Topic: Weapons, shooting, guns.

[Devlyn]

We do this periodically, it usually gets pretty heated, locked, and deleted. Let's try again, shall we?   

I love guns. I love weapons and weapons systems. I love anything that goes downrange and creates mayhem.

Go!

[findingreason]

**pulls out the popcorn** have at it y'all, I'll just be sitting in the corner watching the chaos. 

[Dena]

The few times I have tried it, I am pretty good with a rifle and hand gun my love is a shotgun. There is nothing like a full choke on target creating a beautiful black cloud of junk where a moment before there was a clay target. I have tried other games but American trap is my game.

[Colleen_definitely]

My gun safe is big enough to put other gun safes inside it.

I have a serious problem

[Gertrude]

Considering the school shootings, this thread will be over quick. Born, raised and lived on Long Island for 40 years, Iowa for 9 and now in AZ. I’ve had a pistol license since I was 19 and have owned all sorts of pistols over the years, but I’ve had the same stuff over the past 25. I learned how to shoot on our summer trips to Jackman Maine and up until I got married, I’d hunt every year. I took a break for 17 or 18 years and tried elk hunting in Colorado some time back, but after a few years, it got expensive and I wasn’t into it like I was at one time. Even though I have a 1911 and High Power, I like venerable stuff, like lever action rifles and single action pistols, regular revolvers too. I have owned a AR-15a2 HBar years and years ago, but I don’t care for the Mattel guns all that much. I appreciate real wood and steel. I believe that people have a right to defend themselves and especially in the trans community this is a sore point for me. Too many allow themselves to be victims and at least in the US, we have choices, but the talking points and liturgy of the lgbt movement contraindicated such options. In other countries, they don’t have those options and they have my sympathies, but ultimately, we are responsible for our own safety. All that said, I don’t belong to the NRA or any political parties or other so called rights organizations. Most of them, the big ones, jobs 1,2 and 3 is to raise money and gain power and I’m too heterodox to go along with most groups agenda. Just not into the tribal insanity. I’d have to give up too much of my individuality. All that said, guns are tools that can also have artisanal and even artistic value and need to be shown proper respect. I’m not a gun nut, but I don’t eschew them and I know how to use them and all that’s fine with me. Anyway, I hope to get this posted before it’s locked.


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[Devlyn]

The topic isn't about school shootings, the NRA, or politics, and  hopefully no one after you will try to bring it there.

I'm a really good shot, always have been. I enjoy the competitiveness of  target shooting or just plinking cans.

[Colleen_definitely]

I have always had a talent for shooting as well. I love competitive shooting, the more physically brutal the match the better. I'm weird like that.

I'm also fascinated by the mechanics of firearms and do all sorts of hobbyist level gunsmithing.

[Northern Star Girl]

Here where I live, we all have handguns (I usually have a .357 Magnum handy that will bring down a Grizzly) and other handguns and various rifles and shotguns.... for self-protection and for hunting. 
There all kinds of bad and dangerous critters here and I wouldn't go outside at night to take out the garbage or put stuff on my compose pile without at least bringing my .38   Young people here learn how to shoot and safely handle guns and they respect weapons for what they are, a tool and not something to be toyed with or to be brandished without due cause.

The result is that break-ins, home invasions, random shootings, assaults, muggings and robberies are just about non-existent in my small town.

[Northern Star Girl]

The topic isn't about school shootings, the NRA, or politics, and  hopefully no one after you will try to bring it there.

I'm a really good shot, always have been. I enjoy the competitiveness of  target shooting or just plinking cans.

Devlyn: 
I totally agree with both of your statements above.
Danielle

[Deborah]

I am a very good shot with all sorts of weapons and have a lot of them in my closet, around 12 of various types.  At one time I had a concealed carry permit and often carried my 1911A1 locked and loaded.  But a few years ago I just totally lost interest in any of it so all my weapons now just sit there gathering dust.  The only concession I make is to keep my Barretta 9mm with a full magazine next to my bed if it’s ever needed.

One kind of funny story was when I was in Kosovo we were visiting an official of the Kosovo Liberation Army at his house and I asked him what a weapon was I saw on his shelf.  He handed it to me and said it was a .50 cal sniper rifle.  At the time I had never seen one before.  Then I asked where it came from and he said the USA, . . . Oh.

