What is a gun nut?

[Logical]

I mean, the people here who use "gun nut" or "gun humper" as a negative term, what do they use to determine the criteria?

I own guns, shoot guns, favor conceal carry laws but hate the NRA (with a passion) and am not a fan of open carry.

I would not mind registering my guns. I have no problem requiring all gun sales to have a background check.

I am in favor of concealed carry and am fine with a national concealed carry law. Concealed Carry license holders are not the problem. They tend to be a pretty law abiding bunch. Sure there are exceptions, but as a group they break very few laws.

So, what makes up a gun nut?

[doc03]

1. I agree with all you say and you do not sound like a nut to me. From what I see from the NRA today

I would consider anyone that belongs a gun nut. Just listen to Wayne LaPierre.

[tularetom]

2. I've wondered about that for a while

By some standards I suppose I would be considered a "gun nut". I'm a collector of antique firearms and at present have several dozen in my possession. I don't hunt much anymore but I do occasionally participate in target shooting and cowboy action events.

Concealed carry is not for me but I have no problem with permitting it on a national basis. Nor do I mind expanding the background check requirements to cover every gun purchase.

But I also despise the NRA because I can remember when it was primarily an educational and information resource for the shooter instead of a shill for arms manufacturers.

I don't feel like a gun nut but maybe there are those who would consider me one.

[angstlessk]

3. In my opinion, anyone who opposes any controls on guns,

no matter how sensible..and supports all laws that allow guns to proliferate...and now the new 'silencer' laws

[oneshooter]

8. Please, tell us what sensible laws you would like to see passed. n/t

[hack89]

9. Why not be honest?

And simply say anyone that disagrees with you is a gun nut. Your definition is so broad as to be meaningless.

[Duckhunter935]

14. Why are you against suppressors

you know they do not silence at all and just lower the volume of the shot to a more healthy level. That is why countries in Europe mandate them.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

4. IMHO...

..."gun nut" is about as well and consistently defined as "assault weapon".

[Nuclear Unicorn]

25. ..."gun nut" is about as well and consistently defined as "assault weapon".

And for the exact same reason.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

28. exactly

[flamin lib]

5. My opinion and nothing else.

Someone who puts gun ownership above all else. Someone who reads a study/survey and immediately dismisses it because the source/conclusions/recommendations conflict with gun ownership by anyone/anytime. Someone who would presume to tell a Supreme Court Justice what the Constitution REALLY means. Someone who uses the argument "that wouldn't have prevented (fill in the blank) so it's a stupid idea." Someone who demands to be bribed into doing the responsible thing, like wanting a subsidy to buy a gun safe. Someone whose idea of discussion is belittling the other side over piddling technicalities like "clip vs magazine".

There's more but you get the drift.

BTW the OP and I could be twins except for the concealed carry. I feel sorry for people who are so frightened that they can't leave the house without a gun.

[Logical]

13. I have carried my gun about 3 times in 3 years......

I realize it is millions to one chance I will ever need it.

But if I want to carry it I can.

I agree with you that many gun owners are paranoid.

[rrneck]

6. A convenient rhetorical target. nt

[friendly_iconoclast]

7. The only honest answer: "Someone that *I* think likes guns too much"

[Niceguy1]

27. exactly!

[Boom Sound 416]

10. Balance is everything

[The Straight Story]

11. Same thing as an Abortion Nut

Someone who likes to have choices and stands up for free choice when others want to take it away for their 'religious' reasons -- religion here meaning how you think something is the only way and you parade around the very few you can find who fit your idea of a sinner in order to get everyone else afraid.

So basically, you are a gun nut if you thinking banning paint jobs on guns is a stupid idea. Because guns are bad and if you want to customize the look of yours you hate people and want to shoot them.

Or some bullshit like that.

[MicaelS]

12. Gun nut is a moving goalpost.

It just depends on the person making the (pejorative) observation. I just realize some people hate all guns, and the people who own them, and thus are going to call anyone who owns any gun a gun nut. Especially if the gun owner states they have the gun for personal or home defense.

Speaking strictly for myself, I could accept a graduated driver's license model for Gun Ownership, accompanied with insurance, provided it was a Federal Universal License with absolutely no opt-out for anyone, anywhere. The exact same requirements would apply for every state, city, town and county. Absolutely No Exceptions, none. That means once I have my license, I can travel anywhere, move anywhere, and I can take my gun with me. If I have a Carry Permit, I can carry anywhere the law allows. The local authorities anywhere can't say or do a damn thing. And quite specifically, that means anyone in extremely anti-gun cities like NYC, Chicago or DC passes the licensing test, they can have a gun. They don't have to have a reason or a justification. And, yes if would be specifically for self and home defense. Not some bullshit excuse that it is for target shooting, hunting or collecting. And if you don't like living near people owning guns, tough shit, you don't get that option.

Of course I realize that will never work. Neither side would accept it.

[sarisataka]

15. It depends on the poster

as best I can tell it can range from Ted Nugent to a person who owns a gun to a person who doesn't care if people own guns.

[gejohnston]

16. it is a pejorative

and like any other pejorative, it is the refuge of the ignorant, the arrogant, and down right despicable. None of them deserve or get my time.

[spin]

17. First I don't consider the term an insult, people who do not understand the gun culture often do. ..

although I have often joked that I prefer the term gun enthusiast myself.

The Urban Dictionary has perhaps the best definition of the term: I fit definition 1 and am proud of it.

1. gun nut

1. A person who takes a keen interest in firearms and ammunition, possibly including the study, peer discussion, ownership, bearing and use thereof - usually used playingly by oneself or by other firearms enthusiasts in this sense. Often associates with people with similar interests.

