Only met one...and he was! But so are the numerous folks I have met here that want to shoot REAL guns...makes me (cue up the Lee Greenwood CD) "...proud to be an American!"
Actually, to my surprise, there is a guy I train in Iaido with that has an M-14! I don't know if it is full-auto, but I have seen a pic of hi firing it, and it looks like the real deal.
To answer ya'alls questions...Yes, you "can" own rifles and shotguns here, as long as you are willing to go through the rubber-glove-up-to-the-elbow treatment :moon:to get your gun licenses. He has invited me to go shoot. If I actually get to fire his M-14, it will have to be when no one else is around. It is my understanding that the law is so strict that it is against the law for an unlicensed person to literally even *touch* a firearm. But I could be (hopefully) wrong on this point...
Hey Ryan, you've been hanging around too much at the local Kyokushin-kai or Shito-ryu dojo, haven't you?? I have been here over 10 years, been in Karate, Aikido, Iaido, Kendo, and Kyudo dojos and I have heard "Ossu" said a grand total of 0(zero) times. Maybe the Japanese don't know "Japanese" here... I have only heard it said in the States among the American students of certain Karate styles. It is not usually heard in everyday speech, and can be too informal/intimate/borderline rude depending on the social context. I like my head on my shoulders and those same shoulders to remain in their sockets, so I highly doubt I will ever say it around Niina Go-Soke (Iaido) or the Aikikai Hombu dojo Shihan... Just FYI...
日本語勉強には頑張ろう!= Keep on keepin'-on with your Japanese study, something I still need to do even after all this time. Speaking of time, its now Beer-o-clock over here!