I never owned a Gun, and I don't see the big deal about owning one!

[trumad]

Hey..too each their own, and I do appreciate that the constitution allows Citizens to Bear Arms... BUT..what's the BFD about owning one?

When I was in the 82nd Airborne, I shot thousands of rounds from all kinds of weapons...Sniper Rifles, M-16's, hell..I was even a Anti-Tank Dragon gunner.... Oh sure it was cool to shoot these weapons but the novelty wore off when I got out of the Army.

I'm watching my kids this morning and both my boys have cap guns... They're playing Army and loving it... It reminds me of my childhood days...Playing Army was a blast. BUT those were my Kid days.

I don't know...I just don't get the fasination with Guns in our society?

MHOP

[MichaelHarris]

1. I own

a couple of black powder guns, a long rifle and a pistol. Its a hoot to shoot them. The skill is that big heavy .50 cal ball and lobbing it at a target. I don't have the heart to kill anything except paper.

[freetobegay]

2. I don't have a fascination but

With hate crimes on the rise. I feel safer Carrying a concealed weapon (with a permit of course).

[Loonman]

3. Nothing wrong with owning a firearm

So long as you follow all the rules and properly clean, maintain and respect it.

[izzie]

4. Well I am a women and played with cap guns as a tom boy.

But I have never owned a gun either or my ex husband and he was in the service. We did not hunt so saw no need.

[Vickers]

5. I too was in the military, and I've noticed something:

Whenever you run across somebody with a whole arsenal of weapons, about 90% of the time it seems like they were never in the military. Why is that?

I have 3: shotgun, rifle and handgun. Anymore and I couldn't carry them all! Plus it would be a logistical nightmare trying to keep ammo stocked for them.

[bruce21040]

6. I also own guns

I wont go into how many or what kind for fear of being flamed, but I do love to kill the paper and occasional can.

My favorite handgun is my Walther PPK.
My favorite rifle is my M-7.

I do not hunt animals, I would never even think about killing a human, and my guns are always locked in their safe unloaded.

[Christ was Socialist]

7. Well as a left winger

when they start arresting and outlawing parties, the second amendment comes into play.

[Warpy]

18. Those little popguns aren't going to do you much good

...against a SWAT team or the military being used against citizens who aren't pod people.

Things that explode are much better when it comes to resisting totalitarianism. We've seen that over and over again, from all the resistance in WWII to the Hungarian uprising and every uprising since then.

If they make you feel better in an impersonal and hostile universe, that's great. They just aren't all that useful.

[w4rma]

32. Note the insurgants in Iraq and their pop guns. (nt)

[Christ was Socialist]

43. Sure seems to help in iraq and afghanistan

Plus I don't think it would be possible in a democracy to bring in gunships to fire at cities, in addition you will have milltary defects.

[Loonman]

8. Target shooting is a pretty good time

Most police stations in small towns will let you use their outdor or indoor range if you ask them nicely, and they aren't too yokel-ish.



Know who is a fan of target shooting and has competed in competitions?

Gary Numan("Cars").

[bleedingheart]

9. My kids love the nerf crossbows and guns

that they have...only problem is I have to keep trying to find the damn "arrows"... I told them I am not going on the roof so they had better aim at low targets...

edit:...bus was coming so hit reply too fast..

I have no problems with guns. I grew up with gun owning Democrats.

I don't own any because I have kids...don't want the risk.

[mopaul]

10. lifelong gun owner

my dad too, and i suppose his dad too. i'm not a gun nut, or hunter. had to kill a cat once, and it damn near killed me.
but i feel naked without it, and flame me, but i sleep with it close.

but, there are too damn many guns out there, they're too easy to get, and there are too many people who should not have them.

liberals with guns....who'dve ever thunk it?

[OpSomBlood]

11. About 39% of Democrats own a gun.

A little statistic that people on neither side of the gun debate want you to know about. The NRA wants you to think that only Republicans want to preserve gun rights, and Brady/VPC wants you to think that all Democrats are in favor of confiscation.

