Public's perception of various firearms

[ChronoCube]

As most of us at THR know, different types of firearms will elicit a different (and for the most part culturally conditioned) response from the general public if they see us carrying one in public. Here's what I've gathered from reading what others have written:

• Handgun - might get reported to police for legally open carrying
• Evil Black Rifle - big no-no, people will freak out
• Lever action rifle - generally a safe bet, associated with cowboys not militias

This is what I can come up with off the top of my head. Feel free to add your own set of societal responses or correct me or add responses to other firearm types, like pump shotguns, milsurps, hunting rifles, etc. I'd like to see what the rest of you have to share.

 

[oneounceload]

IMO, it all depends on WHERE I see those - if I'm at a gas station in the middle of BFE Colorado during hunting season versus hailing a cab in NYC, my reactions will be different

 

[ChronoCube]

I meant what you think the general public that is not knowledgeable about firearms and 2A will think.

 

[Hoxviii]

Through my experiences the general public see self-loaders as more lethal/dangerous than revolvers. Then snub nose revolvers are "girl guns" and long barrelled revolvers garner a "Dirty Harry" or a compensation response- both apply whether it's a SA .22 or a Redhawk Alaskan.

Then there's the whole "an assault rifle killed somebody. . ." first line in news stories and then someone used their "bolt action sniper rifle. . . " in reference to a walnut stocked remington 700 with a 4x tasco on it.

Then there's "the gun will just go off" response some people have. Had a GF that would literally go into a panic attack if she saw a gun because it was "just going to go off".

And it just goes on and on and on, unfortunately.

 

[happygeek]

The only time I've ever heard of someone open carrying a rifle in the mainstream media was the black guy (though one TV station cut his head out of the shot, to make viewers think he was white I guess) who carried a AR-15 outside the convention center where Obama was.

People said dumb stuff like "you shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun that close to the Pres.", as if he was inside the secret service's cordoned area. The Brady Bunch claimed he endangered everyone there, though I'm willing to bet he wasn't even carrying the rifle loaded [and under their logic cops are endangering everyone; so are politician's bodyguards].

Course, had he carried a M1A or a M1903 Springfield, I'm sure the Brady Bunch would have said the same thing. Now, had he carried a M1 Garand that might have elicited a different response from many people. Instead of "you shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun that close to the Pres." maybe it would have gotten "hey, isn't that the rifle from Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan?".

But yeah, that's the only time I can recall the MSM media mentioning open carry of anything, pistols included. Heck, I don't remember the MSM saying much about carry in National Parks, guns in luggage on trains, or the Thune Amendment. I do recall seeing a few stories on the run on the gun store after the Nov. election and a CNN piece on gun ownership in general. Course, I don't watch TV much and I get my news from The Wall Street Journal, so.

 

[Ltp0wer]

The only time I've ever heard of someone open carrying a rifle in the mainstream media was the black guy (though one TV station cut his head out of the shot, to make viewers think he was white I guess) who carried a AR-15 outside the convention center where Obama was.

People said dumb stuff like "you shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun that close to the Pres.", as if he was inside the secret service's cordoned area. The Brady Bunch claimed he endangered everyone there, though I'm willing to bet he wasn't even carrying the rifle loaded [and under their logic cops are endangering everyone; so are politician's bodyguards].

Course, had he carried a M1A or a M1903 Springfield, I'm sure the Brady Bunch would have said the same thing. Now, had he carried a M1 Garand that might have elicited a different response from many people. Instead of "you shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun that close to the Pres." maybe it would have gotten "hey, isn't that the rifle from Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan?".

But yeah, that's the only time I can recall the MSM media mentioning open carry of anything, pistols included. Heck, I don't remember the MSM saying much about carry in National Parks, guns in luggage on trains, or the Thune Amendment. I do recall seeing a few stories on the run on the gun store after the Nov. election and a CNN piece on gun ownership in general. Course, I don't watch TV much and I get my news from The Wall Street Journal, so.

Haha, I know that guy. His name is Chris, and the rifle he was carrying was absoulutely loaded.

 

[Mr.Davis]

What it is: What they see

Handgun: Uzi
Hunting Rifle: Sniper Rifle
AK-47: AK-47
SKS: AK-47
AR-15: AK-47
M1 Garand: AK-47
MP-5: AK-47
Ruger 10-22: AK-47

 

[pikid89]

this may have been posted on here somewhere before but it applies and is pretty funny

 

[happygeek]

"
Haha, I know that guy. His name is Chris, and the rifle he was carrying was absoulutely loaded."

Was he and/or his buddies there CCing pistols also? What did he tell you was the point he was trying to make? Or was he just there so no one got attacked by a gang of SEIU thugs? (http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=11885 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWnxlFbYjVY).

 

[Skillet]

oh, it's sometimes downright funny.
i am a high schooler, but yet still an avid, safe shooter. but don't let anybody know that, because i am underaged and they think that i should go to jail if i even look at a gun.
here's how one conversation went down-
i was talking to a friend of mine about how i went shooting over the weekend to test out my new grips on my pistol.
this girl was apparently eavesdropping, because she all of the sudden blurts out right next to me "you have a gun!!" i say,"well technically it's mine but legally it's my dads but he used my money to buy the gun that i earned."
"isn't that illegal?" she asks. "no, as long as i follow the law in this state i will be fine." i say calmly. "well it should be illegal, guns are dangerous and they kill people and they should be outright banned because i see no other use for them but to kill." she rants.
"I'm sorry you feel that way." (i am tired of dealing with people like this that base thier "logic" solely off of thier feelings and emotions, so i don't even try to explain my true logic to them, because they will deny anything else besides the feelings that they emit.)
this girl was clearly media and somewhere along the line, influenced badly by someone close to her. i just walked away and didn't let it bother me. but i get that alot at school especially.

 

[wilkersk]

This thread reminds me of the looks I get from my neighbors every time I haul my trap gun out to the car. Its in an old leather and canvas scabbord, so its totally encased. But, just the shape of the scabbord causes my neighbors to freeze and look real hard in my direction.

You should see the looks I get when I take a couple of USPSA/IPSC cardboard targets out to the car along with my ammo can and range bag.

Nosey neighbors! I've tried to strike up a conversation before. But, they seem to be suddenly too busy.

 

[smithmax]

I think pistol grips on rifles or shotguns get people a little more worried as well.

 

[ccsniper]

pikid89, I can't see that thumbnail, could you post a link to it?

 

[Ltp0wer]

Was he and/or his buddies there CCing pistols also? What did he tell you was the point he was trying to make? Or was he just there so no one got attacked by a gang of SEIU thugs? (http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=11885 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWnxlFbYjVY).

I don't think anyone was carrying concealed, but I know for a fact atleast 2 guys were each open carrying a pistol. They don't really believe in concealed weapons permits because they don't think you should need one to carry concealed. They think the whole concealed weapons permit thing is against the big ol' 2nd amendment. Plus, they don't like the fact that you have to submit fingerprints to get your permit.

As for what point he was trying to make, he was trying to show that an upstanding citizen can carry a gun and not cause any trouble. He wanted to show people that this is Arizona, and you can open carry. He wants people to stop associating guns with violence, and he wants more people to carry guns. That's the jist of it.

Very smart guy. I've gone to a gun show with him. He recommended that I buy a glock.