Gun Owners in America

Ever wondered what some gun owners are thinking?  I do.  

Here is my full list of firearms:

Taurus Model 85 - 3" in 38 Special (Revolver)

Taurus PT-111 Millennium G2 in 9mm (Semi-Auto)

JM Stamped Marlin 336 in 30-30 Win (Lever Action)

Cheap ass Mossberg 12ga (Pump)

Ruger SR22, for my wife (Semi-Auto)

This is what I like to think of as a collection of guns.  A very small collection at that.  I keep wondering why people want to own an arsenal instead of a collection.  I know several people that have an arsenal of 10+ guns in their home.  I still don't really understand why they have so many.  I also don't get why they won't admit that most of them are toys.

 

--------------------------

Are you paranoid and think you're going to need to have a handgun in every single room of your home?  Are you really planning on using that AR for home defense?  Do you think zombies are real?  Do you think an angry mob is coming after you for something?  Are you seriously worried about needing to shoot someone at 300 yards?  A shotgun for home defense?

Those seem like pretty dumb questions, right?  I've heard all of those, except for the zombies, as excuses for owning way too many guns.  My answer for all of these is people are ridiculous and idiotic.  Are ya really thinking this stuff?  Surely you're being sarcastic!

The Paranoid Guy:  

 

This dude seems to think that he's going to get his home invaded, in the middle of the day, on a Saturday, while he's dozed off on the couch in the den.  He also thinks he's going to get robbed at 2:30 in the morning, when he gets up for a piss.  Or, maybe someone is going to come steal his pots and pans while his wife is making dinner.  So, as a result of this, he has a gun hidden in every single room of the house, even in the bathroom.  

 

This guy probably needs to be evaluated by a mental health professional.  I say guy because I've never heard of a woman being this paranoid.

The AR Home Defense Guy/Girl:

This person really just seems to be trying to justify owning an AR-15 in 223, or 9mm pistol.  He's the one that's been posting questions on forums about ammo that won't go through the walls of his apartment because he's gonna use his AR for home defense.  He's not going to use his AR for home defense.  He's going to take his AR to the range every chance he gets.  He's also going to keep "moddin' it" every time he has any spare cash.  He's never going to use this thing in a home invasion.  

 

It's a toy, made to shoot at 50-100 yards.

 

The Angry Mob Guy:

Have you been a complete and total asshole to a very large group of violent people?  Do you really think anyone cares enough about you to want to charge your house, out in the middle of fucking nowhere in Idaho?  No matter how much of a douche you've been, they're not likely to send an army of people after you.  I've never heard of a woman who thinks this one.

 

The 300 Yards Guy:

 

You don't need an AR-10, chambered in .308.  You're never going to need to shoot someone at 300 yards.  Just take that thing and use for deer and hog hunting.  It's actually pretty capable there.  You're probably never going to use it for that, you're just going to take it to the "MF'n range!" and show it off to your buddies while y'all have a circle jerk.

 

Admit that you're the proud owner of a really expensive, cool looking, toy.

 

Home Defense Shotgun:

 

Really now?  Why do you think that you're going to be able to get your 12 gauge up to your shoulder, or even to your thigh, fast enough to shoot it?  That's not going to happen.  Then you think you're going to use Buckshot?!?!  Buckshot is going to cause a ton of collateral damage!  A slug would cause even more damage.  Shotguns aren't for home defense, you fucking moron!  .  Please, please, please don't attempt to use this thing for home defense.  You're going to seriously hurt a neighbor, roommate, spouse, or you own kid.  

 

I've seen what a .410 will do versus a wall.   It was a bird shot load, at about 3 or 4 feet.  It went straight through the internal, and external wall of the house.  You could see light through the hole.  Imagine what a 12 gauge will do?  A weapon like that is NOT intended for close range.  This isn't a movie.  Put your shotgun in the cabinet and don't even think about using it to defend your home.

Just tell the wife that you bought the shotgun to feel like a badass when you pump the action. 

 

Mostly, I see these people as just trying to justify why they've spent thousands of dollars on toys.

