Seriously. I used to be just like him. Until I eventually got so sick of the anti-gun paranoids that I went out and bought one. Just purely as a political statement. I've been a gun owner for about 13 years now, but have not fired a single shot with it.
Not a single one.
But I do have it, and I do know how to use it. I fired my first gun at the age of 5, after all, and at times I feel guilty that my son is already 6 and he doesn't know how to fire one.
I'll be correcting that soon. Because not only is it a fundamental, basic human right, but it's also a practical skill every man (and woman) should know.
(Yes, you Canadian paranoids. We have no more guns than you do. But we aren't ashamed to take pleasure in our firearms. Too bad you guys are so quick to turn that authority to your government.)
I believe that guns are no more dangerous than a baseball bat.
I'll tell you, there's far worse ways to spend a nice afternoon than laying waste to a few hundred clay pigeons with the shotgun.
Have. not. fired. a. single. shot. with. it.
*blank stare*
I hope you don't mean you don't even go to a firing range. Practice practice practice. And it keeps the springs in good shape too. (wildly assuming it's a pistol)
That essay went directly to the point: inalienable individual rights vs. statist collectivism. I'll give up my gun when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Canadians take pleasure in their firearms, too. Not sure what you're getting at. In Canada you're not allowed to carry concealed weapons around on the street, that's all. Canadians are allowed to own and use guns; and the majority do own and use guns.
Yippie Yi Yea! I'll never forget he first time I went to a shooting range. I was sooo excited! I went w/ a fine young man in the Border Patrol, (rather nice looking man I must say!)at the station where he practiced. We went inside, I is so cited! He handed me a gun and it is smaller than his. I say, hey, I want one like yours (me the Tom Boy growing up because I always played w/ my big brother Eddie). He smiles and says, "Janelle, that's a pretty big one for your first time. Oh, that's alright, just show me how to hold it and I'll shoot it!" Well I put my left hand under the gun and cup and use my right hand to aim and shoot it and his buddies are laughing. Then I said, hey, why does eyerybody have those headphones on (mine were hanging over my neck I hadn't put them on yet, I was fiddling around & not payin any attention, just excited to be there) He went to put them on me and BANG,BANG,BANG,BANG went blasting all over the enclosed shooting range!!! Man O'Man, I cupped my ears and yelled, OH!, That's why! Talk about a stupid broad! He was trying to get them on me and I was fiddling with the 45! My ears were a ringing for a long time!
I was so embarresed, gloom, so I was determined to shoot that 45! By golly he told me how to hold it steady and how to cupp my left hand around it and use my right hand for the triger. I shot the target. I shot a whole round. When my friend Gary brought the target in, everyone gave me the high five sign! I hit the head on that target!
So from that day forward I loved going with Gary to the shooting range. I agree with the others Dean, go fire that gun w/ Jacob and have a great time!
I recall that Dean mentioned a shotgun a while back. There are fewer places one can go to practice with those, and I have the impression one needs a little more skill at the start.
See if any of the local gun clubs have a patterning site, so you can get the feel of it before taking on the clays. And like Janelle says, HEARING PROTECTION!
I'm with Max on this one. Indeed, if you've never fired a shot with it, how do you know you know how to use it? Or that it even friggin works?!
First time: in army cadets 13 or 14 years old. Dead of winter and they didn't let us wear gloves. Sucks holding a rifle without gloves in -30 temperature, let me tell you. Targets were so far away it was impossible to tell if we hit anything.
Second time: at a friend's house a couple years ago. Shot the branch off a tree. Huzzah!
Third time: hasn't happened yet, and I don't own a gun (being one of those Canadian paranoids and all).
James:
He's never fired it but I have and so has my Dad. It works.
;-)
I don't know where this thing about we Canadians not liking guns comes from. Even Michael Moore was able to find Canadians who like guns.
I took my beloved ex-wife and each of my three daughters to the range, one at a time, and checked them out on a .38 S&W revolver, a .22 single action, and semi-autos from .22 LR to .45 ACP. None showed any further interest, but they sure as hell know what they need to know in a crunch. I just hope they remember, if, God forbid, the time comes.