A classic polarizing wedge issue.

[BlueEyedSon]

12. I don't see the big deal in owning a car

but if i want one, i have to
1 take a course in MV laws & safe driving
2 take a state proficiency test
3 get licensed (prove identity, residence, legal standing)
4 register the vehicle
5 buy insurance.

[bruce21040]

14. And if you lived in Maryland

You would not be allowed to purchase a new car anymore.
The only guns you can find are used.
Since the last administration created the laws demanding gun locks, but failed to explain what they were looking for, the gun manufacturers have stopped distributing new guns in this state.
since it is illegal to purchase out of state and bring it in, you can no longer purchase a new gun.
In a few short years I can see where guns will be outlawed in Maryland all together.

[trumad]

17. Look..I know there are hobbists, etc out there and that's great

but it seems to me that the vast majority of gun owners have them to just have them... My Bro owns a trunk full of Guns and never shoots them... I ask why he owns them and he really has never come up with a good answer.

Owning for a hobby is cool...Owning them because you fear Crime is kind of goofy in my mind...especially if you live in the burbs...

[Ardee]

55. Despite your efforts

to oversimplify a complex societal question it remains exactly that. The right of society to enact laws to protect itself from real or imagined dangers vs. the right to private property is a rather lengthy debate . To attempt to make caricatures out of people that own one weapon or twenty one simply detracts from the real debate and reinforces a silly line of illogic, dontcha think?

[Columbia]

54. Actually

All you need to buy a car is cash.

[LWolf]

13. I never owned one, but I lived with some.

My father, who did not raise me, always had them. I went to visit him once (actually twice in an entire lifetime :eyes:). He and my stepmother left for the weekend on a hunting trip, and told us kids, age 11 - 16, (my step-siblings), that if we had any trouble over the weekend, his loaded gun was in the headboard of his bed. I spent the weekend terrified; my step-sibs did not appreciate my visit, and I envisioned them turning it on me.

Both my ex husbands owned shotguns and rifles; the first did regular target practice, and hunted birds. The second didn't practice or shoot things at all, but liked to have it on hand for coyote depredations, and in case something was too injured for treatment and needed "release."

I've never wanted one. I've never feared. I don't have any material possessions that attract attention, except the tools in my garage; and the neighbors behind me steal them when I'm gone; they don't bother to attack.

I don't have a problem with gun ownership, though. Just with irresponsible use!

[seabeyond]

15. i dont like guns/ my husband does

he is responsible. he spent years in youth and teenager and to this day using pellet target shooting. he hunts too. it is his right, leave it alone.

calif is trying to pass a law no smoking in a car with younger than 18 in the car. a step from home searches of people that smoke in home with kids. leave me alone

[sniffa]

16. i feeL aLL powerfuL when i'm hoLding a gun

Like god... if he were hoLding a gun.

[trumad]

19. Good point

Kind of a Kid feeling?

[sniffa]

20. it's a handy tooL

i use it to turn on the teLevision.. or open a beer.

[seabeyond]

21. we talk the fundies that want to dictate

how we live. just sometime i would like the left to acknowledge their demand to dictate how we live.

i say screw ya both. i wont tell you what to do, dont tell me what to do. cause if you really want to have this responsibility

those of you that dump kids/babies at daycare from dawn til nite and selfishly fulfill your needs.......i say neuter ya...........

[seabeyond]

22. i mean really, who can argue

giving the child the best, what they deserve, and raising children i will tell you what is best and not having a parent isnt the best. let me let me let me tell everyone what to do.

[trumad]

23. Not telling anybody what to do

I'm just saying that I don't get the Gun thing... BTW: Either you've been up all night or you just woke up and haven't cleared the cob webs, becuase quite frankly I don't know what the fuck you're blabbering about?

