Guns are supported by both parties. But, there's a difference...

[tecelote]

Democrats who love guns... Food.
Republicans who love guns... Protection.

[shraby]

1. Could you clarify yourself a bit? I don't understand what you're saying.

[DrDan]

2. Sure are a lot right here who seem to fall in that latter category

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I think this is pretty accurate.

I've owned & had access to guns since I was in grade school. I actually recall my father starting to teach me to shoot a .22 before 1st Grade.He always had very close control over the rifle at first; no way I could have gotten away with pointing it in a wrong direction. He started me hunting as soon as I was of legal age, & hunting was a big deal in my extended family. None of us was a trophy hunter. None ever had mounted animal heads or fish on their walls. It was about food, not a macho show-off thing. I hunted well into my 60's.

And I still own guns. A couple of shotguns, a couple of .22s, a deer rifle, a few others. All are hunting guns, and I have never particularly thought of them for self-protection. They are all unloaded, in cases, in closets, etc. None located with the idea of getting at it in an "emergency." If I had to come up with a rationale for why I still have them, it would probably be related to the notion that we may again need to take game for food in some hypothetical collapse of the economy. That may not make sense to you, and maybe it doesn't even make sense to me, but somehow that doesn't bother me, and I still have the guns.

[Hoyt]

4. I think it's more "intimidation" and "power" for Republicans than "protection."

[frazzled]

5. No, that's not the difference

The official statement on guns from the 2012 Democratic platform:

Right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation

We recognize that the individual right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition, and we will preserve Americans' Second Amendment right to own and use firearms. We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation. We understand the terrible consequences of gun violence; it serves as a reminder that life is fragile, and our time here is limited and precious. We believe in an honest, open national conversation about firearms. We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements--like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole--so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few.
Source: 2012 Democratic Party Platform , Sep 4, 2012

The official statement on guns from the 2012 Republican platform:

Right to obtain and store ammunition without registration

We uphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, a right which antedated the Constitution and was solemnly confirmed by the Second Amendment. We acknowledge, support, and defend the law-abiding citizen's God-given right of self-defense. We call for the protection of such fundamental individual rights recognized in the Supreme Court's decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago affirming that right, and we recognize the individual responsibility to safely use and store firearms. This also includes the right to obtain and store ammunition without registration. We support the fundamental right to self-defense wherever a law-abiding citizen has a legal right to be, and we support federal legislation that would expand the exercise of that right by allowing those with state-issued carry permits to carry firearms in any state that issues such permits to its own residents.
Source: 2012 Republican Party Platform , Aug 27, 2012

One party wants to sensibly regulate firearms and prevent deaths from gun violence. The other party wants to ease even more limits on guns and ammunition and expand the right to "self-defense" (meaning the ability to shoot at young black men who happen to be walking down the street.)

Very few people hunt, and even fewer hunt for food:

How many hunters are there? In 2011, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (PDF), 15.7 million Americans older than six went hunting. That's nearly 29 million less than went fishing, and 3 million less than went out to watch birds. Back in 1955, about 10 percent of Americans hunted; today it's around 6 percent.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/02/hunting-demographics-charts-guns

Your argument about Democrats loving guns for food is very weak. If only 6% of Americans even hunt, and about 1/3 of those Americans are Democrats, then only 2% of Democrats at the very most "love guns for Food." And not even that.