I went to the "Gun Show" today in my home town. I picked up some ammo and targets. I couldn't help, but notice how many weridos there are walking around or selling supplies. I mean seriously there was this guy selling shooting supplies and if there weren't customers waiting he would stick his knife into this racket that would make a snap noise like a bug zapper and just repeatedly do it while talking to himself. I think I walked by him like three times because he was sooo weird. Also I was looking at a Leupold scope and I started unscrewing the knobs to see if they were dial knobs or the type you have to adjust with a nickel and the guy yells, "Why are you doing that!" I was like gese buddy can I see if there the nickel type adjustment knobs or the dials? I mean I asked the guy politely if I could view the scope. The guy looked like he had smoked 500 cigarettes in a row. It seems like none of these guys would get caught dead on an internet gun forum. Much less probably couldn't even type there name correctly. In my opinion most guys who get online, are up with current affairs, and technology aren't part of the "weirdo gun enthusiest." Anyways what do you guys think?
Are most gun lovers kind of weirdos?
- Thread starter blackops
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It might be just your show, but in east Tennessee we mostly have pretty "normal" folks on each side of the tables.
Lots of local dealers and dealers from out of town. And we have a lot of shows in this area. There's probably 2 within a 2 hour drive every month (if not more often).
There's the occasional odd individual, but for the most part they're like anyone you'd meet at the game/mall/fair.
Lots of local dealers and dealers from out of town. And we have a lot of shows in this area. There's probably 2 within a 2 hour drive every month (if not more often).
There's the occasional odd individual, but for the most part they're like anyone you'd meet at the game/mall/fair.
RX-178
Member
I would have to say yes, most gun lovers are /KINDA/ weird.
I also think that most gun haters are at least /KINDA/ weird, and more often than not, REALLY weird...
I also think that most gun-neutral people at least have a few notches on the weird scale...
I think the airsoft crowd tends to spend more on their 'guns' than gun enthusiasts do on theirs.... which is... WEIRD.
I think......... you know what, that probably doesn't help in the context of your question, so I'll just sum it up:
I think EVERYONE's kind of a weirdo.
I also think that most gun haters are at least /KINDA/ weird, and more often than not, REALLY weird...
I also think that most gun-neutral people at least have a few notches on the weird scale...
I think the airsoft crowd tends to spend more on their 'guns' than gun enthusiasts do on theirs.... which is... WEIRD.
I think......... you know what, that probably doesn't help in the context of your question, so I'll just sum it up:
I think EVERYONE's kind of a weirdo.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Here in Kansas the dealers are pretty normal guys.
It's the dudes with the chains in their nose & ears, with one crazy eye, pointing a gun at me that are weird.
rc
It's the dudes with the chains in their nose & ears, with one crazy eye, pointing a gun at me that are weird.
rc
Erik M
Member
I work with alot of people that are computer nerds and ex-military and 90% of them are gun nuts but dont exibit any different behavior than people I know that dont own firearms.
Going to the local county festivals and seeing people with no teeth and prison tatoo's open carrying something like a .44 raging bull makes me see your point though.
Going to the local county festivals and seeing people with no teeth and prison tatoo's open carrying something like a .44 raging bull makes me see your point though.
Frog48
Member
Gun people are usually pretty normal... however "gun show people" tend to be a bit weird.
No, that does not seem to weird, the guys at gun shows like that really enjoy yelling at people like the ones who get all bent out of shape when somebody opens up an AR, they act like you broke it, even though people like me know more about one than they do. Its amazing what you can learn if you go through a armors school in the military...
Badlander
Member
You meet A better class of people at A gun show than you meet at most public places.
armoredman
Member
I watched people at the NRA show, didn't see anyone I'd call weird, some casually dressed, some well dressed, a very few in costume, like the guy in full Civil War outfit, but 99.5% just good normal all American folks.
Now, little out of the way gunshows I've seen an oddball or two, not as odd as the ones at the Rennisance Festival, or at a flea market.
BTW, that's an offensive term, "gun lover", I prefer firearms enthusiast or collector - I don't "love" an inanimate object.
Now, little out of the way gunshows I've seen an oddball or two, not as odd as the ones at the Rennisance Festival, or at a flea market.
