Over 14,000,000 guns purchased in 2009

[PhillySane]

Okay. I'm all for good old fashioned consumerism and American business. I know that all those shootin irons add up to a lot of dough. But, for Jiminy Peepers sakes, there's no army in the world that comes close to owning that many guns. Why do we need ALL of these guns? Is it just the right to exercise a freedom? Or is there something else behind it? I don't think we collected that many comic books or stamps in 2009. What's up people?

[Statistical]

1. Another way to look at it is that is millions of voters.

Which is why maybe someday (in about 5 centuries) Democrats will realize gun control is a dead end.

[PhillySane]

4. Or they'll all just be dead!

[Statistical]

14. Homicide rate is at a 46 year low. Average persons chance of being murdered one of 20,000

However that is somewhat misleading since a significant portion of homicides are either domestic violence or criminal on criminal crime.

If you stay out of abusive relationships and avoid being a career criminal your chance is maybe a tenth of that.

Most gunowners will die from eating too many bigmacs (as will most Americans) not from a gun (theirs or anyone elses).

[PhillySane]

15. That's a relief!

[WhiteTara]

2. well, you just scared hell out of me

thanks for the heads up.

[hack89]

12. Why?

you have never been safer your entire life. You have to go back to the 1960's to find a lower murder rate in America.

[PhillySane]

17. Yes, right after JFK was assassinated.

[hack89]

19. Violent crime is at historic lows

while gun ownership has skyrocketed. Deal with it.

[PhillySane]

22. I'm dealing with it.

Some other folks (the dead ones) haven't really been able to. But I am!

[hack89]

40. But every year there a fewer of them

so at least we are on the right track.

[Taverner]

3. I wonder if they are thinking like I am, and wanting to protect myself from Right Wingers

:scared:

[guitar man]

8. That's among the reasons

That's one if the reasons I keep them around. When Bu$h started raping the Constitution, I went out and bought some mire and stocked up on ammo.

[Taverner]

9. I have a kid so its not an option right now

Once they move out I might buy one

[guitar man]

16. I have a kid too

All my weapons stay locked in a chest in the attic with trigger locks except one, unless I get one out to shoot it, then it goes back when I'm done. The one that stays out of the attic is locked in a metal box on the daytime and the box is unlocked at night. It's a Colt 1911 .45 semi-auto. I don't keep one "in the pipe" and my daughter is physically incapable of racking the slide. It's no big deal though because there is an alarm and a dog that will chew on somebody's ass so if they persist in coming in, by the time they get past the alarm and the dog the last thing they ever hear will be the slide racking...

[PhillySane]

18. Is there a lot of crime in your area?

[guitar man]

35. Not a whole lot

But we occasionally get meth users that will move into some of the low rent properties around there from time to time and they've been known to break in and steal and rob people. My neighbor had one break in on him a couple years ago. Bad move, the old man shot him in the ass with a 30-30

[RSillsbee]

24. It's hard to control humidity in an attic

You may want to get a dehumidifier to go in your lock box

[guitar man]

28. I've got one up there

Not just for the guns but for some other antiques I keep up there. And I keep them well oiled.

[RSillsbee]

36. White Lithium grease rocks NT

[Taverner]

72. Yeah, I've thought about that

But usually when you need a gun, you aren't going to have time to run home, enter in the code of your gunsafe, pull out your weapon, load it, and then bring it to said use.

So unless I can put it in my nightstand for easy access, I won't buy one.

[guitar man]

75. I understand that

Having that child makes you really think, what would happen if she got hold of it. That's why when we go to bed it's there in the drawer by the nightstand without one in the pipe. It only takes a second to rack it if needed. But chances are, the alarm and the dog are going to send them running into the night ;)

[Statistical]

23. This is kid friendly...

Spring loaded door is easy to open with proper code.

Has a tamper notification. If someone enters wrong code the display will remain flashing until reset (with proper code).
24 wrong codes and alarm sounds and continues to sound until proper code is entered.