2. A person who takes seemingly morbid interest in firearms out of a belief that they provide protection, security and freedom while appearing scary to the uninitiated - usually used derogatively by non-gun people, particularly those who are scared of firearms.


Me: I keep my AR-15 mags loaded with hollow points for reduced penetration and higher stopping power for riot protection.
Everyone else: You're just another dangerous Second Amendment freak, a raving gun nut.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gun%20nut

Field and Stream Magazine has a blog called The Gun Nut which you can view at:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nut It contains a lot of interesting commentary on firearms ammo and the shooting sports of interest to gun nuts like me.

Most of the regular shooters at the target ranges I attended feel the same as I do. If someone wishes to insult people who own firearms and enjoys shooting them, he should realize just how inoffensive the term gun nut is.

I personally feel that if both sides of the gun control issue would spend less time insulting other and more time trying to find some common ground, we might make some headway in improving our current federal gun control laws.

[Logical]

20. Thanks for the good points! nt

[ileus]

18. IMHO it's a person who throughly enjoys many different aspects of firearm

ownership; Collecting, Shooting, Competition...across many different types of firearms; shotguns, pistols, rifles, C&R and covering several different categories of ownership.

It could also involve reloading and hunting in some cases.


"Gun Nut" really isn't a negative term except when used by 2A regressives, and those folks you have to dismiss.

[Eleanors38]

19. "Gun nut" is like a racial term: O.K. for many in-house,

but often used in a bigoted manner when without the "family."

I find the term "humper" to be a curious take on the racist fascination with penis size when it comes to painting a portrait of the hated group or race. For the haters within the gun-control movement, the penis size seems to go the other direction than the classic bigots view of, say, blacks or Jews or other feared groupings. Regardless, there is Always this sexual component; specifically, the male organ. But even here, the metaphor goes limp as more women take up shooting.

I wonder, can those on DU who use the expression "humper" explain for us its use as applied to women? If they don't use "humper" when speaking of female gun enthusiasts, do they have an equivalent expression? If they have no equivalent expression, is slurring reserved only for men (with regards sexual organs)?

[Starboard Tack]

21. All depends on context

Could mean anything from an aficionado/collector to a paranoid freak who can't go anywhere without a gun.

[Lizzie Poppet]

22. In theory...

In theory, I'd say "gun nut" means either someone with anti-gun-control views so extreme as to constitute opposition to most all gun control laws or someone whose "into" guns to the point of obsession.

In practice it means "someone whose level of opposition to 2nd Amendment rights fails to match my own."

[jimmy the one]

23. only about 10% or so

logical: So, what makes up a gun nut?

About 10 - 15% of American gun owners could be classified as gunnuts, in my opinion. Which translates into about 5% of all americans.
From the criteria you posted you do not qualify. You could, regrettably, be inappropriately called a gunnut if you preached a certain progun policy, but brass tacks you don't cut it, au contraire you sound like a responsible gun owner.
Some exceptions there are, Scalia is a gunnut since his ruling transfigured the American landscape regarding gun laws & responsibilities, allowing them to be disregarded more easily.

Gunnuts adhere to the 2nd amendment ideology rabidly, own over 5 guns I'd say (with reservations depending on the caliber, nyuck, & this stat alone does NOT necessarily qualify you as a gunnut), carry regularly, often have a gun under the car seat via a slit in the upholstery, hate over 95% of guncontrol efforts; republican gunnuts tend to hate democrats; gunnuts believe in a 2ndAmendment mythology, to the extent that when the truth surfaces to expose their half truths & lies, they ignore the truth & continue living their viva loco - they don't care about the truth since it's emanating from those anti rights democrat gunbanners, & they'd rather be deceived by their gun lobbies, which they send good beer money to yearly.
Some have arsenals, most have an assault rifle or 3, love to shoot at the range for some odd reason, & think the 2ndA is the amendment which protects all else in their nutty little world.

[friendly_iconoclast]

24. You know *exactly* what those people are like, eh?

Change the wording slightly, and it reads like a teabagger screed against Dems.

Just goes to show that the NRA and its severist critics are more alike than not-
xenophobia, stereotyping, demonization of 'the other', claims of facts not proven...

[jimmy the one]

29. was I speaking to you?

icon: You know *exactly* what those people are like, eh? Change the wording slightly, and it reads like a teabagger screed against Dems.

Not that I give a * about what you think, but the OP asked this question:

So, what makes up a gun nut?

And I gave my opinion of what generally constituted a gunnut.

Just goes to show that the NRA and its severist critics are more alike than not- xenophobia, stereotyping, demonization of 'the other', claims of facts not proven

My classifying about 90% of gun owners as 'not' being gunnuts, backs your above remarks, how?

[friendly_iconoclast]

30. If you don't want a response, don't post on a discussion board

[blueridge3210]

31. He wants to preach, not discuss. (nt)

[upaloopa]

26. Here is what I think.

Years ago I had the bad luck of knowing a guy who imported rifles. This was in Ohio back in the early 70's.
Once he was unpacking a rifle and it went off. The bullet took off his finger went through a glass patio door and into his neighbor's house. The police were called. They found enough black powder in the guy's garage to blow up the neighborhood. He also had a loaded gun in just about every room in the house and a little girl who could reach them. A true gun nut if there ever was one.
If you can't understand other people's opposition to the gun culture and think their is no merit to it you are a gun nut!

[Adam-Bomb]

32. It depends on who is making the statement.

Everybody has their own opinion.