mcdonl
Member
Really?
Well, the first most obvious answer is CARRY IT....
Why buy cars, when 18 wheelers can do the same thing? Other than wanting to be Dale Ernhart of course.
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- Thread starter jagans
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Really?
Well, the first most obvious answer is CARRY IT....
Why buy cars, when 18 wheelers can do the same thing? Other than wanting to be Dale Ernhart of course.
Freedom_fighter_in_IL said:
You're quick to assume.
I never once mentioned my father. Nor 'playing', for that matter.. It was my rifle, I bought it with my own money, with the only stipulation being that I registered it under my mom's name as I'm still not yet old enough to have it legally registered to me (I believe).
It's never loaded as I don't keep ammunition on hand (I buy it at or before the range), and I was simply demonstrating to my friends gun safety and operation using A-Zoom dummy rounds. I also just wanted to show them the mechanics of how a bolt action worked, and my remark was just on my surprise on how they initially handled the instruments I put in their hands.
I'm with you on the issue of scopes. IMHO, we owe it to the animal to use the best equipment we can afford. Scopes allow a much better view of the animal, especially in low light when a high proportion of game-taking opportunities present themselves.
Exactly right. Not everyone hunts and this is even more true every year as the population of the U.S. becomes more urbanized/suburbanized. The rural life is disappearing as people move to the cities.
For practical personal protection a handgun can't be beat. So if you're a city dweller looking for a personal protection firearm and you have a limited budget, are you going to buy a rifle or a handgun?
Freedom_fighter_in_IL
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Ok first of, firearms are not "registered" as they like to portray on CSI and such. When you buy a firearm you fill out a form to make sure you qualify and are not restricted to own firearms. You, being under 18, can not purchase a firearm legally so your mother had to. Once you turn 18, your mother can "gift" the firearm to you and that will be that.
And as to my comment to your friends "playing" with your firearm, you yourself said that you were surprised at the unsafe conduct in which they were handling it. First off, a firearm is not a toy to be "passed around" to all your buddies to awe, admire, and fondle. It is a serious tool which is to be handled in a safe and KNOWING manner. You yourself already knew that none of them had any experience with firearms and, even at your young age, you should have known better. Being a firearms owner comes with great responsibility and the absolute need for common sense. Your "buddies playing with it in your house" is not common sense. If you wish to show your new weapon off, take them to the range, make sure that the weapon is safe, instruct them in the proper and safe handling of said weapon BEFORE they lay hands on it, and make sure that the muzzle is always pointed DOWN RANGE. Simple as that.
Old krow
Member
For someone that didn't have the opportunities to hunt or live in more rural areas, then CC'ing might be their first practical use of any firearm. Then the answer to that question is; you can conceal one better.
I prefer rifles over handguns for learning. It's just easier to spot and correct mistakes with a +30" gun vs. an 8 or 9" gun. I also have access to plenty of land. But, I do not think that there is a "one size fits all" solution. As others have pointed out, not everyone will have the same scenario or location. If the teacher can responsibly teach and the student learn safe and sound practices then I do not think that it makes much of a difference which they learn on.
I like the idea of a firearms class personally. I'd prefer the Feds NOT touch it. They haven't touched anything that hasn't turned to stone in how long? But, we're required to learn all kinds of stuff that has little or nothing to do with our own country, why not learn something about that shaped our country. It's a bit of a can of worms though. In the meantime, I'll teach my kids.
Youtube. There's an old saying that comes to mind, and I've modified it for youtube;
It's better to keep your camera turned off and be thought of as a fool, then to turn it on and remove all doubt.
This holds true until you see someone on that there knows what they're doing. Of course, the original saying held true until someone wise spoke. To anyone that has ever posted something meaningful and responsible, I apologize to you..... all 12 of you.
I don't think a rifle is any inherently safer than a handgun.
A gun is potentially dangerous. That's what makes it useful for hunting or defensive purposes. If anything, a rifle firing a much more powerful round than your average handgun is even more dangerous because of the increased distance over which you can accidentally hurt someone.
Also, what about the person who wants a defensive weapon as his or her first gun? You could tell that person to buy a shotgun or rifle, but what good does a a 18" pump action 12 gauge do when you need something concealable that you can take with you? In that case, a handgun is the clear choice.
