fastbolt
Member
Found out my neighbor is a "Fudd"
This a guy who owns a .308 bolt rifle, a shotgun and a 9mm pistol. That's it. We've done a lot of chatting about guns in general over the last few month's.
His philosophy of the RKBA is far different from mine.
This surprises you? Have you considered he might've been just as surprised at your "philosophy"?
I wouldn't even think to start "sharing" details with my neighbors about how many firearms I own, what they are or how much ammunition I own for them. Why? Lots of things I don't need (or want) to know about them, too.
I remember when our realtor told us (after eventually learning I was a retired cop) that "everyone has guns" in the general mountain community where we bought our home. Okay. That doesn't mean everyone has to know that I own guns, though.
I rather suspect that one of my neighbors probably owns at least one gun, as he's also a retired cop, but that's not a guaranteed thing. He has a lot of things he likes to talk about when we meet, but guns isn't one of them (nor is it something I'm going to bring up).
Part of life is learning to live among people who might not share your views on all sorts of things. Your neighbor owes you nothing but civility.
He apparently has what he wants and thinks he has a use for. Yet you sneer at his choices even as you complain that he doesn't share your enthusiasm for your choices.
You of course have every right to be thus. It's just been my experience that such a view is neither productive or constructive.
Absolutely.
BTW, ColoradoShooter77,
...
I've got a feeling his whole attitude would change if he actually fired an AR-15, I don't care who you are, it puts a grin on your face.
Maybe, maybe not. I'd not assume how other people may feel just based upon your apparent enjoyment when shooting that one particular type of firearm.
Having worked as a LE firearms instructor, meaning teaching classes for Patrol Rifle (and previously SBR's/SBS's, etc) and periodically qualifying people with them, I've seen many folks who don't "get a grin on their face" when shooting them.
Not a small number of those cops have been hunters, too, and while they enjoy shooting their own rifles for pleasure/hunting pursuits, having to shoot the AR's didn't necessarily put a "grin on their faces". It was just another required skill and task involving agency safety equipment.
Imagine how the number of cops who are both former military and active reserve may not exactly "get a grin" when having to shoot the AR's, either.
Comes to that ...
I own an AR15 (Match HBAR). The thing is that I don't really "enjoy" shooting mine, nor any of the assorted agency-owned rifles/carbines, anymore. I haven't felt that way for some years. Having worked as a LE firearms trainer and an armorer (I've attended 5 AR15/M16 armorer classes), it stopped being "fun", and became "work" some time ago.
Matter of fact, I rather regret not having taken advantage of the last round of panic buying and "run" on AR's. I wish I'd not been lazy and had sold mine (via legal channels, of course) to a storefront/FFL dealer in a neighboring state where the demand was seemingly unquenchable. I'd have taken the money and bought a couple more centerfire lever guns and a 10/22. Maybe another shotgun.
Doesn't mean I don't think other folks will necessarily feel the same way, though.
As an instructor and armorer, the things that come to mind when I see someone shooting an AR they (lawfully) own?
Was it built using good quality parts and properly assembled?
Are they familiar with safe usage & manipulation of it, and proper maintenance practices?
Do they use good ammunition and magazines?
Can they safely, properly and effectively shoot it?
I seldom encourage discussing their philosophy for owning it. Some folks just seem to think everyone else finds their reasons and philosophical justifications interesting, though.