I talk with my brother in law about how I'm thinking of buying a mauser rifle.  I do this because (A) he's a great guy, and (B) I know he has an interest in old european military memorabilia.  I thought it would interest him.

His first reaction is, "why do you want another firearm.  Are you not happy with the one's you have?"  I've heard this kind of reaction before from family and some friends.

Naturally my response was that shooting was my hobby, and I enjoy collecting firearms.  He accepted this and then went on to talk about how he's thinking of getting some .22's for teaching his kids how to shoot.  He even suggested coming down near where I live to go shooting, since there are more open areas for shooting near my house.

I just don't get why so many people feel that there must be some kind of justification to get a firearm.  It's like some knee jerk reaction to ask, "why do you need/want another gun."  My brother in law golfs, and I'd never ask him to justify the purchase of a new/different golf club.

Is this a reaction that many of you have experienced?  What inspires people to have this reaction?  A fear of firearms?  A fear of people who own firearms (I'm one of the most friendly, non-threatening people I know)?

Ignore him and buy the Mauser..

Sometimes they are just courious.  So in your case you can say you want something to go with you 1903, ect.  Other people think that you are just plain nuts for buying guns and you just need to brush them off and get used to it.

Might be they are worried about you/them being a "gun nut"


Most people want to appear "reasonable"


I even get the "why do you need that" on other things, like vehicles

Quoted: I talk with my brother in law about how I'm thinking of buying a mauser rifle.  I do this because (A) he's a great guy, and (B) I know he has an interest in old european military memorabilia.  I thought it would interest him. His first reaction is, "why do you want another firearm.  Are you not happy with the one's you have?"  I've heard this kind of reaction before from family and some friends. Naturally my response was that shooting was my hobby, and I enjoy collecting firearms.  He accepted this and then went on to talk about how he's thinking of getting some .22's for teaching his kids how to shoot.  He even suggested coming down near where I live to go shooting, since there are more open areas for shooting near my house. I just don't get why so many people feel that there must be some kind of justification to get a firearm.  It's like some knee jerk reaction to ask, "why do you need/want another gun."  My brother in law golfs, and I'd never ask him to justify the purchase of a new/different golf club. Is this a reaction that many of you have experienced?  What inspires people to have this reaction?  A fear of firearms?  A fear of people who own firearms (I'm one of the most friendly, non-threatening people I know)?

+1

Amoung other things.

Just my 2 cents

A person who tries to get you to justify purchasing your gun, isn't "Pro-Gun."
I hang around with, and luckily work with people who ussually say - your just getting that now!?

About time! lol

Yeah - Gun Nut...

Gun nut definition - owns more then ONE firearm and possesses ammunition in more then One box or over 20 rounds...

Shoots without need to hunt, or before and after hunting season because they say "It's Fun." (of course if they ever went shooting they would know it IS)

Etc... Etc...

I had one guy tell me he's a lifetime NRA member - and thinks it's ok to ban anything outside of needs for hunting - I don't know about you but if thats the way you feel you should read a little more about the NRA - it isn't the national hunting assc. jeesuuussss!

I think we should make a point to have follow up buys!!!

People need to remember that god, guns and guts made the U.S. what it is - Enough said

Some people just don't realize that you can't do the every job with one gun.

Quoted: Ignore him and buy the Mauser..

Don't worry.  He isn't a factor in my decision.

Just a little more background here.  This brother in law is a very successful business man, great husband and father, and well respected by all in the family including my parents.  I have a big family, so that's really saying something.  If I can win him over to being more pro-2nd Amendment, even a little, it will go a long way in helping me out with my family.  I'm the only really pro-gun person in my family, and many of my siblings are strongly anti-gun.  This brother-in-law has started reading the book, More Guns Less Crime that I loaned him.

On a good side note, my baby brother inherited a rifle from his father-in-law, and is starting to show interest in shooting.  He and his wife live near me, so I'm trying to be a good influence.

I'm just tired of close friends and family questioning why I should have firearms, as if I was engaged in some kind of questionable activity.

ar101,

You have no idea how close to the mark you've come with your remarks.  I've heard much of the same thing.

Long story, but our job is carrying etc...