--------------

So, what are my guns actually for?  I'll break them down.

The Taurus Model 85:  

This was the first handgun I ever purchased.  I honestly bought it because I'd moved from a smallish town to the city and was living in an area where people might get mugged, at least that the excuse I used.  I really bought it because it looked like the revolver that Walker, Texas Ranger carried.  No joke.

It's actually very capable.  Having a 3" barrel means it's a little more accurate than the average .38 Snubby.  I changed the grip on it to a nice Hogue, which decreased the recoil and made it easier for me to hold it.   It's a revolver so, it's very much uncomplicated.  No jams, FTE, etc.  Taurus does lifetime warranty for all firearms they make.  It can be concealed, but it's a little too big. 

The Taurus PT-111 G2:

This is the second handgun I ever purchased.  This thing was purchased because it was not actually possible to get your CHL in Texas with a 5 shot weapon.  That changed right after I purchased it.  I bought another Taurus because of the lifetime warranty, and the insanely good reviews of the G2.  I also didn't want to spend Glock money.

This weapon is designed as an EDC.  It's got really good sights on top.  It holds 12+1.  It's also the same size as a Glock 26/27, so it's very easy to carry.  The grip feels good in the hand, think fine grit sandpaper.  It's still heavy enough that it doesn't have a ton of recoil when you take it to the range.  

 

I've seriously put thousands of rounds through it.  It's eaten, and spit out, every single shell I've ever given it, except for a single FTE.  I think that FTE was my own limp wrist.  One complaint is that my wife's hands are a little too small for it.  This is the most reliable handgun I've ever heard of.  I've recommended the newer G2c and G3c to lots of people.  I even recommended the full-size G3 to someone in Police Academy so he didn't have to spend Glock money.

The Marlin 30-30:

This is the only gun I've purchased in the last three years.  We bought it from an online auction.  It's for hunting, that's all.  My reason for buying it is that I'm left-eye dominant and a lever action is easy for a lefty to shoot.  It's very hard to find an affordable left-handed hunting rifle.  I also managed to get a really good deal because I bought it in the Spring instead of Fall, so there was very little demand.

This weapon certainly wasn't new.  I looked up the SN and found that it's a 1997 model, and was made by before Remington purchased Marlin (hence the JM stamp).  I didn't know anything about Remington buying Marlin when I bought it.  It was just a good deal.  The only changes I've made are replacing the super cheap 2X scope with a 3-9x50 Bushnell and putting a nice leather carry strap.  It's very accurate, and perfect for hunting anything up to a Moose.  I'm most likely going to hunt White Tail Deer and Wild Hogs. 

Mossberg 8000 12ga:

This is the first firearm I ever personally owned.  I think it's the cheapest pump action shotgun that Mossberg makes.  I paid $100, in a private sale.  It's a synthetic stock.  Again, I'm a lefty and a pump is easier for me to shoot.  Again, lefty shotguns are very hard to find, without spending a ton of money. 

So, I bought this thing strictly for the purpose of clay shooting.  It's done lots of that since 2010.  I've even used it to dove hunt 2-3 times.  The only change I made was putting a green dot sight on the front.  That didn't seem to really matter.  I'm pretty good at clay shooting.  The best I've managed was an 85/100 in manual trap.  I've never tried auto trap.  This gun is completely worn out.  It's had the pins that hold the pump handle on replaced twice.  It's started having difficulty ejecting due to the little ejector pin thingy being worn down some.  Someday, I'll replace it, probably with another Mossberg 8000.

Ruger SR22:

This is actually my wife's.  She paid for it.  She did the FFL transfer, in her name.  The SR22 is a plinking pistol.  We bought it because she doesn't like shooting my 9mm, or 38, but she wanted to go have fun at the range sometimes.

Any mods?  

Nope.  No reason to mod a plinker.

 

Is it reliable?  

Nope, it's a 22LR.  22 ammo is some of the dirtiest ammo you can find.  The weapon  misfires a lot.  It also has a lot of FTE and FTF.  This is all normal for a 22LR pistol. 

