Today was my first day off in a looooong time. i work a 40 hour week and go to school full time, so these are far and few between.

If you are in the northeast at all, hopefully you are able to enjoy the hot, summerlike weather we are having here in NY. I decided to take advantage of it and go shooting.

I took out my 12 gauge mossberg 500, my AR-15 carbine, and my 10/22. I went through about 500 rounds all together.

I came inside, cleaned my weapons, and sat down with a cold beer. The house is quiet. No one is around.  Perfect day. I'm going to cook steak for dinner, on the grill.

While I was out shooting and relaxing, I got to thinking: with all the tragedy in NOLA, the constant political games being played around us, and the impending chaos of such things as bird flu and angry weather patterns, I lose track of why through all of these disasters I fight for my right to own a firearm. I enjoy shooting. I can relax, focus on the target, and put a bullet downrange where I want it to go (sort of ). Nice weather, some shooting, and the outdoors. I think all of us on this board at one time or another have experienced the simple joys of plinking, and every time I do it I get confused as to why people want to take these guns away from me. I wonder if they spent an afternoon killing cans if they would modify their views.

I like that I can defend my life and my loved ones if called upon to do so.
I like that I can participate in shooting sports with like-minded friends.
I like collecting interesting and complex, historical, and innovative firearms.
I like that I can spend a day in the sun dinging cans just for the hell of it.

That is why I own firearms, and thats why today made me stop and remember why I will fight to keep them.

Thanks for reading.

-J  

Great post.

Fuckin' A

Good post.

40 hours and full time school? You DESERVE a day off. You have my respect.

Good post...it all becomes clearer when my youngest son and I blow a Sat afternoon at the range w/ our RF rifles. Theres no place to be, no schedule to keep and swingers to kill. Its surprising how fast the afternoon goes by. No only that but my son also gets to know why I fight for our 2nd amendment rights. When he's old enough he'll do the same and know why.