This is not a debate about gun control-it’s only curiosity about the variation reasons posters have acquired guns.
I’ve owned in the past, but not currently. I grew up with various weapons-pistols, shotguns, and rifles because we lived in Northern Idaho. They were used for hunting, target shooting and keeping the larger varmints out of the garden behind the kitchen. I’ve carried as a security officer in the past, and would do so in the future if the job site required it. Basically, I view guns as a tool to be used, then safely put away when done. I’ve never felt the need to have one for self-protection, but that’s only because I’ve been lucky enough to live in fairly safe neighborhoods. The only weapon I’ve ever collected as a non-tool was a an old S&W 7-shot revolver, but if I had the money I would probably collect more of the same type.
So I can shoot at stuff.
That probably sounds like a jokey answer but it’s the best explanation I can come up with. It’s usually in its case tucked away in the closet so I’d never be able to get to it quickly in some sort of home-protection emergency, I’ve never hunted, I don’t go to ranges to target shoot, I just-- have it.
'cos I was interested in them. haven’t actually gone to the range in years, though.
I’m like that about electronic toys.
I hunt. I have been a competition shooter. When I was a deputy sheriff, I was required to have one. They are a very effective means of self-defense and I have not always lived in nice places. I enjoy shooting them and working on them.
Weapon of choice, competition-wise?
Ever since I joined the army I enjoyed shooting even though the military tries its hardest to take any enjoyment out of it. The first two guns I bought were because they were interesting. A Walther P-38 and a CZ75. My other guns are for work. I don’t go shooting now because it’s hard to find a place to go around here. I have heard of a place not too far and I’m planning to go when it gets warmer. I don’t have them for protection though I am certainly willing to use them as such if I need to. I am allowed to carry but rarely do outside of work.
I like marksmanship. I have a collection of guns I inherited from my dad, so I’ve never actually purchased a gun. Before getting my dad’s guns I was always meaning to get myself one so I didn’t have to borrow, but never got around to it.
I also have an Olympic recurve bow. Because, as I said I enjoy marksmanship.
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I am a firm believer in self-defense, for a variety of reasons. The big one was when I was beat up in my own front yard by a group of people my age that followed me home. I made the personal determination that I would never be a victim again if I could help it, and as such I have had a firearm and a permit since the day I could afford it.
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Shooting is a very satisfying personal skill to master, to be in total control of a machine that delivers a finely aimed bullet right where you want it to go. In that sense it’s no different from a race car driver, an athlete, or even someone doing something as prosaic as computer programming. There’s a satisfaction to it that comes from doing it right.
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Firing a weapon is a very visceral action. There is noise, there is an explosion, there are smells and sensations that cannot easily be described. Some people go the movies, I prefer to go to the range.
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Very few things on Earth are better stress relievers. All of my annoyances go away, and I invariably walk away from the range with a huge smile on my face.
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It is a great way to meet people. Go to any range and you’ll find people who will talk to you and will be more than happy to show you and even let you fire their guns. Not many people will hand you the keys to their car without knowing a thing about you, but they’ll hand over a $2000 firearm without a second thought. It really is a culture thing. When I think of “gun culture”, that is what I think about, not the lunatic fringe that people commonly associate with the term.
As for why I have so many, that’s because they’re all very different in form, function, and performance. My 9mm is just as satisfying to shoot as my 10mm, but the differences between them are as great as the difference between my .22 and my .45. If variety is the spice of life, my firearms are quite caliente. I feel the same way about cars and other consumer items, it’s the differences that drive the passion for more, not just the sake of having them.
I really enjoyed formal bullseye competition that I shot with a bull barrel Ruger MkII. That sport is, alas, nearly dead and few clubs host it any more.
Not to hijack, but why is that, do you think?
I am considering buying a gun for self defense, and for target shooting for fun. I grew up with guns in the house, but never owned one myself.
Old fashioned bullseye was almost like Zen archery, especially when we were still exclusively using iron sights. Other than the targets turning, there was very little movement.
It has been supplanted by things like IPSC that involve moving and shooting through various scenarios that are supposed to mimic real life combat on some level. People find these sports more fun or more exciting. I’ve shot in them myself and they can be a great day out. There just aren’t many of us left, I guess, to whom the discipline bullseye requires appeals.
Most of the reasons listed above. I also just love the gadget factor. Many are showcases of engineering, machining and craftsmanship. Even if a given model is not a success as a tool it can be an interesting design.
So’s we can shoot either rat bastards that invade our home or (large) furry bastards that invade our backyard.
Target shooter here, .22 pistol and rifle. How I found myself here.
Airman Doors numbers 2, 4 and 5 pretty much sum up why I like it, though as a newbie at the sport I’m still clambering up the learning curve. Judging by some recent results (especially when I focus on improving a particular skill), practice makes progress as well as gosh-darn fun. Forgive the self-promotion; it’s all still new enough that every bit of success has that shiny “look at this!” aura to it.
Primarily as a personal freedom/ empowerment thing. Plus qualifying for my carry permit required a lot of patience and discipline on my part: saving enough money for range fees and ammo costs, overcoming considerable self-esteem issues to learn to shoot accurately, and taking and passing the permit class. It was and is a big responsibility that I feel proud to live up to.
I have always owned guns. I got a bb gun at age 8, a .22 rifle at 12, a shotgun at 13.
I enjoy shooting. When I was a teen, we lived on a hobby farm and I shot a lot of gophers and a few other undesirable animals. I also hunted with a group. As an adult, I bought some pistols after being taken shooting with a co-worker. It was fun. Later I lived in a bad neighborhood and self-defense entered the equation (while recreational shooting remained the primary reason for ownership). Then later I worked several years as an armed guard and Occupational Necessity entered the picture. Now I’m back to the occasional recreational use.
As a teen, We had fun shooting rats that crawled around the barn. Using a .22 with rat shot. Rat shot won’t damage a barns corrugated tin roof.
Since childhood guns have always been a part of my life. I’m just now getting back into shooting at a range. I haven’t shot regularly for about ten years.
Because I grew up in a small town where hunting was a part of life and something I could walk outside and do on my own.
Moved to the suburbs then city and it was no longer a part of my life other than a few trips home.
Simply no longer have the need to own a weapon.