 

Is it fun to shoot?  

Very much so.  It has almost no recoil.  It's not all that loud.  It's extremely accurate.  Both of us really enjoy plinking with it. I'd definitely use it to introduce someone to firing a handgun.

 

Does she like it?  

Yup. She loves it.

 

Is this for self-defense?  

Certainly not.  A 22LR is way too small of a bullet to be effective in a self-defense situation.  The only real effect it would have is scaring someone off.  She's probably not going to be able to shoot someone in the eye with the thing so, the round is going to hit the first bone it sees and stop.

 

Would I ever want her to carry it?  

Hell no.  We've discussed this at length.  If she ever decided to get an LTC, she'd be getting a .380, probably a Taurus Spectrum.

Notice that all of these have a purpose?  I don't see the point in owning a gun that doesn't have a purpose, even if that purpose is just for fun.  I'll admit that the 12ga and SR22 are just for range fun.

-----------------

Do I plan to buy more guns?  

 

At some point, I'll replace my 12ga due to it being tired.  As stated, I'd probably buy the same make and model that I currently have, since it's just a range toy.  I might replace it next year, if I could find a place to bird hunt.  I don't have time/money to clay shoot very often anymore.

 

I've thought about buying a lever action 22LR, just because it sounds like it would be fun.  I'd probably justify it as a good way to introduce my son to guns, when he's older.  I'd probably also have to explain to my wife that it's a range toy.  If I had some property, I'd say something like "It's for scaring off the coyotes..."  

I've thought about buying a .410 lever action, but I'll probably never buy it.  My 30-30 can do everything I've thought I'd use the .410 for.  It would be for deer hunting.

I'll probably never buy/build an AR.  I think they're dumb.

I'll probably never spend  the money for something like an Remington 700 ADL and really fancy scope.  My 30-30 is more than capable.

 

I might buy a .25-06 someday.  I'd need to be going hunting in a situation where I'll be making more than 100-150 yard shot.  I don't like the ballistic data on the .30-06.  

I'll buy my kid a hunting rifle, when he gets old enough.  Probably a 30-30, maybe a 243.  That kind of depends on whether or not he's a lefty.  He's not old enough to tell yet.  He's still not likely to get a super fancy scope.

 

I don't like the risk of a bad hit with .22-250, .223, etc.  I've killed a deer with a .22-250. I actually managed to do it perfectly.  It hit just behind the shoulder.  So, the round went through both lungs and didn't really cause any meat damage.  He ran in about a 20 foot circle then fell over.  I waited about a minute before walking up on him.  I'm very surprised that I was able to hold steady enough to do that.

-------------------

I guess the point here is this:  If you're going to own a bunch of guns, just admit that you're obsessed and they're toys, just like buying a bunch of model trains.  That doesn't mean you should buy a new gun instead of buying groceries for your family. 

Coronavirus

 So, you think Corona virus isn't all the big of a deal?  You've decided to go on vacation anyway?  You're wrong.  The United States could do a lot better. 

My own family doesn't seem to believe that this is a big deal.  My own mother went to Winstar for a weekend.  Most of my more distant family have all gone to the beach at some point in the last few months.  Even a few of them went to Florida?  Really?  What the fuck are you thinking?

I guess it's not real surprising that the family full of Trump fans would think that a bunch of science nerds can't tell them what to do.  They refuse to do things like wear masks.  They keep posting that this virus is made up.  They keep saying that they're not going to get sick because they're in small towns.

My wife and I stopped trying to even plan any kind of trips this summer about March.  We both looked at the numbers and decided that the year 2020 is going to be a waste of money for that kind of stuff.  Some of my family has done the same, but not near all of them.  Her family didn't seem to give a damn.  I saw them going to the coast, or going out of state, etc all summer.

What's worse than this is that they're going to things like Trump Rallies.  Mine went to "Trump Boat Parades" today.  Hers went to Oklahoma City to a rally.  They're all getting way too close to strangers.  None of them seem to be wearing masks in public.  Why?  

