Gun owners.

[Elnath]

Discussion in the Airsoft thread has brought up the subject of real guns, and I was wondering who all shoots?

I got my licence a few years ago, and only just got to fire my Moisin Nagant for the first time in March before I moved out here on account of I had two hundred rounds I wasn't going to be able to bring with me.

I'm eyeing up a Mossberg 500 or 590, and a 10/22 now that I'm working. I also want to join Silvercore so I can make use of my restricted certification.

Seeing as most of you furs seem to be out in Surrey and Maple ridge where the ranges are do any of you hit them regularly or otherwise have places you go to shoot non-restricted?

[dragonmanmike]

I own several guns, that my dad passed down to me.  I have to get them registered and get my liscense renewed before I can do anything with them again though.  I hope to do that soon, but time and money are tight right now.

As to what I own, I have a Hawken black powder .50cal reproduction, a Marlin semi-auto .22 with scope, a colt single bolt action .22 target rifle, and a 1830 colt black powder navy revolver reproduction.  Also looking into getting myself a M1 Garand or M1 carbine some time in the future.

[Silvermink]

Ravenwood is into 'em as well. I haven't quite gotten around to it myself.

[Mayhem]

i wish to hunt, i have acess to a family member's guns for target practice. I wish so much to hunt, as i prefer my meat humanely dispatched, and organic. Cant get more organic than taken out of the bush, unless its at like, chernobyl.... mmmmmm 3 assed moose steak... and well as far as humane i also look at the side of how the animals are raised, ideally you got a nice happy little forst creature doin its natural thing, then BOOM. Not poor little factory farm thing gone neurotic then shoved in a truck for days before its time...
anyways id like advice from anyone with hunting experiance, ie how to get licence and tags and such.

[Elnath]

I did the whole deal when I got my licence. I took the non-restricted, the restricted and the hunter safety exams. My outdoors card back home has the hunting designation on it, but I need to see if I can get that transferred to whatever system BC uses.
Then I need someone to actually show the ropes of hunting. Books don't really cut it... Also need to make sure I'm a good enough shot.

[Mayhem]

id just be happy to get my hands on a carcass. I lurv my meat. Im like that wiskas cat.

[beherit]

I just started shooting about a year ago.  Usually frequenting the Poco Range.
So far just target shooting and practice exercises with my 1911 and 10/22.

<3 my 10/22...  so cheap n' fun.

[Mayhem]

hehe on a 22 im good... but shotguns im horrible. My aim is fine, i just don't hold the gun tight enough so i get battered and bruised after a coupple rounds with the recoil. its so bad my middle finger turned blue n black from the trigger guard slamming into it x.x

[Tony Greyfox]

I'd like to shoot, but haven't got my certifications right now. Something to do at some point.

There are a number of ranges/gun shops in the States where you can go and rent something to shoot with; does anyone know if there's anyplace like that in Vancouver? I haven't heard of anything, but some more knowledgeable folks might know...

[SaberTooth]

Yeah... DVC Shooting Range in Coquitlam has an indoor range which rents out hand guns, shotguns, and 22 rifles.. -- They are a  bit pricey though. It's like $60/person. http://www.indoorshootingcentre.com/

I love shooting... I own an SKS, and a 10/22 rifle which I shoot at the Poco range. lots of fun! :)

-Saber

[Sheppy]

I haven't shot anything since about January. It was not long before I moved down here and my friend had just got his restricted license so we would go out in the bush and unload cheap rounds from a Norinco SKS, a Winchester 1200, Ruger 10/22, polish mosin nagant, russian mosin nagant, and for the last couple times a Tokarev TT33. Was so much fun, I really miss it. Trecking through the deep snow with two guns per person and a bag full of ammo... I felt so badass. :P

I just need to get my license sometime...

[velvetkytten]

I really do not see the attraction guns hold on some people. What is it ? the power in your hands ?
Like my dad went from fishing to hunting and I just didn't understand it.

What is the attraction to each of you ?

I mean... I'm not like.. grrr guns are horrible.. I'm more like... why use guns when we can go buy meat. Whats the point of having a gun ?

I'm trying to be respectful on the topic  but I am a bit drunk as well. LOL

As a kid , My best friend's dad was a hunter. He had a beautiful male deer head mounted in the living room... that creeped me right out... those eyes followed me everywhere I moved.

I remember one day walking up to her house and there was a deer hung upside down bleeding out in their garage.... I was stunned. I can remember the tongue hanging out and I just wanted to hold the poor thing.

And all I said to her dad was "you better eat as much of this beautiful creature as possible" and he smiled and said. "I plan to hun, I wouldn't of taken her if I didn't".

So I don't hate the hunters who eat as much as possible of the kill.
So don't think I'm all anti gun :P
I'm more or less confused as to what is so attractive about guns.

[Elnath]

Yes we could go buy our meat, But the meat industry treats their animals very poorly. Those animals usually live very horrible lives before they're killed for food.
And then anything that doesn't sell goes rotten and gets thrown out because they're killing it based on a projection for how much people usually buy.
That's the philosophy of it. Not that I am able to hunt for all my meat like I wish I could. But that's at least why hunting is at the very least, as good as buying meat from the market.
However, that meat industry is important because there's no way everybody could hunt for their food. Animal populations would be decimated in a year. Humanity is waaaaaaay past it's carrying capacity for the land it occupies. We need industry to live now.

Why do I like guns?
Part of it is the self sufficiency of owning a gun. You have a gun you can hunt your food with ease, you can defend yourself and your family.
Yeah maybe much of it is a survivalist wet dream of mine. But that's no less valid of a reason to like them than why anybody would like anything else.
And that's just it. Why does anybody like anything?
Guns get a bad rap because they are used in crimes. Yes it happens. But there's no possible way that you could completely remove guns from society. You make them illegal then the people who are commiting crimes with guns which are probably illegally owned anyway, are going to be the only ones with guns.

One of the best examples I ever heard of why we should have guns was Hurricane Katrina.
When the police found they couldn't handle all the crime that was going on in the wake of the storm, they went to the houses of everybody with registered guns and took them away.
This made it a hell of a lot easier for the people with unregistered guns to rob those people. So the only ones with guns were the criminals and police still didn't have enough control of the situation to do anything about it.

Yeah, I'd way the fact that you have so much power in your hands is a very attractive prospect.  Empowerment is a good thing.
There are far fewer people out there who would be willing to go shoot up a school than the media would have you believe.

Hopefully that's a good explanation for you. I'm a little drunk too.

[beherit]

Jeez, everyone seems to have an SKS.  Jealoooous...  Hm...

[dragonmanmike]

Personally I like guns for target shooting only.  I love the skill it takes to hit a target a LONG way away and besides I have a thing for objects that make a lot of noise.  :P

I respect everyones opinions of them.  I personally think that guns, in responsible hands, are an okay thing to have around.