Feedback What keeps you into 2A?

[Gawernator]

Bought my very first gun - SP-01 in November of '23, at the age of 45. Born and raised in USSR (that might explain allergic reaction to anything m and socialism) where guns were a big no-no to own by private citizens, and never really bother to care about them after immigrating to US in 1999. Fast forward to October 2023 when someone tried to break in through my front door on Friday night. Steel door held all the banging, and cops came pretty fast. Following days paid for the gun and signed up myself and my teenage boys for basic safety class.
Then autism began...2nd gun, 3rd gun and snowball of buying and selling, FFL03/COE two month later, CCW in less than a year. Haven't compete yet, feel like might be too old to start, but enjoy plinking and tinkering (probably even more then shooting).
So - self defense and fun, maybe sport one day

Моя мачеха тоже родом из СССР и категорически ненавидит социализм и коммунизм. К сожалению, на этом форуме можно увидеть людей, которые называют себя владельцами оружия, но голосуют против собственных прав. Мы даже не можем на это указать, чтобы люди не начали на нас злиться.


Она из Молдовы. И, кстати, у вас очень хороший английский.

 

[Z Arms LLC]

Guns are cool

 

[Bun_groker]

Wanting firearms for Self defense turned into servere autism

This. Wanted a gun for home defense, ended up with a 1911 because they're cool, now I'm a total loser when it comes to guns.

My priorities are as follows:

1. Shooting. I like getting in the zone, focusing, and improving the skill. It's meditative.
2. Tinkering. Modifying, cleaning, just doing with my hands in general. Used to do this with cars and watches but they can both be a pain in the ass in different ways, guns are an easier way to scratch the same itch.
3. Reloading. This is nearly tied for #2, I love messing around with my machines. Cleaning and sorting brass, testing new loads, I love everything about it except for trimming rifle brass because that sucks.
4. Research / history / design. I love learning in general and guns give something for my undiagnosed ADHD and autism to focus on. Again, I used to do this with cars and watches, but guns are more fulfilling more me these days.

 

[grandpapeepap]

grew up with my pops owning a shotgun and pistol, and my grandpa having revolvers with speed loaders and his grandpas old 3030 style rifle, best friends dad across the street had a pre AWB ar15 that they took me to shoot a few times. Then got my own pistol when i moved out and couldnt access old mans shotgun for defense. greatly expanded what i was into in regards with firearms when i saw the writing on the wall pre 16 election and having my daughter and multiple people telling me she should be purged for being a drain on resources and causing a productive member of the work force to leave. More recently the richest man called people like her the "parasite class" so im sure my feelings on the writing on the wall were correct about the way of the world

 

[Gawernator]

grew up with my pops owning a shotgun and pistol, and my grandpa having revolvers with speed loaders and his grandpas old 3030 style rifle, best friends dad across the street had a pre AWB ar15 that they took me to shoot a few times. Then got my own pistol when i moved out and couldnt access old mans shotgun for defense. greatly expanded what i was into in regards with firearms when i saw the writing on the wall pre 16 election and having my daughter and multiple people telling me she should be purged for being a drain on resources and causing a productive member of the work force to leave. More recently the richest man called people like her the "parasite class" so im sure my feelings on the writing on the wall were correct about the way of the world

What was the firearms market like during the Great Depression?

 

[Gallowglass]

Grew up around firearms and went shooting often enough that I was familiar and comfortable around them. Like most Zoomers, I also grew up playing COD which only increased my familiarity with guns. Metal Gear, Fallout, and other fps games gave me an appreciation for weapons in general.

Once I had become an adult, I started taking the 2nd a lot more seriously with regard to self defense. My own philosophies also somewhat push me to support the bearing of arms in general.

 

[exnds]

What was the firearms market like during the Great Depression?

Great if your name was John Dillinger or Pretty Boy Floyd back when machine guns we’re legal.

 

[grandpapeepap]

What was the firearms market like during the Great Depression?

 

[Gawernator]

View attachment 212932

LOL

 

[FTSheartlesssYo]

Never grew up with firearms and only shot a few times as a kid. Main exposure was in the Corps. So I was always gonna buy a few firearms in my later life but it happened sooner when I got out and was looking for a job. Did security work but armed guard payed more, so I rented every gun at oak tree before buying my first gun. Now I have a decent collection and train monthly.

I wish I got into it a lot earlier. If I had known about the Cali laws I would have bought everything I wanted while I was in North Carolina.

 

[Gravel]

Starting shooting clay pigeons at 20 years old with a bunch of buddies, did some dove and chukkar hunting, got a couple revolvers..

Shooting has been a secondary hobby for 40 years. I’m not the guy who's 100% all in, but I’ve never stopped shooting fairly regularly.

 

[john_marsten_1873]

80% defense -> 10% sportsman -> 10% hobby (gunsmithing)

Just about 1.5 years since I bought my first firearm. Previously, shot .22 rifles at BSA summer camp, also static range a handful of times but that was over 20 years ago. Before last year, never shot rapid fire or drew from a holster.

Started off thinking anything besides defensive use is unacceptable and became a hypocrite (and broke) in the process.

Also, the community and local clubs have been pretty awesome - met/meeting a lot of great folks. The online world is certainly different but I’d hope that this could ultimately be a place where we can build more bridges.

But it has all the components to drain my bank accounts: actual utility, skill based learning, continuous improvement, cognitive challenges (stage planning, scenarios…), and upgrades/fixing stuff.