[guitar man]

39. That's pretty cool

I mght have to get one of those. Since my daughter came along keeping the weapons secured has been top priority. I've got an old steel box with a padlock on it now, but that looks even better. Thanks. :hi:

[Statistical]

50. I got no kids of my own but sometimes neices and nephews come by.

All the rest of the guns are in a nice AMSEC safe



The gunvault has a single home defense pistol ready to roll (Round in chamber, no manual safety), spare mag, and flashlight. It won't stop a skilled thief but it will stop kids or casual access by a drunk house guest.

[guitar man]

63. That's a nice vault

If my work holds out this year I'm going to invest in one. I've got mine in a big handmade wooden chest my grandad gave me years ago, it's got two heavy hasps and padlocks and I lined it with burlap to wick away moisture and I keep them oiled up and wrapped in oiled cloth when I'm not using them. Anybody that actually got into my attic space would have a hell of a time figuring out where they were though, that is if they didn't break their neck trying to walk around up there first lol

[Hoopla Phil]

5. The 2A says nothing about need. And for the record, I bought 5 last year.

But that's really none of your business now is it.

[PhillySane]

7. FIVE!

How many can you shoot at once?

[DonP]

10. Same number of golf clubs I use out of the whole bagful.

But like the golf clubs each one does something a little different.

I bought 9 last year, stocked up on a few .22s after my kids cleaned me out of 3 of them after a range trip.

[PhillySane]

13. So shooting is really just a sport

like golf. Except, alot more people seem to play it these days.

[hack89]

21. You got it - guns are fun. Nothing more, nothing less. nt

[PhillySane]

25. It's fun to shoot them when you're not shooting at someone

or someone is shooting at you, right?

[Hoopla Phil]

31. I don't know of any sane person that would say it is fun to shoot at real people or

to be shot at.

[PhillySane]

37. I know

but they're fun to shoot in a non-violent way, right?

[Hoopla Phil]

43. Yes, they really are. It can be a very enjoyable sport. How many

individual (not team) sports are there where making noise is a good thing?

[PhillySane]

45. Well,

my girlfriend makes a lot of noise, but that involves two, I guess.

[Hoopla Phil]

52. OK, I really did LOL on that.

:toast:

[hack89]

44. No shit - you have a great grasp of the obvious. nt

[PhillySane]

47. That I do.

[Hoopla Phil]

30. There are many different types of shooting sports that use a wide variety of firearms.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+many+shooting+sports+are+there%3F

[DonP]

32. Pretty much

My collection of .22's is great for cheap fun target shooting and plinking at cans. My WWII rilfe collection will be shot this weekend in a "Winter Wars" shooting match at 200 yard targets. In October we had a carbine/pistol combat match. When I get the urge I may go trap shooting at a local club.

Some I just shoot now and them for fun, like my large loop Winchester in .45 Colt.

Yes, I also own several scary black rifles that everyone thinks should be banned too, they are used for High Power rifle competitions at 200, 400 and 600 yards with no scopes allowed, iron sights only.

My whole family is involved in shooting sports, including my Chicago school teacher daughter who wears her Phi Beta Kappa key, Chicago Teachers Union pin and her NRA membership pin on her lapel.

Now, try to stop thinking about gun owners as such stereotypes. It's not really becoming on a progressive.

[PhillySane]

41. Hell, now

I don't stereotype anyone. I've done some shootin' myself. I personally know, friends of mine, who are shooters and collectors. I'm just trying to figure out why so many?

[Flyboy_451]

57. why so many?

People acquire guns for a multitude of reasons, and five realy isn't that many. Let's take a look at an avid hunter as an example....he could easily own one high powered rifle for deer and larger game, a pump action shotgun for turkey, an over/under shotgun for birds (quail, dove, pheasantl ect), a medium caliber rifle for varmint hunting, a small caliber such as a .22 for small game (rabbit, squirrel and the like), a moderate power handgun such as a 41 or 44 mag for various medium size game (deer, hog and many others), as well as a truly powerful handgun such as a 500 linebaugh for defense from large predators (think bear or big cat) while out hunting or hiking in the wilds. That is seven guns right there and we have only talked about a hunter, not a competitive shooter, or a serious collector. Hell, I own almost 300 guns of various types for a multitude of purposes.