Why do small town people not believe in science?  What is it about their raising that makes them think "That's a buncha bullshit..." when someone tries to tell them that they're putting themselves, and others, in danger by going out in public all the time?  I see several of my Facebook friends saying similar things.  They're almost all from small towns in Texas, or very much Republican places, like Tennessee.  So, is it that they're from Republican areas?  Maybe.

The parts of my family, with higher education, that live in the cities, seem to think more like I do.  I think the largest town for my Republican family is something like 20K people.  Do I know that the people in the cities are Democrats?  Not really.  I've never asked.  I don't really care what their political affiliations are.  I'm only guessing because they're not posting "MAGA".  

Do I know that my family in the country are Republicans?  Yup.  I see way too much Trump love.  They all seem to want to remove "those damn foreigners" and think anyone who has to have public assistance is a "freeloader" or a "lazy ass", etc. I remember one of my uncles saying that people with any kind of intellectual disabilities should all be shot.  Why do they think that way?  It's part of the indoctrination of living in a small town.  They also tend to hate anyone who isn't white, protestant and straight.  This isn't just Texas, it's all over the United States. 

Now, with this said, can you accept that someone might know what they're talking about when they ask you to wear a mask?  Can you at least accept that you're protecting others by wearing a mask and do them a favor?  Do you think you'd die of Corona virus if someone sneezed on you because they weren't wearing a mask?  I know some of my family would die.

 

Would you even know if you had Corona virus?  Possibly not.  You're not the type to want to go to get yourself tested.  You think "it's a little cold."  You then go around anyone with a respiratory condition, they probably will die.   What part of this doesn't make sense?  Do you just not care?  

Here is a list of people who would be at a high risk of death if they were to contract Coronavirus:

 

Click here:  From the CDC

 

Oh wait, that link was from the CDC.  President Trump says they're bad...

Our president doesn't seem to understand that this disease is an issue.  That seems to make a bunch of others think that it's not all the dangerous.  Being a Republican, my family seems to think the president isn't going to say anything that isn't true.  

 

Trump talks bad about everyone that isn't Trump.  He talks shit about veterans.  He calls people losers.  Trump has been making fun of war heroes and POWs for a very long time now.  Trump doesn't care if they're a member of his party or not.  He thinks they're loser and idiots.  Read up on the things he said about John McCain, who was a Republican.  Trump hates everyone.

Why?!?!  Why in the bloody fuck do you care if a Democrat or Republican said something?  Why can't you just believe the science and numbers behind it?  You keep trying to say that it's all been faked.  You keep trying to tell people that masks aren't helping.  You keep wanting to just go about your day like nothing is wrong in the world.  Just because no one in your tiny little town of 1000 people has been confirmed to have Coronavirus doesn't mean that you're safe.  There's a reason I don't go around people.  I don't want to risk infecting someone in the event that someone infected me.

Please, for the sake of others, stop doing this.  Stay home.  Don't put yourself, or others, at risk.  Listen to the city people for once.  Don't try to dismiss what the scientists said.  Just think about others and help us get through this in a timely manner.

I know you're not listening but, I had to try.  Thanks...

You're an Atheist? I'll pray for you...

 I don't hear that very much anymore.  It was more when I lived in a small town.  I also just don't tell people about my religious affiliations.  I don't feel like it's important.  The problem is that I live in Texas.

 

My side of the family all believe in god, but don't really go to church (except my mom).  My wife's side of the family are a mix of Pentecostal and Assembly of God.  Her grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc go to church every time the doors open.  Some of them even go to a Bible College instead of one of the many fine Trade Schools and Universities in Texas.  My wife probably qualifies for as an Agnostic.  

Why did I choose this way?  I don't think I need religion to help me be a good person.  I can explain how/why everything written up in the holy books happened.  I can go into intricate detail about most of it. I can probably even recite the entire Eucharist, from memory.  I grew up Episcopalian.  

