Have you or haven't you?

[Something Blue]

Ever fired a gun? Simple question, yes or no.

I would have posted it as a poll, but only donors can post polls, and I'm not a donor.

I've turned off my ignore list while this thread is active so I can see the answers... :)

[Wickerman]

1. Yes

6 years in the military and grew up 1/2 time on a farm.

and feel free to donate, the experience is so much more than polls.

[Political_Junkie]

2. Yes,

but only target practice.

[alvis]

3. Yes

[DavidMS]

4. Shouldn't this be a poll?

No.

[name not needed]

7. hes not a donor

he cant make polls.

[childslibrarian]

5. No

My kids have.

[Book Lover]

6. Yes

I've hunted with the men in my family - the only female of us to do so.

[Township75]

8. Yes

and will many more times.

[MrBenchley]

9. Yeah...so what?

Was the experience supposed to make me simple-minded enough to buy NRA propaganda?

[Something Blue]

11. There isn't one

There is no "so what". It's a simple point of curiousity, I'm not looking to pick a fight.

[MrBenchley]

14. Gee....

You must be damn hard up for entertainment...

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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[MrBenchley]

17. No skin off my nose...

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[Township75]

19. Cap guns don't count Benchley!

either do squirt guns, paintball guns, or bb guns.

[malkia]

21. We always appreciate an open minded discussion here...

It was a very simple question!

[MrBenchley]

24. And it seems to have fetched out

the very simple

[malkia]

26. Yeah

It’s an inperfect world! But I’m sure there’s still hope for some of them…

[CO Liberal]

33. The Standard Pro-Gun "Logic"...

...is that all you have to do is fire a gun once and you're hooked. Well, it didn't work with me!!

[MrBenchley]

34. Who was the "enthusiast"

who hilariously suggested a few weeks ago that the problem with those of us who don't have bullets for brains was that we'd never seen a REAL gun?

[OpSomBlood]

37. Why does Benchley put enthusiast in quotation marks?

Is he implying that our enthusiasm for shooting is not genuine?

[MrBenchley]

38. Gee, op...

Why do "enthusiasts" so often dredge up turds from right wing cesspools and try to pass them off as facts?

Why do "enthusiasts" seem eager to slander respected Democrats like Diane Feinstein or Ted Kennedy, but reluctant to speak ill of any Republican, no matter how scummy?

[jtb33]

49. Out of curiosity...

Do you remember what "type" of gun you shot? Was it a rifle or a handgun? (only curious)

[RoadRunner]

10. Yes, many times.

I grew up in a rural environment where guns were as ubiquitous as lightnin' bugs and Moon Pies.

[Something Blue]

12. Did you grow up in PA?

I only ask because we called them lightning bugs when I was a child in PA, and I've only heard them called fireflies everywhere else...

[RoadRunner]

13. Nah, east Texas.

I've heard 'em called firelies, but we always called them lightnin' bugs. Used to catch them in a jar. I lived in Virginia for awhile, about 8 years ago, and saw lots of them up there. I don't live in Texas anymore, but I visit there sometimes and you hardly see them there anymore.

[Something Blue]

16. Back in PA

it seemed the summer nights were just thick with them.

I haven't seen many here - only a few when backpacking. But I'll sit and watch them for hours and remember those sweet warm nights of summer. Sentimental schmuck that I am... :)

[Wcross]

18. Yes.

From an early age I was taught firearm safety and owned my own rifle at the age of eight. I kept the rifle in my bedroom with the ammo, never thought to use it for anything but target shooting. I am a veteran (USMC) and own a small collection of firearms. I enjoy skeet&trap shooting along with target practice. I also believe it is my right as a human being to have the means to defend myself.

[malkia]

22. Yes

[happyslug]

25. Yes

M-16, M-60, M203 Gernade launcher AND LAW Rockets in the US Army (I also carried a 45 Automatic but never had a chance to fire it). I also learn to field strip a .50 Caliber M2 but never had a chance to fire it (I was in the National Guard so budget was tight).

I also fired a M101A1 and a M102 105mm Howitzer in the Guard.