Think of women and shoes...do they need 40 pairs of shoes? Probably not, but I know women that have more than that. Go figure. Me, I enjoy guns. They are a part of how I make my living. They can be of historical significance. They can even be true works of art.

Jw

[PhillySane]

64. I agree (historical, works of art)

(300 is a lot of fucking guns!) My father was a gunner in World War 2 and introduced me to firearms. He got rid of his when I was a kid, after JFK got shot. He didn't feel comfortable with it in the house anymore. But we both shared an interest in gun design. He was also a design-engineer. I spent much of my youth learning a lot about gun design. But to this day, I have never felt the need to own one.
Not really sure why. Maybe it was Dad's decision to go without one.

[beevul]

81. Why so many?

Has it occured to you that while there were 14 million sold, theres 200 million plus potential buyers?

[PavePusher]

83. Well, I've got six bicycles.

How many do I really need?

[Hoopla Phil]

27. How many different screwdrivers dose a person have? How many can s/he use at once?

See how silly that question is? Or how about the possibility that a company went out of business and the price was really really good so multiple purchases were made? Or how about the fact, as pointed out earlier, that it's none of your business?

[PhillySane]

29. Well, I just thought I'd ask

You said five. Do you shoot targets and such? Hunt? Just collect?

[Hoopla Phil]

38. I do all of that.

I just finished building a 300 AAC Blackout (internally suppressed) just for hog hunting at night.

I shoot IPSC

I shoot high power rifle

I shoot silhouette rifle and pistol

I shoot 3-gun

I hunt quail

I hunt Dove

I hunt Duck

I hunt deer

Each and every one of these calls for a different gun (actually the three gun uses guns from other sports all combined into one)

Oh, I also forgot the guns for personal self defense like my carry gun.

As you can see, a person that is into multiple shooting sports will have lots of different guns. It really is a matter of the right tool for the job.

[oneshooter]

67. I shoot most of these, plus BPCR 200-1000 yds. n/t

[RSillsbee]

46. In 2000 My former S I L went to prison for 7 years

On a drug charge. My daughter had to disappear for several years and she left my grandson w/ DW and I. We fought S I L for custody after he got out of prison. During the proceedings he went back to prison and lost custody permanently.

He blames my wife and I for both. He has also sworn vengeance on my daughter for "keeping his kids from him" (because the meth had nothing to do w/ it). He was suspected of several murders both in and out of prison

Long story short:

I am armed 24 /7/ 365. My wife is armed as well we also keep spare guns about the house. There are at least five guns in the room I am in right now, all loaded and ready to go

You want to talk "need' to me?

[PhillySane]

54. No, sounds like you do need them.

[spin]

69. You sound like my ex-wife who would bitch every time I bought another firearm...

then she would run out and buy more shoes.

[PhillySane]

70. Both can be deadly

that is, if you have a shoe/foot fetish kind of thing going on.

[Drale]

6. It seems like people in this country

seem to do things for no other reason then they can. Whether it is some guy standing in the crowd at the taste of chicago telling everyone "your going to hell and your going to hell", or people buying a assault rifle just because they are allowed to own one.

[guitar man]

26. Not very many people own assault rifles

Just about any assault rifle will set you back well ove $10k and a lot ate over $20k. Then there's the application process, the extensive background check, the long wait, the tax stamp and so on and so forth. Owning something that will fire full auto is a very expensive proposition, and there are only so many to go around since no assault rifles made after 1986 may be added to the civilian registry.

[PhillySane]

33. But you can still do alot of damage with

the semi-auto versions right? What do they have, 30 rounds? You can practically shootem off just as fast as auto right?

