Hand gun ownership in the U.S.

[Viola]

None. No interest in collecting them, and I don't need one for protection, because I think if you have time to get a gun, you have to get a baseball bat, hammer, axe, or knife. I have those.

Yeah, but none of those let me deal with the guy from across the room. I don't wanna fight with somebody with more reach/strength than me for possession of a bat...and everyone's bigger than me.

Besides, you can hit a guy with a bat and just make him mad. I don't want mad. Mad makes me sad.

-Viola

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

According to Remington, The 10 Commandments of Gun Safety.

For anyone that does not yet own a gun, or for those of us that do for that matter. One can never be overly careful when handling a gun.


1nd Commandment: ~ Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use.

2nd Commandment: ~ Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

3th Commandment: ~ Don't rely on your gun's safety.

4th Commandment: ~ Be sure of your target and what's beyond it.

5th Commandment: ~ Use proper ammunition.

6th Commandment: ~ If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care.

7th Commandment: ~ Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.

8th Commandment: ~ Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.

9th Commandment: ~ Don't alter or modify your gun and have it serviced regularly.

10th Commandment: ~ Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using.

 

[Viola]

What's up with the 9th Commandment? I'd hardly rate "don't try to put on new grips by yourself instead of taking it to a guy who'll charge you fifty bucks to do the same thing" up there with "don't point it at things you don't want destroyed, dummy." [huh]

-Viola

 

[Diamondback]

What's up with the 9th Commandment? I'd hardly rate "don't try to put on new grips by yourself instead of taking it to a guy who'll charge you fifty bucks to do the same thing" up there with "don't point it at things you don't want destroyed, dummy." [huh]

And what about those of us who read tech-manuals for recreation? BTW, I once asked Springfield Armory what all I could switch out without voiding the warranty and their answer on grips was "Swap grips all you like, your gun'll still be covered."

BTW, Nick, you forgot one of the most important:
"Keep your boogerhook off the bang-switch."

 

[Viola]

"No part of the human body, including your foot, is going to grow back." - My dad when I was little.

-Viola

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Hey, I just copied and pasted what they had on their site. :eusa_doh:
They assume everyone is a dummy I guess,...and they want people to use the services of a gunsmith to perform a simple alteration like new grips.
Use your own discretion, of course,...

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

"No part of the human body, including your foot, is going to grow back." - My dad when I was little.

-Viola

That makes sense too.

 

[carebear]

You can boil the safety rules down to 3 (+1) and ensure that you will never have an accident. Which is a misnomer, short of a statistically unlikely (like tenths of a percent unlikely) mechanical failure, there are no firearms accidents, there is just negligence.

Guns flat do not "just go off".

1) Treat every weapon as if it's loaded.

- Even if you know it isn't, the following rules still apply. That way you can't make the "but I thought it was unloaded" mistake.

2) Never point a weapon at anything you are not willing to shoot.

- Guns are long-range drills, if they aren't pointed at something, they can't put a hole in it. Keep it pointed in a safe direction unless actively and purposefully targeting something.

3) Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

- For a gun in good repair there is one and only one way for it to go off, by someone pulling the trigger. When you hear "and then the gun just went off" in a news story, it's BS. Somebody put their booger-hook on the bang switch.

4) *the +1* Know your target and what is beyond it.

- This actually is an extension of rule 2. You don't shoot at sounds, or movement, or a glimpse of something through cover. You don't shoot into a target without knowing what's behind it, in case you miss or the round penetrates. If you can't identify it, you don't shoot it.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Well..I wholeheartily disagree with commandment No.1...and also No.9. I want my "personal protection" firearm not only readily available..but ready to use at a moments notice. No fumbling under stress. All of my handguns have the trigger mechanisms smoothed and deburred among other things. Throats smoothed and polished on all semi auto pistols. Otherwise...easy to use accurately...plus always confident of dependablity.
HD

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Well, I'm sure these are meant for those that have absolutely no knowledge of guns or experience whatsoever,....I even found a few slightly different versions.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Violent crime has far more to do with significant, underlying cultural issues than it does with weapons availability.

Yeah, that was kind of my point a number of pages back when I was referring to the need to address the underlying issues.

BTW, Matthew, thanks for the links. Very interesting reading!

Lots of discussion about the actual numbers versus percentages of violent crime, etc. The reality doesn't matter. With today's current 24/7 news cycle and national (and international) news sources creates a perception that violent crime is rampant across the country. That perception may be a driving force for many people who go out and buy a gun for protection. Others may go out and buy one just because they think it would be cool to own one or any of a hundred reasons.

