What is your primary reason for owning a firearm?

[reddiesel]

Can I vote again, again, and again. Many reason to a pistols and many reasons to own long guns. You can' t own just one.

 

[j4jenk]

There's not a single reason in your poll that isn't applicable, but the number one reason is for the defense of my family. There are some substitutes for the other choices, but no other substitute stops a bad a guy with a gun as effectively as a good guy (me) with a gun.

 

[andski3]

I voted for defense, but really it is all of the above.

 

[84VETTE]

I put other because there is no "all of the above" option

 

[Plisken]

I chose target shooting for primary reason. But defense is on the list to.

 

[katfishinking]

i totaly agree with all of the above. i would bet not one single person on ingo has but one single gun for only one purpose. i would think we all have several different guns for hunting, defense, target shooting and so forth. if not, i must be weird.

 

[Ruffnek]

I figured that Civic Responsibility covered self and other people's defense.

 

[raptrbreth]

I want to and it pisses people off that I own guns that hold more than 10 "bullets".

 

[Colarmel]

I wanted to exercise my rights... but I don't believe rights exist in a vacuum, they exist for a purpose, the right to bear arms exists for the purpose of defense. That said, I don't believe in self-defense purely for the sake of self-preservation, but only because there are people counting on me to come home. Beyond that, I believe in firearms for the defense of others. Not that I'd hold the decision to shoot for self-defense purely for self-preservation against anyone else.

 

[Jerchap2]

My primary reasons for owning guns is for personal protection. The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. I am one of the good guys.

 

[12many]

Voted other because I can

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

Boys toys...... It's just a secondary consideration that a gun could be used in self defense. Shiny objects that move and spin and make satisfying little clicks and pings....... Not to mention the extremely soothing and calming loud booms on occasion...... The gadgetry, the chill of cold steel, the handful of weight and the tactile feel in your hands..... Who needs any better reason to own firearms than these? The Beatles say it perfectly



She's not a girl who misses much
Do do do do do do do do, oh yeah
She's well acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand
Like a lizard on a window pane
The man in the crowd with the multicoloured mirrors
On his hobnail boots
Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy
Working overtime
A soap impression of his wife which he ate
And donated to the National Trust

I need a fix cause I'm going down
Down to the bits that I left uptown
I need a fix cause I'm going down

Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun

Happiness is a warm gun (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, mama (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
When I hold you in my arms (Oo-oo oh yeah)
And I feel my finger on your trigger (Oo-oo oh yeah)
I know no one can do me no harm (Oo-oo oh yeah)
Because happiness is a warm gun, mama (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, yes it is (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm, yes it is, gun (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Well, don't you know happiness is a warm gun, mama? (Happiness is a warm gun, yeah)

 

[sun]

For me shooting is mostly a sport.
Learning to shoot and to hit the target for fun and in various kinds of competition became somewhat of a passion.
It extends to air guns, muzzle loaders and percussion revolvers.
Many of the shooting sports evolved from shooting competitions using military guns that became more specialized for particular purposes and events over time.
The underlying purpose of using lethal weapons for self-defense has always existed, and much the same applies to hunting game.
The basic training when learning to shoot is much the same no matter what the actual purpose that the firearm was initially purchased for, the challenge is to be able to hit the target on demand, whether or not the target is paper, moving or reacting to the shot and/or shooting back.

 

[LarryC]

The poll is going to have many misleading answers. I have multiple reasons for owing firearms. Possibly the first 2 or 3 firearms were purchased for Home and Self defense. the next 5 or 10 for targeting, the following 40 or 50 + for investment, historical significance, and just 'cause I like guns!

 

[Thegeek]

I'm not a big man. Personal/family defense is right up there, but I'm also a firm believer in the ideas of our founding fathers. An armed man, is a free man. Without the power to resist, someone will always try to impose their will upon you.

I'm not armed because I am free. I'm free because I am armed.

 

[Wolverine6G]

Initial reason was protection home and family. I love target shooting. I also want to take some shoothouse courses.

 

[BK1962]

Because I'm an American and I can...

 

[cosermann]

FWIW, the "because I can" answer is supposed to be the "Civic Responsibility/Rights Execise" option in the poll.

Because I can = exercising your rights. (That was the intent anyway.)

Very interesting responses so far, BTW.

 

[danielson]

I think, primarily, because I like them. I love the way their engineered, I like to take them apart and clean them really well, and just look at the design.

But the primary reason I CARRY it, and train with it, is for defense. I live in a crappy hood.

 

[Bennettjh]

I voted rights exercise. I was tied between that and defense. Different reasons for different guns though.