Well, I believe in Science way too much to have a faith.  I don't think god had anything to do with how we went to the moon, advances in medicine, making better cars, giving the word access to the internet, or anything else.  Human ingenuity did all of this.  There is no god.

Does this mean I hate anyone who is religious?  No.  I have no right to pass judgement on people for believing in something.  They might think being a Christian makes them a good person.  They might think that living a clean life, not drinking and not dressing provocatively keeps Allah happy with them.  They may also just be hypocrites who drink and fuck around every Friday and Saturday then go to Church on Sunday to tell people how to live their lives.  I really just don't care.  

Politics can be fun, no matter how much you hate them and try to avoid.  The moment someone finds out that I don't believe in a higher power, they pass several judgements on me.  The most common is that I'm "Un-American."  How American could I get?  I'm proud of our military.  I support the police.  I'm listening to an "Old Country" radio station right now.

What sounds like I'm not a bad American?  Our country was founded on the belief that religion and government shouldn't mix.  The reason for this was how fucked up the English government was due to the the monarchs worrying about God and church.  Most of our founding fathers were Deist, Agnostic or Atheist.  This wasn't supposed to be a "Christian Country."  A Christian Country turns into a bunch of assholes hating anyone that isn't Christian.  We've been to war over this a few times.  Why can't we just all leave each other alone when it comes to our faith, or lack of one?

 

I talked myself out of joining the Army at 18 due to 9-11 and not wanting to go to Afghanistan.  This was one of the deciding factors in making me an Atheist.  I saw a bunch of Arab Extremists attacking the U.S. over religious beliefs.  My family all responded by openly trash talking anyone who was Arab.  I even participated a little.  I remember thinking before saying something ignorant "Wait.  This isn't how to handle this.  Stop."  I haven't said anything mean about Arabs since then.   Several years later, I remembered that while trying to decide that leaving my religious beliefs behind was the right thing to do.  

About 10 years ago, maybe a little less, I attended a military funeral in my home town.  I didn't go inside, but I was there to help form a wall of people to keep a group of Christian Extremists out.  They'd planned to picket because "God Hates Soldiers!"  There were several hundred of us showed to do this.  I might have been the only Atheist in the crowd.  I didn't go because I felt it was "God's Work" to keep Westboro Baptist Church from bothering this poor kid's family and friends.  I went because it's the right thing to do.  I went to honor a fallen soldier.  WBC didn't bother to show up, despite posting on their website that they'd be there.  

Are Westboro Baptist Church and the Taliban the same thing?  Yes.  They're both racist, prejudice, people who hate others for no the same reason.  If you look at their beliefs, it's pretty much identical, except for using the word God instead of Allah.  WBC is "Un-American."  I'm not...

 

So, do you know an Atheist, Agnostic, etc?  Did someone come out of the "No God Closet" to you?  What did you say to them?  Did you offer to pray for them?  It's a nice sentiment, but, from personal experience, it makes them uncomfortable.  

 

They don't want or need your prayers.  They don't want or need you to tell them about Jesus, Moses or Muhammad.  As long as they're not being a dick about how they told you, just leave them alone and let them live their life.  If they're being a dick, think for a sec.  "Are you a dick to them and constantly trying to tell them about your faith until they got sick of it?"  If so, stop doing that.  If they're just being a dick, tell them not to be a dick.

Did learning that your friend, whom you've known for years and years, doesn't believe in God make you want to no longer associate with them?  That makes you a bad person for not accepting others.  I'm lucky enough that none of my friends try to push their beliefs on me and, out of respect, I don't push my lack of beliefs on them.  What people want to believe is their business.

Wanna know something funny?  Muhammad was once the most common name in the world.  It might still be.  It's also kind of nice to get to sleep in on Sunday, or go get pancakes while everyone is in church.

Thanks for listening,

The Atheist, Gun Owning, Bambi Eating, Slightly Democratic Guy Next Door.

Me vs Guns, Family, Politics, and Living in Texas

 So, I'm an oddity in my family.  I think I'm the only one that doesn't like Donald Trump.  I lean just barely to the left of center.  People say I'd be a Libertarian.  I looked into it.  I dislike too much of what they think.  I guess you'd call me a Slight Democrat.    

