By Jeff S.
One label I’ve never embraced — but am willing to own up to now — is that of “gun nut.” It’s been long and winding road getting to this point, though. I grew up male, middle class, and white, rockin’ the suburbs. Never really exposed to guns, and having a mom who enforced an all-out household ban, I just assumed guns weren’t something that were really needed . . .
In high school, my best friend and his father were avid hunters. Killing animals never really appealed to me, though. I can get a burger at McDonald’s for about a dollar. Why would I need to hunt for food, right? I remember having conversations with my friend’s dad about concealed carry. Nothing he said made sense to me at the time. I remember saying something like, “You’re going to pull a gun on a dude? Really?”
As far as I could see then, he was just a right-wing-paranoid-hillbilly-nutter. Actually he’s the physical embodiment of Ron Swanson from “Parks and Recreation.” Right down to the mustache and the hair he’s the spitting image. While his logic was solid, his presentation wasn’t so much, and I wasn’t ready to hear it back then.
Fast forward to college where I joined a fraternity and hung out with a bunch of dudes, some of whom were so irresponsible, they made Lindsey Lohan look like a model citizen. Some of the worst of them had guns and would wave them around to prove how cool they were. Honestly, these were just white guys rolling around in their tricked out cars, bumping rap music, smoking weed and none of them carried a GPA north of 1.0. Not all of them were like this, but the few who owned guns seemed to be pretty much that way.
With all of that, I cruised through life thinking there really wasn’t a point to owning guns. I had felt safe most of my life and had met some pretty irresponsible gun owners which turned me off to firearms. But while I was in college, I was also gradually becoming more aware of politics, corruption (both in corporations and the government), and the fact that the world is a much more dangerous place than I’d thought (this was post 9/11). At the same time I landed an internship with a company that manufactures rifle scopes.
I didn’t think much of it, and mostly figured it would be an “interesting” experience for me. I almost laughed at the idea of me working with a bunch of gun nuts. But it turned out to be a great experience. Not only did I get some hands-on time as an IT professional, I got to go shooting for the first time in my life.
My first time shooting, I went with a few co-workers. One of them worked in tech support (his job was to talk about firearms all day) and was one of the most knowledgeable and responsible firearm owners I have ever met, He’s also ridiculously fast and accurate with revolvers, but I didn’t learn that until much later.
He taught me the rules of firearm safety, taught me how each firearm functioned. He even explained the history of each firearm as we shot them. My fears were, well, blasted away with each shot (and I shot a lot). All of this was at no cost to me or the rest of the group. Little did I know how generous that was at the time because he didn’t fire a single shot himself that day, yet provided all the firearms and ammunition.
After completing school, I returned to that company and worked there another four and a half years. It was during that time I finally started learning for myself about firearms. I loved the positive experience I had that first time shooting, and each day I was learning more reasons why carrying a firearm might not be such a bad idea.
Eventually I bought my first firearm with guidance from the guys in Tech Support (and partly based on a TTAG review). I bought a Ruger SP101 3″ and to this day it’s one of the firearms I carry most, as it’s so reliable and easy to shoot. The guys in tech support helped me figure out which firearm to buy and where to get holsters and all the necessary tools and safety equipment.
I no longer work for that company as I have since moved on in my career. But my knowledge and interest in firearms continues to grow. I’ve even taken a few first timers shooting myself, trying my best to provide the same safe, positive and fun experience as I had my first time. Now I can proudly say, I’m a gun nut — ahem — I mean a member of the Armed Intelligentsia.
“Magazines are disposable”
They were when you could still buy a replacement.
“All of this was at no cost to me or the rest of the group. Little did I know how generous that was at the time because he didn’t fire a single shot himself that day, yet provided all the firearms and ammunition.”
I LOVE taking Newbies to the Range, I’ve done this before, load up a bunch of Firearms, ammo, ect Go over Firearm Saftey (I use an Airsoft gun that has a saftey, slide stop, magazine ect)
Then we go over it all again THEN we pull out the Real Firearms.
I always let them keep the shell casing from their first shot.
Also bring fun Targets. Zombie Targets are awesome. Clay Pigeons are neat. Then if you range allows it, bring something fun for them to shoot
Old Tv’s, Stuffed Animals, Pinatas.