[seabeyond]

25. suv's.......... that is tangent

i want to eliminate the suv's. logically there is every reason to take out the suv's. not the supposing that they could kill if one isnt responsible like guns. not the proganda agenda filled nazi ism of attacking the smoker with bogus information.

suv's block my view driving. leaving me at risk for accident. suv hits me and i am taken out as they sit safe and secure. suv sucks up the resources. suv's are too pricey for the poor leaving them at a disadvantage once again to those that have and screw them mentality. lets go after the suv

you are just in wonder trumad? this isnt agenda based on getting rid of guns cause you dont like it or get it? this wasnt a starting of a thread to anti gun?

no i havent had much sleep, been busy raising kids, school, bday yesterday and husband moving a business. and woke up this morning to the news telling me california wants to pass a law where a person cant smoke in their car if they have children under 18. and then coming on this board to someone who is implying, suggesting their is something wrong with a person that likes guns. and a board of post with fundies trying to rule my life

you dont get where i am coming from, that is cool enough. not everyone has to get me.

[schultzee]

24. If you are a law abiding, safty conscious citizen, owning a gun is

actually good. I rennovated a house in a rural area and had to camp out in the house, and crack heads kept trying to break in. The local sherriff told me to get a gun and wear it, and told me that I could wear it only as long as I was on my own property and it could not be hidden. Well, the druggies quit trying to break in. I also has learned the proper and safe way to use it. The good guys don't do wrong things with guns, and the bad guys will always find a way to get them illegally.
And whoever does not want one, has never lived in the south where there is quite a lot of personal crime.

[BlueEyedSon]

26. Would druggies with bigger guns and nothing to lose have been deterred?

Or would you be dead?

[ieoeja]

42. What do you call someone with nothing to lose?

A corpse.

I thought your question was rather silly. And, of course, had he/she faced the rare druggie who really was out of his mind, I suppose he/she would have had to kill said druggie which would have, in fact, deterred said druggie quite well.

[GirlinContempt]

36. I have to disagree...

"and the bad guys will always find a way to get them illegally"

Where I live, violent gun-related crimes are practically unheard of... And we have STRICT gun laws.

[seabeyond]

37. canada people are allowed guns

and you dont have gun violence like america

i would suggest our crime rate doesnt have to do with guns, but other more social issues. just a thought

[democratreformed]

38. I definitely agree with you

Our crime rate does NOT have to do with guns or gun laws - it has to do with the fact that many hard-working people do not make enough money to provide for the basic necessities of life.

[texastoast]

44. That is one reason

Crime also has to do with people who don't WANT to work and who are basically shiftless low-lifes. And also a lot of other reasons.

I do certainly agree that we could reduce crime with considered preventative measures.

[democratreformed]

46. You're right of course.

There are a variety of other reasons - but I believe that being able to provide for oneself and one's family is a BIG one.

[GirlinContempt]

41. I wasn't talking about a gun outlaw

I was talking about very strong gun laws.
I agree with the social issues point, however, Canada still has an inexcusable rich-poor gap. We have some really wonderful social programs... SOME. Not enough, not by half, and we still tend to blanket social and economic hardships with surface cures. Maybe part of it is a cultural difference. But, I still think that stringent gun laws help with preventing violent firearms related crimes.

[seabeyond]

57. there is an uniqueness to america

when it comes to gun and violence. all other nations have poor and they dont have these violent deaths. all other nations have hard workers not making enough money and dont have these gun deaths.

america is raised with a mentality that adopts violence, embraces it who we are and are proud of it, identify with it is our manliness. it is so sprayed in our culture, drugs so pervasive, (having been a druggie not a judgement, lol)

i am not sure what it is but there is an uniqueness with americans. the john wayne, cowboy indian.

i dont know. maybe it is our retardedness with good and bad, the religious polarity we live in. maybe it is simply we dont take careof each other any more., dont know our neighbors, dont befriend our fellow man

anyway for another day, am tired

[cheezus]

27. Guns, smoking, casual sex... cool stuff that's bad for you

[seabeyond]

28. mcdonalds, candy, icecream cones, meat.....

the sun, tv computers. zoloft, alcohol, dancing...........