Well and good. Our country says it's their right to do so. I don't have an objection to that per se. We've heard from a number of gun enthusiasts here, people who are well informed on the subject (perhaps as a matter of self-defense) and who stress the need for proper training and frequent practice while stressing gun safety. This is as it should be. Guns, after all, are designed to end life violently--such a capability needs to be treated with respect.

Unfortunately, I fear that far too great a percentage of our population doesn't quite get the idea that "with great power comes great responsibility." The result of this would be the things I referred to before: deaths due to accidents, children finding unsecured guns, guns reached for during a heated argument, etc. These deaths, along with the news reports of drive-by shootings, armed robberies, etc. are the drivers behind those who want to ban guns completely.

Remember three-wheelers? The predecessors to today's four-wheelers? Wonder what happened to them? It wasn't a lack of interest on the consumer's part that killed them off. It was the consumer's lack of taking them and their dangers seriously. Too many people were buying them, putting their kids on them without any training/supervision/safety gear, and sending them out to play. The kids were getting seriously injured or killed. Same with adults who didn't take into consideration the inherent dangers of a three-wheeled motor vehicle. Well, the people needed to be protected. It wasn't the fault of the people who were riding them in an unsafe manner, or of the parents who sent their kids out to play on them. It was the fault of the inherently unstable vehicle that so many were injured or killed. A law was passed banning the sale of such vehicles in the country; the law almost required the companies that sold them to recall every one ever sold, but that didn't pass. A perfect example of the government banning something to protect people from their own stupidity.

In theory, the answer to all of the above is education. The reality, I'm afraid, is that far too many people will continue buying guns without taking into consideration the responsibilities involved, or worse, ignoring them.

I'm sure I was going somewhere with this, but I'm too freakin' tired to remember where... :eusa_doh:

Off to bed...

 

[Phil]

I'm more of a rifle person. The hand guns are technically my dad's. But he says they're as much mine as they are his. I would like to note thought, two aren't and will never be used. Two pistols brought back from WWII by my grandfather. His 1911 and Nazi's Luger. So that may knock my number down.

 

[Fatdutchman]

There was a young lady I used to work with that asked me one day to go with her to pick out a pistol for her, she wanted something for self defense. I said sure, and went with her to the gunshop. First thing I pointed to was a S&W model 36 .38 special and said THAT is what you need. She said she didn't like that kind of gun and something about them scared her (eh, she was a girl, after all... ). I told her then that she didn't need any kind of gun at all. Irrationality and fears need to be left at the door when getting into gun ownership.

 

[Natty Bumpo]

12 handguns, many rifles and shoguns. If I have my britches on, I have a gun.

 

[Viola]

Preference is a part of shopping for almost anything though. Why not get her what she wants to start with and she can always trade up later?

I know a lot of guys pointed me towards teeny-tiny low-caliber guns originally, and they just don't hold much interest for me, because I wouldn't count on them to DO anything. Lookin' at you, .17 H&R Ruger. What the heck is that for, burglar pigeons? lol

-Viola

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Preference is a part of shopping for almost anything though. Why not get her what she wants to start with and she can always trade up later?

I know a lot of guys pointed me towards teeny-tiny low-caliber guns originally, and they just don't hold much interest for me, because I wouldn't count on them to DO anything. Lookin' at you, .17 H&R Ruger. What the heck is that for, burglar pigeons? lol

-Viola

Marketing. It's everywhere. Cute little feminine guns that match your outfit and shoot cute little bullets. lol

 

[Phil]

This kind of ties into that pink/froufrou thread. I was at the range a while ago, and there was this girl there. She must have been like, 19 or 20, really cute and a great shot. I went over to go compliment her on her shooting. She had the funniest looking gun ever. It was a pink rifle. Yes, pink. From sight to stock. And I'm holding my tommy gun, nice and black metal with a wooden stock and wooden handles. She's got this pink competiton rifle. It was the funniest thing ever.

 

[carebear]

A buddy of mine on one of the gun forums has two daughters with "girly guns". One, (who's 10 now I think) has an AR-15 with pink furniture (stock, handguard and grip) and her older sister (13?) has one that's purple but has pink flower stickers on it.

Nothing wrong with being girly.

 

[Viola]

OH I WANT ONE OF THOSE.

...

That was my outer monologue, wasn't it?

-Viola
P.S. Maybe something in a nice Deco jadeite...

 

[carebear]

OH I WANT ONE OF THOSE.

...

That was my outer monologue, wasn't it?

-Viola
P.S. Maybe something in a nice Deco jadeite...

You can get furniture in a rainbow of colors, and you can apply durable colored finishes onto the metal, at home, as well.

Infinitely customizable.