[hack89]

51. They are still expensive and are rarely used in crimes.

there is more myth and hyperbole behind the threat of assault weapons than actual facts.

[guitar man]

56. You don't need a semi auto "assault weapon"

To "do a lot of damage". I've got a Remington 870 pump with a "18 barrel. Loaded with 00 buckshot I guarantee, in the right hands it could make a bigger mess in a shorter time than a lot of the scary looking black "assault weapons" out there. Simple old pump shotgun.

[Katya Mullethov]

68. A Remngton 1100 FUDD shotgun with 8 round magazine

Will send 72 balls in 4 1/2 seconds . Mrs Mullethov fave for outside work .

If anybody is going to the SHOT show , here is Jim Zumbos info if you want to stop by and get your copy of "A Good Life" autographed ,fart in his booth , whatever .


Booth: Outdoor Channel Executive Suite - Level 2 Bassano Room #2601 Event Type: Celebrity in your booth If Other: Autograph Signing
Appearance: Friday January 21st
Appearance Time: 1PM - 2PM
Location: NSSF Booth - Sands Level 2 Lobby Booth #L22

[hack89]

11. Since gun deaths are steadily falling

what's the big deal? Appears to me that there are millions of law abiding gun owners that represent absolutely no threat to anyone.

[PhillySane]

20. I'm just thinking

this gun craze has really caught fire. Do you like shooting them, or is just having them enough?

[RSillsbee]

34. This gun craze has really caught fire.

And do you know what the spark was? A whole bunch of politicians who had stated at various times that they wanted to ban guns got elected.

President Obama is not a stupid man. Do you notice that he has not said one word about guns since this shooting occurred? He knows that gun control is a dead issue that will cost Dems votes and seats in the house.

Keep pushing gun bans if you want to see the Wasilla Chillbillies living on Pennsylvania avenue next year

[PhillySane]

49. Oh I know about them.

But, are there any gun laws (any at all?) that make sense to you? Just askin'.

[RSillsbee]

58. There are gun laws that make sense to me

I don't think convicted violent felons should have guns

I think violent crimes (regardless of weapon used) need to be punished severely, as in life means life.

Other than that I push for no restrictions. Not because I think we should have no restrictions but because the antis are pushing for no guns and I believe they will take every inch we give them.

I'd like to see the repeal of NFA. Machine guns aren't used in crimes anyway and I'd like to see Vermont carry (which criminals already have) coast to coast.

[PhillySane]

65. What's Vermont carry?

Did Dean have something to do with this?

[RSillsbee]

79. Vermont does not require a permit of any kind to legally carry a weapon

Concealed or not if you can legally own it you can carry at your discretion

[PavePusher]

85. Vermont carry dates back to the adoption of the state Constitution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_(by_state)#Vermont

http://www.handgunlaw.us/

Their carry law has been essentially copied by Alaska and Arizona, with strong movements to do so in other states.

Why not? It's worked well for them for over 200 years.

[hack89]

42. It caught fire in 1994. Care to venture a guess why? nt

[PhillySane]

53. Yes, I know why...

people were afraid there wouldn't be any. But, outside of the fact that you couldn't shoot for fun, if there weren't any at all (I mean none, zero, zip), nobody at all had one, would that be okay?

[hack89]

55. No - it won't be ok

I don't feel the need to surrender any of my civil rights because you are afraid. I represent no threat to anyone regardless of how many guns I own.

[PhillySane]

59. I'm not afraid.

Besides, everyone dies in the end. I just try to imagine things. Like, no guns. I keep thinking about all the kids who get killed by them. It doesn't seem fair. And I know that truly responsible people have nothing to do with those deaths. Just that, responsibility isn't forced on anyone when it comes to guns. Its still a matter of choice.

