Chick and guns

[Bikernereid]

Today I am going to an army ball and there is a shooting range event which I am hoping to take part in. I have always had a fear of guns and at a logical level I know it is not the gun that causes the harm, it is the person who is using the gun but they still freak me out. I was wondering if anyone else has this irrational (in some peoples minds) fear of guns or if anyone on here is really into gun and can explain why the love shooting.

[Usarka]

Your chances of being shot increase exponentially when there is a gun nearby.

[Bikernereid]

Luckily the guns don't have live ammunition but get what you are saying.

Your chances of being shot increase exponentially when there is a gun nearby.

[fireball]

i have no fear of guns, just respect there are ways to hold them and use them (just like err a man or woman?)

for me i love shooting because it helps with my co-ordination, having one eye has its disadvantages but its a skill and its fun!

[Bikernereid]

Did you ever have a fear of guns? My friends who I am going with all shoot so I know that I am going to be looked after but I am still very apprehensive. A friend of mine who also hated guns did a chairty shoot and came back so pumped up it freaked her out.

I can see the co-ordination argument but what other skills does it help to improve? Sorry if I sound like a div.

i have no fear of guns, just respect there are ways to hold them and use them (just like err a man or woman?)

for me i love shooting because it helps with my co-ordination, having one eye has its disadvantages but its a skill and its fun!

[deanohit]

Like you say, it's not the guns, its the person holding it.
But even still, while I'm not afraid of guns, I do get a little thrill when I handle one. (I know, gun-nut!)
It's like seeing a hot looking fast bike, the potential is there for great harm unless you handle it right.

[fireball]

Did you ever have a fear of guns? My friends who I am going with all shoot so I know that I am going to be looked after but I am still very apprehensive. A friend of mine who also hated guns did a chairty shoot and came back so pumped up it freaked her out.

I can see the co-ordination argument but what other skills does it help to improve? Sorry if I sound like a div.

i dont think i ever had a fear of guns... grew up with them (like bikes) always had one, and started learning about them at a young age.
started instructing slug gun shooting a couple of years ago.

as deano said its all about the person using it, and the safety procedures you use.

[Bikernereid]

So what is so thrilling about handling a gun? I know that bikes have the potential to cause harm but seeing a big sports bike only gives me the good butterfly feeling in the stomach it doesn't make want to run for the hills. I guess it might have something to do with not hearing a sportsbike and its rider killing numerous children in a school, if you get my drift.

Like you say, it's not the guns, its the person holding it.
But even still, while I'm not afraid of guns, I do get a little thrill when I handle one. (I know, gun-nut!)
It's like seeing a hot looking fast bike, the potential is there for great harm unless you handle it right.

[maxworldbiker]

This is a really good question. The gun debate rages on, around the world, and probably always will. I've grown up with guns, so they don't intimidate me at all and I have a few myself. For some people (even myself to an extent) there's something about the power felt by being in control of such a tiny little machine, to create total devastation with it if they choose to, without much physical effort. Thankfully most of us choose not to, and our fascination with guns is more about their actual capabilities, more than what we will realistically do with them! For me and my family its always been about the confidence you have (when you know how to operate your gun efficiently) in your ability to protect yourself against threat, the challenge of being able to go out and kill something wild to feed yourself if you need or want to, and keep pests under control in your environment.

Having said that, I really did enjoy playing with some of the hardware in my friend's arsenal while staying with him last year in the US. He lives in the dense woods of New Hampshire, where we didn't even CONSIDER wandering away from the house unarmed, especially at night, where bears and mountain lions routinely appear from out of nowhere, usually looking for food, and not particular about whether or not its human!

The AK47s were pretty good fun to play with, I have to admit, but there wasn't much thought of shooting anyone with them, except for maybe one particular kiwi shipping agent, but that's a whole 'nother story...

Hope the ball was fun.

[deanohit]

So what is so thrilling about handling a gun?

To tell you the truth, I don't know why it gives me a thrill, it's not a feeling of power or something stupid like that.
I am seriously nervous about travelling with my rifles as I have had some of my firearms stolen before (police said there was no fault on my part) and it's not some thing I want to go through again.

[Bikernereid]

I am amazed at how many people on here seem to have grown up with guns, is there a particular reason for this? I grew up in the country but have never come across guns at all. In NZ is it more people who grow up on farms who are into guns?

It does make me feel better to hear that so many people have such sensible attitudes towards guns and thier usage.

This is a really good question. The gun debate rages on, around the world, and probably always will. I've grown up with guns, so they don't intimidate me at all and I have a few myself. For some people (even myself to an extent) there's something about the power felt by being in control of such a tiny little machine, to create devastation with it if they choose to without much physical effort. Thankfully most of us choose not to, and our fascination with guns is more about their actual capabilities, more than what we will realistically do with them! For me and my family its always been about the confidence you have (when you know how to operate your gun efficiently) in your ability to protect yourself against threat, feed yourself if you need or want to, and keep pests under control in your environment.

[Bikernereid]

I always have wondered if there is a power, bad ass image to why some people start shooting. How did you get into shooting in the first place?

I can understand why you would not want to have your rifles pinched again but it is one of those things that you can't worry about too much. My car has the potential to be stolen and used for 'bad' things but I don't think about it or I would have sold it by now.

To tell you the truth, I don't know why it gives me a thrill, it's not a feeling of power or something stupid like that.
I am seriously nervous about travelling with my rifles as I have had some of my firearms stolen before (police said there was no fault on my part) and it's not some thing I want to go through again.

[deanohit]

I always have wondered if there is a power, bad ass image to why some people start shooting. How did you get into shooting in the first place?

I got into shooting because of hunting with family and mates, now I would rather shoot at a target as I like the feeling of skill when I shoot a tight group, but I do still hunt occaisionally.

[sAsLEX]

I am amazed at how many people on here seem to have grown up with guns, is there a particular reason for this? I grew up in the country but have never come across guns at all. In NZ is it more people who grow up on farms who are into guns?

It does make me feel better to hear that so many people have such sensible attitudes towards guns and thier usage.

Its the bloody rabbits you introduced! They require shooting!


No, I dont have a fear of weapons.... handy considering my occupation!

[Bikernereid]

Seems like hunting is quite a popular pastime/ necessity in NZ. Have a KB friend who also is into hunting. I guess that not many people in the UK hunt as we haven't got the same pest issues that you guys have. I must admit that when I saw pics of my friends dad with a dead deer draped over his shoulders I wanted to be sick; deer are not a pest here and we love them.

So does it take more skill to target shoot than hunt shoot? I would have thought that shooting a moving target would be more skillful, but as I haven't done it I can only guess.

I got into shooting because of hunting with family and mates, now I would rather shoot at a target as I like the feeling of skill when I shoot a tight group, but I do still hunt occaisionally.