Why do you own guns?

[Barbara]

They're for family protection, hunting dangerous or delicious animals, and keeping the King of England out of your face.

 

[camp_gunner]

I keep and collect because the gun embodies the changes in the technology of mankind.

I keep and collect because I enjoy things that are well made, in this age of use it once and through it away.

I keep because I may someday need, as once said, it is better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.

I keep and collect because it's an interesting and fun hobby, the core of which tends to increase in value, and so also forms an investment.

And finally, why the heck not!

PS. I have raised to adulthood five children around guns, and have yet to have any of the problem that the Luddies complain about.

 

[History Prof]

I’ve inherited some. I've bought many others and sold many back to the gun dealers when I discovered I didn't like them (at a loss, of course). I like putting 20-30 rounds through the smallest hole possible, but I do not compete. I haven't been "awarded" anything since I was in Jr. Rifle Association at age 12. But I love tack-drivers and testing my own skill.

I had a C&R for a while, but I could only afford the $80 Mausers, Mosins and CZs. I no longer own a single thing that I purchased with the C&R (yea, they're all logged as dispositions). None of them were tack-drivers.

I do not hunt, except for a few bunnies and snakes I killed as a kid. I don't have any moral objections, I just don't wanna get up at 4AM to go kill something that I then have to gut. It's all just too "yucky" to me. Any hunting ladies out there who would like to take my daughter hunting? She dying to try it, but since I'm not a hunter, I'm reluctant to go.

I'd like to think I could protect my family with one, but I've never been in that situation. I train for it, so if it ever happens, I hope training takes over from instinct.

I love freedom. I love living in a country where you're supposed to be allowed to own firearms, and a state where you can. I love living in a community where just about everyone believes in RKBA, including the cops and most of the professors I work with (yea, we still have a lot of weenie liberals; you can't avoid them in academia today).

I love the smell of Hoppes #9 in the morning....

I could go on and on....

 

[indiancowboy]

I was conservative as a kid, libertarian as an adult, but never really had an interest in firearms. Honestly, it was hearing lefties talk about gun control that made me a gun rights supporter. They were too illogical, and being a 210lb boxer and a gentleman, when they told me that hand to hand is enough for a girl to fend off a rapist, I had to start laughing. Generally the only thing that can stop a large male attacker is a large male defender. I know this from personal experience.

more here

I’d like to claim that I’m applying for CCW because I want to be fully prepared to defend my own. I’d be lying. I’m doing it for the simple fact that the ability to carry is a right enshrined in the constitution…and because it pisses off idiot GFW’s. I’d like to claim that the reason I’m buying an AR is for hunting or target shooting. But I’m really buying it because it’s evil-looking and black.

 

[MrTwigg]

Why, Why, Why ?

I enjoy hunting be it small game, turkey, pheasant or deer. I like to shoot in competition. I really enjoy going plinking with my son. I recently acquired my C&R and now am starting to collect milsurps. ( Beware ! It's an addiction ! )

But mostly because (I live in Massachuestts) I really, really, really enjoy pissing off the new liberal neighbors every time they see me putting a couple of rifles in the truck when I head to the range.

I can't wait to see their reaction when I hang a deer out in the backyard !

 

[sterling180]

They're for family protection, hunting dangerous or delicious animals, and keeping the King of England out of your face.

t

King of England doesn't exist anymore Barbra- at present,but you should of said the King of the UK,Socialist Labour government,Tony Blair.-who sold out to the antis for votes,for his election campaigns and his long term in office-at number 10 Downing Street.

In saying this,some of your fellow citizens such as Diane Fernstein,Bill Clinton and members of Hollywood have sold themselves out,to the antis-in the name of moral responsibilities.

 

[xiphur]

I own A gun cus i just like shooting. I'm realtively new to it and just enjoy getting good at new things. I want to get another one very soon.

 

[aguyindallas]

I own guns:

Because I want to
Because I can
Because I take defense seriously
Because the founding fathers of this country think I should

 

[blacksuit]

because I can...lol

 

[hm]

...to feed my family if I have to
...to protect my family if I need to
...to protect my country from foreign invaders if I'm called to
...to protect my Constitution from any enemy, foreign or domestic, if I must

...and they're wicked cool!!!

 

[carterbeauford]

Why do I own guns? Because the law of this great land, and commonwealth, say I can. All other reasons subordinate to that one.

 

[10-Ring]

Seriously...it was the first thing I bought w/o permission from anyone (even my car needed permission from the bank!) & has become more than a hobby over the years

 

[mnrivrat]

1.) Because rocks are underpowered

2.) Because I was told never to bring a knife to a gun fight.

3.) Because I live in a country where the indigenous people only had bow and arrows, and look how that worked out for them.

4.) Because wool itches like hell, so I don't make a good sheep.

PS: The compensation thing could be part of it also ?

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

camp_gunner pretty well says it like I see it. Craftsmanship, good engineering, et al.

Also, because I do not golf.

 

[ccwolff]

How about this one.

Because they don't make Blasters and Phasers.
Yet.

3.) Because I live in a country where the indigenous people only had bow and arrows, and look how that worked out for them.

I am going to have to remember that one. lol
I guess they did not fund thier border patrol very well.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

I'd have to go with "Because I can." Whether it is because I can afford to, or am allowed to, makes little difference. My first major purchase after I moved out (mom didn't allow guns in the house) was a serious rifle. The first actual gun I bought was a 10-22, because it was relatively inexpensive. Besides, you just never know when somethings going to need shooting.