[leanings]

29. I've got a bunch of guns.

All breeds and colors, from my AR15 to my blackpowders, and I shoot 'em regular. But I would agree that there's an unhealthy fascination with them in this country. Pop culture has bred two distinct visceral reactions to guns and gun owners amongst the great unwashed in this country. One portion of the population sees guns as status symbols and scepters of power, and will automatically point them and flaunt them and stick them down the front of thier pants with the safety off. The other portion thinks there are evil witches at the end of the Smith and Wesson assembly line that imbue guns with some sort of magic that makes them inherently wicked enchanted objects that jump up on their own and kill folk. Both views are equally immature and incorrect.

As with many other issues, we need to get back to reality with guns in this country. Once upon a time the US was a more rural nation, and guns were just another tool for those who lived with some connection to the land. Now people grow up without hunters around, with no place to shoot, with less and less of a tradition of military service and skill-at-arms. I try and expose as many people as I can to guns and shooting, if for nothing else to take some of the fucking mystery out of it.

[Nyati13]

30. Gun Owner

I currently own 16 firearms. Most of them are out-of-production, or rare oddities. I enjoy collecting things that are well made, rare, and I can actually go out and do something with them once in awhile. As opposed to just sticking the object on a shelf forever.
I do not hunt, and I do not carry a firearm (even though I am licensed to do so). I only keep 1 of the pistols ready (but even then, it isn't chambered), but I don't anticipate ever actually using it.
For those who have never tried it, target shooting is a very enjoyable hobby, and it can be a satisfying challenge to work towards improvement.
I prefer pistol target shooting over rifles. It just seems more fun to me.

Jeremy

[Triple H]

31. I don't see any point of ever owning a gun.

What's all this "self defense" b.s. that I hear about from gun owners? Who are they trying to defend themselves against? I mean...c'mon now. Get a better excuse than that.

I grew up in Hickville, U.S.A., and I had friends who owned seven or eight guns. I asked them what the heck they needed all those guns for, and they said to go hunting. I was thinking to myself "why not just have one gun for hunting?" Why not? Is there really a need for seven or eight different types of guns? What do you need four different types of shotguns for????

Shortly after Columbine, I was petrified to go to school because so many of my classmates owned a lot of guns and they could get a hold of them whenever they wanted.

I think this country needs to change gun laws. I think that no one should be able to own a gun unless they're 21+. There should be tougher penalties for those who don't keep their guns properly locked up and away from children/teens. I also think there should be mandatory gun-safetey sessions you have to complete before owning a gun.

That's my two cents.

[Nyati13]

35. Different types of animals, different types of gun

There is a wide range of animal body types and weight classes. To use only one rifle for all, means either using a far too powerful rifle on some animals (which results in destruction of what would have been usable meat, and a great risk of complete pass-through with the bullet continuing on as a danger to other animals and people), or it means using a far too weak a rifle on some animals (which would lead to tremendous suffering and pain as an animal dies slowly, as opposed to being taken quickly.)


Jeremy

[NickB79]

39. Self defense BS?

That alone says you have never been in a situation where you needed to use a gun to defend yourself. There are several here on DU that have, myself included. So I have little sympathy for your confusion, because it is no excuse for me.

[Triple H]

51. Nobody needs a gun to defend himself/herself.

It is B.S. Under what circumstance would you need a handgun to protect yourself (besides being a cop or in the military)? Does pepper spray not work? Does a knife not work?

I think you have a poor excuse to own a gun.

[JayS]

53. Contact your local police and see if you can go on a...

...Ride Along some night. Be sure the patrol covers the not so nice side of town. It will open your eyes as to why some people would prefer a gun for protection instead of pepper spray or knives.