We have two Anti Gun idiots that we basically don't even deal with now because of their comments, and they don't even try to justify it - they just think Joe the Civie shouldn't be able to own - one less gun "on the street" mentality BS

Back when they had the Hollywood Bank robbery the local Gun shop WAS the guns that let them take out the robbers who had them outgunned and outarmored.
I'll take 2 Civie Joe's "Gun Nuts" over 2 Anti Gun anything - Least I won't have to worry if they packing enough heat

Usually when I get that kind of response, I say something like :


"If cars cost as little as guns, I'd have a bunch of them, too.  Wouldn't you?"


Then I tell them that I collect, and sometimes throw in that I have a license from the Federal Gov't to do so.  (C&R)

I just need justification to spend money on a hobby and protection.

"Because I want it and I can buy it".

I don't bother explaining it beyond that.  I don't jump all over people who have houses full of beanie babies, or car models, or lawn tools.  Why should my hobby and expendatures concern them?

Quoted: "Because I want it and I can buy it". I don't bother explaining it beyond that.  I don't jump all over people who have houses full of beanie babies, or car models, or lawn tools.  Why should my hobby and expendatures concern them?

Very true.  What is sad is the fact that I wanted to share the joy of shooting with a family member, only to receive a questioning response.  It only concerns him because it would be nice to have more family involved in my hobby, and it would be nice not to feel like an outcast because of my hobby.

Oh, here's another positive side note.  My parents included shooting targets in the package they sent for my birthday.  I've never been able to get my dad to go shooting with me, but I'm still trying.

Why are you asking this question?

"why do you want another firearm.  Are you not happy with the one's you have?"  I've heard this kind of reaction before from family and some friends.

They are jealous that you have the money or they somehow think your hobby is different than theirs.  

If you wish to cure them of this childishness just ask them why they buy more of the items they do, hobby or no, "aren't you happy with the 1000 skeins of yarn you have ....or the 20 golf sweaters or whatever.  Once you see you've annoyed them then ask why they bug you in the same way.  I know these are family and friends so that probably precludes the honest "what the hell does it matter to you" that will cause trouble.

Much as I love the book "More Guns Less Crime", it STILL goes against people's gut instincts, it's like an optical illusion or paradox.  A lot of people will reject it like broccoli or brussel sprouts.

Quoted: Why are you asking this question?

I guess I'm looking for an explanation of how "justification for owning a firearm" became so established for so many people.  Maybe it's just due to the mass brain-washing we receive from the media.

Some people seem to think that everything you do has to be first cleared with them.
I've had people say to me, "You have a pick-up truck?  You don't NEED that!"
WTF?!
Why can't I just have a pick-up truck if I want one?

I have asked my friends the same question... "Why are you getting that?"  My reason is to find out if he was filling a hole in his collection.  Is he wanting to try a new weapon out or is this an itch he has had for a while and is just now getting to scratch it... either way I offer to buy the first box of ammo for it and go along for the first shoot to see how it works out.  When I am asked by family members why... I respond with, "Because it is my right to own them and it is not like I am asking anyone to help me buy it."  Just my 2 cents.




Semper Fi-

Mutt_69

Just say, "you can never be to prepared when it comes to defense."

I live with liberals and everything I say they believe is either rumors or gun nut sayings, yet when we get into arguements about firearms they state myths and ledgons, I ask them to prove it and they can't... the thing Is that I can prove what I say.  When I display the evidence to them they just dismiss it.  

That makes me angry and they wonder why I'm so upset almost all of the time.  

There's a word for those people but I can't remember ir recolect it, I just call them fools.

They don't approve of it . Shallow people we live around.

This is a long story, but i'll make it quick. I have a friend who has a lot of guns, im talking around 35+ guns, he is a collector. About a year ago he told me that two agents from ATF came to his house asking questions. One was a woman, she asked him why he had so many guns &  that he doesn't need more than one, he told her he loves guns & like to collect them. He then asked her if she liked purses, to which she answered yes of course. He asked her if she had more than one purse, & she said yes, he said well you don't need more than one, why do you have more than one purse? He told me that she & the other agent started laughing, & more or less agreed with him.  They checked his registrations & receipts & went on their way.

He told me he did this in the nicest way possible, no attitude whatsoever. He was just trying to make a point. I thought it was funny story.

What?  You mean you want more than one gun?!

What possibly could another gun do that your one gun can't?

You must be mentally deffective if you want more than one.

You must be planning some kind of attack if you need more than one!


