My Relationship With Guns

 This is what I hope will be a brief exercise to explain to those who vilify shooters that we're pretty damned normal and targeting us is plain dumb.  Admittedly, I'm not known for brevity.  

I've owned guns for over 30 years, compete with them, tinker with them, and enjoy shooting them.  I consider myself to be a shooter versus a gun nut.

My first exposure to firearms was my grandfather teaching me how to shoot around 12 years old.  Some of my most cherished memories.  He had a fair amount of land, that included a small dump in a gulley at the edge of the property.  It was the 70's, so we didn't know about the whole environmental impact.  I learned how to safely operate guns, the discipline required to hit the target, and the responsibility to clean your gun immediately after returning from shooting.  We used 22 caliber guns; a revolver and a rifle that I still have in my safe.  This same story applied to a fair number of my friends, as well.  If you grew up in the country, you shot guns for leisure and/or hunting.  And you were safe / responsible, or you didn't touch a gun.  

Shooting is Fun

That leads me to a point that those on the extreme left can't seem to recognize.  Shooting is fun.  Going to the range with your friends and seeing who can be the most accurate or just enjoying the comradery.  Even more so, when you shoot competitively; nicest and most giving folks I've had the pleasure of interacting with.  Going by myself is also enjoyable and provides a respite from daily stressors.  Nothing can cloud your mind when you're trying to hit a target 600 yards out.  Most of my practice is solo.  Everyone I know shoots at targets, whether they be paper, cardboard, or steel.  I've never encountered another shooter who looked at a target and saw a bad guy or someone they hated.  

There are likely still those who find firing a gun to be abhorrent, so I'll share a story.  I've dated three different women (married one) who despised guns, particularly the AR-15.  Considering how much I competed at the time, such a disparity in views was problematic.  I took each one to my shooting club (voluntarily, of course), along with an AR-15, and taught them to shoot it.  As I packed up afterward, the sentiment of all three were identical (almost verbatim) - When can we go again?

Carrying A Handgun

Because I grew up around guns, and both my father and grandfather carried, it was only natural that I'd have a concealed carry permit.  More in Who's The Danger To Society

Grooming

Looping back to youth learning how to shoot, I'll share one final point and a story.  Teaching your kids how to shoot is not grooming.  As I previously noted, those shared experiences frequently become cherished family memories.  My now ex wife had two kids in their preteens, when I met her.  After I moved in, one of the first things I did was teach them gun safety and let them hold a gun to remove the mystery / fascination.  Then, I taught them how to shoot; both kids were interested.  Before I let them fire a round, I lined up three milk jugs full of water and fired.  Watching the first jug explode gave them a quick education on the power that guns hold, so always be safe.  To be clear, ALL of my guns were ALWAYS under lock and key, but kids can be quite resourceful and better safe than sorry.  Did my grandfather groom me or was I grooming my stepkids?  Dumbest question on this entry; of course not.  Are those who take family Christmas pics with everyone holding firearms grooming?  No.  I consider it the height of poor taste perpetrated by white trash (it's always a white family), but there's no grooming going on that pertains to guns.  Being a scumbag, maybe... 

This entry is part of my "Gun Series" that focuses on providing insight into the gun debate and gun violence.  You can find the other entries in the series HERE.  

About the author: Sean R is a recovering conservative who owns a consulting firm specializing in strategic marketing.  He's been a competitive shooter since the early 90's and holds a High Master classification in PPC and a Master classification in USPSA.  Additionally, he's served as an instructor for gun safety and competition courses.  He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his overly vocal white dog, Sadie.