[seabeyond]

58. i'd rather have a gun

personally. and this is a person totally safe not threatened and not a gun owner, nor a gun lover

though i do certainly respect others who have them responsibility adn will defend their right to them til the end

[immoderate]

33. I have a Browning P-35

It's also known as a Hi-Power. But it's not any more powerful than other 9mm handguns. I haven't shot it much lately, as there is not a lot of place to go plinking outdoors in South Florida. I used to do it more when I lived in Arizona and California.

I'm most impressed with it's classic beauty. It's a work of art. The best of John Browning's great designs.

I like to say, "I'm their worst nightmare, a liberal with a gun."

I'm slightly surprised that so many here at DU are shooters. I'm originally from NYC, and most people I knew were not accommodating to guns.

--IMM

[TX-RAT]

40. My personal favorite

Have collection of full Belgium Hi-Powers, and FN's

[GregW]

34. I shoot competitively and own a few

I shoot a Kimber .45ACP in an indoor target league
Also shoot a Browning Buckmark .22LR in another .22 league
I have a Sig P226 - IMHO the best 9 MM automatic ever made (sorry Brownign and Beretta fans)
And another Sig P239 as a carry gun

My fave is a Beretta CX4 Storm 9 MM carbine. This thing is a real hoot to shoot.

My next purchase will be an 'accurized' Ruger 10/22.

[Redleg]

59. You gotta love the Sigs. Wonderful guns- real workmanship.

How do you like toting the P239? I have a S&W 3913 9mm for that purpose.

[ulysses]

45. mark the date

I'm agreeing with trumad. I don't see it as a huge issue - regulate ownership of the things to at least the degree of driver's licenses, yes, and if you need a Kalashnikov to hunt deer you probably need a new hobby, but otherwise...

I played army all the livelong day when I was kid too. I'm a pacifist now. :shrug:

[Nyati13]

47. Treat guns like cars

Do you realize that if gun ownership was regulated in the same way as car ownership, that except for one major factor would be significantly less restrictive than the current gun laws?
The one factor is individual licensing after a safety/training course. I actually think that that is a great idea.
Just think, a gun owners license that all 50 states were required to accept, just like they have to with driver's licenses. That is certainly far more lenient than what we have today.

Jeremy

[FeebMaster]

48. Actually, if guns were treated like cars

it wouldn't be a gun owner's license, it would be a gun carrier's license. Since you don't need a license to own a car, just to drive it on the streets.

[sangh0]

50. You'd also have to notify the State when ownership was transferred

Which could make gun registration universal.

[Steely_Dan]

49. I Hear Ya!

Yeah, I don't get it either. I, too, was in the military and fired everything from a .45 to a Chaparral Missile. But I don't get the whole handgun thing.

Many believe (as I do at times) that a gun to some is merely an extension of their penis. I just don't get it. Maybe I'm lame or something.

I am so against handguns...always have been.

I had a conservative friend ask me once: What is someone breaks into your house? Wouldn't you want to protect yourself? Sure, I guess. But another part of me realizes that I'd rather be a statistic.

-Paige

[solinvictus]

52. Guns

Two former Warsaw Pact pistols, a Warsaw Pact carbine, and a shotgun. It's enough for anything that needs to be done. Why? The world is a violent place and I'd like to have the ability to meet agressive force likewise.

[Redleg]

56. I enjoy shooting. I just don't fantasize about blowing-away "bad guys."

I own a number of handguns (revolvers and pistols) and a rifle and shotgun. Although I don't hunt anymore, I still enjoy plinking. I was in the Army and got to shoot some good shit- I even got to pull the lanyard on a 155 mm howitzer a few times.

My current arsenal includes:

Walther PPK .380 ACP
Makarov .380 ACP (instead of the usual 9mm Makarov)
Smith & Wesson 3913 9mm
Glock 23 .40 S&W
Springfield Armory M1911 officer's model .45 ACP
Taurus .38 Special revolver
Smith & Wesson 686 .357 magnum revolver