What got you into guns?

JPod279

My dad was a cop and I grew up hunting (and fishing). So naturally, guns have always been a part of my life. I don't hunt anymore but I have all my dad's rifles, shotguns, hand guns and I have my own rifle/shotgun/pistol. I hope to teach my girls about responsible gun ownership and have them comfortable with shooting.

ravenlaramie

My dad is a cop and has been since 1992. He joined the sherriff's office as they transitioned from the revolvers to the Glocks. Of course this fascinated me and I wanted to see the gun that everyone talked so highly of. He had me read and memorize the entire transition handbook front to back and recite the rules before I could even hold it. He taught me that anytime a weapon was handed to me, I was to clear the weapon personally after he cleared it, and that when I handed it back I was to clear it again. That started it lol.

katamus

I live in Florida.

When I was a kid I was always into the BB guns. I even out-shot a bunch of Boyscouts when I was like 10 (won a ribbon and everything--haha).

Some of my family are gun owners, but never really shared it with me. My cousin has his own company, Adams Arms (http://ar15fix.com/). Pretty cool, right?

But I really only shoot with my fiance. That's what our dates consist of, lol. Sometimes his family might come with us.

I'm not a "southern" girl.. I don't consider Florida as part of "The South" by any means. I guess I'm just wired to enjoy guns?

digitalbill

My Father was a police officer (my .357 was his service revolver) so we were shooting every since I can remember. I can recall firing an M16 before I could drive a car.

When I was younger, I had visions of me carrying all kinds of big, expensive weapons however, once I joined the Army and had my turn at carrying the M60 on a road march, my opinions changed.

I would not say I am "into" guns. I am not a collector nor am I a "zombie gun" builder. I own only what I feel is most useful for my situation.

With that said, the Mini-14 is SUPPOSED to double as a hunting rifle however, I must admit that when we were without power/police for over two weeks several years back, I was very happy to have this rifle along with multiple 40 round mags at my disposal.

x_JT_x

I'm a moderator on author Brad Thor's reader forum. The folks there are hugely pro-2nd Amendment and the more I learned from them the more interested I became in buying my own gun and learning to shoot. Hubby bought me my first handgun for Mother's Day this year . Love that man!!

Cyngen

My Dad! He was an avid outdoorsman, hunting and fishing. He and I would sit on the farm and target shoot with .22 rifles from about 50 yards away at the old gerber baby food jar covers set up on a fence post. Great training.

Two of my three kids are into guns as well, with my one daughter a right darn good shot with all my guns. I like to tease her as she's a doctor. So you can shoot em and then sew em up to be taken to jail

rextcat

:huh: dunno, im a hick and we allways had at least one gun handy.... my parents taught us gun safty from a VERY young age.

TropicalKitty

I grew up in suburbia outside of a large midwestern city and was fairly anti-gun. I thought the NRA was a bunch of gun toting nut jobs and guns were stupid/scary.

Then I was enlightened.

I ended up moving to TN and somewhere along my path I became curious. I went to the range with a longtime family friend back where I grew up.

1911 .45 And it was over. Guns were no longer stupid. First pistol I shot and I still have a soft spot for it. Plus, it helps that my bf grew up with guns/hunting, so he's helped me understand the reality more, etc.

TLDR: the bang.

lunamare

My husband. I was never around guns as a kid but he grew up hunting with his dad. When we first got together they weren't on a speaking basis, so even though he had just come home from the Army he didn't have any guns. When they finally reconciled his dad asked him to start hunting again. First he got back into bow hunting, then we both took the class and got our Class A licenses. We started shooting together about 8 years ago. I enjoy target shooting mostly, and trap, but he still hunts.

kgb6days

I grew up around guns (father was a hunter), but then never had them. Then several things happened that made me realize I needed to be able to protect myself:

1. I was almost kidnapped by two men in a van in a campground near Atlanta. They went to the next campground and actually did kidnap a woman.

2. While home alone one weekend, our motorhome garage was broken into. As our yard was all dug up after putting in a pool you could see where the two men (could tell by footprints) had walked all along the back of the house.

We then got two dogs, an alarm system and guns. We got our CCL and a membership at a firing range for regular practice to maintain competency. We realized how much fun shooting is, what a great stress reliever it is and the race was on. We have have multiple guns/types of guns and love it.

sirthickness

I didn't shoot much as a kid; .22 rifle here and there. I went into the Marines after high school and loved shooting and maintaining the M16. LOVED "snapping in" (Marines know I'm talking about) and shooting at Edson Range.

I started hunting with some friends when I was about 25 and loved it. Now, I'm a cop and find shooting to be pretty relaxing. From actually shooting at the range to the maintenance and customizing of my firearms - 4 rifles (2 scoped hunting rifles and 2 AR15's) and 5 handguns. I have started taking my wife and kids to the range so they can become familiar with the guns. I will let them decide if they want to take it a step further, then look into buying them their own guns - sorry, but mine are only mine. haha

MikeM53082

I enjoy the science of it all (maybe that's why I became an engineer).

I also think the customization of the AR-15 is a blast. Adding different hand guards and vertical grips, taking off stuff, swapping optics, etc etc. The fact that you can individualize your rifle is a lot of fun.

I think this is why I've always been in the "black gun" crowd. I've never even been hunting!

MissySho

My loving husband......and the need to be able to protect myself and my family in a time of crisis.

sirthickness

Have .

sirthickness

I enjoy the science of it all (maybe that's why I became an engineer).