In Civlian life I have fired a 30/06 Springfiedl, various 22, 7mm Magnums, 7.62 SKS.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

27. Yes

1 year in IPSC competition had me send 12,000+ rounds of .45 ACP downrange.

Countless rounds of 5.56x45, 7.62x39, .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum, .30-30, 7mm Remington Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, 9mm Luger, 10mm Auto, 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, 8mm German Mauser, .44 Remington Magnum, .22 Long Rifle, 12 Guage, 20 Guage and .410 Bore.

No Military experience, just the pleasure of going to the range and sharpening my abilities.

For those keeping score at home:

Estimated rounds downrange: 100,000+
Accidents, injuries or death to humans in that time: ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH, NADA, BUPKISS.

[Endangered Specie]

28. no, but would like to change.

[Something Blue]

30. Well there'sno time like the present!

Go for it! There's gotta be someone you know who shoots... most shooters will gladly take a newbie to the range.

Where are you located? If you're near, I'll happily take you myself, if you're willing to sit through my safety lecture first.

[OpSomBlood]

31. Please make sure you attend some safety training first.

Shooting is fun, but only if you do it safely.

[Low Drag]

29. Yes

Going to shoot some more tomorrow or next day if I'm lucky.

[CO Liberal]

32. Yes, I Have

I was involved in the Junior Rifle Club when I was in Jr. High, 1965-66 - it was more of a reason to get out of the house on Friday nights and mingle with girls, with the occasional shooting at a target. And I also used the rifle range at Camp Allamuchy back in NJ when I was in the Boy Scouts, 1966 - 68.

And I found that I could live without it, thank you.

You cannot assume that everyone who favors gun control has never fired a gun - many of us have, know what a bullet can do, and believe that reasonable gun control measures are required to prevent as many deaths as possible. Personally (as a child of the '60s), my pro-control opinions were formed more by the shooting deaths of JFK, RFK, Dr. King, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, and John Lennon than anything else.

[Something Blue]

35. I know

"You cannot assume that everyone who favors gun control has never fired a gun"

I'm not making any assumptions, and that was the point of the question. Some of the poster's responses were predictable, and a couple were actually surprising. Information is almost always a good thing. Thank you for responding without insults or histrionics, it is appreciated.

[Paladin]

42. Same Here, CO

I've shot guns, lots and lots of them. Everything from a .22 short to a .375 H&H Magnum. I still own a few firearms. And I favor gun control, now more than ever.

[CO Liberal]

44. Some Pro-Gunners Seem To Think....

...that all someone has to do is fire a gun once and they're hooked for life. Well, it doesn't work that way for everybody.

I used to smoke - I don't any more. I used to drink - I don't any more. I used to shoot rifles - I don't any more.

And I don't miss any of those activities.

[OpSomBlood]

45. That's reading a lot into this thread, isn't it?

"Have you ever shot a gun?" is a pretty simple question.

[Something Blue]

46. It's a stretch for some

That's ok, too I guess. I knew there would be those who thought I had some dark ulterior motive... Fuck 'em - I didn't.

[CO Liberal]

47. Others Have Asked This Simple Question In The Past

And it always leads to the same place. I was just trying to speed up the inevitable.

[Something Blue]

48. Well

I wasn't privy to those conversations. And as far as your efforts to "speed up the inevitable", I'm fuckin' grateful. Don't do me any more favors, 'k?

[MrSandman]

36. Early and often

[FatSlob]

39. Yes, over 700 times last weekend alone!

[Something Blue]

40. Thanks for responding!!!

This has been interesting, and I'm glad it stayed for the most part peaceable.

I learned some things that I did not expect, and that's good.

I had my list turned off, but since this thread has run it's course I just wanted to thank everybody and go back to my previous setup. I'm already getting sucked into the conversational equivalent of a black hole, and I need to put a stop to that.

Thanks again!

[Cicero]

41. Yes

Later,

[Ganja Ninja]

43. I go to a range 3 to 4 times a year.

When I go I usually have at least three hand guns and one rifle. While most of the shooters have one or two hand guns or one rifle only.