I could go on

My little brother is the same way.  He's in the Air Force and a TACP (calls in air strikes for the Army).  Anyway he's gets some pretty high speed shit gun wise.  Pretty crappy firearms training.  He's more of a casual shooter, he like me grew up shooting a lot from about age 5.  He likes guns but doesn't own one tha he's ever acutally purchased himself, just doesn't have a passion for it.  I'm a competitive shooter and also a hunter.  He's always asking me about why I need another pistol or rifle or whatever.  He hates it when I show him up at the range with both rifles and pistols shooting twice as accurate and more than twice as fast as him.  but he doesn't really do anything to improve his shooting.   He actually thought that since they sight it their rifles at 25meters that his groups would be the same size at 200meters!  He didn't believe me that it's only a indicator of point of impact at that distance not group size.  He asked my dad (USMC retired) and he set him straight.

He's buys cars like most people by coffee.  But then asks me why I need more guns.  I just laugh and tell him to get out of the Air Force and sell cars that way he could drive a new one everyday.  

Way back in college I was the "old man" in the dorm.  I got all the young'uns to repeat:

"Because it's my right you fucking liberal."

Also won over a dozen new shooters in the 1.5 years I was there.

My mother doesn't understand why I would need more than one of any type of firearm. In her mind, if you have one rifle, one shotgun, and one pistol, why do you need any other rifle, shotgun or pistol if you already have one? She isn't anti-gun, in fact she's told me on more than one occasion that if the government starts confiscating guns they deserve to have a revolution on their hands.

Unforunately, she's TOO practically-minded. To her, it's about need. If you go hunting or just like target shooting, get a gun that's suited for it and that's that. You don't need another gun, so spend the money on something you do need. She doesn't understand. She especially doesn't understand why my dad owns four handguns (one of which I started carrying around the ranch). Rifles and shotguns we would use on a regular basis, but handguns would only be used for self-defense in her way of thinking, so why would you need more than one? You're not going to use more than one handgun at a time, so why own more? She just doesn't get it.

The only time this has caused a problem is when she told me she didn't like my wanting to buy a semi-auto AK-47. She's afraid that if I do, some anti-gun looney will see it and call the cops and say I've got a machine gun and I'm going to be arrested and never get my gun back, even when they find that I haven't done anything illegal. She's always worrying about how other people will screw things up for you like that and it gets on my nerves sometimes.

She asked me not to get an AK until after I graduate or move out, whichever comes first. I said I would consider it, but really wanted the gun. She replied that she wasn't going to try to stop me from getting one even if she could, but that she didn't think it was a good idea.

Order form is filled out and waiting for my first paycheck of summer. I figure waiting until I was halfway through was all the compromise I needed to make.

She's going to have a conniption when I start buying handguns.

Start by replying, "You make the assumption that people own guns to commit crimes, or are afraid they may commit a crime.  That mistaken belief is portrayed on TV shows and movies, but is not based on reality.  I don't have to have a reason, excuse, or permission to own one or any number of guns.  I own them because I want to."

next time someone challenges your potential purchase...just go ahead and buy two more guns instead of one, tell em they start to feel lonely and need their friends with em

I look people in the eye, and tell them that I own lots of guns because my neighbors don't own any, and I might need to equip the entire neighborhood if aliens invade someday.  What's he doing for his local community??

If they say that I don't KNOW that aliens will ever invade, I ask them why they wear a seatbelt whenever they drive, instead of just when they KNOW they are going to be in an accident.

Quoted: Quoted: Why are you asking this question? I guess I'm looking for an explanation of how "justification for owning a firearm" became so established for so many people.  Maybe it's just due to the mass brain-washing we receive from the media.

Stop answering stupid questions, including mine above (I meant it in good humor.) Just smile, and say heh heh heh. Or something simple, "I like to"

Answer it like you would if someone asked you "Why do you breathe?"

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Why are you asking this question? I guess I'm looking for an explanation of how "justification for owning a firearm" became so established for so many people.  Maybe it's just due to the mass brain-washing we receive from the media. Stop answering stupid questions, including mine above (I meant it in good humor.) Just smile, and say heh heh heh. Or something simple, "I like to" Answer it like you would if someone asked you "Why do you breathe?"

Then stop asking stupid questions...darn it!

Why do you need more than one gun?