-------------------

Does this political affiliation really matter?  Do I still get along with my family?  Do I still have friends?  Do I hate everyone that wants to do anything related to hunting, fishing, shooting, etc?  

In order:  

Depends on who I'm talking to.  I don't actually discuss my political views with all that many people.  I don't think it's right to force my beliefs on others.  I also, generally, don't worry about what's going on with the government.

 

I don't discuss politics with the family, but I don't really get along with most of them due to differing opinions on lots of stuff.  I'm different than a lot of them.  They're slow to adopt technology.  They don't like replacing things.  I even tend to be an asshole when it comes to them not wanting to buy a new phone every couple of years or some of them still having a CRT TV.  So, in the last couple of years, I've just stopped trying and I don't talk to them very often.  I'm more likely to talk to my mom and brother than anyone else.

 

Yep, I have a couple of friends.  Back to politics.  They're Texans, so they tend to like Trump and the Republican Party.  I don't like politics, and we're all adults, so we can still get along, hang out together, etc without talking about it.

 

Did I mention that I'm from Texas?  I grew up eating a lot of wild meat.  I've shot my fair share of dove, even a couple of deer.  I can tell you a whole bunch of ways to cook a big hunk of Bambi.  I own a hunting rifle, a shotgun and two handguns.  I'd love to be able to go deer hunting this fall, but I can't afford it.  I've even sent in the paperwork for my CHL/LTC.  I should have that back in the next week or two.

So, how does a Trump Hater live in Texas?  It's not hard.  I live in the city, I work for a company that dislikes the guy.  I married a woman that shares my thoughts and beliefs on him.  I actually see him as a racist idiot.  

 

Oh, I'm an Atheist, too. We'll discuss not believing in a higher power in Texas later.

You'd be surprised how many times in a day I see something posted to Facebook about the election.  I've put most of my family on snooze for the last few months to keep from seeing annoying things like "Kamala is an abortion supporter." and "MAGA".  I also snooze people that post anything Democrat.  I just don't really like the idea of the two party system.  I even closed my FB account for the final week of election season in 2016.  I might do the same thing this year.

 

I'm not an anarchist...

 

---------

"Why do you hate Trump so much?"  I've been asked that before and it's pretty simple.  Donald Trump sees me as inconsequential for a few reasons:

1.  Most importantly, I'm not rich.

2.  I'm not a racist.

3.  I'm a firm believer in Science.

With those three things in mind, I disagree with just about everything he's said in the last few months.  I understand the need to wear a mask when I go out in public and don't think it's a violation of my rights.  I also agree that it's okay for the city to have a policy stating that it's required.  I follow this policy.  I support my local government in this decision.  

I think his policies on immigration are akin to human rights violations.  Who in their right fucking mind thinks it's okay to separate a parent and child and keep them apart for months on end while you decide whether you want to deport them or not?  You know what this causes?  It causes a bunch of sad and crying kids...  Would you think this was the right way to handle this situation if they were white instead of  Hispanic???  I can't believe that anyone thought this was right, much less our president. 

He tries to dismiss anything scientific.  He denies that climate change is a thing.  He doesn't care about how bad we treat our planet.  He doesn't believe the data, that quite clearly shows how our average temperature has gone up by, or things like the ice shelf melting in northern Canada and Greenland.  

He's terrible about foreign relations.  He used the term "shit hole countries".  That's not very diplomatic.  That's just hateful.  Have I mentioned that border wall yet?  Holy shit...  That's not really ever going to happen.  He keeps calling it "The China Virus..."

 

Do I worship Obama?  No...  I think he's a much better person than Trump.  I think his ideas of making healthcare affordable, stopping racism and investing in Science are a awesome.  As a person, I think he's amazing.  These are the parts of the Democratic Party that I like.  These are what make me lean slightly to the left.  It's not just Obama.  

 

------------

 

Do you care about any of this?  I don't know.  Don't actually care if you do or not.