Mostly for self defense, but I've never shot anyone and I'd rather not be in a situation where I'd have to shoot someone. Also for hunting and target shooting.
I grew up with guns. Lots of guns. I learned how to shoot rifles with my father's garands and M1A1's and his 1970s Colt AR15-A1. I learned how to shoot pistols with his old WW2 era Colt 1911A1 and his S&W revolvers. I was already shooting a 12 gauge Remington shotgun before I was in 6th grade.
I'm a country boy. I've been shooting guns and hunting and fishing practically my entire life.
But I'm not too at ease with guns either. I know a gun is a lot of fun to use for target shooting and I admire the design and engineering which goes into producing guns... but I also know just one casual mistake can take someone's life. I know this. I understand this every time I pick up a gun even if I know for a fact it ain't loaded. Dad drilled this into my head at a very young age.
I've always been around guns.
I do a lot of target shooting. I have my own private pistol range in my yard.
The only competition shooting I do is competing with my brother or Dad, or occasionally one or more of our friends who come out here.
I also like to have days where I go out target shooting to compare different guns. Mostly I shoot pistols. For example last wednesday I had a "9mm Afternoon" and I shot my FN Hi Power, my Beretta 92FS and my new CZ 75B and compared them against each other. Last saturday I compared the new CZ 9mm to my Kimber 1911 .45acp.
I like the security owning guns gives me. I like knowing the fact that I have the skill and tools to defend my home and family.
I also like making chili with venison. *licks chops*
I also enjoy having pieces of military history like my FN Hi-Power, my Mausers, my SMLE, my MN91/30 and my 1911's.
I liked the look on my city-girl wife's face the first time she shot a .44mag and fell in love with it and felt so proud of herself for being able to handle that much power. We have many responsibilities as gun owners. One of those is introducing people, who had never handled a gun before, to using guns safely and competently.