Dig it...if and when the SHTF, your anti-gun siblings will come to you and through watery red bleary eyes they will BEG you to help them protect their family. Yup, they will be begging for you to give them one of those rifles you never needed.

They still won't no how to handle it.  but you can bet your ass they will have changed their anti-gun mindsets.

I am amazed at the prevalent mindset that being defenseless is somehow a virtue. Darwinisim in action.

Sua Sponte

Quoted: Why do you need more than one gun? Dig it...if and when the SHTF, your anti-gun siblings will come to you and through watery red bleary eyes they will BEG you to help them protect their family. Yup, they will be begging for you to give them one of those rifles you never needed. They still won't no how to handle it.  but you can bet your ass they will have changed their anti-gun mindsets. I am amazed at the prevalent mindset that being defenseless is somehow a virtue. Darwinisim in action. Sua Sponte

I get the same line in my hood. They all say that when the SHTF that my house is where they will come. I just tell them that I won't be there. Join now or be screwed when the time comes.

I am amazed at the prevalent mindset that being defenseless is somehow a virtue.

I am amazed at the mindset that bellieves being defenseless is safer, as then you will not anger the aggressors.   Bad guys won't hurt me if I am unarmed?

or

"The bad guy will take it from you and use it against you."

OK, let's test that theory.  (pointing my pistol-finger at them)  Here, take this away from me, go on, reach for it...  BANG!!!  You're dead.  Too bad, you're too slow.  Try again.  BANG!!!  You are STILL too slow, and still dead.  OK, try it again.  BANG!!!  Three strikes, you're out!  You failed to prove how a bad guy will take my gun and use it against me.  Now, what's your next excuse for being defenseless?

Here is my reply to a query like that.

Because Fuck you!  Thats why.

Mark.

Quoted: "Because I want it and I can buy it". I don't bother explaining it beyond that.  I don't jump all over people who have houses full of beanie babies, or car models, or lawn tools.  Why should my hobby and expendatures concern them?

I agree. However when it is an OBVIOUS "anti" if female, and ESPECIALLY if she goes down the "no one "needs" a gun. I check to see if she's wearing makeup. And reply, "well, no one NEEDS makeup, guess we should outlaw that too, eh?" If a guy, I use cars, especially "muscle" cars, and or ones w/ "flames" or other decoration... and suggest we should, since NO ONE "ever" has any reason to go over 65MPH that any car than CAN should therefore be outlawed, except those that LEOs use.

These tactics seem to get them to STFU.

I use to go into detail about RKBA and used all the points above, It never got me anywhere,. Now I just reply... "Zombies man! Zombies are everywhere!"

Quoted: I use to go into detail about RKBA and used all the points above, It never got me anywhere,. Now I just reply... "Zombies man! Zombies are everywhere!"

ha!  I use Sasquatch for my reason sometimes.

Quoted: Quoted: I use to go into detail about RKBA and used all the points above, It never got me anywhere,. Now I just reply... "Zombies man! Zombies are everywhere!" ha!  I use Sasquatch for my reason sometimes.

See, your in Oregon,.. Noone will belive Bigfoot in VA,. Got to keep things realistic

Quoted: This is a long story, but i'll make it quick. I have a friend who has a lot of guns, im talking around 35+ guns, he is a collector. About a year ago he told me that two agents from ATF came to his house asking questions. One was a woman, she asked him why he had so many guns &  that he doesn't need more than one, he told her he loves guns & like to collect them. He then asked her if she liked purses, to which she answered yes of course. He asked her if she had more than one purse, & she said yes, he said well you don't need more than one, why do you have more than one purse? He told me that she & the other agent started laughing, & more or less agreed with him.  They checked his registrations & receipts & went on their way. He told me he did this in the nicest way possible, no attitude whatsoever. He was just trying to make a point. I thought it was funny story.

Nicely Done

My favorite is when some shit for brains who was 10 min ago going on about how I don't need this or that comes out with something like this: "If the shit hits the fan, I know where I'm gonna go!" To which I usually reply. "No. No you won't." Then they just look at me with the deer in the headlights look and say in complete sereousness, "Why not?"


Gee, I wonder.

We are always defending our actions which is total BS!

It's not just with guns.   That same question has been asked of me when I buy another item for one of my other hobbies.

My M-I-L asked my wife that question about my rifles,  I told her next time to ask her mother why she buys more paperweights when she's already has so many.