 

[Wolkenflieger]

Welcome to the gun autism brother

Thanks, and given that my girlfriend thinks I'm on the spectrum, you might be more correct than you know...or than I know!

 

[GeeQ87]

Thanks, and given that my girlfriend thinks I'm on the spectrum, you might be more correct than you know...or than I know!

I think that’s women talk for not understanding men. My wife swears I’ve got the tism, she may be right lmao

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Grew up in a gun free home. But my uncle was a big collector. History was my favorite subject. Always knew as soon as I was living on my own and had a good job I would start collecting all the firearms I wanted. Due to extreme CA gun laws over the past decades Ive had to buy a lot more guns and ammo than I otherwise would have, to acquire what I wanted before it became too expensive or just impossible. I pity those that have just started exercising their 2A right since COVID. I also cherish this right since it is so special and unique. One day private ownership of any firearm whatsover will be outlawed. Its just a matter of when not if. Demographics are changing rapidly and not in our favor. Eventually the balance of the SCOTUS will be tilted hardcore left. And what little progress that has been made will be reversed and then some. Our country as we know it now will be completely unrecognizable, and not in a good way. I just hope this happens after Im gone or close to it.

 

[Gawernator]

Thanks, and given that my girlfriend thinks I'm on the spectrum, you might be more correct than you know...or than I know!

I think that’s women talk for not understanding men. My wife swears I’ve got the tism, she may be right lmao

We all do these days

 

[joefrank64k]

I’ve been around guns my entire life. Dad, uncles, etc all had from one to many guns in their collections. I was gifted a double-barrel 20ga at age 12.

Eventually found myself in law enforcement. This was the early 90’s. Tried out and was accepted on my department’s SRT (Special Response Team). SRT was for high-risk search/arrest warrants and other special details. It was really tough to get in: physical fitness, weapons proficiency, mock scenarios for room clearing, breaching, etc. all had to be tip-top.

Got some of the most amazing training as a result of being accepted: SWAT school, MP5 operators course, training at Pendleton’s MOUT facility, sustainment training monthly, two weeks every year for team building/training/evaluating new equipment, fun trips to DERMO to go shopping (total no-go nowadays, haha!!), etc, etc. Too many to list.

This was the time of the ‘militarization’ of the police. We had MP5-SD’s (still my all-time favorite weapon), Colt CAR-15’s, Benelli M1 Super 90 SBS’s, 40mm launchers, NVG’s, the works. No, we didn’t shoot dogs, haha!! I’m a huge animal person. Some of the stuff I see these ‘tactical’ teams doing lately makes my stomach turn.

Had some really great times. Had some really rough times.

Great time memory: We were doing nighttime land nav as team building at Camp Roberts. They still had some M1 Abrams tanks there for training. We were told that they would be out there running and to be careful. We came over a ridge and saw one parked near a treeline. We thought it would be funny to sneak up on them. Joke was on us, haha!! When we got to the tank, the tankers were laughing their a**es off!! They had us in their weapons sights the entire time, haha!! Dumb-a** coppers thought they could put one over on a trained tank crew.

Got the C&R bug big time during the 90’s. A poster above said they were grateful to have seen it in CA. Me too, haha!! My first was a beautiful Swedish Mauser for $75. All sorts of others followed, along with stacks of ammo. So cheap I would’ve been dumb NOT to buy it, haha!!

Retired now (still in CA) and enjoying shooting on my property.

I’m a 2A absolutist. ‘Shall not be infringed’ and all that. No, I don’t want mentally deranged or dangerous/violent criminals to have weapons.

Related memory that just popped up: I was walking into a Great Western Show in Pomona and was interviewed by Wayne La Pierre. This was when CA was proposing the 10-round mag limit. I identified as law enforcement and he asked me “What can I tell the CA legislators about how regular line-level LE feels toward mag bans?” And I said, “Keeping my dad, mom, wife, son, etc from owning 11-round mags will do nothing to reduce crime. It will only make them more vulnerable.” I haven’t thought about that interaction in years, haha!!

Holy crap what a long post, haha!!

Tl;dr: Guns are cool. 2A FTW!!

 

[cobian1984]

Bought my very first gun - SP-01 in November of '23, at the age of 45. Born and raised in USSR (that might explain allergic reaction to anything m and socialism) where guns were a big no-no to own by private citizens, and never really bother to care about them after immigrating to US in 1999. Fast forward to October 2023 when someone tried to break in through my front door on Friday night. Steel door held all the banging, and cops came pretty fast. Following days paid for the gun and signed up myself and my teenage boys for basic safety class.
Then autism began...2nd gun, 3rd gun and snowball of buying and selling, FFL03/COE two month later, CCW in less than a year. Haven't compete yet, feel like might be too old to start, but enjoy plinking and tinkering (probably even more then shooting).
So - self defense and fun, maybe sport one day

I’m in my 40s and just shot my first USPSA matches within the last month. It’s never too late. BTW, my very first gun was also an SP-01. Great choice, if I do say so myself!

 

[No_glonks]

I’m in my 40s and just shot my first USPSA matches within the last month. It’s never too late. BTW, my very first gun was also an SP-01. Great choice, if I do say so myself!

Perhaps I can tag along one day

 

[RustyIron]

Also side poll... How long have you been into firearms?

The poll is discriminatory and ageist. It caters only to the young whippersnappers and newbies. To make the poll fair and equitable, you need a selection that says "50+ years."