 

[Sinsaba]

The more guns I have the fewer there are on the streets for the criminals to get their hands on. I do it 'for the children"

 

[marriedguy1]

For me a gun is a tool no different than a wrench, screwdriver, or my truck where I carry them all.

I own guns for protection of myself and my wife and daughter.

I own guns because when I was growing up my mother hated them. Not for any good reason, just because she knew nothing about them.

Besides you never know when the S will HTF.

 

[Xigris]

As Christian Slater said in "True Romance"...

"...the past couple of days have taught me that it's far better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it."

 

[History Prof]

3.) Because I live in a country where the indigenous people only had bow and arrows, and look how that worked out for them.

I like that one. The college I teach at gets dozens of Apache and Navajo students. Most are either politically apathetic or Democrat (mostly because someone told them they were - they tend to be a very culturally conservative bunch of people). However, I had one very Republican Navajo young lady who argued exactly what you state as her reasons for supporting RKBA.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

If the Republicans ever go after the minority voter seriously, the Demos will be in real trouble. Not many have anything serious to show for decades of government handouts. The ones who do were the ones who ran with it: They realized the way to really get ahead is hard work, including education. When more minorities wake up to that fact, given a chance, you'll see more minorities voting conservative.

 

[MSGT9410]

Why do I own guns?


...Why not?

 

[SRMohawk]

Good question! Ask it of myself almost everytime I pull one out or find myself discussing them amongst friends/acquaintances. After all, I don't particularly 'get off' to them. In fact, they cause me alot more grief than anything. But that could be the consequence of expecting far too much of them and of myself when I employ them. Anyway, I suppose it's really just a cultural thing.

 

[MeanStreaker]

I answered this question on a blog that I started in order to try and raise awareness for firearm issues for my more liberal friends (and for obligatory blog drivel). If you'll permit me, I'll repost my answer, as I'm pretty sure no one here is one of my regular three readers and have seen it before.

"Why Do You Own a Gun?"

I have been asked this question a few times and always welcome it. Some firearm owners may feel attacked and answer with a simple, "It's my constitutionally protected right." They're correct... but that doesn't do much to educate an interested party that perhaps has never even seen a firearm. I certainly don't think that owning firearms is for everyone. There's a tremendous amount of responsibility involved. You must receive training. You must make sure that they are always under your control. (Please note that the latter isn't a statement of support for legislating mandatory trigger locks or mandatory disassembly that has become fashionable by today's anti-gun lobbyists.)

So why do I own firearms? I provide an ordered list below based on the probable frequency of actually using one. After seeing the list, I find it interesting that the reverse order represents the "big picture" of why the Second Amendment and personal firearm proficiency is important... even if the reasons seem unlikely to most.

1) Enjoyment - It's a lot of fun to go to the range. I've seen rabid anti-gun people begrudgingly go to the firing line and return with a big smile on their face. Once you have the safety and responsibility aspects of firearm usage drilled into you, it really is an enjoyable sport. The experience can also be very therapeutic. For the same reason people enjoy playing golf or going bowling, the shooting sports allow you to master a difficult skill and take pride when you hit all bullseyes, shoot 25/25 on the trap pad, or destroy that milk jug at 300 yards. I also really enjoy the historical aspect of it. I've recently started collecting military surplus rifles. For every firearm that I consider obtaining, I spend hours upon hours researching the history of it - where it's from, how it's different from others, significance of the skirmishes it was used in, etc.

2) Self Defense - I won't get into all of the statistics and facts at this time about how competent and law-abiding citizens that carry a handgun for personal protection lower crime rates on a grand scale. For now we'll focus on the personal aspect that bad guys rape and murder every day and I don't know what I'd do if something happened to my family and I wasn't prepared to have the chance to protect them. Criminals by definition break the law. That's why they're criminals. Gun control legislation only affects the law-abiding. Someone that knows the consequences of robbing a bank or murdering someone and decides to do so anyway isn't going to listen to a law that limits magazine capacity to ten rounds or prohibits certain types of grips on a rifle.

3) Protection of our Freedom - After average citizens defeated the world's most powerful military in the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers realized that every single established government in the history of mankind has eventually trampled on the rights of its citizens. The Second Amendment was added to try and prevent this from happening to us. The most oppressive governments in the world enacted civilian gun bans to maintain their power over the people. Hitler did it. Stalin did it. Whoever is in charge of the Sudan did it. It does seem ludicrous to think that the United States could erode to that point. It seems just as ludicrous to argue that American citizens with pistols and shotguns could take on B-2 bombers and smart missiles. Even if it seems unlikely, that threat of citizens not tolerating tyranny must still be maintained. After all, there are recent examples of civilian victories over modern armies. Castro did it in Cuba... The Afghans did it to the Soviet Union.

So... why don't you own a firearm?

 

[makarovnik]

Let's exercise our rights!

I owns weapons because I can. I think all of us that can afford a gun have an obligation to do so. Better yet, carry a gun if you can legally! If we stop buying guns and carrying them, the government might get the stupid idea that if they take them away we won't get too upset about it. Wrong! Let's not even let it get to that point. Buy guns! Lots of guns! Get those carry permits and carry those damn things!