Fortunately I didn’t pull the trigger as I was handling it since right before I handed it back I pulled back the bolt and inside was a chambered round.  That could have ended that meeting very badly.


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[Devlyn]

I am a very good shot with all sorts of weapons and have a lot of them in my closet, around 12 of various types.  At one time I had a concealed carry permit and often carried my 1911A1 locked and loaded.  But a few years ago I just totally lost interest in any of it so all my weapons now just sit there gathering dust.  The only concession I make is to keep my Barretta 9mm with a full magazine next to my bed if it’s ever needed.

One kind of funny story was when I was in Kosovo we were visiting an official of the Kosovo Liberation Army at his house and I asked him what a weapon was I saw on his shelf.  He handed it to me and said it was a .50 cal sniper rifle.  At the time I had never seen one before.  Then I asked where it came from and he said the USA, . . . Oh.

Fortunately I didn’t pull the trigger as I was handling it since right before I handed it back I pulled back the bolt and inside was a chambered round.  That could have ended that meeting very badly.

Bucket list item: Fire a Barrett. 

[Dena]

Bucket list item: Fire a Barrett. 

At $7 a round, you either aren't going to do it very often or you need a large bank role. If you get the chance, bring earmuff hearing protection. Those things are loud.

[Northern Star Girl]

Bucket list item: Fire a Barrett. 

That would be a neat thing to do for sure.....   as you already know, when you do fire it, hang on tight and hold it tight against your shoulder!!

[Devlyn]

A friend of mine had a .444 Marlin. It was like loading a cannon. We chewed through a box of rounds. I  held it tight, shot better than he did. The bruising was magnificent!

[Colleen_definitely]

Bucket list item: Fire a Barrett. 

Did it in Kuwait with some ODA guys, it was fun

[Barri]

Firing a Barrett will blow a hat off the head of whoever is next to you with that muzzle break angle.
Firing an HK51K 9" will blow the hats off yours and everyone elses heads within 10 feet, most ignorant gun to fire EVER.
Had a shop, was class 2, have had and do still have many of those.
Shooting is fun, being a certified instructor....not so much.
Had a guy ask me recently if an M1A was fun to fire, told him I don't know but the select fire M14 sure is, his next query "same gun on semi...how is that to fire" told him I never thought to move the switch that way.

[Jessica]

I was a scout leader and went to Philmont.  At one of the camps we were taught how to load our own shells with powder and shot, 6 apiece.  We went out to the skeetrange and tried our luck.  I was the last to shoot, I had never shot a shotgun.  Everyone got none, 1 or 2 pidgeons on their try.  I aim by the hip....4 out of 6.  They told me I was a natural.  I have always been good a hitting things with just the feel, no aim.

[Gertrude]

I have always had a talent for shooting as well. I love competitive shooting, the more physically brutal the match the better. I'm weird like that.

I'm also fascinated by the mechanics of firearms and do all sorts of hobbyist level gunsmithing.

I’m not a competitive person. I didn’t play sports in school and I don’t gravitate towards such things. With shooting, I liked to hand load my ammo  and get the best performance for precision and accuracy’s well as terminal ballistics.  It’s similar with cars or motorcycles and performance. If you’re into drag racing, it’s more about making small improvements and finding out what works best, not about winning or recognition, at least for me.


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[Gertrude]

A friend of mine had a .444 Marlin. It was like loading a cannon. We chewed through a box of rounds. I  held it tight, shot better than he did. The bruising was magnificent!

I’ve owned one for 36 years. It shoots sub MOA at 100 yards for 5 shot groups.


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[Paul Muad-Dib]

In the UK handguns are effectively banned. I do own several deactivated 50s/60s era handguns, Lugers, Browning HPs etc. which are legal, since I have an interest in firearms, but otherwise the only things you can shoot here are shotguns and rifles. Target pistols were banned in the 90s. 

I own a fair number of bladed tools/weapons and use hand spears for sea fish. Probably only a matter of time before some jobsworth bans them too. But I'm not a fan of spearguns (though I own 2) it's more of a challenge to hunt with a pole spear by hand.