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/fair_housing_and_related_law), and what they cover is the usual set thereof: race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, familial status (state and local statutes may add other categories). **A lawful rental contract may otherwise still be restrictive about what else the tenants may or may not _do with or in the property_ once they occupy it.** When we rented-out downstairs rooms, our contract said, “Tenant shall throw no wild parties without inviting landlords”. That kept them calm. We also restricted firearms on the premises - which did NOT include air rifles and pistols, right handy for discouraging but not killing trespassing-shitting dogs. Generally, discrimination against Who Or What You Are is invalid, but restricting What You Do On My Property is just right. Nope, no animal sacrifices here. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/105 "2019-09-30T03:37:25Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’m just the opposite. Can’t imagine the need for a gun. Never had one, so I answered “no” to the poll. > > Plus, I don’t make lifestyle choices based on Hollywood male-eroticism rape fantasies. 🙂 Not sure why you’d want to be at their mercy. Whether through home invasion, or being outdoors, and not just for your sake, but for family members and friends too that you’d want to protect as well. For bears I’ve ran across, I always carry bear spray. I’ve had three different bear encounters as little as 20’ away within two years on my CO property, but so far they have been great neighbors. I’d use bear spray on them if I had too, but they seem to be more scare of us than we are of them. Doubt I’d ever need my gun on them. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/106 "2019-09-30T05:19:23Z")
> [@Razncain](#): > > Not sure why you’d want to be at their mercy. Whether through home invasion, or being outdoors, and not just for your sake, but for family members and friends too that you’d want to protect as well. It’s never even crossed my mind that I should get a gun for home décence. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/107 "2019-09-30T14:59:04Z")
No. Never had one, never needed one. I’ve fired my friends’ guns, and it turns out I’m actually an uncanny good shot. Still have zero interest in ever owning one. However, if I ever did need one, I’m certain I could have one (of questionable legality) in my hands inside of an hour. This is America! ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/108 "2019-09-30T15:59:57Z")
Everybody’s circumstances are different, but there are over one million home invasions when people are in their home that occur in the US, and 27% of those turn violent. It rarely even gets news anymore. Businesses are even more susceptible, especially when cash is common. I’ve been fortunate in my twenty years of doing business of only going through one armed robbery that happened to a customer of mine at my business. He got tied up, and pistol whipped, but lived through it. There was a news black out on that story too, thank goodness, or there would have been more armed robberies at my place on account of what we were supplying the supermarket pharmacies with at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/109 "2019-09-30T17:56:06Z")
> [@Razncain](#): > > there are over one million home invasions when people are in their home that occur in the US, and 27% of those turn violent. This is one of those terms that the media loves & picked up on. If I break into your home when no one is there that’s just a burglary. If I enter your home when someone is there, with the intent of confronting them (maybe to get the combo to the safe) that is & was a home invasion. However, somewhere along the line, if I was merely trying to burglarize your home but someone happened to be there, even if I only break the window & then flee when you turn on the light to investigate are now also called home invasions. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/110 "2019-09-30T18:24:22Z")
Never owned or touched a firearm, have no intention ever to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/111 "2019-09-30T19:40:50Z")
Don’t own any, but have had to sell or otherwise rehome a few dozen that I inherited. I inherited a really old kids .22 rifle from one of my aunts. Got lucky with that one. Our local PD held a buy-back and rifles could be swapped for a $50 gift card. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/112 "2019-09-30T20:05:13Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > This is one of those terms that the media loves & picked up on. If I break into your home when no one is there that’s just a burglary. > If I enter your home when someone is there, with the intent of confronting them (maybe to get the combo to the safe) that is & was a home invasion. > However, somewhere along the line, if I was merely trying to burglarize your home but someone happened to be there, even if I only break the window & then flee when you turn on the light to investigate are now also called home invasions. A good friend of mine, who lived in an upscale neighborhood, went out for a walk with his wife one morning. They returned home to find someone in their house. The intruded had a machete and killed my friend with it in his own kitchen in front of his wife. I don’t care if that counts as a home invasion or not. He’s just as dead. Screw the media. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/113 "2019-09-30T21:09:25Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Why do I have them? well aside from the obvious answer of the 2A, :dubious: For the record, the existence of the second amendment is not a reason to own a firearm. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/114 "2019-09-30T22:46:05Z")
**Three Generations without Guns** This thread made me think of something. To the best of my knowledge, I’m the third generation in my family (both side) not to have any guns. I don’t, my parents don’t, and neither set of grandparents did. One set of great-grandparents may have had guns, because they were farmers and may have used them for pest control or hunting. But if they did, certainly not part of the family heritage - exact opposite to what some posters have said about inheriting guns from parents or grandparents. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/115 "2019-10-01T02:32:41Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > :dubious: For the record, the existence of the second amendment is not a reason to own a firearm. so sayeth you. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/116 "2019-10-01T03:43:13Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > so sayeth you. That’d be the 1st amendment. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/117 "2019-10-01T03:46:40Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > A perfect example of the precision, is my [CZ-75B 9mm handgun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybT3wCzzB0M), it’s made in the Czech Republic, widely used throughout Europe as a military/police sidearm, and everything about it is utterly amazing… > > the ergonomics of the grip are perfect, it feels like it’s molded to perfectly fit your hand, it’s perfectly balanced, the slide fels like it runs on ball bearings, the magazine clicks/ejects into place with a precise snap, there’s no slop in the action, the slide, thumbing the hammer back with a clean click, the single action trigger pull breaks like a glass rod, it simply feels like a finely tuned machine, a Rolex watch, a Mercedes/BMW sports sedan > > the most interesting feature is that the slide rides _INSIDE_ the slide rails, most pistol slides ride outside the frame, with the slide on the inside of the rails, it adds an extra bit of precision and accuracy I have a CZ75 that I got almost immediately after the fall of the Iron Curtain. It’s a lot more clunky. Shoots well enough from what I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/119 "2019-10-01T10:22:57Z")
Reported ---
**Author:** ![Marcus\_Flavius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@Marcus\_Flavius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marcus_Flavius)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/120 "2019-10-01T10:51:03Z")
Not at the moment. I’m not a “gun guy” whatsoever, but I’d like a 12 gauge for home defense. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870/121 "2019-10-01T14:53:34Z")
One semi-automatic pistol, which these days stays inside a safe almost all the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-own-a-firearm/840870.md?page=7)