I also think the customization of the AR-15 is a blast. Adding different hand guards and vertical grips, taking off stuff, swapping optics, etc etc. The fact that you can individualize your rifle is a lot of fun.

I think this is why I've always been in the "black gun" crowd. I've never even been hunting!

Have you looked at or shot any AR10 (.308) platforms yet? I am looking at some and may buy something by next summer. Armalite, Bushmaster and JP Enterprises all make some pretty nice rifles. JP Enterprises is what I am leaning toward, but they are spendy. But then again, you get what you pay for. A guy I work with brought his .308 to the range (one he just built, but I didn't ask what upper/lower he used) a few weeks ago and sighted it in for this seasons hunting trip. Very nice shooting rifle. Again, I am not experienced or skilled enough to build my own, yet. I would probably buy from the factory and add what I needed/wanted.

Nanadena

My Dad! He was an avid outdoorsman, hunting and fishing. He and I would sit on the farm and target shoot with .22 rifles from about 50 yards away at the old gerber baby food jar covers set up on a fence post. Great training.

Two of my three kids are into guns as well, with my one daughter a right darn good shot with all my guns. I like to tease her as she's a doctor. So you can shoot em and then sew em up to be taken to jail

Like you, but then married and became an avid hunter. We are getting ready for our elk hunt in under 3 weeks. I am SO excited!

moosegt35

I live in Florida.

When I was a kid I was always into the BB guns. I even out-shot a bunch of Boyscouts when I was like 10 (won a ribbon and everything--haha).

Some of my family are gun owners, but never really shared it with me. My cousin has his own company, Adams Arms (http://ar15fix.com/). Pretty cool, right?

But I really only shoot with my fiance. That's what our dates consist of, lol. Sometimes his family might come with us.

I'm not a "southern" girl.. I don't consider Florida as part of "The South" by any means. I guess I'm just wired to enjoy guns?

So the southern most state in the entire US isn't "the south" ?

MikeM53082

I live in Florida.

When I was a kid I was always into the BB guns. I even out-shot a bunch of Boyscouts when I was like 10 (won a ribbon and everything--haha).

Some of my family are gun owners, but never really shared it with me. My cousin has his own company, Adams Arms (http://ar15fix.com/). Pretty cool, right?

But I really only shoot with my fiance. That's what our dates consist of, lol. Sometimes his family might come with us.

I'm not a "southern" girl.. I don't consider Florida as part of "The South" by any means. I guess I'm just wired to enjoy guns?

So the southern most state in the entire US isn't "the south" ?

Some parts of Florida are southern, like Jacksonville and Tallahassee. But most of the state just doesn't have that deep south feel. Where I live, Miami/Fort Lauderdale area has zero southern feel at all.

MikeM53082

I enjoy the science of it all (maybe that's why I became an engineer).

I also think the customization of the AR-15 is a blast. Adding different hand guards and vertical grips, taking off stuff, swapping optics, etc etc. The fact that you can individualize your rifle is a lot of fun.

I think this is why I've always been in the "black gun" crowd. I've never even been hunting!

Have you looked at or shot any AR10 (.308) platforms yet? I am looking at some and may buy something by next summer. Armalite, Bushmaster and JP Enterprises all make some pretty nice rifles. JP Enterprises is what I am leaning toward, but they are spendy. But then again, you get what you pay for. A guy I work with brought his .308 to the range (one he just built, but I didn't ask what upper/lower he used) a few weeks ago and sighted it in for this seasons hunting trip. Very nice shooting rifle. Again, I am not experienced or skilled enough to build my own, yet. I would probably buy from the factory and add what I needed/wanted.

I've never shot a .308 before, though I see some killer deals on Slickguns for Armalite AR-10's. Armalite and JP are both very solid gun makers. So many guns, so little money... :explode:

Bull2707

I can not remember what got me into guns and knives but the Marines have tought me how to use them. I have not stopped since. Semper Fi

swordsmith

My father. He owned a gun store

x_JT_x

nt

Sarah_Wins

I live alone on the wrong side of town, and unfortunately my "guard dog" Rottweiler turned out to be afraid of her own shadow.

If you listen closely, you can actually hear the police choppers flying over my house as I type.

Sox90716

I grew up hunting. I'm an Army veteran and current Deputy Sheriff. An armed society is a polite society!

bshedwick

My time in the US Navy got me interested, but I finally bought my own firearm just recently. (Had to convince the wife)

kuntry_navy

Hunting and trying to out-shoot my brothers

YankeesG2

Hello everyone, I am new here and wanted to introduce myself. I'm from the country and have been using guns since I was a child. I am training right now to pass my state and local police department physical agility test. I'm an avid gun enthusiast.

RacerX_14

Hunting with my Dad, brothers, uncles and cousins. My whole family hunts and fishes.

fbmandy55

My dad. He is a member of a nice private range. I grew up watching him hunt with guns and bows and will admit I walked out to him cleaning a pheasant once and tossed my cookies on the porch. We always had BB and pellet guns out at home but when I was about 12/13, he had my brother and I take a certified safety course.

The first time he took me to the range to shoot skeet, I hit two in a row. My dad's jaw dropped. It's something that we bonded over. Then I met a man who loves to collect guns as well and now dad takes both of us. Hunting is something I've always wanted to do but finding a place to hunt is nearly impossible.

GetSoda

Always enjoyed shooting.

Then a couple months ago, I decided it was time and bought.... a couple.

worstcaster

I enjoyed the outdoors and thought hunting added a pleasant added purpose. I never touched a gun until I was 25.