[guitar man]

71. Even if you could

Even if you could repeal the 2nd amendment, round up every gun in the country and melt them down, they would be back, very shortly. Watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpURk1E3Q9c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[beevul]

82. Not to mention...

The cost of confiscating and destroying 300 MILLION firearms...

How high?

Just in terms of the actual monetary cost of confiscating and destroying them.

[guitar man]

84. Exactly

If this country ever did actually repeal the 2nd and decide to come get them, I damn sure wouldn't let them go for free. I'd have an inventory sheet with fair market value of everything I owned and they could pay up or fuck off. That's as fair as I could ever be about that, if they think they could send cops to my door to remove property without paying for it... At that point I'd consider them armed thugs and would treat them as such.

[beevul]

87. Not a matter of reimbursement.

I'll defer to the wise words of the fictional character Tony Stark:

"You want my property? You can't have it!"

[guitar man]

88. Yes

Not for sale at any price. I was just playing devils advocate for a minute there. ;)

[PavePusher]

86. Ignoring the cost of the resulting Civil War... n/t

[hack89]

90. Is responsibility forced on anyone when it comes to cars? Drinking?

drunken drivers kill just as many people as guns. Do you imagine no alcohol? No cars? Or do you simply ignore all the kids that get killed by them?

[RSillsbee]

60. You can't uninvent guns

I have never made a firearm in my life but I am a reasonably competent machinist. I could make an AK full auto in about a week. After making the first I could probably knock out 2 or three a day limited only by my production capacity.

You can't go back

[PhillySane]

61. You'd be a good person to know

when the shit hits the fan.

[RSillsbee]

62. When the shit hits the fan

it will be too late if you don't have one you won't get one

[PhillySane]

66. Well I meant...

you could make them. If I knew you, you could make me one. When the shit hits the fan.

[RSillsbee]

73. My point is

When the shit hits the fan there likely won't be electricity to run the machines (ala Katrina)

Also as we just saw over the last 2 years if enough people get scared ammuntion becomes very scarce. Before most Wal marts limited quantities of ammunition sold people used to wait for the ammuntion truck to come in and buy every thing on it. They then doubled the price and resold it or simply hoarded it.

Just in the few days since the shooting in Tucson highcapacity Glock magazines have vanished off the shelves.

[PhillySane]

74. I find that fascinating

Why are people buying all the glock shit up?

[RSillsbee]

77. Because the knee jerk antis are screaming "ban"

You should have walked into a gun shop the day after Obama got elected guy. My local gun shop had people that had never owned a gun ever lined up to the walls buying anything they could get.

Gooogle "the great toilet paper shortage" some time

[PhillySane]

78. Is that because they thought he would ban them

or for protection, or both? He never said he would ban anything.

[RSillsbee]

80. President Obama has many sterling qualities

His stand on gun control isn't one of them. He voted for every gun restriction that came across his desk as a senator and he has stated that he would ban concealed carry nation wide if he would.

The fact that the Democratic platform still calls for a permanent reinstatement of the AWB doesn't help either

[spin]

76. Shooting is a great hobby ...

there are many different types of shooting to develop an interest in. Target shooting is extremely challenging and is a sport women can easily beat men in. Some shooting sports are great fun like Cowboy Action Shooting where people dress up in outfits similar to the days of the Old West. And guess what, there are no assault weapons.

One of the unique aspects of SASS approved Cowboy Action Shooting™ is the requirement placed on costuming. Each participant is required to adopt a shooting alias appropriate to a character or profession of the late 19th century, a Hollywood western star, or an appropriate character from fiction. Their costume is then developed accordingly. Many event participants gain more enjoyment from the costuming aspect of our sport than from the shooting competition, itself. Regardless of a SASS member's individual area of interest, SASS events provide regular opportunities for fellowship and fun with like-minded folks and families.





http://www.sassnet.com/About-What-is-SASS-001A.php

[lawodevolution]

48. The people who bought those guns do not need to explain their reason or express

any need.

[krispos42]

89. And homicides are down 7.1% compared to last year

Heh heh heh...