I caught “The Bug” when I inherited my Wife’s Grandfathers Browning Hi Power.
I had just moved back to Texas from Boston (where even LOOKING at a gun was bad) watched all the youtube videos, joined some gun forums (and was banned, man I was a punk when I was younger) and then i hit up a local gun shop
The Gun Store in Cedar Park Tx
where the owner told me all about Hi Powers, how to clean and field strip, and showed me where a good range was.
Since then I’ve fired Thousands of Rounds. Bought and sold several firearms (shotguns, Rifles, pistols) gotten my CHL and become an NRA Lifetime member.
I’ve also learned A TON about American history, just from reading about the 2nd Amendment, our founding fathers, and all that.
I don’t consider myself a “nut” I just consider myself educated.
I learned the 2nd isn’t about Duck Hunting
I’ve learned about people irrational hatred of guns
I’ve learned History DOES repeat itself (Registration Leads to Confiscation)
I’ve learned that a Citizen is armed, and if he isn’t he’s a Peasant.
Also, shooting is fun. It’s a skill, it takes hard work, logic and reasoning to become a good shot
unbelievable.
Without knowing the specifics of the case it really isn’t worth speculation.
Wearing my reasonable-doubt hat I’ll toss out the hypothetical legit manufacture that didn’t have all his “I”s dotted or “T”s crossed. Maybe just messed up the register/manufacturer/engrave sequence?
I inherited an Iver Johnson .22, a U.S. Revolver .32 (Shorts are a pain to find!), and a Ruger 10/22. Originally, I thought I should get proficient with them if I’m going to keep them. Slippery slope! I still have them, but only the 10/22 sees regular use. I now have a gun for almost any occasion from fun target shooting (Buckmark) to zombie uprising (milled AK) to “barbecue gun” (stainless CZ75) and a few with little purpose, but I’m sure I can rationalize them some way. If I get a PA63 I’ll have everything that fires the 9×18 Makarov… that’s a good reason, right?
“barbecue gun”…..why not.
I’m guessing Mr. Thornton is pro-choice, pro-big government, pro-tax & spend, pro-Obamacare, pro-spread-the-wealth, pro-community organizing, anti-Israel . . . . you know, just like a guy who would be in Obama’s neighborhood.
Dan,
Does it accept Remington or Mossberg magazine extension tubes? It’s not a semi-auto, so 922(r) doesn’t apply and you can super-size that magazine. Just for s#its and grins, of course.
I’m pretty sure about 200 years ago the Native Americans living here got a similar notice from some friendly Christians about their bows and arrows….
Dear neighbor,
If you set foot (uninvited) on the property of a man you know to be armed, you clearly are not afraid of him. If you walked away unharmed, you are not my enemy.
Sincerley,
Common Sense
I was happy with my purchase after much research and then searching to find one. Now I am upset. I got my Sport a few weeks ago, ordered a lot of magpul accessories and had gunsmith ad it. He mentioned the barrel was 1/9 twist. I was suspecting 1/8 and 5R rifling. I since learned that it DOES NOT have 5R rifling now. That is a signature element on the gun and mine has the same sku and model number as ones from last year, that I could not get my hands on to buy. That is bait and switch and I am not happy.
The school is a state-run indoctrination center. It looks like it’s message is pretty clear… don’t fight back.
Now, why would the government want to propagandize children to meekly submit to armed aggressors instead of resisting? Why, indeed.
“Guns they aren’t for everyone but, they are for US”
To paraphrase Ben, Sacrificing our rights for security can but result in Tyranny.
A government of the People, by the People, and for the People cannot exist without the freedoms from tyranny enshrined in the Bill of Rights.Cherish those rights, one and all.
Without our freedoms, we would be British subjects.
Without our freedoms, we are slaves. We must always endeavor to fight government restrictions on freedom, fight the insatiable appetite of government for ever more power and control, or slavery is our destiny. Defend your Constitutional rights. All of them. Choose freedom.
When I was in Kenya there was absolutely strict gun control. Anyone carrying a pistol risked being shot on sight. I suppose that’s why they tend to have these brutal machete hacking rages during election seasons.