Also, what do you mean by "play John Wayne?"
If carrying for defensive purposes isn't a legitimate concern to you, I guess you're a fortunate man. I personally have used a handgun I was carrying for defense to dispatch an animal that attacked me. Granted, it wasn't some huge dramatic thing that made the news (just a raccoon in the woods), but it was still enough to make me realize that had I not been packing that gun, at the least I would have had a hospital bill and a bunch of worries (like concerns over rabies) to deal with instead of just a ringing in my ears.
The one thing I do agree on is that rifles (especially a .22) are much better to introduce people to shooting with. I say this because they are generally far easier to hit with than a handgun.
But again, I'm not going to suggest that a single woman who's worried about being attacked by an abusive ex start with a 10/22. I'm going to help her find a handgun she is comfortable with, help her get her CCW permit, and get her as well equipped to defend herself as I can.
FWIW - the worst gun handling I have ever seen was when I was in the Army. There was no mention of safe handling at any point. What I know about safety, I learned from my dad beginning at about age four - but it was certainly not strengthened by anything I learned in uniform.
A gun is potentially dangerous. That's what makes it useful for hunting or defensive purposes. If anything, a rifle firing a much more powerful round than your average handgun is even more dangerous because of the increased distance over which you can accidentally hurt someone.
Also, what about the person who wants a defensive weapon as his or her first gun? You could tell that person to buy a shotgun or rifle, but what good does a a 18" pump action 12 gauge do when you need something concealable that you can take with you? In that case, a handgun is the clear choice.
Also, what do you mean by "play John Wayne?"
If carrying for defensive purposes isn't a legitimate concern to you, I guess you're a fortunate man. I personally have used a handgun I was carrying for defense to dispatch an animal that attacked me. Granted, it wasn't some huge dramatic thing that made the news (just a raccoon in the woods), but it was still enough to make me realize that had I not been packing that gun, at the least I would have had a hospital bill and a bunch of worries (like concerns over rabies) to deal with instead of just a ringing in my ears.
The one thing I do agree on is that rifles (especially a .22) are much better to introduce people to shooting with. I say this because they are generally far easier to hit with than a handgun.
But again, I'm not going to suggest that a single woman who's worried about being attacked by an abusive ex start with a 10/22. I'm going to help her find a handgun she is comfortable with, help her get her CCW permit, and get her as well equipped to defend herself as I can.
FWIW - the worst gun handling I have ever seen was when I was in the Army. There was no mention of safe handling at any point. What I know about safety, I learned from my dad beginning at about age four - but it was certainly not strengthened by anything I learned in uniform.
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philpost
Member
I agree with the safety consiousness, but like the poster above, disagree with the no-scope thoughts. Since a gun itself can be considered an "unfair advantage", created by our capacity to invent machines, it seems a bit silly to say a peep sight is "fair", but a scope is "unfair". I agree that iron sights are better to learn with, but a cleanly placed shot is a kindness to the animal.
I'm not well versed with the laws, though they do vary from state to state, so I might be mistaken. I thought I recall my mom going to lengths to get it registered with the police in the event that it was stolen or some such thing, but upon asking her, she doesn't seem to remember either.
Anyway, that's a secondary issue. I already told you that I intended to show them operation and proper handling of the firearm. My remark was simply about their initial curiosity and handling with it; for me it's reflexive to check the action for rounds even though I know it's empty, even sometimes rechecking it even after initial verification. Not seeing them reciprocate this same caution with the weapon surprised me was all, as they're city kids and have never seen or been schooled in firearms before. You've never bothered to ask me my age from my initial post, and I'm pretty insulted at your enduring insistence that I was being reckless and dangerous, on top of your persistence in calling what transpired "playing", as if I thought it was just a game.
Obviously you weren't there, so I'd like to leave it at that please.
Phaeton - what you describe is exactly what I witnessed in basic. I think it might be what the OP is talking about seeing as well, but I'm not sure (my connection is too slow to watch youtube vids).
But at the same time, to paint an entire "generation" as a group of unsafe idiots because a few of them were dumb enough to post videos of themselves being idiots online isn't fair.
But at the same time, to paint an entire "generation" as a group of unsafe idiots because a few of them were dumb enough to post videos of themselves being idiots online isn't fair.
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