BTW, that's an offensive term, "gun lover", I prefer firearms enthusiast or collector - I don't "love" an inanimate object.
Deckard
Member
I think you'd be hard pressed to pick the vast majority of gun lovers out of a crowd.
TOTC
Member
Weird? You wanna see weird? Go to an amateur radio hamfest. Sedentary lifestyle, crabbing about the FCC dropping the morse code requirement, their medical ailments, telling me that their twenty year old 10 channel scanner is worth $200.00 dollars, those are just some of the things you hear in walking around. Thank goodness for ebay and the internet.
pbearperry
Member
I watched 2 minutes of the last Democratic National Convention and saw all the weirdos I ever wanted to see.
inSight-NEO
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Well, that depends on your definition of "weird." Ive seen/met quite a few individuals who seemed "off" in one way or another, so nothing really surprises me anymore. Of course, Ive seen more than a few people at gunshows that looked/acted like characters from movies such as "Deliverance" or "Devils Rejects." But, as a whole, most seemed just fine.
In my own experience, most gun lovers (the ones I know anyway) seem well-adjusted, well-grounded and otherwise "normal." Heck, some of them really dont talk about guns all that much to begin with.
However, having said all of this, I do know a few others who are, shall we say, conspiracy theorists, certainly "anti-establishment" and have all sorts of theories and plans relating to "imminent anarchy, revolution and dissent." These guys are generally cool to hang out with and certainly nice enough, but yes, I might consider them a bit "weird" at times or at least a bit paranoid, if nothing else.
When talking/listening to some of these individuals, I will usually respond like this...
or this... while, in my mind, thinking this....
But...its the "gun haters" I know whom I really enjoy talking with (well...arguing with anyway). Talk about ridiculous/weird theories...
In my own experience, most gun lovers (the ones I know anyway) seem well-adjusted, well-grounded and otherwise "normal." Heck, some of them really dont talk about guns all that much to begin with.
However, having said all of this, I do know a few others who are, shall we say, conspiracy theorists, certainly "anti-establishment" and have all sorts of theories and plans relating to "imminent anarchy, revolution and dissent." These guys are generally cool to hang out with and certainly nice enough, but yes, I might consider them a bit "weird" at times or at least a bit paranoid, if nothing else.
When talking/listening to some of these individuals, I will usually respond like this...
or this... while, in my mind, thinking this....But...its the "gun haters" I know whom I really enjoy talking with (well...arguing with anyway). Talk about ridiculous/weird theories...
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tjj
Member
Hey....I resemble that remark. And don't forget they're a bunch of old farts too! And they are all so damn tight with a dollar. But most do know a lot about analog and digital radio communications.
I don't know if the gun show crowds are weird. They do seem just a little different. I think they take life a little more serious than your average mall crowd.
jhco
Member
It seems to me that alot of us are a "different" bunch of guys but, every one has their qwerks
RichardKCMo
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I watched 2 minutes of the last Democratic National Convention and saw all the weirdos I ever wanted to see.
Pretty much sums it up!!!
Richard
Pretty much sums it up!!!
Richard
Alchymist
Member
SO where does that leave me? Not only a gun "enthusiast" but an amateur radio enthusiast also. Does that make me double wierd?
Actually, I like being crazy - it keeps me from going insane.
Not only a gun "enthusiast" but an amateur radio enthusiast also. Does that make me double wierd? Actually, I like being crazy - it keeps me from going insane.
jnyork
Member
No worse than a trip to Walmart!
There's a guy at the Cleveland area gun shows that has a table selling really old camcorders along with some misc guns and stuff.
The camcorders are worth no more than $20 on Craigslist but yet he has them market for $100-300. It's hilarious. I always get a kick out of the people at the shows.
Another guy has the worst OCD you'd ever see. He's really nice guy but organizes his table every second. It's the worst place for him, every hillbilly in the town is there touching all his things as they walk by and he has to correct it my moving it a millimeter.
The camcorders are worth no more than $20 on Craigslist but yet he has them market for $100-300. It's hilarious. I always get a kick out of the people at the shows.
Another guy has the worst OCD you'd ever see. He's really nice guy but organizes his table every second. It's the worst place for him, every hillbilly in the town is there touching all his things as they walk by and he has to correct it my moving it a millimeter.
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